Travelling Safely with Back-Roads: A Focus on Your Health and Wellbeing

Due to COVID-19, Back-Roads and their travellers have been restricted from exploring the world. However, as new beginnings and travel plans dawn on the horizon, Back-Roads want to reassure you that your health and wellbeing is at the forefront of their operations. As a small group touring operator, Back-Roads are well equipped to ensure you have an enjoyable travel experience whilst keeping safe.

As they navigate through this unprecedented time, Back-Roads continue to monitor, evolve and adapt their best practices as more information emerges. Once announced, you can be assured all their actions will fall in line with government regulations, World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and industry best practice.

In the meantime, know that your health and wellbeing is their main priority and the team are actively working to ensure your safety when travelling with Back-Roads.

Extra Flexibility to Book with Confidence

Back-Roads understand that in times of uncertainty you need some extra flexibility if your situation changes. If you book your 2021 Back-Roads tour now, you’ll receive added flexibility to change the booking to another departure date or different tour up to 40 days before departure with no penalties, until further notice. Terms and conditions apply.

Hygiene Standards on Back-Roads Tours

Back-Roads’ modern and extremely hygienic fleet of mini-coaches are thoroughly cleaned before each tour starts and regularly throughout as standard. Your Back-Roads Driver will now pay meticulous attention to this daily, sanitising all surfaces including handrails, door handles, tables, seats, air-conditioning filters and any overhead lockers.

All tours start with a full briefing highlighting the experiences you are about to enjoy. This will now include information on how to keep yourself safe and healthy during the duration of your tour. However, to ensure thorough preparation, Back-Roads ask that you take personal responsibility for your own wellbeing – including hygiene measures as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). These include regular hand washing and sanitising, no sharing of products or food and packing a face mask and gloves to be used when necessary. Back-Roads will provide adequate guidance before your tour departure.

Trusted Suppliers and Partners

Back-Roads take their supplier and partner relationships very seriously and in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, there are no exceptions. Over the years Back-Roads have built trusted partnerships with their suppliers and they are working with them to ensure their cleaning protocols, hygiene records, customer ratings and risk assessments are focused on your wellbeing. All information regarding changes Back-Roads implement for your safety, will be readily available ahead of your tour and highlighted in your departure briefing.

Additional Tour Leader Training

Back-Roads’ experienced Tour Leaders are a key ingredient to making your tour so special. Back-Roads already conduct thorough Tour Leader training to ensure you have the best possible experience – while prioritising your health, safety and wellbeing. In addition to this, all Tour Leaders and Drivers will undergo further training in response to coronavirus risks. Back-Roads are committed to ensuring their Tour Leaders are as prepared as possible to keep you safe, protected and ready to answer any questions you may have.

How will Back-Roads avoid large groups of people?

Back-Roads are very eager to explore with you in the future. However, it’s important to know that avoiding large crowds will be challenging. Back-Roads tours are different to the standard offering though – they travel as a smaller group, visit lesser-known areas, towns and attractions and mostly stay in smaller, family-run hotels. Meaning, they are able to provide an enjoyable experience while avoiding large crowds for a vast majority of your tour.

What specific measures will Back-Roads be introducing to keep travellers safe?

The specific measures and procedures Back-Roads will introduce to help keep you safe will evolve in response to changing circumstances. This is new to everyone, and while no one including Back-Roads has all the answers right now, more information will be available to you before your tour to help you prepare. You will also be briefed at the start of your tour explaining what you need to know. Rest assured, Back-Roads are monitoring government and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance – and will implement all measures to help protect your wellbeing. That is their number one focus as they plan for future travel.

What is my personal responsibility to stay safe?

Based on government recommendations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) advice, Back-Roads will be taking precautions to ensure your tour is as safe as possible. Back-Roads understand there is still a lot of uncertainty referring to COVID-19 and risk will continue to exist in public spaces where there are people. Back-Roads ask that you take personal responsibility for your safety and wellbeing based on the guidance they supply before your tour commences. This includes ensuring you have any personal protective equipment and sanitisers as required, adhering to any physical distancing and hygiene practises throughout your tour and that you follow all health-related instructions whilst on your tour.

Will there be issues crossing borders when travelling?

Back-Roads are monitoring smarttraveller.com.au and gov.uk, as well as restrictions in the countries they visit, to track all border restrictions and travel quarantine regulations. Back-Roads tours often only stay in one country and explore it thoroughly. If Back-Roads need to make any alterations to your tour, due to border restrictions, they will promptly provide as much information as possible to ensure you’re adequately prepared.

What if I start to feel unwell on my tour?

Let your Tour Leader know as soon as possible. Feeling unwell on a tour can happen, and Back-Roads Tour Leaders are already trained on what to do – with clear guidance in place. Before Back-Roads start running tours again, all Back-Roads Tour Leaders will receive additional training specific to coronavirus safety – to ensure they’re ready and prepared to focus on your wellbeing.

What’s next?

Back-Roads will continue to evolve their operations to ensure full compliance with government regulations. They can’t wait to explore with you again, and their Operations Team are working tirelessly to ensure they’re as prepared as possible for when they can resume their tours. Your health and wellbeing is their main priority so that you can enjoy your next Back-Roads journey with peace of mind.