Effects of Coronavirus on Your Travel Plans – Updated DO NOT REMOVE!

Postponed Pilgrimages:

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, these 206 Tours pilgrimages have been postponed:

• Most Pilgrimages scheduled to depart through July 1st, 2020
• All Oberammergau Passion Play Pilgrimages have been postponed to 2022

Clients affected are offered to transfer reservation at 100% credit. One may choose any 206 Tours Pilgrimage, such as:

• 206 Tours scheduled departures: 206tours.com/pilgrimages
• 206 Tours specials 206tours.com/special
• Oberammergau 206tours.com/ober (2022 dates pending)
  • Travel Insurance Premium 100% credit and will also be transferred.

If unable to travel and would prefer to cancel, email us info@206tours.com

We will process your refund less penalty and less Travel Insurance Premium

Terms and Conditions, will apply, along with “Responsibility Clause” for details visit:

• Oberammergau: 206tours.com/terms/ober
• All other pilgrimages: 206tours.com/terms

Thank you for being part of 206 Tours Family of Pilgrims.

Until we meet again on another pilgrimage, let us pray for one another, stay faithful and healthy!

March 19, 2020

The US State Department raised the Global Health Advisory to Level 4 and advised not to travel abroad.

Oberammergau Passion Play Postponed Until 2022

In 1633 plague raged in Europe, Oberammergau villagers promised to perform the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ every tenth year, in so far as no one was to die of the plague anymore. The villagers were answered by God and therefore in 1634, the first Passion Play took place.

The promise has been kept until today.

On March 19, 2020, the Oberammergau Passion Play announced it will postpone the 2020 Passion Play until 2022 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. We will be contacting all of our Oberammergau Pilgrims as soon as possible in order to provide them options accordingly. 

Please allow some time, and if possible email your questions to info@206tours.com, as our phone lines are very busy.

Travel Precautions

All Travelers who will be taking a flight in the near future should see this alert on how to keep your space on a Plane safe and clean, which can be found here: Travel Precautions.

US Travel Ban

March 14, 2020 the White House expands US Travel Ban to the U.K. and Ireland effective midnight on Monday, March 16, 2020. Under the directive, foreign nationals with 14-day prior travel within the U.K. and Ireland will not be eligible to enter the United States.

U.S. citizens, Legal Permanent Residents and certain family members will be allowed to enter the U.S. through one of 13 CDC-approved airports: Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Detroit (DTW), Newark (EWR), Honolulu (HNL), Miami (MIA), New York-JFK (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago- O’Hare (ORD), Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO), Washington-Dullas (IAD)

Presidential Announcement – March 11, 2020

Immediately following President Trump’s March 11, 2020 announcement, 206 Tours contacted all affected travelers with alternative travel plans.

Release Date: March 11, 2020 (WASHINGTON) | Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf’s Statement on Presidential Proclamation To Protect the Homeland from Travel-Related Coronavirus Spread: Today President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation, which suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States. These countries, known as the Schengen Area, include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. This does not apply to legal permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation.

See the full statement from the Department of Homeland Security here.

Holy Land

On March 5, 2020, Palestine declared a State of Emergency. In response to the decree, His Excellency, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem made and announcement for all faithful Pilgrims and locals in the area, notifying them that all Catholic sites in Palestine are currently closed.

Following this announcement, alternative arrangements for all affected Pilgrims are underway at 206 Tours. We reached out to all pilgrims presently in the Holy Land and offered, to anyone who may be uncomfortable completing their pilgrimage, the option to return home at the earliest opportunity with a new ticket provided by 206 tours. Additionally, we offered to postpone groups scheduled to depart in the coming days.

We are doing everything in our power to ensure our clients are at peace during or before their Pilgrimage in light of the evolving situation affecting our itineraries in regards to closed churches, canceled flights, and other instances outside of our control. We have been at our dear Pilgrim’s disposal 24/7 and will remain at their service. We pray for all affected.

