FlyerTalk Forums - specialty tours

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Is there a forum or thread for discussing specialty tours? In particular, I'm interested in hearing of experiences with AIA Tours (that's Archaeological Institute of America Tours), but there are many niche tour companies and I don't recall seeing discussions of them on FlyerTalk.

Is the following language typical for tour groups? (It is from https://www.archaeological.org/wp-co...WM-website.pdf.) It seems like a bit of overreach as far as trying to dodge accountability.

Quote:

The Archaeological Institute of America and its agent, Eos Study Tours, and its and their employees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, directors or trustees, successors, and assigns (hereinafter “Sponsors”), and the tour operator and/or its agents (collectively “Sponsors/Operator”) do not own or operate any entity which is to or does provide goods or services for your trip including, for example, lodging facilities; airline, vessel, or other transportation companies; guides or guide services; local ground operators; providers or organizers of optional excursions; food service or entertainment providers; etc. [...]

[...] Sponsors/Operator are not liable for their own negligence, and participant assumes all risk thereof.

Thanks for pointers or thoughts.

I can’t claim any expertise other than having read a number of tour proposals over the years, but here are some reactions fwiw:

1. The first para seems pretty normal disclaimer to me, especially far as AIA is concerned — ie, a marquee organization that attracts attention as a sponsor but does not specialize in travel arrangements per se. As for as Eos Study tours, it helps clarify the nature of their role, so not necessarily harmful in and of itself.

2. The second para you quote is … something. I’ve never seen anyone declare they are not responsible for their own negligence — it’s usually the opposite, i.e., that they are only responsible for their own negligence, not that of other parties. And it’s questionable whether this statement would be enforceable in a U.S. court that otherwise had jurisdiction over the case.

3. The easiest way to mitigate against such claims—and I suspect what the language is intended to encourage—is for you as the traveler to purchase comprehensive travel insurance.

Good luck!