Privacy Policy

Last updated: 7 April 2025

At Shantour, your privacy matters. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal data when you visit our website, use our travel services, or contact us. We are committed to handling your personal information in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

1. Who We Are

Shantour is a travel agency offering curated experiences in China. We act as the Data Controller for the personal information you provide through our website and services.

2. What Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data directly from you when you:

Fill out our contact or booking forms
Subscribe to our newsletter
Communicate with us via email or social media

Personal data we may collect includes:

Name, email, phone number, and nationality
Travel preferences and tour-related information
Payment or billing information (processed securely via third parties)
Website usage data (IP address, browser, cookies, etc.)

3. Legal Bases for Processing (Under GDPR)

We only process your personal data when we have a legal basis to do so:

Consent: For sending you marketing emails or using cookies (you can withdraw consent at any time).
Contractual necessity: To process bookings and deliver travel services.
Legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws (e.g. tax or anti-fraud).
Legitimate interests: To improve our services, respond to inquiries, and ensure website security—without overriding your data protection rights.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to:

Provide customized travel planning and customer support
Process payments and manage bookings
Communicate important updates or promotional offers (with your consent)
Improve website performance through analytics

5. Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies and analytics tools (like Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and improve our website. You can manage your cookie preferences in your browser settings.

6. Your GDPR Rights

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the right to:

Access your personal data
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Delete your data (“right to be forgotten”)
Restrict or object to certain types of processing
Data portability, where applicable
Withdraw consent at any time
Lodge a complaint with your local Data Protection Authority (DPA)

To exercise your rights, contact us at shantourcn@gmail.com.

7. International Data Transfers

If your data is transferred outside the EEA (e.g., to our servers or partners in other countries), we take appropriate safeguards, such as using standard contractual clauses or ensuring third parties are GDPR-compliant.

8. Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law. You can request deletion at any time unless we have a legal obligation to retain it.

9. Third-Party Sharing

We never sell your data. We only share your data with:

Trusted service providers (e.g., local guides, payment platforms)
Analytics and hosting providers
Legal or regulatory authorities when required

All third parties are bound by confidentiality and data protection obligations.

10. Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your data, including encryption, access controls, and secure hosting environments.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may include links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so we recommend reviewing their policies separately.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted here with a revised date.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about your personal data or this policy, please contact us:

Shantour
Email: shantourcn@gmail.com
Website: www.shantourcn.com