Pagoda Travel Legal Center
PAGODA TRAVEL LIMITED — TERMS & CONDITIONS
Last Updated: April 14, 2026
1. Introduction & Acceptance
Welcome to Pagoda Travel. By registering on our platform, making a booking, or accepting an assignment through the platform, all parties — including travelers, travel advisors, guides, and operators — confirm that they have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the platform.
We have written these terms to be as clear and fair as possible to everyone involved. If you ever have a question about anything here, please reach out to us at hello@pagoda.travel — we are always happy to explain.
2. About Pagoda Travel
Pagoda Travel operates as a technology platform and marketplace connecting travel advisors with independent guides, operators, and DMCs across Japan. We are not a tour operator, travel agent, or direct service provider. All tours, transfers, experiences, and related services are designed, operated, and delivered exclusively by independent third-party guides, operators, and DMCs listed on the platform.
Our role is to make the connection between advisors and the best local talent as seamless, transparent, and efficient as possible.
3. Payments
Full payment is required to confirm and secure any service, unless otherwise agreed in writing prior to booking.
All prices displayed on the Pagoda Travel platform include our service markup, the travel advisor's commission, and applicable VAT where required by law. VAT is not an additional charge — it is already incorporated into the price shown, so there are no surprises at checkout.
If paying by credit card, please be aware that card payments may incur third-party processing fees charged by the payment processor. These fees are not set or controlled by Pagoda Travel.
4. Cancellations
We understand that plans sometimes change, and we always aim to handle cancellations with fairness to everyone involved — including the guides and operators who have reserved their time and turned down other work to serve your clients. When a trip is cancelled at short notice, it can represent a significant loss of income for the independent professionals who were counting on it. We ask that all parties keep this in mind.
Once an invoice has been issued and payment received, the following cancellation fees apply:
Cancellations made more than 14 days prior to the first service date: 15% of the total invoiced amount, to cover administrative costs and any partial supplier commitments already made on your behalf.
Cancellations made 14 days or fewer prior to the first service date: 100% of the total invoiced amount. No refund will be issued under these circumstances, as the guide or operator will have committed their time and will in most cases be unable to fill those dates at short notice.
In addition, any payment processing fees, bank transfer charges, and non-recoverable third-party supplier deposits or penalties will be deducted from any applicable refund. Currency exchange differences incurred due to exchange rate fluctuations are non-refundable.
Where a refund is due, it will be processed within 14 business days of written cancellation confirmation.
We strongly encourage all travel advisors to ensure their clients have comprehensive travel insurance in place before confirming any booking. Many cancellation scenarios — including illness, flight disruption, and family emergencies — are covered under standard travel insurance policies, and this is the best protection available to your clients.
If you believe exceptional circumstances apply to your situation, please contact us at hello@pagoda.travel. While we cannot guarantee exceptions to this policy, we are always willing to listen and will do our best to find a fair outcome for all parties.
5. Refund Processing
Where a refund is approved, it will be processed using the original payment method wherever possible. Please be aware that refund processing times vary depending on your payment provider and bank or card issuer, and are outside of Pagoda Travel's control once initiated. Card processing fees paid at the time of booking may not be recoverable from the payment processor.
6. Changes to Bookings
If you need to change dates, times, or services, please contact us as early as possible and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Changes are subject to supplier availability and cannot be guaranteed, and may result in additional costs depending on the supplier's own cancellation or amendment terms. We will always communicate any cost implications clearly before proceeding.
7. Post-Booking Communication & Responsibilities
Once a booking is confirmed and full payment received, the guide or operator becomes your primary point of contact for all on-the-ground logistics — including scheduling, meeting points, timing adjustments, and any itinerary refinements. We actively encourage this direct relationship, as the best experiences come from close collaboration between advisors and the people delivering them.
While Pagoda Travel's role as a booking intermediary concludes at confirmation, our support team remains available at hello@pagoda.travel if you encounter a situation that requires our involvement. We want every trip to go well, and we are not in the business of disappearing once a booking is made.
Please note that any last-minute changes or amendments to a confirmed booking are the responsibility of the travel advisor and the guide or operator concerned. Pagoda Travel is not in a position to relay or manage operational communications on behalf of either party after booking confirmation, and accepts no liability for disruptions arising from changes made directly between parties.
