Legal
Privacy policy
The Book Club Tour (“we”, “us”) operates thebookclubtour.com (the “Website”) and the traveler portal. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting it. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.
What we collect and how it is used
Information you give us. When you apply for a tour, subscribe to our newsletter, send an enquiry, or sign in to the portal, we collect what you enter: your name, email address, phone number, home address, room and roommate preferences, dietary and mobility needs, emergency contact, and your answers to application questions. Signing in uses a one-time email link; we never store a password.
Travel documents. Once you are confirmed on a tour we ask for your name exactly as it appears on your passport, your nationality, and your passport’s expiry date. We do not ask for your passport number unless a specific supplier on your tour requires it; in that case it is stored encrypted, visible only to the tour owners, and deleted 30 days after the tour ends.
Payments. Payments are processed by Stripe, or by PayPal for PayPal and Venmo. Your card or bank details go directly to those processors and are never stored on our servers. We keep a record of the amounts you have paid and what remains due.
Community and photos. Posts, comments, and photos you add to a tour’s community are visible to the other travelers, hosts, and guides on that tour. Photos are shared publicly only if you or a host choose to feature one on the public site.
Automatically collected information. When you use the Website we log your IP address, browser and device type, referring site, pages viewed, and the dates and times of access. We use cookies to keep you signed in and to remember your preferences. Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics collect anonymous usage statistics.
How we use your information
- To review your application and run your tour: rooming, dietary needs, itineraries, and communication before and during the trip.
- To take payments and send receipts, reminders, and statements.
- To send administrative emails such as confirmations, security notices, and policy updates.
- To send newsletters if you have opted in. Every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link.
- To respond to your enquiries and provide support.
- To operate, secure, and improve the Website and portal.
Who we share it with
We share personal information only with the service providers needed to run the tours and the Website, each bound by its own privacy policy:
- Stripe and PayPal (payments), Supabase (database and sign-in), Vercel (hosting), Resend (transactional email), Kit (newsletters), Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics (usage statistics).
- Hotels, transport providers, guides, and restaurants on your tour, who receive only what they need (for example names for a room list, or dietary needs for a meal).
- Authorities where required by law.
We do not sell your personal information.
How long we keep it
Application and tour records are kept for seven years for accounting and legal purposes. Passport numbers, where collected, are deleted 30 days after the tour ends. Newsletter data is kept until you unsubscribe. You can ask us to delete your account at any time; we may need to retain some records to complete transactions or as required by law.
Your rights
- Opt out of marketing email through the unsubscribe link in any newsletter, or by emailing us.
- Access, correct, or delete your personal information by updating your portal profile or emailing us.
- Portability: ask us for a copy of the information you have given us.
Residents of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and California have additional rights under local law, which we honor on request.
Sensitive information
Beyond dietary, mobility, and travel-document details needed to run your tour, please do not send us sensitive personal information such as government identification numbers, health records, or financial account numbers.
Children
The Website and tours are for adults. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 16.
Contact
Questions about this policy: hello@thebookclubtour.com.
Last updated: September 2026. Draft for owner review before launch.