How affiliate and referral links are disclosed
You want to know if a link on this site earns us money before you click it.
IslandQuest is an independent guide. If you ask us for a written quotation and later book with the agency that prepared it, we may receive a referral fee from that agency.
The agency handles the booking and the payment, not IslandQuest. We say so plainly, so you can judge our advice with that in mind.
This page is part of the group of guides on how the site works. See also the site’s role, our editorial policy and how we compare.
What does a referral fee mean?
A referral fee is money an agency pays a referrer when a booking that came through them is confirmed. It is common across travel. The question for you is whether it changes the advice, and how you can check.
Our rule is that a page must answer your question and show your options even if you never contact anyone. A page that only works if you click is not doing its job. We have set this as a test the pages should pass, and you can apply it yourself.
How can you test whether advice is independent?
Apply three tests to any page, here or elsewhere:
- Does it give me questions and comparisons I can use without clicking anything?
- Does it say who a choice does not suit, as well as who it suits?
- Does it tell me what to confirm with the seller in writing?
A page that passes all three gives you value before any commercial link appears. A page that fails them is selling more than it explains.
How do we label links?
Our approach is to mark any link or enquiry route that may earn us a fee with a plain label next to it, before you click. We do not hide it in small print. Where a page has no label, the link is there to inform you.
If you ever find a link that looks commercial but carries no label, please send us a correction. We will check and fix it.
Does it change what you pay?
We have not set any extra charge on you for using our enquiry route. The price you pay is whatever the seller’s written quote says.
That is why the quote, not our page, is the figure that counts. Compare it with another seller’s quote using reading an island quotation line by line.
What should you ask a seller about this?
If you are unsure who benefits from a booking, ask:
- Who is the company that will receive my payment?
- Does the total include any fee for a referrer?
- Who do I contact if I have a problem?
Our guide on who is responsible explains how those roles fit.
A better fit if…
Reading this page suits you if:
- you want to know how the site is funded before trusting its advice.
- you are about to send an enquiry through WhatsApp.
- you are comparing our advice with other travel sites.
What should you do next?
Use the three tests on any page, including ours. If you decide to send an enquiry, ask for the written quotation and the payee name. You can read more about IslandQuest and our disclaimer.
Common questions
Does IslandQuest earn money from bookings?
IslandQuest is an independent guide. If you ask us for a written quotation and later book with the agency that prepared it, we may receive a referral fee from that agency. The agency, not IslandQuest, handles the booking and payment. We say so on the page where it applies.
Does a referral fee change the advice?
It should not, and our approach is to answer the question fully and show your options even if you never contact anyone. You can test this: pages should give you questions and comparisons that stand without a click.
How will I know a link may earn a fee?
We aim to label it next to the link, before you click, in plain words. If a page has no such label, the link is for information. If you cannot tell, ask us and we will explain.
Do I pay more because of a referral?
We have not set any extra charge to you, and you should compare the written quote with other sellers. Always ask the seller for the total, what it includes and who receives the payment.