VISIT FLANDERS FIELDS
General Terms and Conditions
Last updated: 3 September 2026
These General Terms and Conditions apply to tours and related services provided by Visit Flanders Fields.
By making a booking, the Client confirms that they have read and accepted these General Terms and Conditions.
1. Company information
Company: NDQ Services BV
Trading name: Visit Flanders Fields
Registered office: Bouvelostraat 27, 8570 Anzegem, Belgium
Company number: 0762.510.763
VAT number: BE 0762.510.763
Register of Legal Entities: Ghent, Kortrijk division
Email: info@visitflandersfields.com
Telephone: +32 (0)479 19 01 98
Website: www.visitflandersfields.com
In these conditions, NDQ Services BV trading as Visit Flanders Fields is referred to as “VFF”.
The person making the booking is referred to as the “Client”. All persons participating in the booked service are referred to as “Participants”.
The Client is responsible for making these conditions known to the other Participants included in the booking.
2. Application of these conditions
2.1. These General Terms and Conditions apply to all quotations, bookings, tours and other services provided by VFF unless otherwise agreed in writing.
2.2. Where an individual quotation, booking confirmation or written agreement contains specific arrangements that differ from these General Terms and Conditions, the specific written arrangement takes precedence for that booking.
2.3. The version of these General Terms and Conditions accepted when the booking is made applies to that booking. Later changes to these conditions do not retrospectively alter an existing confirmed booking unless required by law or agreed with the Client.
2.4. If any provision of these conditions is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain applicable to the extent permitted by law.
2.5. Nothing in these conditions limits any mandatory consumer right that cannot legally be excluded or restricted.
3. Services
3.1. VFF provides private guided battlefield tours and related historical, research and transport services in Belgium and Northern France.
3.2. Tours may include, depending on the product booked:
- private historical guiding;
- transportation during the tour;
- pickup and drop-off;
- battlefield sites;
- cemeteries and memorials;
- museums or other paid attractions;
- wartime maps and photographs;
- historical documents and records;
- individual soldier or family-history research;
- the Last Post ceremony;
- other services specifically stated in the booking confirmation.
3.3. A service or expense is included only where it is stated as included on the relevant product page, quotation or booking confirmation.
Meals, drinks, museum tickets, paid-site admission, special research, additional transfers and other expenses are therefore not automatically included unless specifically stated.
3.4. VFF tours are private. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the maximum group size is six Participants.
Children count towards the maximum number of Participants.
3.5. VFF may agree to a different group arrangement where appropriate, but this must be confirmed in writing before the tour.
3.6. The route shown on the website is illustrative. Battlefield tours are not fixed sightseeing itineraries unless specifically stated otherwise.
The actual itinerary may be adapted according to:
- the Client’s interests;
- nationality or family history;
- weather;
- traffic;
- road closures;
- opening hours;
- site accessibility;
- military or public events;
- temporary closures;
- time available;
- historical relevance; and
- circumstances encountered during the tour.
3.7. VFF may substitute one battlefield site for another where this results in a more appropriate or practical tour.
A reasonable change of route or substitution of a site does not in itself entitle the Client to compensation or a refund.
3.8. VFF prefers to interpret a smaller number of sites properly rather than rush through a fixed checklist. Sites mentioned on the website are therefore examples of locations that may be visited and are not guaranteed unless expressly included in the booking confirmation.
4. Tour duration, pickup and transport
4.1. The expected duration of each tour is stated on the relevant product page, quotation or booking confirmation.
Tour durations are approximate.
4.2. Traffic, road closures, site access, weather and other circumstances can affect the precise start and finishing time.
4.3. A standard full-day tour and a tour extended to include the 20:00 Last Post ceremony are different services.
Where the Last Post extension is booked, the day will normally be considerably longer than the standard full-day duration.
4.4. The Last Post ceremony itself is a public remembrance ceremony. Any VFF charge for a Last Post extension relates to the additional guiding time, waiting time, transport and organisation involved and is not an admission charge for the ceremony.
4.5. Pickup and drop-off are provided only at the locations confirmed in the booking.
Pickup or drop-off outside the normal operating area may be subject to an additional charge.
