Effective Date: May 21, 2025
These Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") govern your access to and use of the StoryRoute platform, website, and services as a Local Guide ("Guide," "You," or "Your"). By clicking "Accept," "Agree," or by accessing or using the StoryRoute platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and all other operational policies, rules, and guidelines that are referenced herein or that we may publish from time to time. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the StoryRoute platform.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and StoryRoute, governing your participation as a Local Guide on our platform. Your continued use of the platform signifies your ongoing acceptance of these Terms and any updates thereto.
Eligibility: To be eligible to become a StoryRoute Local Guide, you must be an individual at least 18 years old or a legal entity capable of forming binding contracts. You must reside in the local area for which you offer tours and possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and permits (if any) to conduct your listed experiences safely and legally.
Application and Verification: Your application process involves providing accurate personal information and undergoing identity verification and background checks where legally permissible. By applying, you consent to these checks. You are required to provide a recent selfie for identity verification and to upload valid and up-to-date copies of all relevant professional licenses and certifications required to legally conduct your experiences in your jurisdiction. StoryRoute reserves the right to verify the authenticity and validity of all submitted information and documents, including by contacting issuing authorities where legally permissible. You may also optionally provide additional information to enhance your profile.
Account Information: You must provide accurate, complete, and current information during the application and throughout your tenure as a Guide. You are solely responsible for maintaining the accuracy of your account, including contact, payment, and any required licensing or insurance details. Failure to do so may result in account suspension or termination.
Account Security: You are responsible for safeguarding your password and any other credentials used to access your StoryRoute account. You agree not to disclose your password to any third party and to take sole responsibility for any activities or actions under your account, whether or not you have authorized such activities or actions. You must immediately notify StoryRoute of any unauthorized use of your account.
Accuracy of Listings: You are solely responsible for all content you publish on the StoryRoute platform, including descriptions, photos, videos, inclusions, exclusions, and pricing. All content must be original, truthful, accurate, and not misleading. You must accurately detail what is included and excluded in your experience, its suitability for different traveler types, and any potential risks or hazards.
Conducting Authentic Experiences: You agree to deliver high-quality, story-rich experiences that align with the StoryRoute vision. You must maintain a professional and responsive demeanor with travelers, including promptly addressing any questions or concerns.
Personal Guiding: You may not send a substitute to conduct an experience on your behalf without prior written approval from StoryRoute, which may be granted in exceptional cases only.
Legal Compliance: You are solely responsible for complying with all applicable local, national, and international laws, regulations, and safety standards relevant to the services you provide. This includes, but is not limited to, possessing and maintaining all necessary permits, licenses, and certifications required to legally and safely operate your tours and activities in your local jurisdiction. You must provide proof of such compliance to StoryRoute upon request or as part of your application and ongoing profile maintenance. For experiences involving higher inherent risks, such as those including transportation via air or water, you are specifically required to carry and provide proof of Public Liability Insurance (PLI) or equivalent coverage, as mandated by local laws and StoryRoute's policies.
Safety Guidelines: You must prioritize the safety and well-being of your travelers during your routes. This includes clearly communicating any potential risks and hazards associated with your experiences and adhering to all relevant safety guidelines.
Operational Readiness: You are responsible for acquiring and maintaining all necessary equipment and ensuring reliable connectivity to effectively access and utilize the StoryRoute platform.
No Asking Travelers to Cancel: You are expected to honor all bookings that you have confirmed and are strictly prohibited from asking travelers to cancel a booking on your behalf.
Tax Compliance: You are solely responsible for determining, collecting, reporting, and remitting any and all local, state, federal, and international taxes applicable to your earnings from activities conducted through the StoryRoute platform.
Insurance Requirements: As an independent contractor, you are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining all necessary and appropriate commercial general liability insurance coverage for your business and the experiences you offer through the StoryRoute platform. This insurance must cover potential liabilities for bodily injury to guests or third parties, and damage to or theft of property belonging to guests or third parties, arising from your activities. You must provide proof of valid and current insurance coverage to StoryRoute upon request. StoryRoute does not provide primary insurance coverage for Guides, and any limited protection plans offered by StoryRoute (if any) are secondary and subject to specific terms, conditions, and geographical exclusions.
Booking Acceptance: You have the autonomy to accept or reject booking requests. Your acceptance of a booking request forms a legally binding contract directly between you and the traveler.
Exclusive Booking Channel: All bookings for your StoryRoute experiences must be handled exclusively through the StoryRoute platform. Any attempts to circumvent the platform for bookings are prohibited and may lead to account termination.
Pricing: You are responsible for setting the price of your experiences on the platform.
How You Get Paid:
• During Beta Testing: During the invitation-only beta testing phase, all journeys are free for travelers, and no earnings will be disbursed to guides.