8. Guide & Operator Vetting — What We Do and What We Ask of You
Every guide and operator on the Pagoda Travel platform has gone through our internal vetting process, which covers their professional background, experience, and the quality of the tours and services they offer. We take this seriously and are continuously raising our standards.
That said, every client is different. What works beautifully for one traveller may not be the right fit for another, which is why we have built direct communication tools into the platform — including in-platform messaging and Google Meet video calls — so that advisors can speak with guides directly before committing to a booking.
We genuinely encourage you to use these tools. A short conversation before booking can make the difference between a good trip and an unforgettable one. If you proceed to confirm a booking without having used these tools, you are doing so on the basis of the information available to you on the platform, and Pagoda Travel cannot be held responsible for any mismatch between client expectations and the experience delivered.
9. Third-Party Suppliers
Pagoda Travel works with independent third-party suppliers who are responsible for the delivery of their own services. While we carefully select and vet our partners, we cannot be held responsible for delays, cancellations, or changes caused by circumstances outside our control, including but not limited to weather events, transportation disruptions, natural disasters, supplier operational issues, or government restrictions.
10. Advisor Responsibility for Client Information
Travel advisors are solely responsible for ensuring that all client information provided at the time of booking is accurate and complete. This includes client names, contact details, pickup locations and times, number of passengers, luggage requirements, and any special needs or requests.
Where a service failure or disruption arises as a direct result of incorrect, incomplete, or late information provided by the travel advisor or their client, Pagoda Travel cannot accept liability for any resulting loss, inconvenience, or additional costs. We ask that advisors double-check all details before submitting a booking, as errors can be difficult to correct once a guide or operator has made their own preparations.
11. Guide & Operator Pricing Accuracy
Guides and operators listed on the Pagoda Travel platform are solely responsible for the accuracy of the pricing, availability, and service descriptions they upload. Pagoda Travel does not individually verify each pricing entry and cannot be held liable for pricing errors, omissions, or discrepancies uploaded by guides or operators.
In the event that a booking is made on the basis of an incorrect price, Pagoda Travel will do its best to facilitate a fair resolution between the relevant parties. Our liability in such situations is limited to facilitating that resolution and does not extend to absorbing or compensating for any pricing difference.
12. Complaints
If something goes wrong, we want to hear about it. Please contact us in writing at hello@pagoda.travel within 7 days of the incident or service date giving rise to the complaint. Include any relevant documentation — such as booking confirmations, correspondence, photographs, or receipts — so that we can investigate thoroughly and fairly.
We will acknowledge all written complaints within 7 business days and will work toward a fair resolution as promptly as possible. Complaints submitted significantly after the fact or without supporting documentation may be more difficult for us to investigate fully, though we will always do our best to understand what happened and help where we can.
13. Platform Availability
We work hard to keep the Pagoda Travel platform running smoothly and aim for it to be available at all times. However, like any technology platform, there may occasionally be periods of downtime due to scheduled maintenance, technical issues, or circumstances outside our control.
We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and will always aim to minimize disruption. Pagoda Travel cannot accept liability for any loss of business, revenue, or bookings arising from platform downtime or technical interruptions, whether planned or unplanned.
14. Intellectual Property
All content on the Pagoda Travel platform — including tour descriptions, itineraries, pricing structures, images, branding, and platform features — is the intellectual property of Pagoda Travel or its licensed contributors.
No content may be copied, reproduced, distributed, or used outside of the platform without the prior written consent of Pagoda Travel. Guides, operators, and travel advisors are welcome to use platform content for its intended purpose within the platform itself, but may not use it for external commercial purposes without our permission.
15. Right to Remove Partners
We are committed to maintaining a high-quality, professional marketplace for everyone on the platform. In cases where a guide, operator, travel advisor, or other user has consistently failed to meet our standards of conduct, quality, or professionalism, or has breached these Terms & Conditions or any applicable partnership agreement, Pagoda Travel reserves the right to suspend or remove that party from the platform.
We will always aim to communicate concerns before taking action where the situation allows, and will act fairly and proportionately. Pagoda Travel cannot accept liability for any loss of earnings or business opportunity arising from a suspension or removal carried out in good faith under this clause.
16. Reviews & Ratings
Reviews and ratings on the Pagoda Travel platform may only be submitted by travel advisors in connection with a verified, completed booking, ensuring that all feedback is genuine and grounded in real experience.