4.6. If the Client requests different pickup and drop-off locations, this must be agreed in advance.
4.7. Participants must be ready at the agreed pickup point at the agreed time.
Where a Participant is late, VFF will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the delay, but the planned finishing time may remain unchanged and the tour may consequently be shortened.
No refund is due for tour time lost because of a Participant’s late arrival.
4.8. If the Client has not arrived within 30 minutes of the agreed starting time and VFF has been unable to contact the Client, the booking may be treated as a no-show.
4.9. Participants may not drive a vehicle provided by VFF.
4.10. Smoking and vaping are not permitted in VFF vehicles.
Food may not be consumed in the vehicle without the driver’s permission. Drinks in securely closed containers are permitted unless otherwise indicated.
4.11. Seat belts must be always worn.
4.12. Child seats or booster seats must be requested before the tour. Their availability must be confirmed by VFF.
4.13. Clients requiring transport with substantial luggage must notify VFF before booking or as soon as possible afterwards.
VFF may refuse luggage that cannot be transported safely or that exceeds the available capacity of the vehicle.
5. Booking and contract formation
5.1. Tours may be booked:
- through the VFF website;
- through a VFF payment or booking link;
- by accepting a written quotation;
- through an authorised booking platform; or
- by another method specifically agreed with VFF.
5.2. Submission of an enquiry does not reserve a date.
5.3. A booking becomes binding when VFF confirms the booking in writing and any payment required at that stage has been received, unless VFF has expressly agreed to payment at a later time.
5.4. Availability displayed online is subject to final confirmation.
5.5. The Client must provide accurate contact information and booking information.
5.6. Where a Client books on behalf of other Participants, the Client confirms that they are authorised to make the booking for the group.
6. Prices and payment
6.1. Prices are stated in euros and include applicable VAT unless specifically stated otherwise.
6.2. VFF uses date-based pricing. The price may therefore vary according to the selected date, season, demand, pickup location, tour type or additional services.
The price confirmed when the booking is completed is the price applicable to that booking.
6.3. Additional services or changes requested after booking may result in additional charges. These will be communicated before the additional service is confirmed.
6.4. Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due when the booking is made.
VFF may agree in writing to:
- payment by invoice;
- a deposit followed by a balance;
- payment by card or cash on the tour date; or
- another payment arrangement.
6.5. Where an invoice is issued, it must be paid by the due date stated on the invoice.
6.6. In the case of a consumer who does not pay an amount by its due date, VFF will apply the mandatory Belgian rules concerning consumer debts, including any required free first reminder and statutory waiting period, before charging interest, compensation or recovery costs.
6.7. Where the Client is acting in a professional or business capacity, applicable Belgian rules concerning late commercial payments may apply.
6.8. Payment-processing fees already incurred by VFF may be deducted from a refund only where this is permitted by applicable law and clearly communicated to the Client.
7. Cancellation by the Client
7.1. Each VFF tour is private. Once booked, the relevant date and guiding capacity are reserved for that Client and cannot normally be sold to another group.
The following cancellation policy therefore applies.
Cancellation 7 days or more before the tour
Where cancellation is received at least seven calendar days before the scheduled starting time, the Client will receive a 100% refund of the tour price paid.
Cancellation between 72 hours and 7 days before the tour
Where cancellation is received between 72 hours and seven calendar days before the scheduled starting time, the Client will receive a 50% refund.
Alternatively, the Client may request one change of date under Article 8.
Cancellation less than 72 hours before the tour
Where cancellation is received less than 72 hours before the scheduled starting time, no refund is due.
No-show
A no-show or cancellation after the scheduled starting time is non-refundable.
7.2. Cancellation must be communicated in writing to:
The time at which VFF receives the written cancellation determines which cancellation period applies.
7.3. Where VFF has already incurred specific non-refundable third-party expenses expressly for the Client, such as specially purchased admission tickets or individually commissioned services, these costs may be excluded from the refundable amount where permitted by law and where the Client was informed about the expense.
7.4. VFF recommends that Participants obtain appropriate travel insurance covering illness, transport disruption and other events that may prevent them from attending.
