Guiding and transfer rates

Dear partner/customer,

Meri-Lappin Matkailuoppaat ry has become a VAT payer as of July 3, 2025. This means that Finnish VAT of 25.5 % will be added to all guide fees.

Guide and transfer fees

From 3.7.2025 the fees are

A 100% increased fee is added when the guide is;

-at night from 23:00 to 06:00

-on Sundays and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Ascension Thursday, Midsummer Eve, Midsummer Day, All Saints’ Day, Independence Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.

Billing begins when the guide is ordered to arrive at the location.

We reserve the right to change the fee when the change is due to changes in legislation or other cost changes due to factors beyond the control of the association.

The reservation for the guide must be made in good time, the guide is confirmed when the association announces the guide’s confirmation and informs the client about it.

The client must confirm the reservation at least one (1) month before the guide, unless the reservation has been made in a shorter period of time. At the same time, the client must provide accurate billing information with the necessary reference information.

On a case-by-case basis, the association may invoice the fee in advance.

The fee is for one guide language. Guidance can be in a maximum of two languages.

In this case, a 25 % language surcharge will be charged for the additional language.

If the guide performs several tasks in succession on the same day for the same client and the same end customer, it is processed as one instruction according to the working hours.

Travel compensation by the most affordable means of transport is paid against receipt according to actual expenses. If public transport is not available, travel compensation will be invoiced based on actual costs.

The client pays the travel costs incurred by the guide and compensation for the time spent on the trip if the instruction starts/ends in a substantially different place/location or from/to a different location.

In cruise ship instruction, the client arranges transportation to the port for the guides as separately agreed or pays the travel costs incurred by the guides.

Matters to be agreed separately

The collection of any documents or required special equipment from the client that may be part of the task is not included in the transfer or tour price; these will be agreed upon separately.

If the client or the person designated by them asks the guide for a longer, more than 30-minute, negotiation-related task, the guide will be paid a fee separately agreed upon with the guide for the negotiation.

If the client or the person designated by them asks the guide to prepare a written travel/route plan or tour, the guide will be paid a fee separately agreed upon with the guide for the time used.

If the tour starts and/or ends at/from the airport, port, or station, a waiting time fee will be paid in addition to the duration of the tour.

If the guide must assist during check-in at the airport, port, or station and during room allocation at the hotel, possible compensation will be based on the number of hours agreed upon in advance.

Cancellations and changes

The client has the right to cancel the assignment four (4) business days before the tour by 4:00 PM. If the cancellation occurs later or in the case of a no-show by the group, the fee corresponding to the assignment will be paid.

The guide has the right to cancel his assignment four (4) business days before the start of the assignment by 4:00 PM. The client is responsible for finding a replacement guide and providing the documents. The guide will help if necessary.

In the event of a no-show by the guide without a valid reason, the guide will pay compensation corresponding to the fee.

The client can cancel the cruise ship tour assignment or the tour assignment for an additional tour for a group already on land by 4:00 PM the previous day, after which the guide is entitled to receive 50 % of the guide fee.

General

The tasks are divided into transfers, guides and tour management.

Guided tour refers to a tour that does not include overnight accommodation.

Transfer refers to a task that does not include overnight accommodation and whose main purpose is to escort customers from a port, airport or similar to a hotel or vice versa.

Tour management refers to a task in which the tour manager acts as the official representative of the client.

Transfer, guidance and tour leadership

Transfer

A fee of one and a half (1 ½) hours is paid for a city transfer.

The guide performing the transfer task will assist with check-in at the airport, port or station and room allocation at the hotel within the ordered time.

Other transfers are agreed upon on a task-specific basis.

If the need for additional time becomes apparent, the required time must be agreed upon separately with the client. The procedures for additional time must be agreed upon in advance.

Guided tour

The minimum guided tour time is one and a half (1.5) hours. Charges are made per half hour after the minimum time.

Special sites (museums, churches, etc.): according to separately agreed pricing, the guided tour may be shorter compared to the regular guided tour.

The guide is responsible for guiding only one group.

The guided tour is bilingual at most.

If the group is late, the guide is obliged to wait at least half (½) hour and, if possible, contact the client or the group.

Tour leadership

The tour leader is responsible for the trip schedule and reservations during the trip, and ensures the functionality of the services booked by the client together with the local agent, and takes care of the well-being of the passengers.

Tour leadership can also include short-term guidance, although tour leadership is the main task.

Guidance is decided in advance with the client on a case-by-case basis.

The tour leader is only responsible for guiding one bus.

During the trip, the client is responsible for the proper accommodation and maintenance of the tour leader.

Guide responsibilities

The guide is obliged to be there 15 minutes before the start of the task. If the client requests the guide to be there earlier, a separate compensation will be paid.

All tasks are subject to compliance with the client’s instructions. The guide/tour leader is responsible for any costs incurred due to failure to follow the instructions received from the client. If the instructions cannot be followed, the guide/tour leader must contact the client as much as possible.

The guide/tour leader is obliged to provide the client with any vouchers and receipts for costs within a week of the completion of the task and to report any accidents and illnesses and lost items or the subject of a complaint immediately.

The guide is required to wear appropriate, clean clothing and a guide badge in his/her work, unless otherwise agreed, and to be able to work.

The client has the right to withhold payment of the fee if the guide is not able to work when he/she arrives to perform the task. The content of the guide must be as agreed.

If the guide/tour leader, in order to obtain financial gain for himself or another or to harm the client, discloses a trade secret belonging to the client or uses such a trade secret without authorization (e.g. offers services directly to the client’s client), he will be liable for compensation.

In a force majeure situation, both parties suffer their own losses.

Obligations of the client

The client is obliged to provide the necessary information for guidance/tour leadership at least one week in advance, unless the order is received later. The client is responsible for the costs incurred by the guide if the client’s instructions are not correct.

The client is obliged to provide the guide/tour leader with contact information for the duration of the assignment in case of urgent changes.

The client is obliged to ensure that all reservations are confirmed and that the guide/tour leader has been provided with up-to-date information.

If the work assignment includes meals for the group, the client will pay the costs incurred by the guide for meals.

In a force majeure situation, both parties will bear their own losses.

The client will agree with the party concerned on a case-by-case basis on additional costs incurred due to the intentional actions of a group member.

Reservation and confirmation

Guide tour must be booked at least one month in advance, unless otherwise agreed. Accurate billing information must be sent when booking. Invoicing is done by e-mail. The guidance is confirmed by paying the fee at least two banking days before the guidance. If the confirmation payment has not been made by the deadline, the guidance will be cancelled.

Detailed instructions for paying the guiding fees can be requested from the booking office.

BOOKING OF GUIDES

info@merilapinmatkailuoppaat.fi