Privacy Policy for westerntravellers.com
Last Updated: 03/09/2025
At Western Travellers Pvt Ltd "we," "us," "our," or "Company", your privacy is our priority. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal data when you use our website westerntravellers.com and our services (the "Services"), in compliance with the Indian Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA) and other applicable laws.
By using our Services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information that you provide to us and information we collect automatically.
A. Information You Provide to Us:
· Personal Identifiers: Name, email address, phone number, residential address, and date of birth when you create an account or make a booking.
· Official Documents: Passport number, Aadhaar Number* (only if legally required, e.g., for certain bookings or verification), PAN number (for business travel or high-value transactions), voter ID, or driver's license details as required for bookings, visas, and identification.
· Payment Information: Credit/debit card details, UPI IDs, net banking details, and billing address. Note: We use PCI-DSS compliant third-party payment gateways (e.g., Razorpay, PayU) and do not store your full card details on our servers.
· Travel Details: Flight preferences, hotel choices, meal preferences (e.g., vegetarian, Jain), special assistance requests, and emergency contact information.
· Communications: Records of your interactions with us via customer support calls, emails, and chats.
*We will only collect your Aadhaar number if permitted by law and will adhere to the applicable guidelines for its processing.
B. Information Collected Automatically:
· Device & Technical Data: IP address, device type, browser type, operating system, and mobile network information.
· Usage Data: Pages you visit, links you click, search queries, booking history, and the time and date of your activities on our platform.
· Location Data: General location derived from your IP address or, with your explicit consent, precise GPS location from your mobile device.
· Cookies & Similar Technologies: We use cookies and web beacons to remember your preferences, analyze trends, and personalize your experience. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
2. How We Use Your Information (Purpose of Processing)
We use your personal data for the following lawful purposes:
· To Provide and Manage Services: To process your bookings, send e-tickets and itineraries, manage your account, and provide customer support.
· For Verification and Security: To verify your identity, prevent fraudulent transactions, and protect our platform from misuse.
· For Communication: To send you booking confirmations, travel updates, security alerts, and administrative messages. With your consent, we will send you marketing communications about travel offers, discounts, and destination guides.
· For Personalization: To tailor your experience by showing you relevant travel options, deals, and advertisements based on your search history and preferences.
· For Legal and Regulatory Compliance: To comply with Indian laws, including tax regulations (e.g., maintaining records for GST purposes), and to respond to lawful requests from government authorities.
3. Legal Basis for Processing (Under DPDPA, 2023)
We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds as per the DPDPA:
· Consent: For sending promotional/marketing communications and using non-essential cookies. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
· Legitimate Use: This includes processing necessary to fulfill a contract with you (e.g., completing your travel booking) and for our legitimate interests, such as improving our services, ensuring security, and promoting our business, as long as it does not override your fundamental rights.
4. How We Share Your Information
We may share your personal data with third parties only in the following scenarios:
· Travel Partners: Airlines, hotels, bus operators, cab services, and tour operators to fulfill your bookings.
· Trusted Third-Party Vendors: Payment gateways, cloud storage providers, data analytics services, customer support platforms, and marketing agencies. These partners are bound by strict contracts to protect your data.
· Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a part of our assets, your data may be transferred to the new owner.
· Legal Obligations: When required to disclose information by law, court order, or government authority (e.g., tax authorities, law enforcement agencies) to comply with a legal obligation.
5. Data Retention
We will not retain your personal data beyond the period necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (e.g., for GST audit purposes, we may retain financial records for 6-7 years). We will securely delete or anonymize your data upon the expiry of the retention period.
6. Your Rights Under the DPDPA
As a Data Principal, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
· Right to Access: You can request a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how we are processing it.
· Right to Correction and Erasure: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or misleading data, update incomplete data, or erase your personal data.
· Right to Grievance Redressal: You have the right to readily available means of registering a grievance with us.
· Right to Nominate: You can nominate another individual to exercise your rights in the event of your death or incapacity.
· Right to Withdraw Consent: You can withdraw your consent for the processing of your data at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Grievance Officer using the details provided in Section 10.
7. Children's Data
Our Services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with data, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete such information.
8. Data Security
We implement reasonable security practices and procedures—including technical, physical, and administrative controls—in line with the DPDPA to protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
9. International Data Transfer
Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside India, for example, when we use cloud servers located in another country or when you book an international hotel. We will ensure such transfers are made only to territories recognized as "safe" by the Indian government or under appropriate safeguards as per the DPDPA.
10. Grievance Officer
In compliance with the DPDPA, we have appointed a Grievance Officer. If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about this policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact:
Name: Raviraj
Email: raviraj.devaraj@westerntravellers.com
Address: Next Cowork, Ranka Colony Rd, Munivenkatppa Layout, Bilekahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560076
We will address your grievances within the timelines prescribed by applicable laws.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed.