Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 31, 2026

1. Who We Are

Smart Travel Planner ("we", "us", "our") is a travel content website operated at smarttravelplannr.com. We provide free travel guides, planning tools and destination advice. If you have any questions about this policy, contact us at contact@smarttravelplannr.com.

2. What Data We Collect

We collect the following types of data when you use our site:

• Analytics data — pages visited, time on site, device type, browser, country. Collected automatically via Google Analytics 4. This data is anonymised and aggregated.
• Email address — only if you voluntarily subscribe to our newsletter via ConvertKit. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• Cookies — small files stored in your browser. Used by Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity and our affiliate partners to track referrals. See Section 4 for details.
• Heatmap and session data — Microsoft Clarity records anonymised mouse movements and scroll patterns to help us improve page layouts. No personally identifiable information is captured.

We do not collect: names, addresses, phone numbers, payment information or any sensitive personal data unless you voluntarily provide it by contacting us.

3. How We Use Your Data

• To understand which articles and tools are most useful to our readers (Analytics)
• To send you our weekly travel tips newsletter (if you subscribed)
• To improve the layout and usability of our site (Clarity heatmaps)
• To track affiliate referrals so we can receive commission from our partners (cookies)
• To comply with our legal obligations

We never use your data for advertising, profiling or automated decision-making.

4. Cookies

Our site uses the following cookies:

• Google Analytics (_ga, _gid, _ga_*) — analytics cookies that expire after 2 years. Anonymised. You can opt out via Google's opt-out tool.
• Microsoft Clarity (_clck, _clsk) — session recording cookies. Anonymised. No PII captured.
• Affiliate tracking cookies — set by Travelpayouts, Kiwi.com, Booking.com, Klook, Viator, GetYourGuide, Trip.com and Amazon Associates when you click our affiliate links. These cookies track whether a purchase is made so we receive commission.
• Google Translate — session cookies used if you use our language switcher.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some features. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing ones.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data under their own privacy policies:

• Google Analytics 4 — Privacy Policy
• Microsoft Clarity — Privacy Policy
• ConvertKit — email newsletter provider — Privacy Policy
• Google Translate — language translation — Privacy Policy
• Travelpayouts — affiliate network — Privacy Policy
• Amazon Associates — affiliate programme — Privacy Policy
• Gumroad — digital product delivery — Privacy Policy
• Netlify — website hosting — Privacy Policy

6. Your Rights (GDPR & PDPPL)

If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom, Qatar or another jurisdiction with data protection laws, you have the following rights:

• Right to access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure — request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restriction — request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to portability — request your data in a portable format
• Right to object — object to processing of your data for certain purposes
• Right to withdraw consent — unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in any email

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@smarttravelplannr.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Data Retention

• Analytics data — retained for 14 months in Google Analytics (default GA4 setting)
• Email addresses — retained until you unsubscribe from our newsletter
• Contact enquiries — retained for up to 2 years then deleted

8. Data Security

Our site is hosted on Netlify with HTTPS encryption on all pages. We do not store payment information — all transactions go through our partners' secure platforms (Amazon, Gumroad, Booking.com etc.). We use industry-standard security measures but no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

9. Children's Privacy

Our site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent version. Continued use of our site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.