The health and safety of our pilgrims, staff and partner suppliers continue to be our top priority. 

With this as our key focus, Harvest constantly monitors and assesses all the evolving factors facing us during these uncertain COVID-19 times. 

The objective of Harvest’s Travel Safe Policy is to ensure that protocols are in place across all relevant components of a pilgrimage with an increased focus on health, hygiene, and physical contact guidance. Our pilgrims will expect to embrace a safe and healthy pilgrimage experience, knowing that we have done everything possible to ensure the well-being of all.

We are committed to adopting government and health advice both here in Australia and overseas.

We follow the World Travel and Tourism Council recommendations for Covid-safe operating protocols, who also monitor travel and border crossing restrictions.

We are liaising with our land suppliers in all of our Australian and international destinations to ensure their implemented health and safety protocols are of the highest standard for hotel sanitisation, tour coach cleaning processes and more. 

As we continue to monitor the developing situation in each destination travelled to, these protocols will evolve and be updated accordingly.

You can be assured that every Harvest Journeys departure will be run with the highest standards of responsibility and with the health and safety of all pilgrims as our top priority. 

All our protocols will be continuously evaluated, and may vary slightly from group to group, and city to city, based on local recommendations and evolving tightening or easing of restrictions.

Harvest’s commitment to Covid Safe Travel protocols include: 

Our Staff

• All pilgrimage staff undertake industry recognised COVID-19 training in areas of health and hygiene.
• Pilgrimage Directors receive professional health, first-aid and hygiene training, will monitor the group for Covid symptoms and are trained in escalation practices should a pilgrim fall ill on tour. 

Our Suppliers

• All suppliers used across our pilgrimages will need to meet and adhere to strict COVID regulations.
• We will work very closely with all our supplier partners globally to ensure they are actively engaged in the highest level of sanitisation and hygiene practices. This will be monitored at regular intervals.
• Hotels and all places of accommodation will adhere to Covid-safe protocols.
• We will work closely with each meal provider to determine the appropriate meal type and group seating configuration, secure outdoor dining where possible, and limit contact with other patrons. Individually packaged food items, grab and go, and plated and served meals may replace traditional self-serve buffet options.

Our Product 

• Hand sanitiser will be available on all our Pilgrimages and Roadtrips at all times. 
• Additional face masks will be available for all pilgrims. 
• Adherence to social distancing requirements will be followed where required. 
• Increased sanitisation measures on our coaches before and during each pilgrimage. 
• Regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces with hospital-grade cleaning products used. 
• We will adjust pilgrimage itineraries to maximize experiences each day to account for new rules for capacity management, social distancing, masks, and more. 
• All our pilgrimage groups will be provided with pre-departure safety presentations with their tour documentation and receive safety briefing upon arrival at their first group destination. 
• Preparation of group meals will adhere to proper food safety and handling protocols, including mask wearing and frequent hand washing. 
• We have established seating, loading, and unloading procedures designed to limit exposure to other passengers. 
• We will ensure all hotels used are committed to the highest standards in cleanliness, including increased frequency of cleaning in public spaces, housekeeping spending extra time disinfecting surfaces in guest rooms, focusing on high contact areas. The check-in process will be modified to limit interaction between pilgrims and other hotel guests. Enhancements will be made to hotel arrival and departure procedures, use of lobby and elevators, and breakfast and other hotel-based activities to promote social distancing. 

National and International Requirements 

• If required pre-travel health screenings (with specific COVID-19 health assessment forms if required) and reporting will be conducted for all pilgrims and pilgrimage leadership. 
• Adhering to the increased safety measures at all country entry points. 
• Industry organisations including airlines and travel advisory entities are watching and advising regarding domestic and international travel, and will monitor the development of protocols around vaccinations, rapid antigen testing and other methods that may be required for safe passage across countries. 
• Harvest Journeys adheres to health and safety protocols outlined by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), International Air Transport Association (IATA), Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO), and Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA).