EXPERIENCE PARTNER STANDARDS & REQUIREMENTS

Last Updated: November 30, 2021

In addition to behaving in accordance with our Community Standards, which apply to all community members, ExploringNotBoring Partners must meet the following quality standards & requirements. Before any Experience is published, it is reviewed based on the below criteria and it must continue upholding these standards to remain on ExploringNotBoring.

Note: These requirements may be updated as we continue to adapt to the circumstances of each region.

Partnering Requirements

Partners must provide expertise, insider access, and connection on the experience.

Seekers should always know exactly who will be providing the Experience.

If a friend, partner, or a team is helping you provide or manage your Experience, that information should be disclosed in your Listing so that Seekers know their Experience Partner in advance.

Partners may not hand Seekers off to 3rd party suppliers, or leave Seekers on their own without their Experience Partner

Partners and must personally lead their Seekers throughout the entirety of the Experience.

Only ExploringNotBoring Seekers on an ExploringNotBoring Experience

Once a Partner lists an Experience for a particular time and date on ExploringNotBoring, only ExploringNotBoring Seekers can attend that Instance of the Experience. Partners are not permitted to mix Seekers from ExploringNotBoring and other platforms on the same Instance of an Experience.

Partners cannot set a minimum group size

Every traveler should feel welcome on ExploringNotBoring, whether they are traveling on their own or with a group.

Keep to guidelines

Partners must abide by the health and safety guidelines when providing an In-Person Experience.

Ongoing Commitments

Partners must honor all booked reservations

Partners must honor their reservations, unless the Partner must cancel due to a valid Extenuating Circumstance, safety concerns, or dangerous weather conditions. Learn more about our Experiences Partner Cancellation policy.

Minimum Seeker reviews, ratings, and engagement

The ExploringNotBoring marketplace is known for high-quality Experiences, and all experiences must meet our quality standards to be published on ExploringNotBoring. As part of the ExploringNotBoring Partner community, you commit to providing Experiences that meet Seekers’ expectations.

Seeker reviews help Partners and ExploringNotBoring understand which Experiences meet these quality standards and expectations. Consistent 5-star reviews help build trust in ExploringNotBoring Experiences, bringing success to the entire community.

This is why Experiences must maintain an average rating at or above 4.7, and must meet certain Seeker engagement thresholds, such as page views and bookings. Partners with too many negative reviews, an average rating at or below 4.7, or insufficient page views and bookings may fall below our quality and eligibility threshold, and may be removed from ExploringNotBoring.

That said, we understand that building a business is a journey and things are not always perfect right off the bat. This is why the criteria for removal takes into account whether an experience is new or more established.

A new Experience with 20 or fewer reviews may be removed if it receives one or more 1-, 2-, or 3-star reviews for 3 separate instances.

An established Experience with more than 20 reviews may be removed if its average rating falls at or below 4.7.

In addition to ratings and reviews, we look at other Seeker and engagement signals related to your Experience, including how Seekers are interacting with it and your activity on ExploringNotBoring.

Partners are expected to abide by these standards and with our Terms of Service. Experiences that don’t meet any of the above standards may be removed from ExploringNotBoring.

When an Experience is at risk of removal, we’ll always reach out to share clear criteria and resources that can help you improve your Experience.

We may also reach out when an Experience receives a low-star review to share information and tips based on insights from Seekers and other successful Experience Partners.

Verification Requirements

Evident ID Verification. If an Experience includes a technically specialized activity where we require proof of a license, certification, or insurance, it will not be published if any of the following is true: 1) the Partner does not submit the requested documents to our validation partner Evident ID; 2) the requested documents are expired; 3) the name(s) on the documents does not match the name listed on the Partner’s ExploringNotBoring profile; 4) the documents don’t meet our license or insurance requirements; or 5) Evident ID cannot process the provided documents for any other reason (e.g. blurry photo or unrecognized document type).

Business Licensing for Experiences

As an Experience Partner, you’re in control of the Experiences you offer, but it’s also your responsibility to understand and follow any relevant laws and regulations, including obtaining necessary licenses and permits.

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience.

Please understand that this information is general, not comprehensive, and is not legal advice. This section is intended to give you an idea of the types of rules that may apply to your Experience and to help you understand some of the things to consider in relation to your Experience.

Different countries, states, and cities have different licensing requirements and rules and it is your responsibility as a Partner to make sure you comply with local laws and regulations. The information below is not intended to be an explanation of the specific rules that apply in your jurisdiction, or your particular situation, nor is this information a substitute to seeking legal advice. If you are unsure about how local laws or this information may apply to you or your Experiences, we encourage you to check with official sources or seek legal advice.

Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*

General business license and registration requirements

In certain jurisdictions, Experience Partners may be required to register their Experience as a business with the local government and/or at the national or federal/regional level. In jurisdictions with business licensing requirements, failure to register could result in fines, penalties, and/or the disruption of the Experience until proper registration is completed.

Based on certain factors, such as the type of service you provide, how often you provide your Experience, whether you will be conducting your Experience for profit or whether you will be conducting your Experience under only your own legal name, your Experience may or may not be classified as a business in your jurisdiction. In other jurisdictions, the site or location of the Experience may be used to determine what type of license or permit is required.

You are responsible for checking whether your activity may be considered to be a business activity, and if so, for ensuring that you comply with local rules that regulate businesses (which may include business registration and/or licensing requirements) before starting to provide your Experience.

In certain jurisdictions, you may also need to obtain specific permits and/or licenses in order to conduct regulated activities that are part of the Experience. These permits and/or licenses may be required by a local licensing department and/or a federal/national licensing department.

Experience-specific permit, license, or registration requirements

Depending on the category of business you use to provide your Experience, as well as the activities involved and the services you provide, you may be required to register your Experience or obtain special permits or licenses.

It’s a good idea to check with local representatives, and consult with a local lawyer and/or tax professional to make sure you’ve satisfied all filing, registration, licensing and permitting requirements before offering your first Experience.

Location: You may also be required to register your Experience or obtain special permits or licenses for Experiences involving sporting activities, those which are held in parks, forests, protected areas, or in your home and some commercial buildings. There may also be insurance requirements (see below).

Employees: If you plan to hire employees as part of your business, it’s a good idea to consider (amongst other things) the obligations and other legal requirements set by the relevant government agency for your jurisdiction. This may include things such as statutory contributions, workplace health and safety and work permits for foreign workers. Some Partners may be required to obtain certain registrations or permits. This can be a complicated area and it may be a good idea to reach out to a lawyer or your local representative to understand the rules that may apply to you.

Tax and accounting: It’s a good idea to ensure that you understand what tax and accounting rules may apply and comply with any payment or record keeping requirements. Note that you may be required to obtain a (unique) tax number if you register a business. You may be able to deduct your expenses from income taxes, so it’s a good idea to keep receipts of the costs of running your Experiences. Taxes can be complicated, and you may want to take time to understand the rules as they apply to you and your particular situation, and seek advice from a tax professional for more details.

Insurance: Even if you are covered by EPI, You may want to obtain protection insurance depending on the type of Experience you offer. You may want to talk to an insurance broker for more information.

Additional laws that may apply to you as a Experience Partner

Other rules might apply to your Experience, depending on the activity/activities involved. Review the information below regarding Tour Guiding or Travel-Related Experiences, Transportation, Food, and Alcohol and more, but please note, these are not exhaustive and it’s your responsibility to comply with the rules that apply to you and your Experience.

In most jurisdictions, consumer protections laws require you to truthfully describe your Experience in your Experience Listing so Seekers can make informed decisions before booking. In most cases, the law requires that in explaining and promoting your Experience to Seekers, the information you provide meets the following criteria:

Is accurate and not misleading
Correctly and completely describes the main characteristics of your experience, what is included, and any special terms and conditions
Includes specifically those services that you actually intend to provide, with dates or times treated as commitments
Is accurate to your advertised price, with no surprise additional fees or costs to be covered by Seekers

Please note that some jurisdictions may have additional consumer laws. For more information, we encourage you to consult a lawyer to find out what rules apply to your experience.

* Please note that ExploringNotBoring has no control over the conduct of Partners and disclaims all liability. Failure of Partners to satisfy their responsibilities may result in suspension of activity or removal from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Taxes for Experience Partners Outside of the United States

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience.

Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*

Taxes you may need to pay

If you're an Experience Partner, you should make sure you understand each of the following types of taxes, and pay the ones that apply to your Experience:

Value added taxes (VAT)
Income taxes

You may be able to deduct your expenses from income taxes, so you should keep receipts of the costs of running your Experiences.

Value added taxes

Taxes can be complicated, and you should take time to understand the rules as they apply to you and your particular situation.

The Value Added Tax, or VAT, in the European Union, China, and many other countries is a general, broadly based consumption tax assessed on the value added to goods and services. It applies more or less to all goods and services that are bought and sold for use or consumption. In Japan, there is a similar tax called the Japanese Consumption Tax, or JCT.

If your country of residence is part of the European Union or China, you may need to assess VAT on the services or goods you provide. If your country of residence is in Japan, you may need to assess JCT. We encourage you to consult a tax advisor in your area for more insight or if you need assistance assessing VAT or JCT on the services you provide.

Collecting value added taxes

VAT and JCT rates are calculated according to the local rate of the customer's country of residence. VAT and JCT rates change periodically. We recommend you check with your local tax authority to get the most up to date rates for the country where you are required to pay VAT or JCT. More information about VAT rates in the European Union can be found here. More information about JCT rates can be found here. More information about VAT rates in South Korea can be found here.

As an ExploringNotBoring Partner, if you determine that you need to collect VAT or JCT, you can do so by asking your Seekers to pay it in person. In each case, it's important that you tell your Seekers of the exact tax amount in your Listing, so they know the amount before they book. If you choose to collect VAT or JCT in person, please note that you need to collect it directly from your Seekers at the beginning of your Experience.

Filing and paying value added taxes

You may need to register for a valid VAT or JCT ID within your country of residence. More information about the registration and filing process in the European Union can be found here. More information about the registration and filing process in Japan can be found here. More information about the registration and filing process in South Korea can be found here.

Income taxes

As a Partner, you may have to pay national and state income taxes. We expect all Partners to comply with the tax regulations in their area, and encourage you to speak to a tax professional if you need advice on income taxes.

Deducting expenses

It's possible that not all of your earnings as a Partner are taxable as income. You may be able to deduct the cost of your supplies, amounts you paid to other service providers like restaurants or entertainment venues, insurance costs, and other expenses.

We encourage you to speak to a tax advisor for more details, as there are many special rules in this area and we aren't able to provide tax advice.

Please remember that it isn’t exhaustive, it doesn’t constitute legal or tax advice, and we can’t guarantee the reliability or accuracy of any source within it. It’s a good idea to check to make sure laws and procedures haven’t changed recently.

*ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Experience Requirements

What we don’t allow:

Accommodations

Listings that include just accommodation or lodging without any kind of unique Experience or adventure are not permitted at this time.

Mistreatment of animals

ExploringNotBoring’s Animal Welfare Guidelines apply to Experiences involving wild animals in the wild and in captivity, as well as domesticated animals under human care. Violations include direct interactions with wild animals (e.g. riding, petting, feeding), compromised dog sledding, the purchase or consumption of wild animal products, and certain other activities.

Intellectual property violations

We do not permit the use of copyrighted work such as music, videos, photography, or literature unless the work was created or properly licensed by the Partner, or is in the public domain. We also prohibit the unauthorized use of other types of intellectual property such as trademarks (e.g. brand names) or individual names (e.g. celebrities) that suggest an endorsement of, or affiliation with, a Partner or Experience.

Violation of local laws or restrictions

Partners are responsible for understanding and complying with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and other requirements that apply to their Experience. Partners can find information about some of the legal obligations that may apply to their Experience, including information about food, alcohol, the use of public lands, and tour guiding, on our Responsible Partnering Pages.

Inappropriate or discriminatory content

Experiences must follow all requirements outlined in ExploringNotBoring's Content Policy and Nondiscrimination Policy.

Experiences that cross country borders

Experiences must take place in a single country. Experiences that include crossing a country border are not permitted.

Payments outside of ExploringNotBoring’s system.

Experience Partners may not solicit an online or offline payment from Seekers in violation of ExploringNotBoring’s offsite payment policy. Read about our offsite payment policy.

Activities With Special Requirements or Restrictions

Services

Different from typical tours and services, ExploringNotBoring Experiences are designed to be highly unique and interactive. So, we use extra scrutiny when evaluating submissions in categories including, but not limited to, photoshoots, gym classes, beauty classes, or car services.

Technically-specialized outdoor activities

Certain activities aren’t allowed on the platform. This includes, but is not limited to, activities involving extreme heights or caves (e.g. bungee, skydiving, heli-skiing, cave diving), certain ocean activities (e.g. free diving, kiteboarding, shark diving), and certain ice or mountain activities (e.g. canyoneering, ice climbing, free climbing).

Sexually suggestive activities

Experiences that include sexual content or nudity must have a minimum age limit of 18+, must disclose the presence of nudity, and must take place in a public place (not a private residence). Partners must also provide behavior requirements for Partners and Seekers during the Experience, and specify how Seekers can opt out of the activity if they feel uncomfortable. Sexually explicit content is not permitted on the platform.

Weapons

We only allow the use of projectile weapons when the Partner has a valid license and insurance. Experiences involving firearms must have a minimum Seeker age limit of 18+.

Political activities

We don’t allow Experiences that include direct political actions, like campaigning and fundraising, or activities that violate local laws. Political activities that are informational and educational in nature are permitted.

Certain categories of experiences on ExploringNotBoring have additional standards:

Multi-Day or Adventure Experience Requirements

All multi-day or adventure Experiences must meet these quality and eligibility standards before being offered to Seekers, and every Partner must demonstrate expertise relevant to the adventure they provide. Additionally, all multi-day or adventure Experiences must have a detailed page for Seekers with information about the Partner, the trip, and what prospective Seekers can and should expect.

Partners who would like to lead a multi-day or adventure Experiences with activities that may require special skills or certifications as part of that trip, must attest to having the appropriate skills certification, current first aid and CPR training, and/or access to medical services relevant to the activity they would like to lead.

For trips involving certain activities that could pose a heightened safety risk, we look to see that Partners have licenses and/or certifications for the activity where appropriate. We work with a third-party vendor to check licenses and/or certifications for the activity.

Age restrictions

Partners are encouraged to use their discretion when assigning age restrictions to an adventure Experience. If a Seeker has questions about the age restrictions associated with an adventure, they can message the Partner for additional information.

