Privacy Policy

Holiday Expertz Inc. acts as the primary Data Controller (or Data Fiduciary under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act) for the personal data processed in connection with our platform, user accounts, and direct bookings.

When you book a stay at an independently owned villa, heritage boutique retreat, or hotel, the relevant property host or homeowner also acts as an independent data recipient or controller with respect to information required to fulfill your reservation and manage check-in on the premises.

For any questions regarding our data governance, you may contact our dedicated privacy team at [privacy email].

We collect personal data directly from you, automatically through your device interactions, and from verified third-party partners.

3.1 Categories of Personal Data Collected

3.2 Data You Provide Voluntarily

When you submit inquiries through our contact forms, provide review ratings, communicate with our concierge, or submit custom travel preferences, we collect the content of your communications and any supporting attachments.

We do not intentionally request or require sensitive personal data (such as religious beliefs, political opinions, biometric identifiers, or genetic records) for standard website browsing or bookings.

In limited circumstances, you may choose to provide special requests—such as dietary restrictions, accessibility accommodations, or mobility needs—which could indirectly indicate health conditions. By providing this information, you grant explicit consent for us and the designated property host to process it strictly for the purpose of accommodating your stay.

We process personal information under the following legal bases and operational purposes:

• Reservation & Stay Fulfillment: To confirm, process, and manage your accommodation bookings, deliver voucher confirmations, and communicate check-in procedures.
• Account Administration: To create, authenticate, and maintain your traveler or property owner dashboard profile.
• Concierge & Customer Support: To resolve inquiries, handle cancellations, process refund requests, and offer real-time assistance.
• Platform Security & Fraud Prevention: To detect malicious bot activity, prevent payment fraud, and audit compliance with our platform policies.
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance: To comply with tax obligations, mandatory tourist police registers, and lawful judicial requests.
• Service Improvements & Editorial Insights: To optimize website navigation, analyze popular travel trends, and refine property curation standards.

Holiday Expertz does not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third-party marketing companies. We share data strictly with:

• Property Hosts and Homeowners: Name, contact details, guest headcount, and special stay requests required to confirm and host your reservation.
• Payment Gateway Service Providers: Encrypted transaction data transmitted directly to PCI-DSS compliant payment processing partners.
• Technology Infrastructure Vendors: Cloud database hosting, SMS and email delivery services, and analytics providers bound by strict confidentiality and data protection agreements.
• Law Enforcement & Government Authorities: When strictly required by law, subpoena, or to protect the safety, rights, and property of Holiday Expertz, our guests, or the public.

Holiday Expertz is headquartered in India. When you access our platform or make international bookings, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in cloud servers located outside your country of residence.

Where cross-border data transfers occur, we implement recognized contractual safeguards, including standard contractual clauses and certified cloud security frameworks, to ensure that your personal information receives comparable protection regardless of geographic location.

We utilize cookies, local browser storage, and web tracking pixels to deliver a smooth user experience.

• Essential Cookies: Required for secure login sessions, booking cart preservation, and core platform navigation.
• Performance & Analytics Cookies: Used to understand site speed, page popularity, and user journeys to continuously improve service delivery.
• Preference Cookies: Used to remember your chosen currency, destination filters, and language preferences.

You can manage or disable cookie preferences through your browser settings [or settings page]. Note that disabling essential cookies may impact booking functionality.

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was gathered, including legal, tax, accounting, and dispute resolution requirements.

Upon expiry of the designated retention schedule, data is permanently destroyed or irreversibly anonymized.

We enforce robust technical, physical, and organizational security protocols to shield personal data against accidental destruction, unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.

• Encryption in Transit & At Rest: All web traffic utilizes TLS 1.3 encryption, and database storage is secured with AES-256 standard encryption.
• Role-Based Access Controls: Access to sensitive reservation and user records is restricted to authorized personnel with strict least-privilege policies.
• Regular Vulnerability Audits: We periodically audit codebase dependencies, perform penetration testing, and maintain real-time threat monitoring.

Under applicable data privacy regulations, you have several enforceable rights:

• Right of Access & Confirmation: You may request a copy of the personal data we maintain about you.
• Right to Correction & Rectification: You may request updates to inaccurate, outdated, or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to overriding statutory recordkeeping requirements.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You may revoke consent for optional processing activities (such as marketing newsletters) at any time.
• Right to Grievance Redressal: You may lodge complaints regarding data processing directly with our Grievance Officer.

To exercise any of these statutory rights, please send an email request to [privacy email].

To facilitate smooth check-ins and direct hospitality, Holiday Expertz shares necessary traveler details (guest names, phone number, stay duration, arrival time) with the host upon reservation confirmation.

Conversely, the traveler receives the host or villa manager's direct contact coordinates, full physical address, and check-in instructions. Neither party is permitted to use the other party's contact details for unauthorized commercial solicitation, harassment, or unlawful purposes.

Our website and reservation services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children.

Where minor children accompany adult guests on a booked holiday, their details (such as age or headcount) must be provided strictly by the accompanying parent or legal guardian. If we discover that personal data has been submitted by a minor without parental consent, we will promptly delete it.

The Holiday Expertz website may feature links to external third-party sites, including digital maps, social media platforms, transport services, and local tour operators.

We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of third-party platforms. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of any third-party websites you visit.

We do not subject users to decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated profiling or automated decision-making algorithms.

[only if used] [We may use automated tools to detect anomalous reservation attempts or fraudulent payment vectors to protect platform integrity.]

We may revise, update, or modify this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect technological improvements, service enhancements, or evolving legal frameworks.

Any modifications will be published on this page with an updated “Last updated: [Effective Date]” notice. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about our data handling standards.

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the details of the designated Grievance Officer for Holiday Expertz are provided below:

All grievances will be acknowledged within 24 to 48 hours and resolved within the statutory timeline specified by applicable law.