Who are IOW Tours?
A leading, National, Award Winning Group Holiday Tour Operator Brand with over 30-year experience at delivering great holidays and events for groups across the UK and beyond.
What do IOW Tours do?
Bespoke Holidays and Events for Groups, individually tailormade to your needs.
We love bringing together like-minded individuals for shared holiday experiences!
Do you only offer holidays to the Isle of Wight?
Most definitely NOT!
As an award-winning National Group Tour Operator Brand, we cover the length and breadth of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands & Europe.
As a National Tour Operator your group will benefit from our negotiated rates with leading hotel brands, Warner Leisure Hotels, Ferry Operators and Attractions - we always pass these savings on to you.
What are the advantages of being a Group Organiser?
We understand how much work a Group Organiser puts in to arranging a group, so we offer a Free Place for the Organiser on 26 travelling and 2 Free Places for 50 people travelling (you pay for 48 people, you get the 49th and 50th place free on your Group Holiday). We can vary this if you let us know at point of booking.
We can provide Full Colour Posters and Information Sheets for Organisers for their Group. We can provide these digitally for you, if you send out the holiday info by email.
We can also add a page to our website only accessible to your group, so they can book on your group holiday online, using a code you supply your group’s members. You can access this as a Group Organiser – to see who has booked.
We are always more than happy to help assist an Organiser whenever we can – just ask!
How long can you hold a place for me?
For Group Bookings we hold the booking for 8 weeks to allow you time to get individual deposits from your group members. If the booking is for a significant time in the future, i.e. a Bowls Tour booked 2 years in advance, there may be the possibility of a smaller holding deposit, talk to your dedicated Holiday Hero when you book.
If you book as an individual on an event, a low-cost non-refundable Booking Fee (acting as a deposit) is required at the time of booking is required to confirm the booking. Booking Fees are used to process you booking and non-refundable in any circumstance.
Where can I find a booking form?
Search for the event on our website and download a booking form or contact IOW Tours for one to be sent to you. We are always happy to complete Booking Form for you over the phone and take a deposit by card.
What happens after I confirm my Group Holiday?
Your Holiday Hero will email your Group Booking Confirmation with all the details of the Group Holiday you have booked, together with your deposit due date. You will also receive a Hotel Information Sheet and can request a Colour Poster to display. You will also receive a copy of our Trading Charter – our Terms & Conditions – so you understand the nature of your contract with IOW Tours.
Will I receive a full refund if I cancel?
Deposit are non-refundable and not transferable. If you have paid in full, cancellation charges apply 42 days or less before the start of your holiday. Please see our
Trading Charter for further details.
IOW Tours always recommends taking out Holiday Insurance for any time away, to cover unfortunate or unforeseen events – we can provide Holiday Insurance.
Click here for more details…
Do IOW Tours only cater for Groups or can I book individually?
We look after Groups and Individuals on events. We offer Self-Drive Holidays to our Entertainment Breaks and Special Interest Holidays.
I have booked as part of a Group – who do I contact with any queries?
You need to talk to your Group Organiser! We can assist with an little queries you have, but you need to keep your Group Organiser informed. They supply us with the Rooming List on which you will be included – which will include any requests you make for us to pass on to your accommodation provider. If you contact us directly, these might get missed in the information we send to the hotel.
And please don’t contact the hotel directly – it gets very confusing for us, the hotel and most importantly for your own Group Organiser!
Is there a supplement for Solo Travellers?
When booking a group IOW Tours will always ask the Group Organiser how many single room are usually required for the group. These are normally built in the package offers. Additional single occupancy rooms may incur a supplement – this will always be at the discretion of the hotel or holiday village.
For events there may be a supplement on using a room for single occupancy and this will be highlighted on the relevant Booking Form.
IOW Tours does not charge a single supplement as standard, but passes on any single supplements hotels charge us. This unfortunately is out of our hands.
Where is IOW Tours based?
Our office is based on the sunny Isle of Wight close Shanklin’s Old Village. And with local coach operators in locations around the UK, we are never far away from you.
What will happen if I do not get enough numbers I booked for my group?
There are a few options we can look for you, for instance we can “top up” your coach with another group local to your area or look at basing the price on lower numbers at your point of booking if you are unsure on the numbers you will get.
Alternatively we will offer a coach supplement if numbers are lower than expected– so you don’t have to cancel the holiday for your group.
When is the final balance for my holiday due?
This can differ for different breaks. The final balance is usually due 8 weeks prior to the holiday or event, if your holiday is overseas the balance is due 3 months before you travel. Do not worry we will not come knocking on your door if you’ve forgotten the date! One of the team will give you a friendly reminder.
What payment methods do you accept?
We have many ways that you can pay your balance. Our Accounts Department are always on hand to help. Whether you would like to pay over the phone with a debit or credit card, send us a cheque or do a bank transfer, all these options are available. There is no charge for using your card, we do ask if your booking is for a large group that you pay by BACS (Bank Account Transfer) so you can see a record of this in your account.
Please use your holiday reference (your "T" number) against any payments - just so we know who is paying us!
If you have booked on-line, you can log in to your "Account Porthole" at anytime and pay all or some of your balance off.
Can I set up a Payment Plan?
Absolutely! To help your monthly budget, we can help you set up a monthly Direct Debit to pay your holiday balance off in stages.
Can I pay the deposit/full balance over the phone?
Yes of course you can! Our Holiday Heroes are available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and one of our friendly team can take your payment. You can also pay by logging in to your Account Porthole on our website.