Animal welfare

Experiences with animals as a center point of the trip or an activity (ex: dog sledding, falconry, shark diving), must follow our animal welfare guidelines created in consultation with World Animal Protection, an organization committed to improving the lives of animals. They apply to all Experiences, including multi-day and adventure Experiences involving wild animals in the wild and in captivity, as well as domesticated/working animals under human care. We believe all animals should be respected for their intrinsic value and role in the global ecosystem, and if we are made aware that an adventure or Experience violates these guidelines, it will be removed from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

Prohibited activities

ExploringNotBoring expressly prohibits activities for which no standard safety measures would be effective to conduct the activity safely. For example:

BASE jumping
Sky swinging
Free soloing
Highlining
Wing suiting

If we are made aware that an adventure, Experience, and/or their Partner violates our platform policies, community standards, or terms of service, we take action including permanent removal from our community if warranted. We’re constantly reviewing and revising our platform policies and protections in order to make the adventures and Experiences offered on ExploringNotBoring safer and higher quality.

Intensity levels

Each Experience is classified by an intensity level that is pre-selected by the Partner. The intensity level is intended to provide Seekers with an estimation of the expected intensity of an adventure Experience based on the activities taking place during the trip.

Every adventure is different, so each Seeker should read through the description carefully to ensure it’s a good fit. If a Seeker has questions about the intensity level, they can message the Partner for additional details.

Light: Seekers should be comfortable with low-intensity activities like sitting, standing, or walking throughout the trip. Activities may include easy hikes, walking tours, cooking classes, etc. Any activities that are more strenuous are optional.
Moderate: Seekers should be comfortable participating in semi-vigorous activities for extended periods of time. Examples of activities include longer hikes, biking, kayaking, horse or camel rides, snorkeling, etc.
Strenuous: Seekers should be comfortable participating in physically demanding activities that can last up to the entire day. Activities may include full-day hikes, full-day bike rides, full-day kayaking, etc. Trips may include higher altitudes, rougher terrain and water, stronger currents, and steep ascents/descents. It is strongly encouraged that Seekers have prior experience with the physical activities included in the trip.
Extreme: These trips are physically challenging, and prior experience or related training is strongly recommended. Activities are high-intensity and may last the entire day. Activities may include full-day hiking or biking over uneven terrain, intense rock climbing, etc. Trips may include higher altitudes, rougher terrain and water, stronger currents, and steep ascents/descents.

Emergency planning

We recommend that all Seekers and Partners engaging in an Experience prepare an emergency plan in case of a natural disaster or any other kind of emergency that could occur during an Experience.

Travel laws for multi-day or adventure Experiences

As an Experience Partner with a multi-day or adventure offering, you’re in control of the Experiences you offer, but it’s also your responsibility to understand and follow any relevant laws and regulations.

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience involving multi-day trips or adventures.

Local travel agency and other travel laws

Many countries have laws that apply to the sale of travel packages or to individuals or businesses that arrange travel on behalf of others. These laws often apply if you’re offering a "package" of different types of tourism services, such as travel, accommodation, activities, and meals. If you’re providing an adventure or other Experience that bundles these types of services together—for example, a camping trip in the Atlas Mountains that includes hiking and overnight stays—you should check whether any local travel agency or package travel laws apply to you.

The European Package Travel Directive 2015

The Package Travel Directive 2015 (“PTD”) applies to the sale of packages (defined below) to individuals living in the European Union (“EU”), providing them with enhanced protections in relation to any packages they buy. If you’re publishing your Experience or adventure on ExploringNotBoring, it may be booked by guests who are residents of European Union member states.

The European Commission has published a summary of the PTD, as well as some guidance, about the Package Travel Directive. We’ve also included a brief summary of the PTD below. We hope that this is a helpful starting point. If you have any questions about whether the PTD applies to you, or what obligations you may be subject to as a result, you may want to seek advice from a legal advisor.

Note: Each EU member state is required to take its own steps to import the rules in the PTD into its national legal system (ex: by passing a new law). These local rules should all be broadly similar to the PTD, but there may be slight variations and so it’s a good idea to check the position in the member states in which you are selling your Experience.

Definition of “package” under the PTD

The PTD defines packages as combinations of two (2) or more travel services which fall within two (2) or more of the following categories:

Transport (ex: a flight, bus, ferry or train)
Overnight accommodation
Car rental (and rental of some other vehicles)
Other tourist services (ex: trekking, a tour, cultural activities, or some other tourist activity)

Obligations of organizers of packages

The PTD imposes a number of obligations on organizers of packages (an organizer is the person who puts together and arranges the package). These can be broken down into six (6) broad categories:

The organizer has to comply with certain insolvency protection requirements so that the traveler is refunded or repatriated if the organizer becomes insolvent before or during the trip to which the package relates.
The organizer has to give certain information about the package to the traveler before the traveller books the package.
The organizer has to include certain terms in their contract with the traveler.
The traveler has certain legal rights against the organizer before the start of the trip to which the package relates.
The traveler has certain legal rights against the organizer during the trip to which the package relates.
The organizer is liable to the traveler if things go wrong during the trip to which the package relates.

Consequences for an organizer that does not comply with the PTD

The consequences will vary depending on where the breach occurs, since each EU Member State will have its own enforcement rules. Typically, a breach of the PTD will be a criminal offense which may be subject to fines or other enforcement action. It may also be a civil offense which allows regulators to take action (such as seeking court orders) to prevent the breach from occurring again, or to require organizers to take certain actions to remedy the breach. Finally, a breach of the PTD may also give rise to claims from travelers for compensation arising out of the breach.

Further information

For more details about how the PTD defines packages, and the obligations of package organizers, please take a look at the European Commission’s summary of the PTD or its guidance on the PTD. If you have any questions about whether your adventure or Experience qualifies as a package, you should seek legal advice.

* Please note that ExploringNotBoring has no control over the conduct of Partners and disclaims all liability.

Failure of Partners to satisfy their responsibilities may result in suspension of activity or removal from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Tour Guiding or Travel-Related Experience Requirements

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience involving tour guiding or travel-related activities.

Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*

Tour-Related Experiences

Partners that provide tour-related Experiences may require a license, certification, and/or training. Some jurisdictions may have such requirements pertaining to tour guides for specific types of Experiences, or activities in specific locations. We encourage you to contact your local government and/or a lawyer to determine whether or not a specific license or permit might be required for your Experience.

Many markets have specific regulations concerning tour guiding which may apply to hosts. While these requirements vary from market to market, they tend to include expansive definitions of what constitutes tour guide activity and mandate licensing, including:

The restriction of licenses issued to foreigners
The requirement for a potential guides to take a course or pass a test before applying for a license
The requirement for additional certification for certain tour guiding activities

It is a good idea for you to contact your local government or a lawyer to determine whether a license is required to engage in tour guide activities and obtain more information about the license requirements and procedure for obtaining a license in your jurisdiction.

Providing an Experience on public lands or touring specific points of interest

Even if you do not need to be a licensed or certified tour guide, Partners should generally seek permission to give guided tours of private and public points of interest, government-owned land, or public waters. It is a good idea to check whether the point of interest has a website or office number to learn more about guided visits.

Under your local, city, state, provincial or national laws, you may need a license or permit to offer an Experience or sell goods or services to customers on public lands. Each park or public land has its own rules on what activities are allowed within the space. The types of activities permitted in public areas may depend on the land location, size, terrain, and resources. We encourage you to confirm with an appropriate park official that your Experience is allowed on the specific public land. If a permit is required, the type of permit you will need may vary based on what your Experience involves. In addition, certain Experiences my trigger additional licensing requirements. Please keep in mind it is possible that multiple government or public entities have jurisdiction over a public space.

Obtaining permits and licenses for public lands

The processes and requirements for obtaining permits and licenses vary. The individual park managers and the heads of local, regional, and national entities controlling a public space have wide discretion regarding what is required to receive an individual permit. Applicable fees and taxes vary. It is likely you will be charged a fee to obtain your permit. The fee amounts also vary. Depending on what your experience involves, you may also need to pay additional fees to use the public space. It is your responsibility to pay the fees and taxes applicable to your Experience.

Insurance requirements for public lands

Most experiences on public lands will require some type of insurance. However, the insurance requirements and who should be listed on the policy can vary by type of activity, permit type, and the governing entity. Even so, it is a good idea for you to confirm with the issuer of your permit to confirm any such requirements.

Special restrictions on public lands

Keep in mind that the underlying activity for your Experience may also be regulated.

In many cases, special restrictions will apply if your Experience involves the consumption of alcohol or controlled substances on public lands. If you are planning on involving alcohol or a controlled substance in part of your Experience, we encourage you to confirm your Experience complies with applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction. Please also consult the Alcohol Experience Requirements and contact the regulator of the relevant public land for more information.

If you are unsure about anything relating to your Experience, we encourage you to check with your local public lands authority directly, or speak to a lawyer, to discuss your Experience and confirm your Experience complies with local laws including safety, tax, and insurance requirements.

Transporting Seekers as part of the tour

In many jurisdictions around the world, you will need active, valid insurance, and registration for any vehicle used as part of an Experience and the driver will need to hold a valid driver’s license.

Certain jurisdictions may require that you obtain special licenses or permits regardless of whether you charge a fee for the ride. If you want to charge Seekers for the ride, you may need to get additional special licenses for yourself and the vehicle. The type of transportation you provide may also determine what kind of license or permit you need. We encourage you to consult with a local lawyer or tax professional for more information.We encourage you to speak to a lawyer to see if your Experience may be subject to license or permit requirements.

Keep in mind that in order to transport large groups of people in certain kinds of vehicles, or to use advertising or insignia on your vehicle, you may also need additional licenses or permits, such as a commercial driver’s license with certain required endorsements. It is a good idea to check with your local department of transportation, public utilities, airports, police, and motor vehicles and your lawyer about additional requirements that may apply.

Many jurisdictions regulate carrying passengers for hire or offering transportation for the specific purpose of guided sight-seeing tours. Typically, operating watercraft for hire, including power-propelled boats, charter boats, tour or excursion boats, fishing vessels, and white water rafts requires registration and can require the driver to hold a special license. Regulation may be based on passenger capacity or geography. Please contact your local government for more information and consult their transportation page.

Furthermore, transporting Seekers may subject Partners to related safety requirements that are often specific to the type of transportation. While vehicles are usually subject to the general rules of the road, operating watercraft involves additional water-related safety obligations regarding items such as personal flotation and sanitation devices.

If you intend to include tour-related transportation as part of your Experience, we encourage you to contact your local government or a lawyer to determine what rules apply to you and confirm your Experience complies with transportation and license requirements in your jurisdiction.

Renting transportation to Seekers

Usually, although many jurisdictions regulate this transaction. It is particularly common to see regulations relating to the leasing or renting of watercraft such as kayaks, paddle boats, canoes, and sailboats.

We also encourage you to consider the safety of your Seekers; whether they need any special licenses to operate the transportation you will rent to them; and whether there are any other activities in your Experience, for example consumption of alcohol, that may be incompatible with leasing or renting means of transportation.

Other things to consider

A safe Experience involving transportation is one where the vehicle is driven in a responsible manner and is roadsafe, including having all required seatbelts, helmets, or other safety equipment as relevant. It is also important to consider the compatibility of the activities in your Experience with transportation. For example, if the transportation will be by public transit, is this permitted in your city and if so, it is a good idea to confirm it is permitted to conduct business on board. Or, if there will be alcohol, that the driver remains sober.

If your Experience will involve combining transportation with another activity (for example, providing a guided tour of a city using your car), please consider all rules that may apply to your activity.

Additional requirements may apply if your Experience involves transporting Seekers on a motorcycle. We encourage you to consult a lawyer for more information.

If you are unsure about anything relating to your Experience, we encourage you to check with your local transportation authority directly, or speak to a lawyer, to discuss your Experience and confirm your Experience complies with local laws including safety, tax, and insurance requirements.

Selling tickets as part of your Experience

You may be able to sell tickets as part of your Experience as long as you do so in compliance with any ticket resale regulations. Some jurisdictions have enacted laws prohibiting the resale of certain types of tickets at higher prices, while others allow this activity with a license. The tickets themselves may also be non-transferrable. These restrictions may not apply to online sales.

If you plan to re-sell tickets as part of your Experience, it is a good idea to confirm this is legally permitted in your jurisdiction, as well as consulting the original purchase terms for the tickets and any vendor or venue rules about their resale.

Travel-related Experiences

Depending on the jurisdiction, Experience Partners may be subject to laws or regulations governing the travel industry, such as regulation of travel-related sales, travel agent registration, or occupational or business licenses and related requirements. Activities that may cause a government to view a Partner as a travel agent include selling, providing, contracting, or arranging travel services such as travel tickets or packages or making reservations for lodging, entertainment, transportation, tours etc. It is a good idea for you to consider whether your Experience may lead you to be classified as a travel agent by your local government and, if so, what additional responsibilities you may have.

Travel-related laws & regulations

Many jurisdictions around the world impose requirements on sellers of travel-related services, regardless of whether the individual needs to register or obtain a license.

If you are unsure about anything relating to your Experience, we encourage you to check with your local tourism authority directly, or speak to a lawyer, to discuss your Experience and confirm your Experience complies with local laws including safety, tax, and insurance requirements.

* Please note that ExploringNotBoring has no control over the conduct of Partners and disclaims all liability.

Failure of Partners to satisfy their responsibilities may result in suspension of activity or removal from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Online Experience Requirements

Like In-Person Experiences, Online Experiences must meet the same quality standards and requirements for Experiences listed above. Additionally, every Online Experience must meet the following requirements in order to be published and remain on ExploringNotBoring.

Tip: We typically publish Experiences that have demonstrated a high level of differentiation, or stand out from existing Experiences on ExploringNotBoring.

Listing requirements

Online Experiences must happen live for Seekers and not be pre-recorded.

Online Experiences must be designed for “doing” and not just “watching.” The “What We’ll Do” section should describe how Seekers will interact with the Partner.

Seekers must be able to participate in the Experience from home. Seekers should not need to leave their home at any point during the Experience.

All required supplies must be disclosed to the Seeker before they book. If the Experience requires any supplies, these should be clearly & specifically detailed on your Listing, so Seekers know how to prepare.

Certain services - such as photoshoots, event planning, and medical counseling - are not permitted as Online Experiences.

Certain specialized activities are not permitted as Online Experiences. This includes, but is not limited to, driving, boating, flying, scuba diving, paragliding, rock climbing, off-roading, or the use of projectile weapons.

Experiences previously published on ExploringNotBoring can't be converted to an Online Experience. If you want to adjust your In-Person Experience to offer it online, you must submit a new Experience, so that it can be reviewed by ExploringNotBoring. Make sure to select the Experience type: Online Experience when you’re submitting your new Listing.

All Online Experience submissions also require a video recording that highlights key elements of the Experience for review. Each Online Experience video will be reviewed for the following:

High quality audio and video
Clear outline and structure
Strong introduction—outlining your expertise, passion, and goals for the Experience
Quality and depth of Seeker participation, interaction, and engagement
Demonstration of key elements—learnings, highlights, and takeaways

Hosting Requirements

Use Zoom appropriately. When using Zoom, as a Partner you should not (1) use your ExploringNotBoring-provided Zoom account for anything other than hosting your Experience, (2) record (including audio or video) live Experience sessions, or (3) take or share photos or screenshots without participant permission. Partners may not take or share any photos or screenshots when children are in attendance, regardless of whether they have permission. There are no exceptions.

Be prepared for late Seekers. When Seekers are late, Partners may disallow Seekers from entering the Zoom meeting or allow Seekers to enter even though the Experience has already started. Seekers won't be able to receive a refund according to our Experience Seeker Refund Policy, but will still be able to leave a review. Partners will also be able to leave a public response to any Seeker review.

Hosting an Online Experience

When hosting an Online Experience, Partners may not:

Collect, ask, or encourage Seekers to reveal personally identifying or contact information (ex: email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses/locations)
Discuss, ask, or encourage others to discuss health information (ex: whether they’ve been tested for COVID, if someone in their family is sick, etc.)
Target children as the audience for their Experience, or use a child as a Partner or co-Partner of the Experience
Allow a minor (under the age of 18) to attend the Experience without a parent or guardian present

Online Experiences that don’t meet any of the above requirements may be removed from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

Social Impact Experience Requirements

ExploringNotBoring Social Impact Experiences are inspiring activities provided by nonprofits that connect travelers (and locals) to their cause.

Social impact Partners can be staff, board members, contractors, volunteers, or supporters of a local nonprofit. They have real expertise in the work of the nonprofit and the consent of the organization.

The organization itself must be a registered NGO/nonprofit, as defined by our partner TechSoup, and be validated through TechSoup.

International nonprofits operating in Cuba are welcome to apply to the ExploringNotBoring Platform. Community Interest Companies registered in the UK may also be eligible. For either of these categories, please contact social-impact@exploringnotboring.com due to a separate verification process.

Who's not eligible:

Religious or belief organizations, except when the activities being sponsored are non-sectarian, such as soup kitchens or shelters, and are open to all faiths.
Organizations that discriminate or have exclusionary practices on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other issues of diversity, even if this could be permitted by local laws.
Political or lobbying organizations, fraternities/sororities and certain advocacy and mutual benefit organizations.

While creating your experience, make sure you do the following:

Check the box that says “Yes, I’m providing this Experience on behalf of a nonprofit”
Confirm your organization’s eligibility by logging in or registering an account with TechSoup
Add a profile picture that shows Seekers who will be hosting them. Profile pictures should not feature the logo of the nonprofit organization.
Add the organization’s bank information as a payout method. Since ExploringNotBoring waives fees for Social Impact experiences, 100% of the proceeds are paid directly to the nonprofit through this payout method. If your organization requires a fiscal sponsor, please be sure the fiscal sponsor completes this process.

Note: ExploringNotBoring reserves the right to change its service fee policies and/or eligibility criteria at any time, including to add or remove particular categories of nonprofit or social enterprise.

Cooking Experience Requirements

For ExploringNotBoring Experiences that include food preparation, Partners are required to follow guidelines based on the Pan American Health Organization’s Five Keys to Safer Food Program. Many places also have laws regulating food safety, and it’s every Partner’s responsibility to learn about local laws that affect their Experience.

Keep things clean

While most microorganisms don’t cause disease, dangerous microorganisms are widely found in soil, water, animals, and people. These can be carried on hands, cloths used for wiping surfaces or cleaning, utensils, and especially cutting boards. The slightest contact can transfer dangerous microorganisms to food and cause food borne disease.

Wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation
Wash your hands after going to the toilet
Wash and sanitize all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation
Protect kitchen areas and food from insects, pests, and other animals

Separate raw and cooked foods

Raw food, especially meat, poultry, and seafood—as well as their juices—can also contain dangerous microorganisms that may be transferred onto other foods during food preparation and storage.

Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods
Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards for handling raw foods
Store raw and prepared foods in separate food containers to avoid contact between them

Cook food thoroughly

Cooking food to a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit/70 degrees Celsius can kill almost all dangerous microorganisms and ensure it is safe for consumption. Foods that require special attention include minced meats, rolled roasts, large joints of meat, and whole poultry.

Cook food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood
Bring foods like soups and stews to boiling to make sure they have reached 158 degrees Fahrenheit/70 degrees Celsius degrees
Reheat cooked food thoroughly

Keep food at safe temperatures

Microorganisms can multiply very quickly if food is stored at room temperatures. By holding at temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius/41 degrees Fahrenheit or above 60 degrees Celsius/140 degrees Fahrenheit, the growth of microorganisms is slowed down or stopped. Some dangerous microorganisms still grow below 5 degrees Celsius/41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Don’t leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours
Refrigerate all cooked and perishable food promptly (preferably below 41 degrees Fahrenheit/5 degrees Celsius)
Keep cooked food above 140 degrees Fahrenheit/60 degrees Celsius prior to serving
Don’t store food too long, even in the refrigerator
Don’t thaw frozen food at room temperature

Use safe water and quality raw ingredients

Raw ingredients as well as water and ice may be contaminated with dangerous microorganisms and chemicals, and toxic chemicals may be formed in damaged and moldy foods. Carefully selecting ingredients and washing and peeling foods may reduce risk.

Use safe water or treat it to make it safe
Select fresh foods
Choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized milk
Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw
Don’t use food beyond its expiration date

Read more detailed guidelines from the Pan American Health Organization.

Food Laws & Registration Requirements

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience involving food.

Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*

Basic principles for any Experience involving food

Most countries have health and safety rules around the handling and serving of food and it’s a good idea to keep your health and safety, and that of your guests, at the top of your mind. For example, it’s a good idea to:

Familiarize yourself with official sources or seek legal advice to understand the rules that apply to the handling and serving of food.
If your Experience involves you cooking or handling food (including serving food prepared by others), it’s a good idea to handle, prepare and serve food safely, with good sanitation, and in accordance with any local food laws.
Ask your Seekers in advance about any food allergies they may have, or religious or philosophical codes that may impact what kind of food they eat.
If your Experience may include alcohol, please review the Alcohol Experience Requirements for information on Experiences involving alcohol.

Serving home-cooked food to Seekers

If you are thinking of serving home-cooked food to paying Seekers, or cooking food at a location where food is not normally prepared (such as a “pop up”), an important question to ask yourself is whether this triggers regulations under your local laws.

In most jurisdictions, activities that involve handling, serving or selling food, or providing food-related services, to members of the public are regulated activities. This means that in some places, in order to carry out such activities it may first be necessary to register with or obtain a certification or license from a public or local health department. In most cases, there are likely to be sanitation criteria that must be met. In some jurisdictions, food service regulations may also apply, even if you are not preparing the food yourself, and even if you are offering it for free.

Other things to consider

In some jurisdictions, it may be necessary to obtain a general business license in order to be able to sell food to members of the public.

