Discover Aalst

1. Booking and Payment

Tours must be booked and paid for in advance. Full payment is required to secure your booking. We accept major credit cards, PayPal, and EU bank transfers.

For group bookings of 8 or more people, a 20% deposit is required at the time of booking, with the remaining balance due 7 days before the tour date. Corporate clients may arrange invoice payment options with our business department.

All prices are listed in Euros (€) and include applicable EU VAT. Any bank fees or currency conversion charges are the responsibility of the customer.

2. Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before tour start time. Cancellations within 48 hours are subject to 50% fee. No-shows are not refundable.

For private tours and specialty experiences, cancellations must be made at least 7 days in advance for a full refund. Cancellations between 7 and 3 days incur a 30% fee, and cancellations within 72 hours are charged at 75% of the tour price.

Date changes are permitted free of charge up to 72 hours before the tour start time, subject to availability. Late changes are treated as cancellations and new bookings.

3. Weather Policy

Tours operate in most typical weather conditions. Extreme weather cancellations will receive full refunds or rescheduling options.

Light rain is not considered extreme weather for walking tours. We recommend bringing appropriate rain gear. In cases of heavy rain, snow, or extreme temperatures, we may modify the itinerary or offer indoor alternatives where possible.

The safety of our guests is our priority. The final decision regarding weather-related cancellations rests with our management and will be communicated at least 2 hours before the scheduled start time.

4. Safety and Liability

Participants join tours at their own risk. Our company carries comprehensive public liability insurance but is not responsible for personal injury or loss of belongings.

We strongly recommend that all participants have their own travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and personal belongings. EU citizens should carry their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or equivalent.

By participating in our tours, you agree to follow the guide's safety instructions at all times. We reserve the right to refuse service or remove any participant whose behavior endangers the safety or enjoyment of other guests.

5. Age Restrictions

Some tours have minimum age requirements. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Some historical sites may have specific access restrictions.

For culinary tours including wine tastings, participants must be at least 18 years old. Family-friendly alternatives can be arranged upon request. Bicycle tours require participants to be at least 12 years old and 150cm tall for safety reasons.

Discounted rates are available for children aged 6-16 on most tours. Children under 6 may join free of charge when accompanied by a paying adult, but please note some historical sites may have restrictions on strollers or very young visitors.

6. Tour Operation

We reserve the right to modify tour routes, content, or duration due to unforeseen circumstances such as special events, site closures, or safety concerns. In such cases, we will provide an equivalent experience or suitable alternative.

Group tours require a minimum of 2 participants to operate. In the rare event that this minimum is not met, we will offer an alternative date, a different tour option, or a full refund.

Tour start times are strict. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the scheduled departure. Tours will not wait for late arrivals beyond 5 minutes, and no refunds will be issued for missed tours due to lateness.

7. Photography and Publicity

Our company occasionally takes photographs during tours for promotional purposes. By participating in our tours, you grant us permission to use images in which you may appear for marketing materials, social media, and our website.

If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform your guide at the start of the tour. We respect your privacy and will ensure you are not included in promotional imagery.

1. Data Collection

We collect personal information necessary to provide our tour services, including name, email, phone number, and payment information in compliance with EU GDPR regulations.

When you visit our website, we may also collect non-personal data through cookies and similar technologies, including IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited. This helps us improve your browsing experience and analyze website traffic patterns.

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we store your email address and name for the purpose of sending you updates about our tours, special offers, and travel information. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in each newsletter.

2. Information Usage

Your information is used to process bookings, communicate tour details, and improve our services. We never sell your data to third parties.

Specifically, we use your data to: confirm bookings and send tour information; process payments securely through our payment providers; communicate about tour changes or weather updates; personalize your experience based on preferences; and comply with legal obligations including tax and business regulations.

With your explicit consent, we may use your email address for marketing communications about similar tours and special offers. You can withdraw this consent at any time.

3. Data Sharing

We share your information only with trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting business, and servicing you. These service providers include payment processors, email delivery services, and web hosting providers who are bound by confidentiality agreements.

In certain circumstances, we may be required to disclose your personal data to comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms of service, protect our rights or safety, or respond to government requests.

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. All payment transactions are encrypted using SSL technology.

4. Your Rights

You have the right to access, update, or delete your personal information. Contact us at our support email for any data-related requests.

Under the GDPR, you also have the right to: request a copy of your personal data; correct any inaccuracies in your data; request erasure of your data under certain conditions; restrict or object to processing of your data; data portability; and withdraw consent for data processing based on consent.

We will respond to all requests within 30 days. To protect your privacy, we may take steps to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

5. Cookie Policy

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience. These small text files store information on your device and help us recognize you when you return to our site.

We use essential cookies that are necessary for the website to function properly, analytical cookies that help us understand how visitors interact with our site, and, with your consent, marketing cookies that track your activity across websites to deliver personalized advertisements.

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

Booking information is kept for 7 years to comply with EU tax regulations. Newsletter subscription data is kept until you unsubscribe. Website analytics data is anonymized after 26 months.