COVID-19 Guidelines ALL PAL ENCOVID-19 Guidelines Mar 5

“Re: Daily Update 4.3.2020
The following is the update on tourists coming from France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Switzerland to Israel:
1.   Foreign nationals that have been residing in France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Switzerland in the past 14 days
and are currently located in Israel or will be arriving to Israel up until Friday 6.3.2020 at 8am, can continue their visit as per usual except for the following:
a.   In the case that the tourist doesn’t feel well, they need to contact 101 immediately.
b.   Hygiene standards have to be implemented.
c.   Avoid crowded public areas as much as possible
2.   On Friday at 8am, the order form the Interior Minister will come into effect. This order will prohibit entry to Israel of foreign nationals residing in France, Germany,
Spain, Austria and Switzerland, except for those who declare that they have the ability to maintain isolation in a private home for 14 days. A foreign national will not be
permitted to enter Israel if they declare that they will uphold the 14 day isolation in a hotel or anywhere else that is not a private home.
3.   Foreign nationals who have arrived from a different source country and only had a connecting flight in one of these destinations, will be permitted to enter Israel.

Sincerely,
Pini Shani
Senior Deputy-Director-General
Tourism Experience Administration”

United States citizens (as well as nationals from all other countries) traveling to Israel through or transferring flights in any the of the aforementioned countries, will be permitted to enter Israel. This applies to only departures until May 1st, 2020.

Please contact us at info@206tours.com if you think you may be affected by this memo.

Please visit www.206tours.com/alerts and follow 206 Tours on Facebook for updates.

Italy

Effective immediately 206 Tours is postponing all pilgrimages to Italy that are scheduled to depart during months of March and April 2020 and are contacting all clients presenting this offer accordingly. This offer includes full credit for future travel, with the value of trip cost plus paid insurance (if applicable). Pilgrims may choose an alternative date up until January 31, 2021, and any destinations according to www.206tours.com/pilgrimages.

Current terms and conditions would remain in effect for new tour departure as per the date of the original booking (in particular, the advance number of days prior to trip cancelations). If the booking is with a special group leader, rebooking for their future pilgrimages will be possible. If one does not wish to postpone, or change reservation, and wants to proceed with tickets and hotels as originally booked, they must email us and we will provide them with their flights and hotel schedule. If one wants to cancel completely, and not travel in the future, regardless of reason, our standard terms and conditions will apply. Email info@206tours.com If you are booked to Italy, during month of March and April, makes sure to let us know your decision via email to: info@206tours.com by 12 noon EST on Friday, March 6th.

Travel Insurance

If you purchased travel insurance, it is imperative that your deal with travel insurance directly.
To File a Claim: Call Travel Insured International 24/7 Toll-free: 844-228-3679 mention plan code: T-20012
If you have not yet, but would still like to purchase travel insurance you may do so, up until 72 hours prior to your departure. Email us info@206tours.com.
Brief Outline of Insurance Coverage Restrictions Apply are here: www.206tours.com/insurance

Refund Guarantee Add On

If you purchased Refund Guarantee Add On or “Cancel for Any Reason” Protection Plan: If this supplemental policy was purchased (@$299) in addition to Travel Insurance, and you want to cancel, please send us an email info@206tours.com that you wish to receive full refund (less insurance premium and less $299).

All Other Pilgrimages Remain As Scheduled

If you have an existing reservation for a 206 Tours Pilgrimage, you will be notified of any changes that may occur to your travel dates or itinerary.
If you wish to cancel or change your reservation, regardless of reason, our standard terms and conditions will apply.
If you booked one of our Oberammergau pilgrimages, please refer to the following terms & conditions: www.206tours.com/terms/ober

Rest assured that we have set into motion a comprehensive policy by calling on all 206 Tours ground suppliers to facilitate extra cautionary steps to mitigate as far as possible risks, these include sanitizing, regular bus disinfections, inspection of hotels and restaurants for highest standard hygiene, and more. The wellbeing of 206 Tours clients and staff is the highest focus and priority.

Please join us in prayer for a cure to the Coronavirus, and for all those affected. God bless all!