Costa Navarino 2014 - General Information

TIME DIFFERENCE

In September in Greece, when it is 12 noon on Costa Navarino it is 5.00am in New York; 10.00am in London; 12 noon in Johannesburg; 5.00pm in Singapore and in Perth; 7.00pm in Eastern Australia; and 9.00pm in New Zealand, subject to local adjustments for summer time.

WEATHER

The weather in Costa Navarino in late September can be occasionally very hot, but is frequently at a pleasant average of 18°-25°C, and may have windy spells. As on occasions greater variations occur, provision for both cooler and much warmer temperatures is recommended.

CPD/MCLE

Although attendance at Costa Navarino 2014 may qualify under a number of continuing professional development and mandatory continuing education programs, as individual requirements vary, Delegates should check with their own professional organization. Contact our Secretariat for full details of possible credits available for attending Costa Navarino 2014. Registered Delegates will be issued with an attendance certificate. Attendance certificates will not be issued to accompanying persons.

CURRENCY

The monetary unit used in Greece is the Euro. Foreign currency or travellers’ cheques can be easily exchanged at banks, exchanges, hotels and airports. There are numerous automatic teller machines on the island. Credit cards are readily accepted at most restaurants, shops and at our venue hotels.

CUSTOMS

No firearms, ammunition or chemical weapon sprays, prohibited narcotics or codeine can be brought into Greece. Severe penalties can apply.

VISAS

All foreign visitors entering Greece must be in possession of a passport or other travel documents endorsed and valid for Greece. In limited circumstances foreign nationals may require an entry visa to Greece. If so, please contact the Greek Embassy or Consulate. Holders of standard Australian passports do not require an entry visa. For any further information please contact Hawthorn Travel & Cruise or your preferred travel agent. If you are joining us in going outside Greece, you should make your own enquiries about entry requirements or contact Hawthorn Travel & Cruise or your preferred travel agent.

Any Delegates or accompanying persons holding a special passport should make specific enquiries as to any applicable visa or other requirements.

SPECIAL PASSPORTS

Restrictions apply for Special Passport Holders when entering Turkey. Those wishing to travel to Turkey should make their own enquiries with the DFAT..

PHOTOGRAPHY

Delegates should note that photography is prohibited in designated areas, around military installations and airports. Severe penalties can apply.

DRESS CODE

To be able to enter churches and monasteries during any tour, appropriate clothing is required. Women are requested to wear long sleeves and must not wear shorts or a short skirt. Having a sarong to put on over clothing whilst in mosques and monasteries may be an acceptable alternative. Men wearing shorts may be excluded from some sites. For all tours participants are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes.

REGISTRATION FEES

Delegate registration fees include the following:

All Professional sessions; Welcome Reception, morning tea and coffee, the Gala Dinner and other events as noted in the Brochure. In addition, registered delegates will be provided with an Attendance Certificate for CPD/CME purposes and, in due course, the Collated Papers on CD-Rom.

Accompanying Persons registration fees include the following:

Welcome Reception, morning tea and coffee, the Gala Dinner and other noted events. Accompanying Persons will also have priority in reserving places for other events.

Delegates and Accompanying Persons may participate in other scheduled tours. Delegates wishing to purchase additional tickets for events for guests who are not otherwise registered may do so, subject to availability.

Full payment of Registration Fees is required on booking, plus the equivalent of one night’s accommodation. For Early Bird registrations, the balance of payment for the entire booking is due and payable by Friday 1 May 2014. For further details, see the Registration Form or contact us.

CANCELLATIONS AND ALTERATIONS

All cancellations must be made in writing. Before Friday 1st May 2014 every effort will be made to ensure a full refund, less A$500 per person for administration plus such cancellation charges as carriers, hotel or tour organizers may impose. Between 1st May 2014 and 1st July 2014, an administration fee of A$1,000 per person will apply plus cancellation charges imposed by carriers, hotel or tour organisers. No refunds will apply to cancellations after 1 July 2014.

Any person(s) cancelling a booking, may at their option nominate replacements. Any replacement of a booked person will be subject to an administration fee of $300 per person plus any administrative charges as carriers, hotel or tour organizers may impose.

For conditions Cancellations or Alterations for Pre Conference or Post Conference Tours, please see the next section.

Alterations made to bookings after written confirmation has been made will incur an administrative charge of A$25 per person, per alteration. Higher alteration fees may apply to alterations made within 14 days of the start of Costa Navarino 2014.

CANCELLATIONS - PRE & POST CONFERENCE TOURS

A deposit of $1,000.00 (per person per tour) must be paid on booking for any of these tours. The balance must be paid by Friday 1st May 2014. For bookings after 1st May 2014, payment must be made in full at the time of booking. If a booking is cancelled on or by 1st May 2014, in addition to any registration cancellation, a cancellation fee of $1,.000.00 per person will be deducted plus any other fees incurred by the supplier. No refunds will apply to cancellations after 1st July 2014 provided that the tour has reached minimum booking numbers. These tours all require minimum bookings. If the minimum numbers are not reached, these private tours arranged for the Association will not be viable. If this occurs Delegates will be advised of commercial alternatives and all monies paid will be refunded in full.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Travel insurance must be taken to cover the entire period of your time away. Contact Hawthorn Travel & Cruise or your preferred agent for the insurance cover best suited to your needs.

ACCOMMODATION

The Romanos Costa Navarino Resort has been selected as the venue for Costa Navarino 2014. Accommodation is offered at the Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis, with a range of quality accommodation available at Costa Navarino Resort. Block bookings at advantageous rates are available to Delegates. Bookings for the Costa Navarino Resort can only be made through our Secretariat. Any additional expenditure by Guests at the hotel will be charged to their own room account, to be settled with the Hotel prior to departure.

TRANSFERS

Transfers to and from the Eleftherios Venizelos Airport are highly recommended and should be organized through your travel agent or the Conference Secretatiat.

Costa Navarino is over 3 hours drive from Athens International Airport. There are flights into Kalamata Airport daily. Kalamata Airport is situated 75km from Costa Navarino. The Conference Secretariat have organised transfers to and from the hotel by means of private taxis, buses and by way of a guided tour each way which inlcudes lunch. When booking a transfer, you must supply us with your flight itinerary.

HIRE CARS

Hire cars are readily available in Kalamata. An acceptable full driving licence is required. Hire cars can be arranged in advance through our appointed ground agent in Costa Navarino, Doufexis Travel.

PAYMENTS

All payments for Costa Navarino 2014 can be made by cheque or credit card. Payments made by credit card will be processed via Hawthorn Travel & Cruise (and a Hawthorn Travel & Cruise reference will appear on credit card statements). In accordance with present practice all credit card payments will be subject to an additional processing charge of 2% (Visa/Mastercard) or 3.5% (AMEX/Diners Club).