In this text, ‘the customer’ includes all participants allocated to the same booking.
1. Right of admission for Holiday Aid benefits
With the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid, the Swiss Travel Fund (Reka) Cooperative has created an institution which makes holidays in Switzerland possible for economically and socially disadvan-taged families. Among other things, the Foundation provides holiday arrangements for families in one of the Swiss Travel Fund Reka Holiday Resorts or in Swiss Youth Hostels. Beneficiary customers make a solidarity contribution of CHF 200.– for a holiday arrangement. Families who are entitled to the offer are those whose income or demonstrable assets do not enable them to afford holidays. The benefit guidelines and rights of admission published by the Foundation apply. There is no legal entitlement to qualification for subsidised holiday weeks.
2. The travel arrangement
Travel arrangements consist of a holiday flat (Reka) or a room (youth hostels) and a Reka-Card with Reka-Pay credit for the journey from your home to the holidaylocation, or for services at the holiday location (mountain railway tickets, participationin the guest evening at the Reka Holiday Villages, etc.). Reka-Pay credit is not convertible into Swiss francs. Participants in Mama plus!-and Dad & Kids’Weeks do not receive a Reka-Card.
3. Booking procedure
A request for holiday aid is made by the customer by telephone or email to the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid (tel. +41 31 329 66 80 or holidayaid@reka.ch). The necessary information required in the official application form available on reka-holiday-aid.ch serves as the basis for approval of qualification for booking.
4. Conversion of holiday arrangements already booked
Bookings which customers have already made directly with Reka Holidays or Swiss Youth Hostels at standard conditions cannot be converted subsequently to a Holiday Aid booking for CHF 200.–.
5. Solidarity contribution and surcharges
When booking, the customer accepts payment of the solidarity contribution of CHF 200.– as well as all necessary surcharges for travel companions who, according to the guidelines, are not eligible to take advantage of funding by the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid. When paying with Reka-Checks, the terms of the mandatory fields to be filled in on the delivery note, including the for-warding modalities (registered mail compulsory), must be complied with.
6. Completion of the booking, rental contract
The rental contract for the holiday arrangement is drawn up between the customer and the part-ner companies of the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid (Swiss Travel Fund [Reka] or Swiss Youth Hos-tels). The rental contract will come into force if the customer meets the eligibility criteria, if the partners have available accommodation and if the customer has paid the solidarity contribution as well as all necessary surcharges in due time (see point 5). Partner companies confirm the custom-er’s booking in writing or by email and send them the contract documents/voucher. The customer must promptly verify the accuracy and completeness of the documents transmitted to them (e.g., invoice, booking confirmation, travel documents), checking in particular their conformity with the booking, and immediately inform the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid in writing in the event of discrepancies. After conclusion of the contract, the customer shall not be entitled to make changes to the contents of the contract (re-bookings). However, the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid will endeavour, whenever possible, to comply with the customer’s wishes. If the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid undertakes a re-booking according to the customer’s wishes, all extra costs or fees shall be borne by the customer.
7. Incidental expenses
As a rule, additional charges such as electricity and linen, final clean-up and visitor’s tax are includ-ed in the rental price. Detailed information is provided in the price list (see catalogue or reka.ch). Other incidental expenses not included in the rental price are mentioned in the contract docu-ments. Generally, tenants bring their own kitchen linen and bath towels (exceptions are men-tioned specifically).
8. Payment
For bookings made less than 60 days prior to the departure date, the whole invoiced amount is payable upon receipt of the booking confirmation or the contract documents. If the payment dead-line is not met according to the time limit, the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid can withdraw from the contract, after expiry of a reasonable grace period, and charge the lessor a processing fee.
9. Number of persons
Maximum occupation of Reka holiday flats should not exceed the number of persons stipulated in the contract documents (family members registered). In case of over-occupation, the Reka Founda-tion for Holiday Aid may dissolve the tenancy agreement. The solidarity contribution paid and all surcharges will not be refunded.
10. Pets
Dogs are only permitted, for an additional charge, in certain selected Swiss Travel Fund (Reka) hol-iday facilities and holiday homes (see contract documents or under the corresponding icon in the Reka Holidays catalogue). The number of dogs should be indicated during the booking process and will be recorded on the booking confirmation. Apart from dogs, no other pets are allowed. Dogs must be kept on a lead in the holiday facilities. The tenant is responsible for any damage caused by their dog. All damage must be reported as quickly as possible, at the latest when the flat is handed over. Repair of any other damage discovered after handover can be claimed from the tenant.
11. Apartment handover and final cleaning
The time of handover of the apartment varies depending on the resort and is stipulated in the booking confirmation. If the customer leaves the flat too late, a fee may be charged. Final clean-up charges mentioned in the rental contract apply for normal cleaning, i.e., up to expiry of the leasing period and handover the tenant keeps the flat clean-swept and tidy. Furthermore, the washing-up should be done, the dishwasher emptied and waste disposed of. In the event of ex-ceptional soiling, the tenant undertakes to pay an increased cleaning fee.
12. The tenant’s liability and complaints
The tenant undertakes to treat the Reka holiday flat or the room in the Swiss Youth Hostel and its contents with care. The tenant accepts the respective house rules in force. Should deficits or damage be discovered when taking over the flat or room, they must be reported immediately to the keyholder/landlord. Unless this is the case, it shall be assumed that the flat/room was handed over to the tenant in perfect condition. Defects not rectified on the spot to the tenant’s satisfac-tion must be reported within 48 hours to the Reka’s central rental office in Bern (tel. +41 31 329 66 99, ferien@reka.ch). The tenant is responsible for any damage caused personally or by their guests. All damage must be reported as soon as possible, at the latest by handover of the flat. Repair of any defects discovered after handover can be claimed from the tenant.
