policies, terms, and guidelines - participating business
There are tens of millions of Vacationers travelling the world every year… and we want to send them to you!
Don’t BUGMe I’m On Vacation helps connect your fantastic business with Vacationers you can best impress. We do this on our website www.bugme.travel by matching Vacationers needs with unique aspects of your business.
To enhance this connection and incentivize Vacationers to patron your business, Vacationers may purchase a Road Trip Pass, giving them access to advanced features on our website and Standard Discounts at Participating Businesses.
The premise of the Road Trip Pass is: an honest deal at a fair price.
While the Road Trip Pass is rooted in common sense, and should be somewhat self-explanatory and simple to understand and follow, this contract includes legal and practical parameters to which you (the Participating Business), we (Don’t BUGMe I’m On Vacation), and Vacationers agree to abide.
Table of Contents
Participation Agreement – Business. 1
Participating Business Expectations. 3
Vacationer Expectations – overview.. 4
Overview
[graphic – Vacationer, map/website/ RTP, business, high five, social media]
(Terminology is defined below)
The Basics
Vacationers purchase a Road Trip Pass (RTP) from us
They research their vacation on www.bugme.travel
If a Vacationer decides to patron your business and presents their Active RTP, you offer them the corresponding Standard Discount of 20% off Activities.
All payment and reservation processes remain between you and your customer. We are simply facilitating introductions and incentivizing customers to book.
The Cost
There is no cost for your business to participate.
We (DBM) do not take fees or commissions from your sales.
You only incur the discount when a customer books.
This means, even if we don’t send you any customers, you still receive free promotion on our website.
Your Commitment
Your business IS obligated to offer the Standard Discount but ONLY on your Principal Business Offering.
Although, you are welcome to extend discounts to other areas of your business if you wish. Perhaps, as a customer service tool or loyalty perk.
You are NOT obligated to offer the Standard Discount if the Vacationer purchases an RTP from you at the time they are making a reservation.
This is referring to our Affiliate Program where sales partners receive commission for every Road Trip Pass they sell. Additional details about the Affiliate Program are found below.
You are also NOT obligated to offer the Standard Discount on already discounted prices (such as group rates) nor illegally discounted items (such as alcohol and tobacco).
Participating Business Expectations
We first start by explaining some terminology, then below are additional details to further clarify your contractual participation with the Road Trip Pass.
You may also read the Vacationer’s Participation Agreement if you’d like an additional perspective of expectations.
Terminology
DBM – refers to the company “Don’t BUGMe I’m On Vacation” and is also represented in this document as www.bugme.travel
Vacationer – customers of DBM, and potential customers of Participating Businesses
Participating Businesses – companies listed on www.bugme.travel who have signed Participation Agreements to offer Standard Discounts to Vacationers with Active Road Trip Passes.
businesses – companies listed on www.bugme.travel who have NOT signed Participation Agreements; and therefore, are NOT offering Standard Discounts to Vacationers with Active Road Trip Passes.
Standard Discount – the savings offered by Participating Businesses to Vacationers who have an Active Road Trip Pass (20% off Activities).
Principal Business Offering – what the Participating Business is offering their Standard Discount towards as described in: 1) in the company listing on www.bugme.travel, or 2) the primary function or operations of the company.
Note: some businesses may have multiple Principal Business Offerings (such as in the case of a resort that offers activities and dining experiences).
RTP – a Road Trip Pass is a yearly subscription to the website www.bugme.travel.
Active RTP – an annual Road Trip Pass that has not expired; subscription has been purchased within the past 364 days.
Details
To begin, no part of the Details section contradicts the Overview or Terminology sections of this document. These Details serve to clarify the terms and parameters in these previous sections.
Website
The map and its search features are free to use for everyone.
They are promoted it as research tools for Vacationers to find their best travel experience.
Vacationers are encouraged to purchase a Road Trip Pass in order to be offered Standard Discounts from Participating Businesses.
You are, therefore, less likely to see customers from our website if you are not participating in the RTP program.
Map
You are expected to keep your business profile current.
Be accurate and honest with your description. This is how Vacationers search via the search bar. If you embellish, perhaps to gain more customers, you will likely attract customers you are not prepared to serve, causing customer service difficulties and poor reviews, for both your company and ours.
Be accurate and honest with your tags. This is how Vacationers search travel experience via the filter options. Misleading information will, again, cause customer service difficulties and poor reviews.
Honoring Discounts
Vacationers who present their Active Road Trip Pass must be offered the Standard Discount respective to your Primary Business Offering.
Vacationers are obligated to present their RTP:
at the time of initial booking/reservation, and
at the time of check-in, arrival or payment.
If these two criteria are not met, you re not obligated to offer the discount. However, from a customer service perspective, you may consider allowing leniency in this area. Yours and our reputation partly depend on it.
There are two ways you may confirm if an RTP is Active:
Vacationers may login to their account on www.bugme.travel on their mobile device – where the “active” status will be seen in their billing section.
Vacationers may provide you with the subscription confirmation email from fun@bugme.travel
Note: RTPs are valid for 364 days plus the remainder of purchase date.
