Effective August 1, 2025 (Last updated October 31, 2025)

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This Privacy Policy explains how Global Citizens, LLC, doing business as Small World Explorers (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects your information when you visit https://www.smallworldexplorers.com/ (the “Website”), communicate with us, and participate in our trips, camps, and related services (the “Services”). If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use the Website or Services.

 

1. Scope & Who This Covers

This Policy applies to personal information we collect online (Website forms, email, third-party form platforms such as Tally) and offline (calls, in-person interactions during trips). It covers booking holders and all travelers on a booking (including minors), prospective customers, and site visitors.
 

We operate primarily in the United States. If you access our Website from outside the U.S., your information may be processed in the U.S., where data-protection laws may differ from those in your country.

 

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly

• Identity & contact: name, email, phone, city/state/country, mailing address.

• Booking details: trip selection, dates, party size, traveler names/ages, parent/guardian status, emergency contacts.

• Travel documents (when requested): passport details, visa/authorization status, known traveler numbers—only as needed to pass to providers that require them.

• Health & preferences (optional/when relevant): dietary needs, allergies, medical considerations relevant to activities, equipment sizing.

• Payment-related: amounts paid, payment method type, and transaction status (processed by third-party payment services such as Stripe, Zelle, or bank transfer platforms; we do not store full card numbers or banking details).

• Communications & media: inquiries, feedback, survey responses; photos/video/reviews you submit; your signed photo/media releases (consent).

 

Information collected automatically

• Device/usage data: IP address, browser/device type, pages viewed, referring pages, time on site, general location (derived from IP).

• Cookies & similar tech: see §7 Cookies & Tracking.

 

Information from others

• Other travelers/organizers who list you on a booking.

• Partner Providers (e.g., hotels, transport, activity/camp operators) who share limited info we need to operate the trip (e.g., rooming lists, activity rosters, incident reports).

• Service providers (payment processors, email tools, website platform/host, analytics) that process data strictly under our instructions.

• Affiliate networks such as CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction), Travelpayouts, Amazon Associates, or similar partners may record basic click-tracking data (e.g., date/time of click and non-identifiable link IDs) when you follow an affiliate link on our Website (for example, to World Nomads). This data does not personally identify you and is used solely for commission attribution.

 

Minors
We collect information about minors from and with their parent/guardian (the booking holder). Parents/guardians must not submit a minor’s information unless they have the legal authority to do so.

 

3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Provide the Services: process inquiries and bookings, manage rosters, rooming, transport, add-ons, and customer support.

• Operate trips safely: verify identities as needed; collect health/dietary info relevant to activities; coordinate with Partner Providers.

• Communicate with you: confirmations, pre-trip materials, itinerary updates, operational notices, policy changes.

• Improve and protect our Services: site analytics, quality assurance, fraud prevention, security.

• Marketing (with appropriate consent): use reviews/photos/video per your signed release and opt-out preferences; send newsletters and offers (you can unsubscribe any time).

• Affiliate tracking and attribution: record anonymous click data to measure referrals and commissions; no sensitive personal data is shared.

• Legal/compliance: enforce our Terms & Conditions, fulfill regulatory and tax obligations, respond to lawful requests.

 

We do not use or disclose sensitive information (e.g., passport numbers, health info) for marketing or profiling; we use it only as necessary to provide the Services and meet safety/compliance requirements.

 

4. How We Share Information

We share information with:

• Partner Providers (hotels, transportation, camps/activities, local guides) to deliver your trip.

• Service providers/processors (e.g., website platform/host, email, cloud storage, payment processors, analytics) under written agreements limiting their use to our instructions.

• Affiliate partners (such as CJ Affiliate / World Nomads, Travelpayouts, or Amazon Associates): When you click an affiliate link on our Website, limited non-personal data (e.g., a cookie ID, timestamp, and referring URL) may be shared with the affiliate network solely for commission tracking. No personal booking, contact, or payment information is transmitted.

• Business transfers (e.g., merger/acquisition) in which case your information remains subject to this Policy or a successor policy with equal or stronger protections.

