Cookies and privacy
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect and use your data. It also tells you your rights over your data and how to contact us if you have a query or complaint. We value your trust and want you to be informed about our practices.
This Privacy Policy should be read in conjunction with our Cookie Policy and our Website terms and conditions. We take care to keep your information secure and to prevent any unauthorised access or use of it. We process all information in accordance with applicable UK Data Protection Legislation.
We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time and the change will take effect once the revised Privacy Policy is available on our Website and/or mobile app. Therefore, please refer to this Policy each time you submit your personal information.
Who we are
Distant Journeys UK Ltd (registered number 08994196), a company registered in England and Wales. Our registered address is 8 Hattersley Court, Ormskirk, L39 2AY. The company is registered in England with company number, and all our holidays are fully protected by the Civil Aviation Authority – ATOL number 10913.
The Data Protection Officer (DPO) can be contacted at [email protected]
How do we collect data?
We collect data directly from you when you interact with us. That includes when you make a booking or enquire about our holidays, when you request a brochure or other information, browse our website or contact us in any other way.
What data do we collect?
The personal information we collect about you may include your name, contact information and interactions with our website, app, contact centre, social media or other channels.
When you make a booking with us, we may additionally collect passport information, date of birth, nationality, criminal convictions (if applying for an Australian ETA through Distant Journeys), insurance details, dietary requirements or medical conditions (where required and appropriate) and payment information.
This may also include information of other individuals with whom you are travelling.
We do not intentionally collect data from anyone under the age of 18. Customers must be 18 or over to make a booking. We will only process children’s details with the permission of an appropriate adult, for example when you include them on a holiday booking.
Special category information
We may collect details of any medical condition you have.
We collect this data with your consent and only use it for the purposes of ensuring we can provide you with any support that you may need regarding your booking.
We may collect details regarding medical conditions or ethnicity for our employees with their consent, so that we can support them appropriately and to ensure best employment practice.
How do we use your data?
We will use your data to provide you with travel arrangements, show you relevant offers and information, respond to queries or other purposes associated with the operation of our business.
We will never use your data without a legitimate reason to do so. The bases under which we may process your data are as follows –
(a) Consent: you have consented to us processing your data
(b) Contract: the processing is necessary for use to perform the contract we have agreed with you, such as travel arrangements
(c) Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for us to comply with the law
(d) Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.
(e) Public task: the processing is necessary for us to perform a task in the public interest
(f) Legitimate interests: we have a legitimate reason for processing your data, which is not over-ridden by your own rights
The table below details ways in which we may use your data and the lawful basis under which we do so.
To provide the requested services to you | Contract Legal obligation |
To send you information about your bookings | Contract |
To send you information you request or answer queries | Contract |
To send you marketing materials and other communications that we think will interest you | Legitimate Interest Consent |
To process job applications | Legal obligation Contract |
To ask you to complete surveys or provide feedback in other ways | Legitimate interest |
To notify you about changes to our products and services | Legitimate interest Legal obligation |
To carry out necessary identity checks and fulfil our legal and regulatory obligations | Legal obligation |
For statistical and analysis purposes | Legitimate interest |
To improve our products and services | Legitimate interest |
Social media posts about us | Legitimate Interest |
Process payments | Contract |
Who do we share your data with?
We take our responsibility to protect your data seriously and only share data where there is a valid reason to do so. We never share your data with other companies for their own marketing purposes.
We may share your data with third parties in order to ensure that your holiday experience is fully delivered. This may include airlines, hotels, ferry companies, cruise companies and destination management companies. They will only use your information for operational purposes.
We may also share your data with companies that help us run our business, such as printers, data or marketing agencies, app providers, social media companies, email service providers or payment processors.
We may share your data with legal bodies or authorities if we are required to do so.
Marketing
We may send you marketing communications from time to time for products or services we think will interest you. We may send this through email, direct mail, phone calls, SMS or social media channels. You can opt out, or tell us to stop at any time.
You may receive marketing from us because you have consented to us sending it, such as by requesting information or making another type of enquiry. If you have made a booking with us or expressed a strong interest in doing so, or requested a brochure, we may send you marketing as a result of our legitimate interest to do so.
Alternatively, you can write to us at 8 Hattersley Court, Ormskirk, L39 2AY or email [email protected]. Should you advise us that you wish to opt-out of receiving marketing materials, you may still receive service related communications regarding any holiday you have booked with us, information you have requested or any other important information.
How long do we keep your data for?
We will retain your information for a period necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this privacy policy. How long we retain your data depends on the nature of the information and the reason for which it was collected. We will retain your data only for as long as is necessary to provide you with our service, meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, and maintain business records.
Unsuccessful job applications will typically be deleted after 6 months. Employee information will normally be retained for up to 6 years after employment ceases.
Website and Cookies
The Distant Journeys website uses cookies, which is data from our website stored on your computer, so we recognise your computer when you re-visit our site.
The majority of website browsers will permit you to amend your settings and will notify you if a cookie is present or will reject cookies. Should you prefer not to accept cookies from our site, please be aware that you may not be able to access all areas of the site fully. Distant Journeys also uses third party cookies (based on people choosing to visit our site) which allow us to show electronic adverts. You can choose to opt out of these third-party cookies used for adverts whenever you wish by going to the opt-out page of: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/. On occasion, we may use third party cookies to assist with analysing how visitors use our site, with a view to improving the experience for future users.
When you access or interact with our website, we may collect certain information about your device and browsing activity. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Your IP address or other unique device identifiers
- Browser type and version (e.g., Chrome, Edge)
- Operating system and platform (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)
- URLs of pages visited on our website
- Referring websites or links used to access our site
- Login credentials used when accessing our manage booking service
- Information about the tours you view and related browsing behaviour
- The duration of your visits to specific pages
This information is collected using cookies and similar tracking technologies. You will be given the opportunity to decide which cookies you want to accept when you first visit our site and this can be updated any time using the table below.
We collect this information to:
- Operate, manage, and maintain the functionality and security of our website
- Monitor and analyse usage patterns to enhance user experience
- Diagnose and resolve technical issues
- Measure and assess user engagement and satisfaction
- Support our legitimate business interests in providing a reliable and effective online service
App Privacy Policy
We use a partner agency called Vamoos for the hosting of the Distant Journeys Travel app, a free application for your smartphone or tablet, bringing together your travel documents, helpful information, insider tips, inspiration and advice in one handy hub. Details of their Privacy Policy can be found here: https://www.vamoos.com/android-privacy-policy/
Changes to our Privacy Policy
From time-to-time Distant Journeys may amend this Privacy Policy, and the amended version will be featured on our website. The website version of the Privacy Policy should be referred to for our most up to date information.
Your rights
You have rights over your data and how it is processed.
- A right to be informed as to what personal data we are processing, as laid out in this Privacy Policy.
- A right to access the personal data we hold about you.
- A right to request erasure of your personal data.
- A right to rectification of any inaccuracies in your personal data.
- A right to restrict processing of your personal data
- A right to data portability
- A right to object to the processing of your personal data
- A right to object to automated decision making, including profiling
- A right to consent or withdraw your consent for the processing of your personal data
- A right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority if you believe your data protection rights have been violated.
To exercise your rights, or to update and access details related to the personal information we hold about you, you can email us at [email protected] or by writing to us at: Privacy Officer, Distant Journeys Ltd., 8 Hattersley Court, Ormskirk, L39 2AY.
If you have a complaint and you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority.