It is a good idea to check with your local zoning board or planning authority to find out whether any local rules limit the ways in which the property for your Experience may be used.

You may also want to look into what tax rules may apply to your activity, and check whether you are legally required to obtain special insurance cover.

If your Experience will involve combining food with another activity (for example, providing a food tour of restaurants), please take a look at our other information sections, such as Tour or Travel-Related Experience Requirements to determine if any other rules may apply to your activity.

Dealing with food can be tricky. If you are unsure about anything relating to your Experience, we encourage you to check with your local department of health directly, or speak to a lawyer, to discuss your Experience and confirm your Experience complies with local laws including health, tax, and insurance requirements.

* Please note that ExploringNotBoring has no control over the conduct of Partners and disclaims all liability.

ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Failure of Partners to satisfy their responsibilities may result in suspension of activity or removal from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

Alcohol Experience Requirements

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience involving alcohol.

Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*

Basic principles for any Experience involving alcohol

If you plan to include alcohol during your Experience, we encourage you to please keep your safety, and that of your Seekers, front of mind.

Safe Experiences do not involve providing alcohol to a Seeker:

Who is under the legal drinking age
Who will be driving or operating any type of vehicle or mechanical equipment
Who looks or acts inebriated or who you know is intending to drive afterward
Who has informed you that they are ill, have a drinking problem, or do not want to participate
Who is participating in an Experience where any remaining portion of the activities involves physical activity (like yoga, swimming, hiking, biking) or operating machinery or would otherwise be hazardous if intoxicated

We want to remind you that in most jurisdictions, the sale of alcohol to, or consumption of alcohol by, those under the minimum drinking age is punishable by fines and criminal penalties.

Serving alcohol to Seekers

To sell alcohol to your Seekers, you generally either need a license or you need to hire a caterer licensed to sell alcohol. Note that, for a variety of reasons, licenses are not generally available to sell alcohol at a private residence. Selling alcohol includes situations where:

You sell alcohol to your Seeker directly (e.g. charging a Seeker for a glass of wine that you serve yourself)
You sell alcohol to your Seeker indirectly (e.g. including a charge for the wine you serve to your Seeker in your Experience price)

Here are some additional things to think about before providing an Experience involving alcohol:

You may be required to obtain a license if you provide an Experience which you advertise as being BYO (bring-your-own) alcohol, depending on the jurisdiction and your specific Experience.
Some jurisdictions have restrictions on the hours during which you may serve alcohol.
Some jurisdictions have restrictions which may impact the ways in which you can advertise an Experience involving alcohol.
Several jurisdictions prohibit the use, distribution, or sale of powdered alcohol or concentrated alcohol in any alcoholic beverages.

You generally would not require a license to provide an Experience involving alcohol being served by a licensed venue or caterer, although offering an alcohol tour of a number of licensed premises may require a permit or license in some jurisdictions.

Complying with rules based on your location

If your Experience involves the consumption, sale, or distribution of alcohol in a public venue or place, including on public lands or in parks, there are likely to be additional regulations, restrictions, or prohibitions that you should consider before offering your Experience.

If you are unsure about anything relating to your Experience, we encourage you to check with your local alcohol regulator, or speak to a lawyer, to discuss your Experience and confirm your Experience complies with local laws, including health, tax, and insurance requirements.

ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Animal Experience Requirements

Everyone who provides an Experience on the ExploringNotBoring Platform must demonstrate high levels of expertise and the ability to connect with Seekers. The Experience itself must give Seekers insider access to places or things they couldn’t find on their own as disclosed above.

For animals on ExploringNotBoring Experiences, every Partner must demonstrate these standards, plus specific eligibility standards, to be part of this specific category. Animals are a part of the community and we want to ensure that every ExploringNotBoring Experience can be participated in responsibly.

Every Animal Experience submitted to ExploringNotBoring is reviewed to make sure it meets the following four (4) quality standards, which are required in order to be approved for this specific category:

Animals are core to the Experience: Animals must be a central and integrated part of the Experience. They are considered the primary category of the Experience and activity.
Animal champions: You can be anything from a thoughtful pet owner to an animal advocate. Either way, you care about, live with, or work alongside animals. When it comes to wild animals, you have deep expertise and knowledge about the animals.
Responsible interactions: You focus on both the Seeker and animal’s wellbeing throughout the Experience, and prioritize the animal’s comfort, welfare, and safety. You also comply with our animal welfare policy, co-authored by World Animal Protection.
Stories to remember: Partners are dedicated to creating meaningful human and animal connections. You make Seekers feel at home and involve them in the animal’s world through education and storytelling.

In addition, all Experiences and Experience Partners must comply with our Terms of Service.

Animal welfare guidelines

ExploringNotBoring Experiences go beyond the typical tours and classes. Designed and led by inspiring locals, Partners use their expertise to immerse each Seeker in a unique world. For Experiences that include animals, ExploringNotBoring is committed to protecting their welfare.

These guidelines were created in consultation with World Animal Protection, an organization committed to improving the lives of animals. They apply to Experiences involving wild animals in the wild and in captivity, as well as domesticated animals under human care. We believe all animals should be respected for their intrinsic value and role in the global ecosystem, so Experiences that violate these guidelines or otherwise threaten the welfare and/or conservation of animals will be removed from ExploringNotBoring.

Wild animals in the wild

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences involving intentional direct contact with wild animals in the wild including, but not limited to, petting, feeding, or riding animals, except for certain Social Impact Experiences in which the validated non-profit is conducting conservation research.

Animals in captivity

Animal Welfare Principles

Good animal welfare is measured by fitness and a sense of well-being. ExploringNotBoring Partners commit that their Experiences strive to ensure the highest quality of life for animals involved, using the guiding principles of animal welfare, the Five Freedoms:

Freedom from hunger or thirst with access to fresh water and an appropriate diet to maintain full health
Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
Freedom from pain, injury, or disease by treating animals respectfully and providing prompt access to veterinary care
Freedom to express normal behavior by providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and allowing for company of the animal’s own kind
Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering

Rescues and sanctuaries

There are many places that may call themselves rescues and sanctuaries but they don’t always operate in the animals’ best interest. ExploringNotBoring does not allow sanctuaries to provide Experiences if they:

Use wild animals for direct interactions with travelers, or in performances or shows
Buy or sell wild or wild-hybrid animals, or products derived from them
Breed wild animals or wild-hybrid animals, unless they are part of an official, recognized breeding program where the animals are being responsibly released back into the wild

There are exceptions for certain Social Impact Experiences where a validated non-profit is conducting rehabilitation or rehoming.

Domesticated and farmed animals

Domesticated animals must be given proper shelter, care, food, and water. Any condition that impairs their welfare, as outlined by the Five Freedoms above, must be addressed promptly.

When interacting with working animals (ex: horses, mules, yaks, camels, and donkeys):

Never overload a working animal (ex: carry no more than one rider per animal and never more than 20 percent of the working animals’ body weight)
Never overwork a working animal (ex: do not ride in extreme weather conditions)
No working animal carriage or cart rides in an urban environment
The animal’s eyes should be alert and clear

When interacting with domesticated animals:

Proper handling gives the freedom for the animal to disengage from direct contact when they want to
Travelers should not feed stray or free-roaming domesticated animals unless it's part of a Social Impact Experience where a validated non-profit is rescuing stray animals

Zoos and aquariums

Only zoos and aquariums with accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) are allowed to provide an Experience on the ExploringNotBoring Platform. ExploringNotBoring does not allow direct contact or performances with wild animals even in these cases.