Pagoda Travel reserves the right to moderate, withhold, or remove any review that is found to be false, misleading, or defamatory. We take the integrity of our review system seriously, as it is one of the primary ways advisors make informed decisions about the guides and operators they work with.
17. Traveler Responsibility
Travelers are responsible for ensuring they hold valid passports and visas where required, have purchased comprehensive travel insurance, have provided accurate personal details and travel information, and are able to meet guides and drivers at the agreed times and locations. Travel advisors are responsible for communicating these requirements clearly to their clients prior to travel.
18. Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend that all travelers purchase comprehensive travel insurance before travel, covering cancellations, medical emergencies, and trip interruptions. This is one of the most important steps any traveler can take, and we encourage advisors to make it a standard part of their client onboarding process. Pagoda Travel cannot accept liability for losses that would have been covered by adequate travel insurance.
19. Force Majeure
Pagoda Travel cannot be held liable for cancellations, disruptions, or delays caused by events genuinely outside of reasonable control. This includes natural disasters, severe weather, acts of war or terrorism, strikes, pandemics, government-imposed restrictions, or transportation network shutdowns. In such cases, we will always do our best to communicate clearly, support affected parties where we can, and facilitate a fair outcome.
20. Our Role & Limitation of Liability
Pagoda Travel is a technology platform and marketplace. We are not a tour operator, travel agent, or service provider, and we do not employ, supervise, or direct any guide, driver, or operator listed on the platform.
We work hard to maintain a high-quality marketplace, but we cannot guarantee the performance of every individual supplier in every situation. Any claim arising from a service failure, injury, loss, or dispute should be directed in the first instance to the relevant supplier.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Pagoda Travel's total liability to any party — whether arising from contract, negligence, or otherwise — shall not exceed the total amount paid by that party to Pagoda Travel for the specific service giving rise to the claim. We will always act in good faith to help resolve disputes where we are able to.
21. Limitation on Consequential Damages
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Pagoda Travel shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages — including loss of revenue, profit, or business opportunity — arising from the use of the platform or the services of any third-party supplier. We recognize this is standard legal language, and we include it not to avoid accountability, but to reflect the reality that we are a platform and marketplace, not the service provider.
22. Platform Terms for Travel Advisors
Travel advisors using the Pagoda Travel platform confirm that they are acting as independent professionals on behalf of their clients, that Pagoda Travel is not responsible for the advice they give to their clients, and that they are responsible for ensuring their clients are aware of and accept these Terms & Conditions before any booking is made.
We ask advisors to use the platform honestly, professionally, and in the spirit in which it was built — to make great travel experiences happen more efficiently. Any misuse of the platform, including attempts to circumvent the booking system or engage directly with suppliers outside the platform in breach of the advisor agreement, may result in suspension or termination of access.
23. Platform Terms for Guides & Operators
All guides and operators on the Pagoda Travel marketplace are bound by a separate Guide, Operator & DMC Partnership Agreement, which governs their conduct, obligations, pricing accuracy, and relationship with Pagoda Travel. By accepting assignments through the platform, guides and operators confirm their full acceptance of that agreement. A copy is available upon request at hello@pagoda.travel.
24. Data Protection & Privacy
Pagoda Travel collects and processes personal data solely for the purpose of delivering the services requested through the platform. This includes names, contact details, travel information, and payment records. We do not sell personal data to third parties, and we only share it where strictly necessary to deliver a confirmed service or to comply with applicable law.
All data is handled in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. If you have any questions about how your personal data is used or stored, please contact us at hello@pagoda.travel and we will be happy to help.
25. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In the event of a dispute, we ask that both parties first attempt to resolve the matter through direct and good-faith negotiation. Pagoda Travel will acknowledge any written complaint within 7 business days of receipt.
If the matter cannot be resolved within 30 days of written notice, it shall be referred to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Hong Kong. We genuinely hope it never comes to that, and we commit to engaging constructively in any dispute resolution process.
26. Amendments to These Terms
Pagoda Travel may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or business practices. When we do, we will publish the updated version on the platform and notify registered users by email with reasonable notice before changes take effect.
Your continued use of the platform following any amendment constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms. If you do not agree with any changes, you are always welcome to contact us to discuss them before they take effect.
PAGODA TRAVEL LIMITED Hong Kong | www.pagoda.travel | hello@pagoda.travel