8. Rescheduling
8.1. VFF would generally prefer to help a Client reschedule a tour rather than lose the booking entirely.
8.2. A Client may request one change of date without a rescheduling fee where the request is received more than 72 hours before the scheduled start.
8.3. Rescheduling is always subject to VFF’s availability.
8.4. Where the price for the newly selected date is higher than the original booking price, the Client must pay the difference.
Where the new date is less expensive, VFF will apply the price originally paid unless otherwise agreed.
8.5. The new tour should normally take place within twelve months of the original tour date.
8.6. Rescheduling cannot be used to obtain a more favourable cancellation entitlement.
Where a booking is rescheduled and subsequently cancelled, VFF may calculate the maximum refundable amount by reference to the cancellation entitlement applicable when the original booking was rescheduled.
8.7. Requests made less than 72 hours before the tour may be considered in exceptional circumstances but VFF is not obliged to accept them.
9. Illness and travel disruption
9.1. Illness of a Participant does not automatically create an entitlement to a refund outside the cancellation conditions above.
9.2. In cases of serious and verifiable illness, VFF may, at its discretion, offer:
- another available date;
- a booking credit; or
- another reasonable solution.
9.3. Delayed or cancelled flights, Eurostar services, trains, ferries, cruise ships or other transport used by Participants to reach the agreed pickup point are outside VFF’s control.
They do not automatically entitle the Client to a refund outside the normal cancellation conditions.
9.4. Where serious transport disruption occurs, VFF will nevertheless make reasonable efforts to find a practical solution, such as:
- a later start;
- an alternative pickup location;
- a shortened tour;
- rescheduling; or
- a booking credit.
Any such arrangement is subject to availability and the circumstances of the individual case.
9.5. VFF is not responsible for missed flights, trains, Eurostar services, cruise departures or other onward travel.
Clients with onward transport arrangements must allow a reasonable safety margin when agreeing the finishing time of the tour.
10. Cancellation or changes by VFF
10.1. VFF may alter, interrupt or cancel a tour where necessary because of circumstances including:
- unsafe weather;
- snow or ice;
- dangerous road conditions;
- accident or vehicle breakdown;
- illness or incapacity of the guide;
- road closures;
- police or government restrictions;
- closure of battlefield sites;
- major public events;
- circumstances affecting the safety of Participants; or
- another event that makes performance of the agreed service impossible or unreasonable.
10.2. Normal Belgian rain is not in itself a reason for VFF to cancel a battlefield tour.
10.3. If an individual site, museum, road or attraction is unexpectedly unavailable, VFF will normally modify the route and provide a reasonable alternative.
No refund is due merely because an individual advertised example site cannot be visited, provided the essential nature and overall quality of the tour can still be delivered.
10.4. Where VFF cancels the entire tour before it begins and cannot provide a mutually acceptable replacement date, the Client will receive a full refund of the amount paid to VFF for the cancelled service.
10.5. VFF is not responsible for consequential expenses incurred by the Client, such as hotels, flights, rail tickets or other travel arrangements, except where liability cannot legally be excluded.
10.6. Where a tour has to be terminated early for reasons attributable to VFF, an appropriate partial refund may be offered having regard to the proportion of the service that could not be provided.
11. Force majeure
11.1. Neither party will be considered in breach of the agreement where performance becomes impossible because of an extraordinary and unavoidable circumstance outside that party’s reasonable control.
Examples can include:
- war;
- terrorism or serious security incidents;
- major natural disasters;
- government prohibitions;
- widespread transport shutdowns;
- exceptional severe weather;
- epidemics or pandemics accompanied by relevant restrictions; or
- other comparable events.
11.2. Where possible, VFF will first try to reschedule or reasonably modify the service.
11.3. If the service cannot legally or practically be provided, refunds or credits will be handled in accordance with applicable law and having regard to services already properly supplied and unavoidable third-party costs.
12. Safety and behaviour
12.1. Battlefield touring can involve:
- uneven surfaces;
- mud;
- grass;
- gravel;
- steps;
- trenches and bunkers;
- slippery surfaces;
- roadside locations;
- agricultural traffic; and
- changing weather conditions.
Participants must exercise normal care and follow reasonable safety instructions given by VFF.
