PRIVACY POLICY

1. Who we are

The Travel Co Global Ltd, trading as The Travel Co. ("The Travel Co.", "we", "us" or "our"), is an independent travel company operating from the United Kingdom and Dubai. For the personal information covered by this policy, we act as the data controller unless we explain otherwise.

Questions about this policy or our use of your information can be sent to info@thetravelco.co.uk. Please write “Privacy” in the subject line.

2. Information we collect

We collect information that you provide when you enquire, request a quotation, make or manage a booking, subscribe to communications, enter a promotion, contact us, or use our website. This may include:

• identity and contact details, including names, postal addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers;
• travel details, preferences, budgets, loyalty programme details and special requests;
• passport information, dates of birth, nationality and visa information where needed for a booking;
• payment and transaction information; payment card details are normally handled by regulated payment providers or travel suppliers rather than stored by us;
• information about other travellers in your party that you provide with their authority;
• communications, enquiry history, feedback and complaint records;
• website usage information such as pages visited, searches, approximate location derived from an IP address, device and browser information, referral source and booking-link clicks; and
• marketing preferences and records of consent.

Some travel arrangements require information that may be considered sensitive, such as accessibility needs, dietary requirements, health information or religious requirements. We only request and use this when necessary to fulfil your request, with your explicit consent where required, or where another lawful basis applies.

3. How we collect information

We collect information directly from you, from the lead passenger or another authorised person, through our website and communications, and from travel suppliers, booking platforms, payment providers and professional advisers. We may also receive limited technical and campaign information from analytics, advertising and social media services, according to your cookie choices and those services' settings.

4. How and why we use information

We use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and design, quote, book and administer travel arrangements;
• share necessary booking details with airlines, hotels, tour operators, cruise lines, destination management companies, transfer providers, event and ticketing partners, insurers and other suppliers;
• take payments, prevent fraud, maintain financial records and issue booking documents;
• provide service messages, assistance and emergency support;
• comply with legal, regulatory, immigration, security and public-health requirements;
• manage complaints, disputes and legal claims;
• operate, secure, measure and improve our website and services; and
• send relevant marketing where you have consented or where the law otherwise permits, always with an option to unsubscribe.

Our lawful bases include taking steps at your request before entering a contract, performing a contract, complying with legal obligations, our legitimate interests in operating and improving our business, and consent. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we balance those interests against your rights. You may withdraw consent at any time, although this does not affect earlier lawful processing.

5. Who receives your information

We share only what is reasonably necessary with relevant travel suppliers and service providers. Recipients may include airlines, accommodation providers, transport operators, tour and cruise operators, event providers, local agents, payment processors, technology and hosting providers, communications platforms, professional advisers, regulators, border authorities and law-enforcement bodies where legally required.

Travel suppliers usually process information under their own privacy notices and may act as independent data controllers. We recommend reviewing their notices. We do not sell personal information.

6. International transfers

Travel is international, so information may need to be sent to countries outside the UK, European Economic Area or your country of residence, including destinations that may not provide equivalent privacy protections. Where data protection law requires it, we use recognised safeguards such as adequacy regulations, approved contractual clauses or another lawful transfer mechanism. A transfer may also be necessary to perform your travel contract or arrangements requested by you.

7. How we protect information

We use proportionate technical and organisational safeguards designed to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, misused, altered, disclosed or accessed without authority. These include access controls, account authentication, encrypted connections, managed cloud services, restricted administrative access, staff confidentiality practices, monitoring, backups and supplier due diligence.

Access is limited to people and providers who need information for a legitimate business purpose. We review our safeguards and investigate suspected incidents, notifying affected people and regulators when legally required. No internet or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure, so customers should also use strong passwords, protect travel documents and avoid sending sensitive information through unsecured channels.

8. Retention

We retain information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose collected, including providing travel services and meeting tax, accounting, regulatory, fraud-prevention and legal-claims requirements. Retention periods vary by record type. Booking and transaction records are generally kept for up to seven years after completion, unless a longer period is required by law or a dispute. Unsuccessful enquiries and marketing records are reviewed and deleted or anonymised when no longer needed. We may retain a minimal suppression record to honour an unsubscribe request.

9. Cookies, analytics and advertising

Our website may use essential technologies needed for security and operation, plus analytics or advertising technologies that help us understand visits, searches, user journeys and campaign performance. Where consent is required, optional technologies are used only after you choose to allow them. Browser controls can also restrict cookies, although some website functions may be affected. Third-party websites reached through our links apply their own cookie and privacy policies.

10. Marketing

We may send travel news, offers or inspiration where you have asked us to or where permitted by law. You can unsubscribe through any marketing message or by emailing us. Service communications about an enquiry or booking are not marketing and may still be sent when necessary.

11. Your rights

Depending on where you live and subject to legal conditions, you may have rights to request access to, correction or deletion of your information; restrict or object to processing; receive certain information in a portable format; withdraw consent; and object to direct marketing. You also have the right not to be subject to certain decisions based solely on automated processing. We do not use solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

To exercise a right, email us. We may ask for information to verify your identity and authority. You may complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk, or to the competent data protection authority where you live. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.

12. Children and other travellers

Our services are intended to be arranged by adults. We process children's information only when supplied by a parent, guardian or authorised lead passenger and where needed for travel. If you provide information about another person, you confirm that you are authorised to do so and have made this policy available to them.

13. External links and changes

Our website may link to independent websites that we do not control; this policy does not govern them. We may update this policy to reflect legal, technical or business changes. The version published here applies from the date below, and material changes will be highlighted where appropriate.