This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use and protect personal information when you visit or use Tour Guide in China by Tina at tourguideinchina.com, contact me about a booking, or use my factory guide, interpreter and travel guide services.
I am an independent freelancer based in Guangzhou, China. In this policy, “I,” “me” and “my” refer to Tina and Tour Guide in China by Tina. “Website” refers to tourguideinchina.com.
1. Information I May Collect
I may collect the following information when you contact me or request a service:
- Your name and contact details, such as email address, telephone number, WhatsApp or WeChat ID.
- Your preferred travel or factory-visit dates.
- Your starting location, hotel, factory, market, meeting or attraction addresses.
- Information about your itinerary, group size, luggage, accessibility needs or dietary requirements.
- Business information that you choose to provide, such as product categories, supplier details, order quantities, specifications, target prices or meeting notes.
- Payment, deposit and invoicing information needed to arrange a booking. Payment card details should be entered through the relevant payment provider and are not intended to be sent through the Website contact form.
- The content of messages, attachments, photographs or documents that you voluntarily send to me.
- Technical information collected when you use the Website, such as IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, approximate location and basic usage information, where analytics or security tools are enabled.
Please do not send passport numbers, bank passwords, full payment-card numbers, government identification documents or other highly sensitive information through the general contact form unless I specifically request it through an appropriate secure channel.
2. How I Use Information
I may use personal information to:
- Reply to questions, quote requests and booking enquiries.
- Check availability and coordinate an itinerary.
- Arrange factory, supplier, market, driver, transport or attraction appointments requested by you.
- Provide interpretation, factory guide, sourcing or travel guide services.
- Communicate with suppliers, drivers, hotels, venues, logistics providers or other service partners when this is necessary to deliver the service you requested.
- Process deposits, payments, invoices and refunds through relevant payment providers.
- Understand dietary, accessibility, scheduling or safety requirements.
- Follow up on a booking or supplier task.
- Protect the Website, prevent fraud and maintain security.
- Improve the Website, content and services.
- Comply with legal, tax, accounting or regulatory obligations.
I will not sell your personal information.
3. Legal Bases for Processing
Depending on the situation and the laws that apply to you, I process information because:
- It is necessary to respond to your request or perform a contract with you.
- You have given consent, for example by submitting the contact form and agreeing to be contacted.
- It is necessary for legitimate interests such as Website security, service administration and improving the Website.
- I have a legal or regulatory obligation to keep or disclose certain information.
You may withdraw consent for future processing at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that occurred before the withdrawal.
4. Sharing Information With Service Providers
I may share the minimum information needed to provide a service with trusted third parties, including:
- Drivers, vehicle providers, hotels, venues and local activity providers.
- Factories, suppliers or logistics providers that you ask me to contact.
- Payment processors and financial institutions handling a deposit or payment.
- Website hosting, contact-form, email, security, backup and analytics providers.
- Professional advisers, insurers, law-enforcement agencies or public authorities when required by law or necessary to protect rights and safety.
I do not provide third parties with more information than is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose. I will not share your supplier information or business documents for unrelated marketing without your permission, unless disclosure is required by law.
5. Direct Booking and Partners
If I am unavailable for your requested dates, I may introduce you to a trusted local partner who can provide a similar service. I will tell you before the booking is confirmed. You may decide whether to proceed with that partner.
If you choose a partner, that partner may process your information under their own privacy policy. Ask to review their terms before sending them sensitive information or making a payment.
6. Cookies and Analytics
The Website may use essential cookies or similar technologies needed for basic operation, security and form functionality. If analytics tools are enabled, they may collect information such as pages visited, device type, approximate location and interaction data.
The Website may use Google services or other analytics providers from time to time. Their processing is governed by their own privacy policies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, the Website’s cookie controls. Disabling certain cookies may affect some Website functions.
I do not use cookies to sell your personal information to advertisers.
7. Contact Forms and Communication Channels
When you submit the Website contact form, I use the information to respond to your enquiry and discuss a potential booking. I do not add you to a marketing mailing list unless you separately agree to receive marketing communications.
If you contact me through WhatsApp, WeChat, email or another messaging platform, the platform may collect and process your information under its own terms. Please review the relevant platform’s privacy policy and avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information.
8. International Transfers
I am based in China, and some clients, suppliers, hosting providers, payment processors or communication services may be located in other countries. As a result, your information may be processed across borders.
Where applicable, I will take reasonable steps to use reputable providers and appropriate contractual, technical or organizational safeguards. International data-protection rules may differ from the rules in your home country.
9. How Long I Keep Information
I keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including:
- Responding to an enquiry and managing a potential booking.
- Completing a service and handling follow-up questions.
- Maintaining financial, tax, accounting or legal records.
- Resolving disputes and protecting against fraud or security incidents.
When information is no longer needed, I will delete it, anonymize it or securely restrict access where reasonably practicable. Actual retention periods may depend on the type of record and legal requirements.
10. Security
I take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse or disclosure. No website, email system or online transmission is completely secure, so I cannot guarantee absolute security.
Please contact me promptly if you believe that information has been sent to the wrong person or that your account or communication has been compromised.
11. Children’s Privacy
The Website and services are intended for adults arranging travel, business or sourcing activities. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children for independent marketing or account creation. If a parent or guardian believes that a child has provided personal information to me, please contact me so I can review and delete it where appropriate.
12. Third-Party Websites and Services
The Website may link to third-party websites, booking platforms, maps, payment providers, social-media profiles, hotels, transport providers or supplier websites. I do not control those websites and am not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their privacy policies before submitting personal information.
13. Changes to This Policy
I may update this Privacy Policy when the Website, services, technology or legal requirements change. The latest version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Please check this page before providing new personal information.