12.2. Suitable clothing and footwear are the responsibility of the Participant.
12.3. Participants must not enter areas that are closed, prohibited or considered unsafe by VFF.
12.4. Participants must not collect, move, handle or interfere with suspected unexploded ammunition, shells, grenades, fuzes or other potentially hazardous battlefield material.
12.5. VFF may refuse to start or may terminate a tour where a Participant:
- is seriously intoxicated;
- behaves aggressively or abusively;
- creates a danger to themselves or others;
- repeatedly disregards safety instructions;
- damages property;
- behaves seriously disrespectfully at cemeteries, memorials or remembrance ceremonies; or
- otherwise makes it unreasonable or unsafe to continue the service.
12.6. Where a tour is terminated because of serious misconduct by a Participant, no refund is due for the unused part of the tour.
13. Mobility, accessibility and medical requirements
13.1. Battlefield sites vary significantly in accessibility.
Some locations involve grass, mud, uneven ground, steps, trenches or longer walking distances.
13.2. The VFF vehicle and not all battlefield locations are fully wheelchair accessible.
13.3. Clients should inform VFF before booking, or as soon as possible afterwards, of any relevant mobility requirement, including:
- wheelchair use;
- walking-frame use;
- difficulty with steps;
- limited walking distance; or
- another requirement that could materially affect the itinerary.
13.4. VFF will make reasonable efforts to design an appropriate route where possible.
13.5. An adapted itinerary may involve different sites from those shown on the website.
13.6. Participants remain responsible for determining whether they are physically capable of taking part in the activities they choose to undertake during the tour.
13.7. Participants are not required to disclose private medical information that is irrelevant to the tour.
They should, however, inform VFF of any condition or practical requirement where VFF reasonably needs the information to provide the service safely.
14. Food, allergies and third-party establishments
14.1. Lunch is included only where expressly stated in the booked product or booking confirmation.
14.2. Where VFF arranges or recommends a restaurant, café or other third-party food provider, that establishment remains responsible for preparing and serving the food.
14.3. Participants with allergies or dietary requirements should inform VFF in advance and must also confirm their requirements directly with the food provider where appropriate.
14.4. VFF will make reasonable efforts to communicate dietary information but cannot guarantee that a third-party establishment will be completely free from a particular allergen.
15. Museums and other third-party services
15.1. Museums, memorial sites, restaurants, attractions and other establishments visited during a tour are independent organisations.
Their opening hours, accessibility, prices and operating arrangements may change without notice.
15.2. VFF is not responsible for unexpected closures or restrictions imposed by those organisations.
15.3. Where admission is expressly included in the tour price, VFF will arrange the admission where reasonably possible.
If an included paid service cannot be supplied and no equivalent substitute is provided, VFF will refund the value attributable to that service where appropriate.
16. Family-history and historical research
16.1. Some VFF tours include personalised historical preparation.
The precise amount of research included depends on the product booked.
16.2. Extensive family-history research, unit reconstruction, archival research or preparation of a written dossier may be charged separately.
Any additional research fee will be agreed with the Client before the work is undertaken.
16.3. Historical research is necessarily dependent on the survival, availability and accuracy of historical records.
VFF therefore cannot guarantee:
- that a particular person’s complete service history can be reconstructed;
- that an exact battlefield location can always be identified;
- that a grave can always be located;
- that records will be complete; or
- that conflicting historical evidence can always be conclusively resolved.
16.4. VFF will distinguish, where reasonably relevant, between established facts, reasonable historical interpretation and traditions or claims for which the surviving evidence is uncertain.
16.5. Failure to discover a requested historical record does not mean that properly performed research has not been supplied.
17. Historical materials and artefacts
17.1. VFF may use maps, historical photographs, documents, books, reproductions and historical artefacts as interpretive material during a tour.
17.2. Participants must handle any material made available to them with reasonable care and follow the guide’s instructions.
17.3. Some objects may be displayed but not handled.
17.4. No Participant may remove material from a battlefield location or disturb archaeological or potentially hazardous objects.
18. Liability
18.1. VFF is responsible for providing the booked services with reasonable professional care.
18.2. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by Belgian law.
