Cancellation & Refund Policy

1. Purpose & Scope

This Cancellation & Refund Policy outlines the terms under which bookings made through Travel Coffee can be cancelled, rescheduled, or refunded. It applies to all travel services offered through our platform, including but not limited to:

• Fixed group departures
• Customized tour packages
• Hotel and transport bookings
• Sightseeing activities and local experiences
• Seasonal and promotional offers

By booking with Travel Coffee, you acknowledge and agree to this policy as a binding agreement between you (the customer) and Travel Coffee.

This policy is governed by:

• Indian Consumer Protection Act, 2019
• Ministry of Tourism Guidelines
• Relevant terms from third-party suppliers (where applicable)

We recommend reading this policy carefully before confirming your booking.

2. General Cancellation Terms & Request Process

2.1 How to Request a Cancellation

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing via email to:

📩 support@travelcoffee.in

Subject line: Booking Cancellation Request – [Your Name & Booking ID]

Verbal, phone, or social media messages will not be considered valid unless followed up with an official written request.

2.2 When to Cancel

To be eligible for a refund or rescheduling, cancellation must be requested:

• Before the trip start date, based on the notice period defined in Section 3.
• During working hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST. Cancellations received after hours will be considered as submitted the next business day.

2.3 Acknowledgement & Processing

Once we receive your cancellation request:

• You will receive an email confirmation acknowledging your request within 24–48 hours
• Before the trip start date, based on the notice period defined in Section 3.
• During working hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST. Cancellations received after hours will be considered as submitted the next business day.

2.4 Requirement for Refund Processing

To process a refund, you may be required to provide:

• Valid ID proof (same as used during booking)
• Proof of payment (transaction receipt or screenshot)
• Bank details for refund in case original mode is not feasible
• Any additional documentation as per specific vendor policies (e.g., permit receipts, cancellation slips)

2.5 What Cannot Be Cancelled

Certain bookings may be classified as non-cancellable and non-refundable at the time of booking due to:

• • Flash sales, seasonal or promotional discounts
  • Last-minute confirmations (under 72 hours)
  • Services booked through non-refundable vendor contracts (e.g., peak season hotel blocks)
  • Special permits, festival event packages, and third-party ticketed entries.

Such bookings will clearly mention “non-refundable” in the invoice or confirmation email. Once confirmed, no refund or amendment will be possible for these cases.

3. Standard Cancellation & Refund Timeline

Unless otherwise stated in your confirmation voucher or agreed upon at the time of booking, the following cancellation and refund structure will apply to most domestic and international travel packages offered by Travel Coffee.

3.1 Refund Eligibility Based on Notice Period

• Cancellations made more than 30 days before the trip start date:
  Eligible for a refund of 90% of the total amount paid.
• Cancellations made between 15 to 29 days before the trip start date:
  Eligible for a refund of 60% of the total amount paid.
• Cancellations made between 7 to 14 days before the trip start date:
  Eligible for a refund of 30% of the total amount paid.
• Cancellations made less than 7 days before the trip start date: No refund will be provided.

3.2 Adjustments and Deductions

Refund amounts may be reduced in the following scenarios:

• If the booking includes non-refundable components such as special permits, activity tickets, or fixed hotel contracts.
• If any third-party supplier imposes cancellation penalties, these will be deducted from the eligible refund.
• If the booking was part of a group departure or peak-season package with specific refund limitations, the terms disclosed at the time of booking will apply.
• Cancellations made less than 7 days before the trip start date: No refund will be provided.

3.3 Partial Payment Bookings

In cases where only a partial payment or booking deposit was made:

• The refundable amount will be calculated based on the total package cost and the applicable cancellation tier.
• Some deposits may be marked as non-refundable regardless of the cancellation date. These will be disclosed during booking.

3.4 No-Show and Same-Day Cancellation

If a customer fails to arrive on the scheduled trip start date or cancels within 24 hours of departure:

• No refund will be issued.
• The booking will be treated as forfeited, and services will be marked as consumed.

3.5 Unused Services

If the customer voluntarily leaves the tour mid-way or chooses not to avail of any included service (such as hotel stays, meals, transfers, or sightseeing), no refund or credit will be issued for the unused portion of the trip.

4. Non-Refundable & Special Case Bookings

While most bookings follow our standard cancellation timeline, certain services and situations fall under a strictly non-refundable or limited refund eligibility category due to supplier policies, peak season dynamics, or operational constraints.

4.1 Non-Refundable Bookings

The following categories of bookings are considered non-refundable once confirmed, regardless of the date of cancellation:

• • Hotel, cab, or activity bookings made under non-refundable rates (as defined by the supplier)
  • Peak season or holiday period bookings (e.g., long weekends, Christmas, New Year, national holidays)
  • Special access permits, government or wildlife park entries, helicopter bookings, or train/flight tickets procured through Travel Coffee
  • Last-minute or express bookings made within 72 hours of departure
  • Packages offered under flash sales, festival campaigns, or limited-time promotional pricing

These services are often pre-paid to vendors and cannot be recovered once reserved.

Travel Coffee will make every effort to disclose non-refundable components at the time of quotation or confirmation.

4.2 Mixed-Policy Bookings

Some travel packages may contain a mix of refundable and non-refundable services. In such cases:

• Only the refundable components (as defined in the invoice or booking terms) will be eligible for cancellation-based refund
• Non-refundable elements will be deducted from the total amount before processing any refund

4.3 Vendor-Specific Terms Override

If any third-party service provider associated with your trip (e.g., hotel, transport vendor, or activity partner) enforces stricter cancellation terms than Travel Coffee’s standard policy:

• • The vendor’s cancellation terms will take precedence
  • These will be clearly communicated at the time of booking or shared in writing before payment

Travel Coffee acts only as a facilitator in such cases and is not responsible for refund timelines or conditions imposed by the vendor.