Dog sledding

Animal welfare must not be compromised when it comes to dog sledding. This includes the dogs being handled humanely, being physically fit and trained for the activity, and having adequate living situations that protect them from variable weather.

Sled dogs should be socialized properly to encourage appropriate behavior towards humans and other animals. Euthanasia must not be used as a means of population control for healthy, rehomeable sled dogs.

Prohibited activities

ExploringNotBoring prohibits activities that cause animals harm, including but not limited to:

Elephant interactions

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences where Seekers ride, bathe, or feed elephants.

These activities may seem harmless, but captive elephants go through a stressful training process to be able to interact with humans. Often elephants are restrained, bullhooks are used, and they are overworked. ExploringNotBoring seeks to promote ethical elephant Experiences that commit to a high standard of elephant welfare and conservation.

Big cat interactions

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences involving direct interactions with big cats. Activities like big cat walking, cub petting, and selfies with big cats promote poor animal treatment and are prohibited.

Wild animals in restaurants, cafes, and entertainment venues

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences involving wild animals performing for entertainment purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, dolphin shows, bears riding bicycles, charming cobra shows, tigers in captivity at restaurants, alligator and crocodile parks, circuses, animal amusement parks, traveling petting zoos, and exotic pet cafes.

Marine mammals in captivity

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences involving marine mammals in captivity, except for certain Social Impact Experiences in which the validated non-profit is conducting rescue or rehabilitation. It is unnatural and detrimental for marine mammals like dolphins, whales, sea lions, and polar bears to be kept in captivity for entertainment purposes.

Wildlife products

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences involving the purchase or consumption of wild animal products. This includes the purchase of souvenirs and products like tortoiseshell, skins, horns, scales, and ivory, and food products like shark fin soup, turtle soup, whale meat, bear bile, civet coffee, bush meat, snake blood, and tiger wine.

Sporting events

ExploringNotBoring does not allow Experiences involving certain sports where the animals may be harmed or overexerted. This includes, but is not limited to, canned and trophy hunting, bull-fighting and running, bear baiting, cockfighting, elephant polo, rodeo, greyhound racing, dog sled racing, horse racing, and horse polo.

Responsible Travel

We encourage Partners and Seekers to think carefully about their role and responsibility in ensuring animal welfare. In addition to the requirements above, here are some other things to consider:

Selfies and animals as photo props

Photos should not be captured at the expense of a wild animal, even in captivity. ExploringNotBoring prohibits Experiences where there is direct contact with wild animals or wild animals are restrained for a photo.

Wild animals of all shapes and sizes

Wild animals come in all shapes and sizes, from tigers and bears to sloths and koalas. Responsible wild animal encounters entail keeping a safe and respectful distance, not chasing the animals, keeping the noise to a minimum, and leaving no waste behind.

Negative training

When training animals, it should be reward-based. Negative punishment when training is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, being drugged, chained, starved, or prodded with sticks.

Conduct beyond the specific Experience

Being a responsible host goes beyond the Experience on our ExploringNotBoring Platform. ExploringNotBoring will not allow Partners whose broader business or services do not comply with these guidelines.

Experiences that violate these guidelines, threaten the safety of our Partners or Seekers, or risk the welfare and/or conservation of animals will be removed from the ExploringNotBoring Platform. These guidelines may be updated from time to time, so please be sure to check back regularly.

Note: these guidelines exclude fishing, crabbing, clamming, and similar activities.

If you come across an Experience that violates the Animal Welfare Guidelines, threaten the safety of our Partners or Seekers, or risk the welfare and / or conservation of animals, please contact us. If applicable, make a note of the date, time and location, as well as the type of animals involved in the Experience.

Music Experience Requirements

Here you can learn about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your ExploringNotBoring Experience involving music.

As an Experience Partner, you’re in control of the Experiences you offer and it’s your responsibility to understand and follow any relevant laws and regulations. Different countries have different licensing requirements and rules. The information below can serve as a starting point or place you can come back to if you have questions. But please remember that it isn’t exhaustive, it doesn’t constitute legal advice, and we can’t guarantee the reliability or accuracy of any source within it. You should check to make sure laws and procedures haven’t changed recently.

Basic principles for Experiences involving music

In the United States, music is generally protected by copyright law unless it is in the public domain. When a work is copyrighted, it means that the owner of that work has certain exclusive rights to that work. If you are playing music during your Experience (or transmitting an Experience over the internet), you may need to obtain licenses to do so. Different factors about your Experience, including location, venue, and activity type, will affect which licenses you’ll need to obtain, but in all cases, the obligation would be on either you or the venue.

Obtaining the right to perform or otherwise use music frequently requires entering into a license agreement. The applicable license agreement will typically specify, among other things, where you may play music, what music you may play, how you may (and may not) use the music, how much you have to pay for the right to use music, the term or duration of the license, and what reporting of music usage, if any, may be required. Failure to obtain the correct license could result in liability for copyright infringement, the damages for which run from $750-$30,000 USD per work infringed, and up to $150,000 USD per work infringed if the infringement is “willful.”

There are two (2) copyrights in music: (1) the copyright in the musical work (also known as a composition), which includes a song’s musical notes and lyrics; and (2) the copyright in a specific performance, as embodied in a sound recording. A recorded song, such as a song on a CD, consists of two copyrighted works: the sound recording of the artist performing the musical work and the musical work itself.

Musical works are typically owned or controlled by music publishers, and sound recordings are typically owned or controlled by record labels. However, the right to publicly perform musical works—whether from a CD or LP or by a band performing live—is generally administered by Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), the two largest of which in the United States are ASCAP and BMI. Countries other than the United States will almost always have at least one PRO, and in some cases multiple PROs, with different PROs controlling the rights in different musical works. Musical works often have more than one copyright owner, as multiple people may write a song together, with the possibility that each co-writer may assign their rights to a different music publisher and to different PROs. You may need permission from the different representatives of these co-writers to perform a work publicly, because the PROs and most music publishers only grant licenses to the interests they own or control in a song.

Because music licensing may require the need to secure rights from multiple copyright owners, you should consider consulting with experienced legal counsel to make sure all necessary rights have been obtained. You are responsible for checking whether your use of music requires a license and for obtaining any required license.

Find out if a music license is needed for your Experience

If you’re providing an Experience where an artist will be performing cover songs, then you may need to obtain only the rights to musical works. Similar rules may apply if you were to livestream the Experience on the Internet, although livestreaming may implicate additional rights, depending upon how the livestream is made. Typically, an artist’s live performance would not involve a sound recording unless they were playing along to a prerecorded track. In contrast, a karaoke event likely requires obtaining rights to both musical works and the sing-along sound recordings, which may be different than the commercially released sound recording that you may have purchased on CD or from iTunes. For karaoke uses, you may also need to acquire rights to display the lyrics to the musical work. If you are performing a musical work publicly—either by playing recorded music or having an artist perform live—then you may also need to obtain a public performance license from a PRO.

An easy rule of thumb is that if you’re performing (or having performed) musical works in a place open to the public, you should obtain public performance licenses for the musical works. If you are performing sound recordings, or having them performed, then you may not need a public performance license, but you should consult with an attorney before making a final determination.

