Covid-19

We are being unindated with telephone calls and e-mails as a result of the COVID-19 impact.

Please bear with us until you receive correspondence from our office. Our office will be in contact with all passengers on each of the 22 groups scheduled with Stargate for the Passion Play, as we proceed with updated travel options. We therefore appreciate your patience as you await correspondence from our office. The 42nd Oberammergau Passion Play will be postponed due to the current situation caused by the corona pandemic. The basis for this is a decision of the district administration of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which prohibits the performance of the event planned from 16.05.2020 to 04.10.2020. The health of our guests and participants is our highest priority, therefore the responsible persons have decided to postpone the premiere of the Passion Play, which was planned for 16 May 2020, until 2022. The premiere is now scheduled for May 21, 2022. The health of the population is a top priority for the community of Oberammergau and the directing team around Christian Stückl as well. The Corona pandemic has made it impossible to complete this year's play without endangering the performers and guests. Furthermore, the perspective for this year is unclear. A postponement of only a few months seemed unacceptable to everyone involved. Two options are offered for the reimbursement of tickets and arrangements already purchased: Presumably from April 6, reservations for this year's performances can be converted into a reservation for 2022. Another possibility is to cancel tickets and arrangements. Your arrangement is part of a group booking and any amendment will be handled via your organising agents. Thank you for your understanding that due to the current exceptional situation our booking service is not available immediately and probably not until April 6th either by phone, mail or e-mail. Nearly 400 years ago the history of the Passion Play began. The plague raged in many parts of Europe and did not spare Oberammergau either. In 1633 the Oberammergau villagers promised to perform the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ every tenth year, in so far as no one was to die of the plague anymore. The villagers were answered by God and therefore in 1634 the first Passion Play took place. The promise has been kept until today.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Dear Stargate passengers,
We would like to answer some of your questions in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. As Group Tour Operators, we acknowledge the effect which the outbreak has on the travel industry and on our passengers. Our group tours and passengers’ wellbeing are top priority and we therefore are complying with the travel bans put in place by our president and have taken other precautionary measures to minimize the effect thereof.

Will I still be able to visit the Stargate office for meetings or consultations?
Currently we have cancelled all meetings at our offices until further notice. This is to minimize contact with passengers, especially international passengers, service providers, agents and suppliers who have travelled recently. If there are urgent meetings that need to be scheduled, we can arrange a Skype session or telephone call. Most of our staff will be working remotely from home and will still be able to attend to e-mails and calls.

Is my scheduled trip still going ahead?
Most of the scheduled trips currently close to departure dates have been postponed to avoid placing our passengers in danger of contracting or spreading the virus. President Ramaphosa and the World Health Organization (WHO) have also issued statements that all travel to high risk countries should be cancelled. Our offices have been in contact with the groups and passengers that are affected amidst the current situation. If we have not been in contact with you with regards to your trip – please do not panic or stress. We will inform you if your trip is in jeopardy or if you need to postpone to another date. The next few weeks are critical and also unpredictable. We therefore urge our passengers to keep calm and be patient until we know whether and when the situation is stabilizing.

Which countries have travel bans as issued by the South-African government?
High risk countries including Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, UK, US and China have been banned. Any foreign national who has recently visited any of the high-risk countries will be denied a visa into South Africa. South Africans coming home from any of the high-risk areas will be subject to high intensity scanning and testing. All persons who travelled to any of the high-risk countries since mid-February must present themselves for scanning.

Will my travel insurance pay for COVID-19 claims?
If you have opted for insurance via Stargate on the TIC Leisure Comprehensive package, please see the following link with regards to COVID-19 claims:https://www.tic.co.za/coronavirus?utm_source=Website&utm_medium=NewsBanner&utm_campaign=Coronavirus
Please bear with us as the impact of COVID-19 unfolds. Each of our more than 40 groups scheduled for this year will be assessed closer to every departure. We’ll be in contact via e-mail if your tour is being affected closer to your departure date. We pray that the Lord will keep us safe during this challenging time!