4.4 Health, Visa, and Document Issues

Refunds will not be issued in cases where the customer is unable to travel due to:

• • Lack of valid travel documents (passport, ID, permits)
  • Visa denial or delays (for international travel)
  • Medical issues arising after booking, unless covered under applicable travel insurance (if opted)
  • Incomplete COVID-19 requirements (such as vaccination certificates or negative test reports)

Customers are solely responsible for ensuring their eligibility to travel, and Travel Coffee shall not be liable for refunds in such circumstances.

5. Postponement, Rescheduling & Credit Note Policy

Travel Coffee recognises that in certain situations, customers may prefer to postpone their trip rather than cancel it entirely. While we do not guarantee rescheduling in all cases, we strive to accommodate such requests wherever operationally and financially feasible.

5.1 Eligibility for Postponement

Postponement or rescheduling may be permitted if:

• • The request is submitted at least 7 days before the scheduled start date for domestic trips, or 14 days in advance for international travel.
  • The booking is not categorised as non-refundable or fixed-date (see Section 4).
  • The service providers (hotels, vendors, transport operators) agree to honour revised dates.

Requests for postponement must be sent in writing to support@travelcoffee.in with the subject: “Postponement Request – [Your Name & Booking ID]”.

5.2 Credit Note Issuance

If a full refund is not applicable, and rescheduling is not feasible immediately, Travel Coffee may issue a Credit NoteorTravel Voucher, subject to the following conditions:

• The credit value will be equivalent to the amount paid after deduction of non-recoverable vendor costs, if any.
• The credit note will be valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
• It can be redeemed against any future trip booked through Travel Coffee
• It is non-transferable, non-exchangeable for cash, and cannot be used in combination with any promotional offers unless explicitly stated.

5.3 Rescheduling Conditions

When rescheduling is approved:

• The same itinerary or a revised itinerary (subject to availability and pricing) will be proposed.
• Any difference in fare, room category, vendor pricing, or seasonal rates will be payable by the customer before new confirmation is issued.
• A rescheduling fee may be applicable in some cases, which will be communicated upfront.

5.4 Validity of Postponed Trips

A postponed trip must be rebooked and completed within 6 to 12 months (as per the credit note), failing which the booking and associated value will be considered expired.

Extension of validity is not guaranteed and is subject to management discretion.

5.5 Exceptional Circumstances

Travel Coffee may consider additional flexibility in cases of:

• Natural disasters at the destination
• Government-imposed travel bans
• Public health emergencies (e.g., epidemic resurgence)

Such scenarios will be evaluated case-by-case, and the decision to allow rescheduling or credit notes rests solely with Travel Coffee and its ability to recover costs from vendors.

6. Refund Timelines & Mode of Transfer

Travel Coffee is committed to processing all eligible refunds in a transparent and timely manner. However, refund processing timelines may vary based on the type of service, payment method, and involvement of third-party suppliers or financial institutions.

6.1 Refund Processing Timeline

Once a cancellation or refund request has been approved by Travel Coffee:

• • Refunds will be initiated within 7 to 14 business days from the date of written confirmation.
  • In certain cases, especially where third-party vendors or airlines are involved, processing may take up to 21 business days depending on the refund policies of those entities
  • Refunds for international customers may be delayed further due to currency conversion and cross-border transaction processes.

Delays caused by banks, payment gateways, public holidays, or force majeure events are outside the control of Travel Coffee.

6.2 Mode of Refund

Refunds will be processed using the same method as the original payment, wherever possible:

• • For payments made via UPI, credit/debit cards, net banking, or wallets,the refund will be initiated back to the same account.
  • For bank transfers, the refund will be processed to the originating bank account after collecting valid bank details.
  • In case the original mode of payment is not accessible (e.g., expired card), the customer must provide alternative bank account details in writing.

No refunds will be issued in cash or to third-party accounts that are not directly linked to the original booking.

6.3 Refund Receipt & Proof

Once a refund has been processed, Travel Coffee will issue an email confirmation with a transaction reference number or payment screenshot for customer records.

Customers are advised to:

• Allow up to 5 additional business daysfor the refunded amount to reflect in their account after initiation.
• Contact their bank or card provider first in case of delays beyond the communicated window.

6.4 Refund Disputes & Escalation

If you do not receive the refund within the expected timeline and have verified with your bank:

• You may escalate the issue by emailing support@travelcoffee.in with subject line: “Refund Escalation – [Booking ID]”.
• All disputes must be raised within 30 days of refund approval. No claims will be entertained after that period.

7. Contact Information & Grievance Redressal

Travel Coffee is committed to maintaining transparency and accountability in its cancellation and refund processes. If you have any concerns, disputes, or unresolved issues related to refunds, postponement, or cancellations, you are encouraged to contact us directly for prompt resolution.

7.1 Customer Support

• Support Email: support@travelcoffee.in
• Support Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM IST
• Average Response Time: Within 1–2 business days

7.2 Grievance Officer (As per IT Act, 2000)

If your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction within the standard support timeline, or if it requires escalation under applicable consumer or IT laws, you may contact our designated Grievance Officer:

• Grievance Officer Name: Shubham Shukla
• Email: support@travelcoffee.in
• Jurisdiction: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
• GST Number: 02LUJPS0673R3ZO

Grievance-related emails must clearly include:

• Your full name and contact information
• Booking ID and travel dates
• A detailed description of your issue
• Any supporting documents or screenshots

All grievances will be acknowledged within 48 hours and addressed within 15 business days from the date of receipt.