Privacy Policy
Last updated: [June 30th, 2026]
Ember & Tide ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights.
We are the data controller for the purposes of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who we are
Ember & Tide is an independent travel advisor based in Eastbourne, UK, specialising in personalised family travel planning.
What information we collect
We may collect and process the following information about you:
Contact details — name, email address, phone number
Enquiry details — information you provide about your family, travel preferences, budget, dates, and destinations of interest, submitted via our enquiry form
Booking and travel details — passport details, dates of birth, special requirements (e.g. dietary, mobility, medical), and payment information, where you proceed with a booking
Information about your children, where relevant to a family booking — provided to us by you, the parent or guardian, as part of arranging family travel
Technical information — IP address, browser type, and how you use our website (see our Cookie Policy)
Communications — records of calls, emails, and messages between us, so we can deliver and improve our service
How we collect it
Directly from you, via our enquiry form, email, phone, or in person
From your use of our website (via cookies and analytics — see Cookie Policy)
From third parties, where applicable — e.g. tour operators, airlines, or accommodation providers, where this is necessary to fulfil a booking
Why we use your information
We use your personal data to:
Respond to your enquiry and provide tailored holiday recommendations
Arrange, confirm, and manage your travel booking
Communicate with you before, during, and after your trip
Meet our legal, regulatory, and financial protection obligations (including under ABTA and ATOL requirements)
Improve our website and service
Send you relevant offers or travel inspiration, only where you have given consent to marketing communication
Our legal bases for processing this data are: performance of a contract (arranging your travel), legitimate interests (responding to enquiries, improving our service), legal obligation (financial protection and regulatory record-keeping), and consent (marketing communications, where applicable).
Children's data
Where you provide information about your children as part of a family booking, you confirm that you do so as their parent or legal guardian, with authority to share this information with us for the purpose of arranging the family's travel. We do not knowingly collect information directly from children, and we use children's data solely for the purpose of the booking.
Who we share your information with
We may share your information with:
Tour operators, airlines, accommodation providers, and other suppliers necessary to arrange your booking
Our host travel agency / ABTA member through which bookings are processed and financially protected, if applicable
Payment processors, to handle transactions securely
Professional advisors (e.g. accountants, insurers) where necessary
Regulatory or legal bodies, where required by law
We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
International transfers
Where a booking involves travel outside the UK, your personal data (such as passport details) may need to be shared with suppliers, accommodation providers, or authorities in other countries to facilitate your trip. We take reasonable steps to ensure such transfers are handled securely and in line with UK data protection law.
How long we keep your information
We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this policy, including any legal, accounting, or regulatory requirements. Booking-related records are typically retained for ABTA/ATOL and HMRC record-keeping requirements; commonly 6 years for financial records. Enquiry data from people who do not go on to book may be retained for a shorter period and deleted if there has been no engagement for 2 years.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
Access the personal data we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate data
Request deletion of your data, where applicable
Object to or restrict certain processing
Request a copy of your data in a portable format
Withdraw consent to marketing at any time
Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been mishandled — ico.org.uk
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below.
Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact:
You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — ico.org.uk — if you have concerns about how your data is handled.