Do IOW Tours only travel to the UK?
Most defiantly not! We have the experience, knowledge, and expertise to offer a wide array of holidays through UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands & Europe. We pick groups up from all over the UK and we love to suggest unusual and different locations,
Is my money safe when booking with IOW Tours?
Absolutely. You can have the peace of mind of knowing that your money is financially protected when booking with IOW Tours. We are members of PTS – Protected Travel Services – they hold your money in trust if you book a coach holiday with us, until after you go on holiday. This is why you pay PTS and not IOW Tours for your coach holiday.
If you book on event with us, we hold your money in a Client Account, only using your money for your booking.
Do you organise flights?
We can book flights for groups to certain destinations, which are ATOL protected by our handler. Please note that terms for booking a group with flights vary quite a bit from our standard terms and conditions. The majority of airlines request full payments for flights when we make a booking, so deposits are needed 6 months before the holiday. Please talk to our friendly team who can guide you through this.
We do not offer flights to individuals.
Do I have to choose a specific holiday for my Group, or can we make just for us?
You tell us what you would like to do during your holiday and our dedicated Holiday Heroes assist in designing your itinerary to your specification. If you have ideas of where you would like to go, the extensive knowledge we offer at IOW Tours we will make things easy for you.
Is it only Coach Holidays you offer?
Absolutely not! We do many self-drive breaks if that’s what you prefer. We run a wide range of events and you can meet the rest of the group at your destination.
If one of my group cancels, can I find replacement at short notice?
At IOW Tours we understand that circumstances can change at the very last minute. Do not worry.
If one of your group has to pull out and someone would like to take their place just let us know and we will do the rest, we don’t charge you to change the name on a Group Booking*.
Can I get a discount if I drive myself to meet the rest of the group travelling by coach?
Your group organiser has minimum numbers to cover the cost of the coach, so if we give you a discount, we may end up charging everyone else on the coach a supplement to cover the cost – which we don’t think is fair. If you are booking a group coach holiday, the basic price is the same for everyone.
We will offer a discount if the coach is full and you want to join the group.
Do you use hotels that are pet friendly?
Some of the hotels we work in conjunction with are pet-friendly at a small extra cost, please ask one of our Holiday Heroes about what hotels offer this. We are not allowed to take pets on our coaches for safety reasons.
I need a walk-in shower for someone in my Group, can you guarantee this?
We will always send over any requests you have to the hotel. Our Rooming List process will make these arrangements are sent to the hotel on your behalf. Unfortunately we can never guarantee any request, but we will do our very best for you. As Group Organiser you get a final copy of everything we have sent to the hotel.
Do you cater for the disabilities and medical conditions?
Of course. We have access to a wide variety of vehicles, including coaches with wheelchair lifts. Please let us know of any medical conditions and we will look after you the very best we can. Some hotels require you to fill out an assistance form, to help them allocate you an appropriate room. We also have the numbers of the local mobilut shops, to help your group's members hire mobilty aids at the resort.
I have specific dietary requirements; can you ensure these will be catered for?
We will pass on all your dietary requirements to the hotel, and they will accommodate your needs. There will also be an allergens folder in all venues, please ask a hotel member of staff about this.
Do you have toilets on board your coaches?
Our aim is to always provide coaches with toilets on board. Please note – once a coach is moving it is a legal requirement to remain seated with the seat belt secured, so you should not be using the toilet when the coach is travelling.
Can I bring my mobility scooter?
We allow folding walkers as these usually fit above the luggage. If the coach is full, there normally isn’t space to put on electric scooters after the cases are loaded – the group’s clean knickers take priority we are afraid. Also many scooter these days come with very heavy batteries, our drivers can lift a maximum of 22kg – you wouldn’t want your driver to throw their back out before they drive you to your hotel!
We have the numbers of the Mobility Hire Shops in all major resorts for you to hire a scooter locally, ready for when you arrive.
How you do go about adding insurance?
Just simply call the office and speak to one of the friendly team who will be able to do this for you.
Is there is an emergency number to call if I am on a tour and I need assistance?
The health and wellbeing of all our customers is paramount to us. Our managers are on call 24 hours a day to assist with any unforeseen situations.]
Simply call our office number 01983 405116 for 24-Hour Emergency Assistance while you are holiday with us.
Will an IOW Tours Tour Representative accompany us on the holiday?
Our coach drivers will always be on hand to help you with anything. If you are coming to the Isle of Wight, or if have booked on one of our Event Holidays or Breaks, there will be an IOW Tours Rep to greet you and to join in the fun.
Do you have a brochure?
We offer bespoke holidays, so the day we print a brochure it would be out of date.
We also listen to the Group Organisers about what holidays they want, and not try and sell them what we want you to have.
Our Holiday Heroes are constantly learning about new hotels, destinations and ideas for your holidays – so their knowledge is better than any brochure we could print. Our website is constantly updated with ideas. We also don’t like cutting down trees.
I heard that coaches belch out fumes – surely this isn’t Green Travel?
Many traveller’s avoid eco-friendly travel, thinking it is more expensive or a greenwash to go green on the road. You could believe this myth but did you know that coach travel is one of greenest ways to travel?
One coach can take up to 1 mile of cars off the road – and can save 61.8kg of carbon per passenger if travelling from London to Scotland – compared to driving by car.
And this is just a one way journey!
Source: Department for Transport/National Atmospheric Emission Inventory