• Post-Beta Testing: Following the beta testing period, StoryRoute will collect payments from travelers on your behalf. For each completed booking, StoryRoute will deduct a service fee from the total payment. StoryRoute generally applies a service fee of 20% of the total booking value for experiences; however, the precise service fee applicable to your bookings will be clearly outlined in your Guide Dashboard, which serves as the definitive source for such details and is subject to change. Your earnings (the total payment minus StoryRoute's service fee) will be disbursed following the successful conclusion of the booked event. You will have the option to select your preferred payout frequency, including daily (disbursed the next day), weekly, or monthly cycles. While payouts are initiated according to your chosen schedule, it may take a few additional working days for the funds to be reflected in your bank account, depending on your financial institution's processing times.
Service Fees: StoryRoute's service fee will be clearly outlined in your Guide Dashboard and is subject to change.
Impact of Refunds: If a traveler initiates a refund claim, any earnings related to that booking will be suspended until the claim is resolved. Should a refund be issued to the traveler, StoryRoute will deduct the corresponding amount from your subsequent earnings.
Guide-Initiated Cancellations: While we understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, canceling a confirmed booking should be a last resort. If you must cancel a confirmed booking, the traveler will be entitled to a full refund. Frequent or last-minute guide-initiated cancellations may negatively impact your guide rating, visibility, and could lead to account suspension or termination.
No-Show Policy: StoryRoute maintains a zero-tolerance policy for guide no-shows. Failure to appear for a confirmed booking without prior communication and agreement will result in immediate suspension or termination of your account, and you will forfeit any payment for that booking.
Traveler Cancellations: Travelers can cancel bookings according to the cancellation policy you set for your specific experience. You are responsible for setting a fair and reasonable cancellation policy for each of your listings, which must be consistent with StoryRoute's overall framework (e.g., you can set a "no refund within 12 hours of tour start" rule, as long as it's clearly communicated to the traveler on your route page and doesn't contradict any minimum StoryRoute standards for flexibility, if any are established).
Consequences: In cases of guide no-shows or unapproved cancellations, you will forfeit any payment for that booking, and the traveler will receive a full refund.
Termination by StoryRoute: StoryRoute may terminate these Terms and your access to the StoryRoute platform at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice, effective immediately.
Termination by You: You may terminate these Terms at any time by deactivating your account and discontinuing your use of the StoryRoute platform.
Survival: Sections relating to Intellectual Property, Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, Governing Law and Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions will survive any termination of these Terms.
"As Is" Basis: The StoryRoute platform and services are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
No Endorsement: StoryRoute does not endorse any Guide or experience listed on the platform. StoryRoute's verification process is not an endorsement or guarantee of any Guide's identity or background.
Guide's Responsibility: You acknowledge and agree that you are an independent contractor and not an employee, agent, or partner of StoryRoute. You are solely responsible for the execution and quality of the experiences you offer. You acknowledge and agree that your participation in any event hosted through the StoryRoute platform is entirely at your own risk, and StoryRoute's liability for any damages arising from such events is limited to the amount paid by the guest for the specific booking.
Platform Content: All materials on the StoryRoute platform—including text, graphics, software, and media—are owned by or licensed to StoryRoute and protected by applicable intellectual property laws.
Guide Content Ownership & License: Guides retain ownership of the original content they create and upload (e.g., descriptions, videos, route materials). By submitting such content, you grant StoryRoute a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and sublicensable license to use, adapt, modify, reproduce, display, and distribute it for operational and promotional purposes.
Platform-Created Content: Where StoryRoute assists in content creation (e.g., filming, editing, writing), StoryRoute retains full ownership of the resulting content. Guides may use this content solely for self-promotion in a non-commercial manner, such as in personal portfolios, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Content Warranties: You represent and warrant that all content you provide is original, that you hold the rights necessary to grant the above license, and that such content does not infringe any third-party rights.
StoryRoute reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify these Terms at any time. If we modify these Terms, we will post the modification on the StoryRoute platform or provide you with notice of the modification. We will also update the "Effective Date" at the top of these Terms. By continuing to access or use the StoryRoute platform after we have posted a modification or have provided you with notice of a modification, you are indicating that you agree to be bound by the modified Terms.
Governing Law: These Terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
Dispute Resolution: Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, or the use of the StoryRoute platform, will be settled by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The arbitration will take place in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
You agree to release, defend, indemnify, and hold StoryRoute and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of or in any way connected with (a) your access to or use of the StoryRoute platform or services, (b) your violation of these Terms, (c) your content, (d) your conduct as a Guide, including, but not limited to, any injuries, losses, or damages (compensatory, direct, incidental, consequential or otherwise) of any kind arising in connection with or as a result of a booking or experience, or (e) your tax obligations related to your activities on the StoryRoute platform.
Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between StoryRoute and you regarding the StoryRoute platform and services.
Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision will be struck and will not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.
No Waiver: The failure of StoryRoute to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
Assignment: You may not assign or transfer these Terms, by operation of law or otherwise, without StoryRoute's prior written consent. Any attempt by you to assign or transfer these Terms, without such consent, will be null and of no effect. StoryRoute may assign or transfer these Terms, at its sole discretion, without restriction.