You are NOT obligated to offer the Standard Discount if the Vacationer purchases an RTP from you at the time they are making a reservation.
This is because the Vacationer is more likely to have found your business through your marketing efforts than ours.
In fact, customers may have learned about DBM and the Road Trip Pass after having arrived at your business. Which leads us to our Affiliate Program (next) and the commission you receive by selling RTPs.
You are NOT obligated to offer Standard Discounts retroactively; to existing reservations you’ve already booked with that Vacationer.
Again, common sense and a fair deal is the premise to the RTP program. Please exercise both when honoring / offering discounts.
Affiliate Program
It is not mandatory for Participating Businesses to sell Road Trip Passes. However, it is of mutual benefit should you choose to. This is how the Affiliate Program works:
You register as an Affiliate. This gives you access to a digital dashboard where you may track your payouts, access creative graphic and generally manage your account.
We generate your unique weblink. This weblink comes in three forms.
url (a web address for the search bar of any internet browser)
embedded in graphic images (called “creatives”). These creatives are formatted in various dimensions for ease of use on different digital platforms.
embedded in a unique QR code you may print on your marketing materials and also share in digital form.
You promote the Road Trip Pass through your digital and physical marketing channels by sharing your weblink via one, two, or all three of these methods.
Anytime a Vacationer clicks through your weblink, they are directed to our website. If they purchase a Road Trip Pass, you are credited a commission for that sale.
Current financial payout details can be found in the latest Affiliate Agreement when you register.
Benefits of becoming an Affiliate
In some cases, the commission you receive from selling an RTP may be more than the discount you offer to the Vacationer’s reservation.
Vacationers also receive a discount on their purchase of their RTP if they use your Affiliate promo code
Which means Vacationers are incentivized to purchase through you, rather than us.
This is beneficial to you because we are offering you an additional product to sell. This is beneficial to DBM because it helps us increase our Affiliate sales force… which increases exposure of our map… which increases exposure of Participating Businesses.
DBM sells one product, the Road Trip Pass. By helping us sell RTPs, we may continue to help you drive customers to your business.
By registering as both a Participating Business and an Affiliate, you maximize the benefit DBM can offer you.
Removal from map
It is in everyone’s best interest for your business to remain listed on our map. It creates a more complete picture of the tourism landscape to Vacationers, leading to heightened credibility of DBM, and it directly promotes your business. However, should it come to our attention that your business is being misrepresented or that you have misrepresented DBM or the RTP program, we will investigate the matter; with the possible outcome being removal of your business from our website and the RTP program.
This will be approached on a case-by-case basis, with the severity of actions being based on honesty and transparency.
You may remove your business listing at any point. However, you are obligated to honor the Standard Discount to any Vacationer who made a reservation with your business before you withdrew.
What you can expect from us
We, Josh Melcher and Ray Bretzloff, the owners of Don’t BUGMe I’m On Vacation have both spent the past twenty years in the tourism industry; ranging from guide, to operations manager, to owner, to tourism board president; within multiple regions of Canada and abroad. We have both travelled extensively and are formally trained in this field, graduating from a Business of Outdoor Adventure Industry diploma program at Algonquin College - Pembroke. We are well prepared to serve businesses and Vacationers (and Affiliates) through this company.
That being said, we are fallible humans and there are bound to be obstacles encountered. You can expect from us an earnest effort to:
Address and rectify, in a reasonably timely manner
Learn and make improvements in accordance to industry and worldly trends.
Be forthright in our communications about information relevant to your business and its partnership with ours.
In short, you can expect us, to the best of our ability, to work toward mutual benefit for your business, our business and Vacationers travel experiences.
Josh Melcher | Chief Adventure Operator,
Ray Bretzloff | Senior Roadtrip Navigator
Business Participation
Terms & Conditions
1. General Terms
By using Don’t BUGMe I’m on Vacation’s website and services, you agree to comply with these terms and conditions. Bug Me Travel reserves the right to update these terms at any time. Continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of any modifications.
2. Privacy Policy
We respect your privacy. Any personal information collected through our website will be handled according to our Privacy Policy. We do not sell or share user data with third parties except as required to provide our services or by law.
3. Cookies Policy
Don’t BUGMe I’m on Vacation uses cookies to enhance user experience, track site usage, and improve services. By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies. You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings.
4. Intellectual Property
All content, logos, branding, and website design are the property of Don’t BUGMe I’m on Vacation and may not be used, copied, or distributed without our written permission. Unauthorized use of our intellectual property may result in legal action.
5. Liability Disclaimer
Don’t BUGMe I’m on Vacation is a reference platform connecting travellers with businesses. We do not guarantee the quality of services provided by participating businesses and are not liable for any disputes, damages, or losses incurred. Customers are responsible for confirming details directly with the business before booking.
6. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party sites. Don’t BUGMe I’m on Vacation is not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of any external websites. Users should review third-party terms and policies before engaging with their services.
7. Governing Law
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of Canada. Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Canada.
For any questions regarding our policies, please contact us.