About Cox & Kings
Cox & Kings is one of the great names of travel, with its extraordinary heritage and tradition of innovation. Now the company has applied its unrivalled expertise to the creation of the inspiring MasterChef Travel collection of culinary-themed holidays.
History
Cox & Kings is the longest established travel company in the world, having started life as Cox & Co more than 250 years ago, in 1758, as agents to provide logistical support to British military regiments. The company evolved its interests to include banking and shipping, and, after the bank was taken over by Lloyds in 1923, the shipping agency eventually developed into the modern day travel company. Initially, the company particularly specialised in tours to the Indian Subcontinent, but over years of innovation it diversified to offer private and group travel of the highest quality all over the world. Today, Cox & Kings has its own offices in countries worldwide, including India, the UK, the US, Australia, Japan and Dubacccai. It has also acquired a network of other travel companies in recent years and the combined group is now hugely influential in the world of high quality travel.
Benefits
In addition to its long heritage, Cox & Kings offers travellers many additional benefits, including: expertise and personal service, both during the planning of a holiday and in each destination; high quality service from its expert tour consultants through to its superb local representatives and guides on the ground; excellent value for money made possible by its long-established working relationships around the world and its significant buying power; and the peace of mind that comes from putting your travel arrangements in the hands of such a large, respected , well-established and expert company.
Protection
If you book a MasterChef Travel holiday through Cox & Kings UK you will benefit from the following holiday protection:
Atol protection: Cox & Kings is a fully bonded and licensed tour operator and its air holidays are Atol protected by the bonding scheme administered by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The Atol number for Cox & Kings is 2815. For more information about the protection offered by the CAA, please visit
Abta: Cox & Kings is a member of ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents. For more information about ABTA and its members, please visit the ABTA website and check our ABTA membership.
Financial protection
Book with confidence. We are a Member of ABTA, which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. All the package and Flight-Plus holidays we sell are covered by a scheme protecting your money if the supplier fails. Other services such as hotels or flights on their own may not be protected and you should ask us what protection is available.
Our ABTA number is V2999.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice: Cox & Kings receives a great deal of information about conditions on the ground from its local representatives. However, when deciding whether particular countries or regions are safe for travel, the final decision is dependent on the guidance of the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). If you would like to know the current travel advice for any country, you can visit www.fco.gov.uk or call 0870 606 0290. Cox & Kings actively supports the FCO’s Know Before You Go campaign, to help you stay safe overseas. Find out more at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Aito: Cox & Kings is also a member of Aito, the Association of Independent Tour operators, assuring you of Cox & Kings’ commitment to high quality service and ethical business practices. For more information about Aito and its aims, please visit www.aito.co.uk.
The Aito Quality Charter
Aito is an association of independently minded companies specialising in particular areas or types of holiday and sharing a common dedication to high standards of quality and personal service. Aito defines ‘quality’ as “providing a level of satisfaction which, based upon the holiday information provided by the tour operator, aims to meet or exceed a customer’s reasonable satisfaction, regardless of the type of holiday sold or the price paid”.
Accurate brochures: Aito members ensure that their brochures clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered.
Product improvements: Aito members listen to their customers and welcome suggestions for improving standards. All customers receive a post-holiday questionnaire.
Professional service: Aito members are committed to high standards of personal service, maintained by the thorough training of employees.
Financial security: Aito takes care to ensure that all members comply with current UK government regulations regarding the protection of clients’ money.
Exclusive membership: Aito has strict membership criteria that must be satisfied before new companies are allowed to join. All members must adhere to a rigorous code of business practice that governs their operational conduct.
Environmental issues: Aito is committed to raising the level of environmental awareness within the industry.
In the unlikely event that a dispute between an Aito member and customer cannot be resolved amicably, either side may call upon Aito’s low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion.
Responsibility
Cox & Kings recognises the responsibility of all travel companies to operate sustainable holidays that give far more to the people and environment of the places they visit than they take away.
Cox & Kings has a 5-star award for Sustainable Tourism from the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). To gain this highest possible status, companies must undertake a specific project which contributes to the economy, culture or environment of a destination.
Cool Earth
Cox & Kings is supporting the charity Cool Earth, which partners indigenous communities to keep Amazon endangered rainforest standing. You too can help and every time you travel with Cox & Kings you will be given the option of protecting a plot of rainforest and saving it from destruction. Just £60 safeguards a whole acre of Amazon rainforest in the Ashaninka region of Peru. For more information or to donate please visit www.coolearth.org/coxandkings.