13. Use of Reka swimming pools
a) Children under 16 are only admitted to the baths in the company of an adult. Non-swimmers are forbidden to use the baths alone. They must be under constant surveillance in the swim-ming pool. The tenant, or persons delegated by the latter, are responsible for surveillance. Re-ka does not provide lifeguards.
b) The tenant acknowledges and specifically informs their family members and other guests in ac-commodation rented by the latter, that there is no lifeguard present to provide First Aid or ini-tiate rescue measures in case of danger. Swimming pool guests therefore use the baths at their own risk.
c) The tenant is duty-bound to ensure that young people under 16 are supervised by an adult and do not put themselves or other guests in danger.
d) The tenant is obliged to ensure that their family members and other guests in their rented ac-commodation treat the swimming pool and its facilities with care and behave in a considerate way with other bathing guests.
e) These regulations for swimming pools apply to all Reka Holiday Villages. Further rules of con-duct on site are reserved and must be strictly followed.
14. Reka’s liability
The compilation of the Reka holiday catalogue is carried out with the utmost care. However, dis-crepancies may arise which can lead to complaints. Insofar as legally possible, Reka’s liability is ex-cluded. In particular, Reka assumes no liability in cases of minor negligence and all consequential damages (e.g., lost holiday time, wasted holiday time, experienced frustration, lost profits, etc.). This also applies for non-contractual liability. Liability for auxiliary personnel is entirely excluded. In the event of damage (with the exception of personal injuries), the maximum liability amount is limited to twice the rental price. As appropriate, Reka can offer an equivalently priced replace-ment flat by way of correction of the deficiencies claimed. If this offer is refused, there can be no claim for compensation. For events beyond Reka’s scope of influence, such as interrupted access routes, closed motorways, increased noise emissions, power failure, environmental catastrophes, political disturbances, strikes, opening times for tourist installations, all types of government measures, etc., Reka assumes no liability for its part. Concerning such incidents, the tenant has no rights of any kind to a cancellation of the contract, reduction in rental price or compensation.
15. Service and price changes
Reka reserves the right to change descriptions and prices of Reka Holidays offers. Price and service changes are communicated upon booking and confirmed with delivery of the contract documents.
16. Cancellations and changes made by the customer
Cancellations must be made in writing (by email or by post). Date of receipt by Reka is decisive (not the postmark). The next working day following a Saturday, Sunday and all public holidays is de-cisive.
For changes (except changes in the number of people) in an existing booking, which is tantamount to a cancellation or a re-booking (only up to 60 days prior to start of holiday), the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid invoices the following cancellation fees:
– time of booking up to 60 days prior to start of holidays: CHF 50
– 59 days until cancellation on the day of the start of the holiday, or no show at the holiday loca-tion as well as in the event of an early departure: 100% of the arrangement price.
17. Cancellation and changes made by Reka
If unforeseeable or unavoidable circumstances (e.g., wars, strikes, natural catastrophes, withdrawal of landing rights, epidemics, pandemics and related official measures) impede the scheduled comple-tion of travel, the Foundation is entitled to withdraw from or terminate the contract. If termination of the contract occurs prior to departure, the full travel price shall be refunded to the customer. In the event of termination after commencement of travel, damage compensation claims are excluded, in particular regarding compensation for extra costs. If the customer, or a travel participant under their responsibility, makes contract compliance unacceptable for the partner company due to inap-propriate conduct, the Foundation is entitled to withdraw from the contract immediately or termi-nate it. The customer must pay any fees incurred (as specified in the booking confirmation).
18. Travel insurance
The participant is responsible for all insurance.
19. Data protection
The Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid declares compliance with the regulations of the Swiss data pro-tection legislation. The tenant agrees that Reka can process past and future data about their person (e.g., name, address, birthday, sex, email address, telephone number) as well as data concerning their activities (e.g., holiday bookings). The data are used for the purpose of providing requested information and the development of better services and offers, for the supply and sale of goods, for marketing and internal statistics as well as for analysis purposes. The customer is entitled to access, authorize and delete their data. Furthermore, they may request restriction of processing. The legally prescribed safekeeping of customer data and other legal exceptions remains reserved.
For further information on the current and valid Data Protection Act, see: reka-holiday-aid.ch/data-protection.
20. Miscellaneous
20.1. Binding language: In case of differences of interpretation due to varying formulations in dif-ferent language versions, the German version shall be binding.
20.2. Ineffectiveness of a provision: Should one or several of the afore-mentioned provisions be or become ineffective, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.
20.3. Ombudsman: The parties remain free to consult the Swiss tourism sector’s Ombudsman con-cerning any legal dispute (ombudsman-touristik.ch), in order to reach an out-of-court settle-ment.
20.4. Amendments to the GTCs: The Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid is entitled to modify the pre-sent GTCs at all times unilaterally. The current GTCs status is always visible electronically.
Contractual relationships referred to in these GTCs between the customer and the Reka Foundation for Holiday Aid as well as between the customer and the Swiss Travel Fund or Swiss Youth Hostels, shall be governed exclusively by Swiss Law. The place of jurisdiction shall be Bern, Switzerland.
Bern, 16 November 2021