Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Travel Buddy is the trading name of Travel Buddy Ltd., a company registered in England and Wales. Our registered office is at [registered office address]. We are the data controller responsible for your personal data within the meaning of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, you can contact us at support@travelbuddy-app.co.uk.

2. Personal data we collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Account data: your name, email address, and password when you create an account.
• Profile data: nationality, travel preferences, and saved destinations you choose to provide.
• Usage data: information about how you use the Service, including searches, destinations viewed, and features used.
• Device and technical data: IP address, device type, operating system, browser type, and unique identifiers.
• Location data: approximate or precise location when you enable location features, used to provide relevant destination information.
• Communications: records of correspondence when you contact our support team.

3. How we use your personal data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• To provide, operate, and maintain the Service, including displaying destination information tailored to you.
• To create and manage your account and authenticate your identity.
• To save your trips, searches, and preferences so the Service remembers them.
• To improve, test, and develop new features and content.
• To analyse trends, travel patterns, and destination details so we can understand how the Service is used and enhance the app experience, content, and recommendations.
• To share aggregated, anonymised insights and travel trends with our suppliers and partners, so we can collaborate to bring greater value, improved services, and relevant offers to you.
• To monitor and analyse usage to detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or abuse.
• To send service announcements, updates, and — where you have opted in — marketing communications, including offers developed with our partners.
• To respond to your requests, comments, and support enquiries.
• To comply with our legal obligations.

4. Legal basis for processing

Under the UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:

• Contract: processing necessary to provide the Service you requested when you create an account or use our features.
• Consent: for marketing communications, location data collection, and non-essential cookies.
• Legitimate interests: for analytics, trend and travel-pattern analysis, collaboration with suppliers and partners to improve the Service and develop offers, security, fraud prevention, and service improvement, where these do not override your rights.
• Legal obligation: where we are required to retain or disclose data by law.

5. How we share your data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with the following categories of recipients:

• Service providers: trusted third parties who host infrastructure, provide analytics, or support the Service, under contract and confidentiality obligations.
• Data sources: providers of weather, safety, visa, and travel information displayed in the Service.
• Suppliers and partners: we share aggregated, anonymised trend and travel-detail insights with our suppliers and partners to collaborate on improving services, content, and offers. This data is not linked to your identity. We only share personal data with suppliers where necessary to deliver a feature or offer you have engaged with, and under contract and confidentiality obligations.
• Legal authorities: where required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, safety, or property.
• Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, subject to confidentiality.

6. International transfers

Some recipients may be located outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place — such as UK International Data Transfer Agreements, Standard Contractual Clauses, or reliance on adequacy regulations — so your data is protected to UK standards.

7. Data retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Account data is kept for the life of your account; you may request deletion at any time. Usage and technical data is generally retained in an anonymised or aggregated form.

8. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erasure of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
• Restrict or object to our processing.
• Data portability — to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting processing already carried out.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@travelbuddy-app.co.uk.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures — including encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and regular reviews — to protect your personal data. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children's privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from them. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the updated policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review it periodically.

12. Contact

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at support@travelbuddy-app.co.uk.