In addition, you may need to obtain licenses if you’re making copies of non-original music as part of your Experience, such as copies that you make on CDs to provide to your Seekers, or if you record an Experience and seek to make it available online after the fact, either on an on-demand basis or in a linear manner. This is because both musical work and sound recording copyright owners have exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution, and the making of copies of musical works and sound recordings or the distribution of copies thereof may require the permission of the copyright owners.

Knowing whether music is subject to copyright protection requires an analysis on a case-by-case basis. An easy rule of thumb is that if the music is current or from within the past several decades, then it is likely copyrighted. Copyright protection lasts for a very long time, so when in doubt, you may want to assume that it is protected. Cornell University’s Copyright Information Center is a useful resource to help determine whether a work is in the public domain in the United States. The duration of copyright protection for musical works and sound recordings will vary by country.

Getting a music license

To obtain a license to use music, you can contact the copyright owners of the music or their authorized representatives.

Performing Rights Organizations (PROs)

American composers, lyricists, and publishers usually join a PRO by granting the PRO the non-exclusive right to license their music and enforce their rights of public performance . In the United States, the primary PROs are the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), SESAC, and Global Music Rights (GMR). There may also be other PROs that control the works for less popular music. PROs typically grant blanket licenses to publicly perform all of the works that they represent. Depending on what music you want to use for your experience, you may need a license from one or more PROs. The PROs will often provide a repertory look-up tool on their website. If you know what music is to be performed in advance, you may be able to identify the copyright owners or representatives of those works via one of these look-up tools.

In countries outside of the United States, songwriters will often assign their rights to a PRO so that the PRO becomes the sole entity that can authorize the public performance of a songwriter’s music. You should contact the PRO in your country to inquire about the licenses that may be needed for any Experience that you provide. Remember also that there may be one (or more) PROs authorized to license public performances of musical works and one (or more) PROs in a country authorized to license public performances of sound recordings.

Keep in mind that the terminology used to describe music rights may also vary by country. PROs may be referred to as Collective Management Organizations (or CMOs) or Music Licensing Companies (or MLCs). The right-to-be-paid royalties might be referred to as a “right of remuneration.” And the right to perform a sound recording might be referred to as a “neighboring right.”

Public performances of sound recordings

If you’re planning on having recorded music played at an Experience in the United States, the public performance of sound recordings may not require a license, due to certain legal exemptions. Countries other than the United States typically do not have such exemptions so different rules likely apply. For information on certain uses of sound recordings in the United States, you can explore the website of SoundExchange, Inc., a nonprofit organization created to collect and distribute royalties for certain public performances and the making of copies of sound recordings.

Music labels, music publishers, and individual artists

If you want to use specific musical works or sound recordings during your Experience and prefer to go directly to the copyright owners of such works, you can do so (at least in the United States). However, this is often a time-consuming process, and large corporations may not have the ability to respond to individual license requests. If you’ve hired an artist to perform at an Experience and the artist has written his or her own music and is performing it live, then the artist may be able to grant you a direct license for the public performance of their music. The ability to grant a direct license will, however, depend on whether they have assigned their rights away to a third party, such as a music publisher or a CMO. If an artist has assigned their rights to a third party, then, even if they’ve written the music, they may not have the authority to grant you a direct license. In this case, you’re required to obtain a license from a PRO or CMO, depending on which country you’re in.

Other things to consider

Some jurisdictions may also have laws restricting noise or require permits for live entertainment.

It’s a good idea to check with your local zoning board or planning authority to find out whether any local rules limit the ways in which the property for your Experience may be used.

Dealing with music can be tricky. If you’re not sure about anything relating to your Experience, we encourage you to speak to a lawyer. If you’re providing an Experience in the United States, a good resource is the U.S. Copyright Office website.

ExploringNotBoring is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third-party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).

Failure of Partners to satisfy their responsibilities may result in suspension of activity or removal from the ExploringNotBoring Platform.

Listing Page Requirements

The Experience itinerary must be clear, complete, and accurate. Seekers should know exactly what to expect upon booking the Experience. This applies to all Experience details, including:

What Seekers will be doing
Meeting address and instructions for meeting up with the Partner
What’s included in the price (e.g. what the Partner is providing for Seekers)
What Seekers need to bring with them (e.g. extra cash to buy food that’s not included)
The time and date of the Experience

No “open-ended” itineraries

Each Experience must have a clear, pre-defined itinerary—we can’t accept “open-ended” plans where Seekers are asked to define an Experience’s itinerary, or choose activities or locations. It’s OK to include minor variations.

Not allowed: "I’ll meet Seekers for coffee and then we’ll see where the afternoon takes us!"
Allowed: "My baking experience is different based on the day of the week. On Mondays, we bake bread, and on Tuesday, we bake cookies."

Not allowed: "During the tour, Seekers can choose from several different activities, including rafting or visiting the temples, or many others."
Allowed: "We’ll go out bar hopping. Each night, I’ll choose a different bar depending on how the group is feeling." (This is OK because the main activity, bar hopping, remains the same).

Photos must meet ExploringNotBoring’s photo quality standards.

Partners must list their Experience as an individual, not a business. The Partner’s profile photo must be a clear picture of the Partner and not a company logo. The Partner’s profile name must be the Partner’s personal name and not a business name. Partners should describe themselves in the “About Me” section of the Experience page and only list business information in the provided fields: company name, business address, and so forth.

How to Provide an Experience on ExploringNotBoring

If you are interested in providing an Experience, submit your idea here, and it will be reviewed to make sure it meets the quality standards. If your Experience does not meet the above standards, it may not be listed on ExploringNotBoring.

Partnering Req.

Ongoing commitments

verification requirements

Business Licensing for Experiences

Taxes for ExperiencePartners out of US

Experience Requirments

Activities with Specials Red. or Restr.

Tour Guiding or Travel-Rlated Experience Requirements

Multi-Day or Adventure Experience Reqs.

Online Experience Reqs

SocialImpact Experience Reqs

Cooking Experience Reqs

Alcoho Experience Reqs

Animal Experience Reqs

Music Experience Reqs

Listing Page Reqs

How to Provide an Experience on ExploringNotBorng

EXPERIENCE PARTNER STANDARDS & REQUIREMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Partnering Requirements

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Seekers should always know exactly who will be providing the Experience.

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Partners may not hand Seekers off to 3rd party suppliers, or leave Seekers on their own without their Experience Partner

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Only ExploringNotBoring Seekers on an ExploringNotBoring Experience

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Partners cannot set a minimum group size

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Keep to guidelines

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Ongoing Commitments

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Partners must honor all booked reservations

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Minimum Seeker reviews, ratings, and engagement

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Verification Requirements

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Business Licensing for Experiences

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General business license and registration requirements

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Experience-specific permit, license, or registration requirements

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Additional laws that may apply to you as a Experience Partner

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Taxes for Experience Partners Outside of the United States

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Taxes you may need to pay

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Value added taxes

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Collecting value added taxes

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Filing and paying value added taxes

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Income taxes

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Deducting expenses

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Experience Requirements

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Accommodations

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Mistreatment of animals

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Intellectual property violations

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Violation of local laws or restrictions

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Inappropriate or discriminatory content

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Experiences that cross country borders

Payments outside of ExploringNotBoring’s system.

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Activities With Special Requirements or Restrictions

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Services

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Technically-specialized outdoor activities

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Sexually suggestive activities

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Weapons

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Political activities

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Age restrictions

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Animal welfare

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Prohibited activities

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Intensity levels

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