• Legal/safety: to comply with law or legal process; to protect our customers, staff, and property; to detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents.

 

We do not sell personal information and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. If this changes, we will update this Policy and provide required notices/choices before doing so.

 

5. Payments

We use third-party payment processors (and may use our website platform’s invoicing tools) to accept card, ACH, bank transfer, wire transfer, Zelle, and other payments. Payments are processed through secure third-party services such as Stripe, PayPal, or Wix Payments, and we may add other reputable processors in the future. We receive payment confirmations and limited details (e.g., last four digits, transaction status) but do not store full card numbers or banking credentials. Refunds and chargebacks follow our Cancellation Policy and Terms & Conditions.

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6. Data Retention

We retain personal information as long as needed to provide the Services, comply with legal/ tax/accounting requirements, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Typical retention:

• Booking & financial records: up to 7 years after your trip (or longer if required by law).

• Operational safety records & signed releases: for their useful life.

• Marketing preferences: until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete your info.
  We will delete or de-identify data when retention is no longer necessary.

 

7. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential site functions and basic analytics.

 

Categories we use

• Strictly necessary (essential): required for site security, load balancing, basic functionality.

• Analytics/measurement (limited): to understand aggregate site usage and improve content (Google Analytics or Wix Analytics).

• Affiliate cookies: used by affiliate networks (such as CJ Affiliate / World Nomads, Travelpayouts, or Amazon Associates) to attribute commissions when you click a partner link. These cookies typically record a non-personal identifier (like a cookie ID or timestamp) and do not collect personal, booking, or payment data.

​(If we introduce advertising or personalization cookies in the future, we will update this section and provide the required choices.)

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Your choices

• Browser controls: You can block or delete cookies via your browser settings; essential cookies may be required for core functionality.

• Global Privacy Control (GPC): Where legally required and technically feasible, we honor browser-level opt-out signals such as GPC.

• Do Not Track: Industry standards for DNT are not uniform; we do not respond to DNT at this time, but you can use the options above.

 

We do not sell or share data for cross-context behavioral advertising. If that ever changes, we will provide a clear opt-out.​

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8. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the nature of the data we handle (e.g., HTTPS, access controls, employee confidentiality commitments). No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; please use caution when sending information via email.

 

9. Your Choices & Communications

• Transactional communications: You’ll receive essential booking and service emails; these are not promotional.

• Marketing emails: You can unsubscribe using the link in our emails or by emailing hello.swexplorers@gmail.com.

• Photos/media: You can opt out of identifiable marketing photos/video before departure by emailing us (see your T&C Photo/Video Release).

 

10. State Privacy Rights (California & Others)

We are a small business and may not meet all state privacy law thresholds at this time. Regardless, we aim to respect reasonable requests.

California (CPRA/“CCPA”) and similar state laws (CO/CT/VA/UT)

• If/when we are subject to these laws, residents may have the right to know/access, delete, correct, port, and in some cases limit certain uses of sensitive information; and to opt out of sales or sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising.

• We currently do not sell or share personal information and do not use sensitive information for advertising.

• You may submit a request now and we will honor it as applicable: hello.swexplorers@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity (and, for requests about minors, verify parental authority). We generally respond within 45 days (or explain if we need more time).

• Some states require an appeals process if we deny a request. You can email hello.swexplorers@gmail.com with subject “Privacy Request Appeal” and we will review.

 

California Civil Code §1798.83 (Shine the Light)
We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their direct marketing.

 

11. Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent (COPPA). If you believe a child under 13 provided information without consent, contact hello.swexplorers@gmail.com and we will delete it.

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12. International Visitors

If you are outside the U.S., you acknowledge your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States (and, where necessary, other countries) by us and our service providers. We will protect your information as described in this Policy.

13. Third-Party Links & Services

Our Website may link to third-party sites or services (e.g., Tally forms, payment pages, affiliate offers, partner sites). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the revised Policy with a new Effective Date at the top. Material changes will be highlighted or otherwise communicated when appropriate.

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