Airport Arrival

• Airport representatives are trained on health and safety protocols.
• Airport representatives’ temperature is checked before reporting to work.
• Airport representatives wear face masks at all times.
• Clients will be welcomed with traditional greetings. Handshakes are avoided.
• Airport representatives will avoid physical contact and maintain social distancing whenever possible.

Guides, drivers and destination representatives

• Guides and drivers are trained on health and safety protocols.
• Guides will brief clients on health and safety measures as recommended by WHO, as well as local regulations.
• Guides and drivers’ temperatures are checked before reporting to work.
• Guides and drivers wear face masks.
• Guides and drivers avoid physical contact and maintain social distancing whenever possible.
• Guides and drivers regularly sanitize their hands, especially before handling food.
• Destination representatives will follow the same health and safety procedures as guides.

Medical intervention

• All guides and drivers in Thailand have received the COVID-19 vaccination. Other country offices are taking steps to achieve immunisation for all frontline staff as soon as possible. We will provide updates on this ongoing situation.

Vehicles and transportation

• Vehicles are disinfected and sanitized before each use.
• All vehicle interior touch points, such as door handles, seat cushions, handlebars etc. are cleaned after each service.
• Hand sanitizer will be available in each vehicle.
• Towels will not be provided. Wet tissues will be available on request.
• No food will be served for consumption in the vehicle.
• Social distancing in vehicles will apply in line with local laws and regulations (if any).
• Specific tour operator social distancing rules may be applied if booked in advance (at an additional cost).

Tours and excursions

• We work with suppliers who enforce health and safety standards in line with local laws and WHO recommendations.
• All equipment will be regularly cleaned and sanitized. Touch points and non-personal use equipment, such as helmets and paddles, will be sanitized before each use.
• Whenever possible, crowded tourist sites will be visited at off-peak times and social distancing will be enforced in line with local regulations. Some sites might limit the number of visitors allowed at any one time.
• Thermal screening is in place at many tourist and public sites, as well as shopping malls, restaurants, hotels and shops if required by local laws. In addition, some countries, such as Thailand, have implemented tracing apps that require clients to register and check-in/check-out of places by scanning a QR code. Guides will assist clients with these registration processes.
• Entrance tickets and/or documentation are handled by guides.
• Exploration tours, such as walking tours and foodie tours, will be operated in line with government guidelines on the general movement of people in certain areas. Market visits will be included if permitted. Clients are recommended to wear face masks and bring personal hand sanitizers.

Meals

• We only select restaurants that comply with strict health and safety guidelines and follow official hygiene and cleanliness regulations.
• Clients are asked to wash or sanitize their hands before every snack or meal. We will provide hand sanitizers if no hand washing facilities are available (such as on picnics).
• Restaurants will apply social distancing between tables as required by law. Should groups wish to eat at separate tables; this can be arranged upon request.
• Managers, chefs and service staff will wear face masks as directed by local health authorities.
• Guides will check that all tables and chairs are sanitized prior to each use.
• When sharing dishes, communal serving utensils will be used.
• Buffet meals may be served in line with local laws and health and safety regulations.
• Should clients not wish to eat buffet meals, we need to be informed prior to the client’s arrival in order to arrange set lunches/dinners.
• Buffet breakfasts may be served in line with local laws and health and safety regulations. Clients who do not wish to eat a buffet breakfast will be provided with a boxed breakfast. À la carte breakfast options may be available (subject to an additional cost). Room service meals will be available at most hotels (at an additional cost).

Accommodation

• We select accommodation partners including hotels, resorts, lodges or overnight cruises based on their conformity with health and safety guidelines as directed by the relevant health authorities.
• Accommodation providers have trained their personnel on new guidelines in terms of guest interaction, hygiene and cleaning standards and sanitization of both private and public spaces.
• An extensive overview of the various health and safety measures implemented by our different accommodation partners is available upon request.
• Thermal screening and social distancing is applied, as required by local laws.
• We will simplify and facilitate client interaction with accommodation providers as much as possible such as providing hotels with client passport details prior to arrival (local laws permitting).

Boats

• We select day cruise operators based on their compliance with health and safety regulations and the maintenance of hygiene and cleaning standards.
• Social distancing on boats will apply in line with local laws and regulations (if any).
• Meals served on day cruise boats will comply with our meal health and safety regulations. Specific tour operator social distancing rules may be applied if booked in advance (at an additional cost).

Airports and flights

• Different airports apply different health and safety policies. Details on these policies are available on individual airport websites.
• Social distancing at airports and on flights will depend on local laws and regulations, as well as individual airline policies.
• We will facilitate the airport experience as much as possible. If tickets were bought and issued by Asian Trails and all necessary information is on file, we will check-in passengers online when permitted by law. For all other ticket holders we recommend clients check-in online by themselves. Online group check-in is not allowed at most airports.
• Some airlines might request that health and safety forms are filled-in physically and/or online prior to check-in. Guides will inform and assist with these processes.

24/7 Support

• All our managers and staff are trained on health and safety standards, as well as emergency handling.
• Our teams are local experts and offer 24/7 support via telephone (emergency numbers are available after office hours).
• We maintain our extensive regional office network and partnerships at all destinations and clients will feel secure when traveling with Asian Trails, even in remote locations.
• Our teams are well connected with local authorities, healthcare providers and suppliers and constantly monitor the situation on the ground.

Asian Trails’ recommendations

• We encourage clients to bring their own re-usable face masks and hand sanitizer for personal use. Disposable face masks and hand sanitizer will be available during all tours and transfers on request.
• We recommend all clients carry their own refillable water bottles to reduce single use plastic bottles. Refillable water bottles, or alternative single-use water bottles (sustainable options where available) will be provided on all tours on request.
• We recommend that client documentation is sent digitally prior to departure. No client documentation will be handed over to clients at the destination unless specifically requested and this will only be done in sealed envelopes.

Asian Trails Offices

• All Asian Trails offices have appointed a health and safety officer.
• We have implemented hygiene rules and regulations, as well as social distancing in all of our offices.
• Daily body temperature screening is in place for all staff and visitors.
• Only visitors with confirmed appointments are allowed in office premises.
• Increased cleaning and sanitation of all offices, equipment, access points, bathrooms and ventilation systems is in place.
• Hand sanitizers are provided at entry points in all of our offices.
• Secured refuse disposal with staff wearing masks and gloves is enforced.