Author: Gil Haylon

Updated June 2, 2021

Our team is monitoring the travel guidelines closely and doing everything possible to ensure that our travelers make smart, informed decisions. 

Europe: The E.U. is now opening to vaccinated visitors from select countries, including the U.S. For more information on the E.U. opening, read this article in the NY Times.

Iceland is also open for travel, with several requirements including a negative PCR test or proof of vaccination or recovery; an online pre-registration form; a PCR test upon arrival; protocols for returning to the U.S. and protocols for children. Read the full list of protocols for travel to Iceland.

Ireland: American visitors will be accepted in Ireland starting July 19 under the terms of the Digital E.U. Certification. Read more about Ireland opening to visitors in this article on RTE.

Scotland and the UK: Travel from some countries to Scotland is now possible, but the US and Canada are currently placed on the AMBER list.

Amber – you must self-isolate on arrival for 10 days, and take two PCR tests.

On arrival in Scotland visitors must: provide their journey and contact details. This applies to those who land in another part of the UK, and travel on by other means to Scotland.Must take a COVID-19 test before travelling and isolate in the place they are staying for 10 days. 

Must book and pay £170 for day 2 and day 8 COVID-19 travel tests – they must book their testing kit using the CTM booking portal – any other type of testing kit, such as free NHS kits or those sold by private businesses, cannot be used for these tests.

Blank Canvas Tours is operating with increased flexibility and allows rebooking of trip dates at any time up to 30 days before the trip with no penalty. The trip can be moved to any available dates prior to the end of 2022. We want you to feel comfortable knowing that you can move your trip without penalty.

While we are often asked to help make the decision on whether or not you should travel, that decision is ultimately yours. We can provide you with as much information as possible, and will do our absolute best to accommodate whatever decision you choose to make.

Our cancellation policy

In the event you choose to cancel a trip, our terms and conditions continue to state that deposits are non-refundable. Our team puts in many hours to plan these trips and many of our supplier agreements are non-refundable. We appreciate your understanding on this matter. For trips that have been canceled after they are paid in full, refunds for the trip balance (not including the deposit) will be made within 4 weeks.

Please note there are rare exceptions where non-refundable booked activities exceed the amount of the deposit — our team will work with you on a case-by-case basis in that situation to refund as much of the trip as possible.

 

 

April 22, 2019 – Williamstown, MA – Old Sod Travel and Scandinavian American World Tours, two established luxury tour operators, are joining the Blank Canvas Tours family to now include unique and beautiful travel experiences in destinations such as Ireland, Scotland, England, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and beyond.

Old Sod Travel is one of the fastest-growing custom tour operators for trips to Ireland and the British Isles. Over the past five years, it has taken guests on unforgettable trips including golfing at legendary courses, hiking amidst beautiful landscapes, seating at famous cultural and sporting events, and, of course, classic local food and drink in historic small towns.

Also focused on custom tours, Scandinavian American World Tours has provided personalized tours across the remarkable, unspoiled countries of Scandinavia for 38 years. Trips range from cruises to chauffeured driving tours to hiking tours of Norway’s magical fjords, the Northern Lights phenomenon throughout several countries, or Iceland’s unmatched Blue Lagoon.

Each of the three companies will continue to operate under its own brand identity and retain its specialized trip planners.

“We are really excited about the opportunity to join together with Blank Canvas Tours and Scandinavian American World Tours,” said Old Sod Travel Founder & President, Tom Casey. “Our goal since the day we started is to make people happy through unique and memorable travel experiences. Now we can do it across a larger group of guests than was ever possible before.”

Old Sod Travel also continues to grow its corporate incentive travel program, helping large corporate groups experience the best of Ireland and the British Isles.

“Old Sod Travel and Scandinavian American World Tours share our goal of providing unforgettable experiences in the world’s most unique destinations,” said Gil Haylon, Founder & CEO, Blank Canvas Tours. “This deal also allows us to focus more on growing our affinity travel business, with small group luxury tours for alumni travel programs, corporate travel getaways, philanthropy groups and more.”

Blank Canvas Tours will continue to offer small luxury group tours with a focus on art, music, theatre and culture in unique destinations such as the Berkshires, New Mexico, and Vermont.

Casey and Katheriona Dowling, VP of Operations for Old Sod Travel, will join the Blank Canvas leadership team and will manage custom trips across all companies, while Haylon will focus on scheduled departure trips and affinity travel. Mikael and Linda Rasmussen, who so ably built Scandinavian American World Tours, will take a well-deserved break from their long, hectic work days and serve as consultants to Blank Canvas Tours.

About Blank Canvas Tours

Founded in 2018, Blank Canvas Tours delivers high-service, high-touch vacations in the most culturally-rich destinations in the world. Each trip is focused on art, music and theatre and allows travelers to experience and connect with unique areas of the world. Based in Williamstown, MA, Blank Canvas Tours currently offers trips in New Mexico, the Berkshires and Vermont, with new destinations added every year.

About Old Sod Travel

Old Sod Travel is dedicated to connecting groups, families, companies, couples and golfers from around the world with extraordinary experiences on the Old Sod and the British Isles. Old Sod Travel focuses on highly customized travel with unmatched expertise of hotels, inns, pubs, restaurants, golf courses, entertainment venues and personalized touches for an unforgettable experience. Based in Maryland, Old Sod is one of the fastest-growing tour operators offering trips to Ireland, Scotland and England.

About Scandinavian-American World Tours

Scandinavian-American World Tours offers unmatched experiences in destinations including Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, as well as Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Russia and the nearby Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These scenic trips visit breathtaking fjords, amazing landscapes and much more. In business for more than 38 years, the company is based outside of Princeton, NJ and offers personalized custom tours for small groups, couples, families and more.