The refund promise will reimburse the full costs of any customer’s trip where they are required to self-isolate due to a coronavirus diagnosis within a month of the departure date, making them unable to travel.

The company has pledged to waive its usual cancellation charges and offer affected clients a full refund, which will also cover the cost of any flights booked through Explore. 

Customers who have booked through an agent can also cancel on these grounds, which include confirmed contact with a case up to the day of travel.

Joe Ponte, Explore managing director, said: “These are unparalleled circumstances – in almost 40 years of business, we’ve never seen anything like it.

“There’s a need to restore trust and faith in the travel sector, and we believe strongly that a good company does the right thing in the tough times as well as the good. 

“We want people to look forward to travelling with us again. And if we can give our travel agents and their customers some reassurance that we’ll keep them safe, that their money is safe with us and that, if they are diagnosed with Covid or are required to quarantine, they’ll get their money back, then that’s a good start.”

Explore will refund the full costs of any small group or self-guided holiday. Its polar voyages are subject to separate terms and conditions.