Privacy Policy
Draft notice: This privacy policy is a template prepared for a small static website. Items marked [TO CONFIRM] must be completed by the business, and the whole policy should be reviewed by a qualified legal or data-protection professional before publication.
Last updated: [TO CONFIRM: date]
1. Who we are
This website is operated by [TO CONFIRM: legal entity name], [TO CONFIRM: registered address], ("we", "us", "our"). We are a travel business based in Merzouga, Morocco.
If you have any questions about this policy or your personal information, contact us at safarisaharadesert@gmail.com.
2. Our website at a glance
This is a static website. That means:
- There is no user account system and no database on the website.
- Our forms (the contact form, the tour and activity request forms and the trip builder) send what you type, including your name, email address and trip details, to our mailbox by email, using our web host's mail service. Nothing is saved in a database on the website.
- We do not collect card or payment details on this website.
- By default, we do not use analytics or advertising cookies.
3. Information you share with us
When you contact us by WhatsApp or email — whether directly or using the tour builder to prepare your message — we receive the information you choose to send. This typically includes:
- Your name
- Your phone number and/or email address
- Travel details such as dates, number of travellers, preferred tours, comfort level and pickup location
- Any special requests, such as dietary needs, accessibility needs or health information relevant to activities (for example, whether a camel ride is suitable)
- Any other information you include in your messages
Please share only what is needed to plan your trip. If you share health information, we use it only to make your trip safe and suitable.
How we use it
We use this information to:
- Respond to your enquiry and prepare a proposal
- Arrange and deliver your tour, transport, accommodation and activities
- Share necessary details with service providers who help deliver your trip (for example, camps, hotels, drivers or guides) — only what they need
- Communicate with you before, during and after your trip
- Meet legal, accounting or tax obligations
Legal basis
Where data-protection laws such as the GDPR apply, we process your information because it is needed to take steps at your request before entering a contract and to perform that contract, to comply with legal obligations, or for our legitimate interest in responding to enquiries and running our business. Where we rely on your consent (for example, to keep in touch after your trip), you can withdraw it at any time.
[TO CONFIRM: applicable data-protection law(s), including Morocco's Law 09-08 on the protection of personal data and any related registration or declaration requirements]
4. WhatsApp and email
If you contact us via WhatsApp, your messages are processed by WhatsApp (part of Meta) under its own terms and privacy policy. WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted in transit, but WhatsApp may collect certain metadata. We recommend reviewing WhatsApp's privacy policy. The messages and contact details stored on our devices are kept as described in section 7.
If you email us or use the contact form, your message is processed by our web host's mail server and by our email provider [TO CONFIRM: email provider, e.g. Google/Gmail], and stored in our mailbox. To protect against abuse, the contact form keeps a short-lived, anonymised count of messages per visitor for one hour.
5. Hosting and server logs
Our website is hosted by Namecheap [TO CONFIRM: exact hosting product and data location]. Like most web hosts, our hosting provider may automatically record technical information when you visit, such as:
- IP address
- Browser type and device information
- Pages requested and date/time of the request
- Referring website
These logs are used for security, troubleshooting and keeping the website running. They are managed by the hosting provider under its own privacy policy. [TO CONFIRM: whether the business accesses these logs and how long they are retained]
6. Cookies and on-device storage
By default, we do not set cookies on this website.
We do use your browser's localStorage and/or sessionStorage for two convenience features:
- Itinerary builder — to remember your selections while you build a trip, so you do not lose your progress if you move between pages.
- Language preference — to remember which language you prefer.
This information stays on your device only. It is not sent to us or to anyone else unless you choose to send your itinerary via WhatsApp or email. You can clear it at any time through your browser settings (clearing site data or browsing history).
Analytics
We do not currently use analytics tools. [TO CONFIRM: if analytics (e.g. a privacy-friendly analytics service) are added later, update this section with the provider, what is collected, and any consent mechanism]
Third-party content
As built, this website loads no fonts, maps, videos, icons or scripts from external services: fonts and images are served from our own hosting. If that changes (for example, an embedded map or video), we will list the provider here.
7. How long we keep your information
We keep enquiry and booking information for as long as needed to respond to you, deliver your trip and meet legal, accounting and tax obligations. [TO CONFIRM: retention periods, e.g. how long enquiries that do not lead to a booking are kept, and how long booking records are kept]
8. Sharing your information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only:
- With service providers who help deliver your trip, limited to what they need
- With communication and hosting providers described above
- Where required by law or to protect the safety of travellers
Some of these providers may process data outside your country, including outside Morocco or the European Economic Area. [TO CONFIRM: safeguards for international transfers, where applicable]
9. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate information
- Delete your information, where we have no legal reason to keep it
- Restrict or object to certain processing
- Data portability — receive your information in a usable format
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Complain to a data-protection authority — in Morocco, the CNDP [TO CONFIRM], or the supervisory authority in your country of residence
To exercise any of these rights, email safarisaharadesert@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
10. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect the information you share with us, including keeping devices and accounts secure. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so please avoid sending sensitive information (such as full card details or passport scans) unless we specifically request it through an agreed, secure method.
11. Children
Our services are arranged by adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children. Information about children travelling with a family (for example, ages for activity suitability) is provided by a parent or guardian.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it was last changed.
13. Contact
[TO CONFIRM: legal entity name] [TO CONFIRM: registered address] Email: safarisaharadesert@gmail.com