18.3. VFF is not liable for damage resulting from:
- failure by a Participant to follow reasonable safety instructions;
- a Participant’s own negligent or unlawful conduct;
- risks inherent in voluntarily entering uneven battlefield terrain after appropriate warning;
- inaccurate information supplied by the Client;
- acts or omissions of independent third parties outside VFF’s reasonable control; or
- events that VFF could not reasonably have prevented.
18.4. Participants remain responsible for their personal possessions.
VFF is not liable for loss, theft or damage to personal belongings unless caused by fault for which VFF is legally responsible.
18.5. The Client or Participant is responsible for damage they intentionally cause or cause through negligence to:
- VFF’s vehicle;
- historical material;
- equipment;
- property belonging to a third party; or
- another person’s property.
18.6. Nothing in these conditions is intended to exclude liability for death or personal injury resulting from fault for which VFF is legally liable, fraud, intentional misconduct or any other liability that cannot legally be limited.
19. Photography and filming
19.1. Participants may take photographs for personal use during the tour, subject to rules imposed by cemeteries, museums, private property owners, military sites or other locations.
19.2. VFF does not assume that booking or participating in a tour gives permission to use recognisable photographs or video of Participants for advertising.
19.3. Where VFF wishes to use identifiable photographs or video of a Participant for:
- its website;
- social media;
- advertising;
- brochures; or
- other promotional material,
VFF will seek the Participant’s consent.
19.4. Refusing promotional photography has no effect on the service provided.
19.5. A Participant who previously gave permission may contact VFF regarding future use of an image. VFF will deal with such requests in accordance with applicable data-protection law and practical limitations concerning material already lawfully published or distributed.
20. Intellectual property
20.1. Original VFF material, including tour documents, research dossiers, written explanations, custom maps, graphics, photographs and other original content, remains protected by applicable intellectual-property rights.
20.2. Clients may use materials supplied to them for their own private, family and non-commercial research purposes.
20.3. Materials may not be commercially reproduced, republished, sold or presented as the Client’s own work without written permission.
20.4. Historical images, archival material and third-party documents remain subject to the rights and usage conditions of their respective owners or archives.
21. Personal data
21.1. VFF processes personal data where necessary for purposes including:
- enquiries;
- quotations;
- bookings;
- payment;
- tour preparation;
- family-history research;
- customer communication;
- accounting;
- legal obligations; and
- legitimate business administration.
21.2. Personal data is processed in accordance with applicable data-protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation.
21.3. Further information is available in the VFF Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy published on the website.
22. No statutory right of withdrawal for dated tours
22.1. VFF tours are leisure and/or transport-related services supplied for a specific date or period.
22.2. Under the applicable Belgian rules concerning distance contracts, the statutory fourteen-day right of withdrawal does not apply to such services where the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance.
22.3. The Client therefore does not have an additional statutory fourteen-day cooling-off period merely because the booking was made online.
22.4. VFF nevertheless voluntarily provides the cancellation rights described in Article 7 of these conditions.
23. Complaints
23.1. If a Client is dissatisfied with any aspect of the service, they are encouraged to raise the issue with the guide during the tour where possible so that VFF has an opportunity to resolve it immediately.
23.2. Complaints after the tour should be sent to:
23.3. VFF will attempt to resolve complaints reasonably and amicably.
23.4. Consumers may also have access to the Belgian Consumer Mediation Service or another competent consumer-dispute-resolution body where the applicable legal requirements are met.
24. Applicable law and disputes
24.1. These General Terms and Conditions and agreements with VFF are governed by Belgian law.
24.2. The parties will first attempt to resolve any dispute amicably.
24.3. If an amicable solution cannot be reached, disputes may be submitted to the competent courts in accordance with applicable Belgian and European rules.
24.4. Nothing in this article deprives a consumer of any mandatory right concerning jurisdiction or consumer protection.
25. Final provision
By completing a booking, the Client confirms that they have been given the opportunity to read these General Terms and Conditions before becoming bound by the booking.
The booking confirmation, any specifically agreed written arrangements and these General Terms and Conditions together form the agreement between VFF and the Client.