Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how VewTopia (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your information when you visit vewtopia.com (the “Site”). By using the Site, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. Information we collect

Information you provide directly

• Account information: When you create an account, we collect your email address and a password (stored as a one-way hash). We may also collect a display name if you provide one.
• Email and contact submissions: When you subscribe to our newsletter, sign up for location-based alerts, request a travel insurance quote, or submit our contact form, we collect your email address and any details you choose to share (such as your name, city, trip dates, or message).
• Insurance quote requests: Trip type, duration, departure date, and email so we can respond to your request.
• Alert subscriptions: City, state, approximate latitude/longitude, subscription type, and email so we can send relevant travel alerts.

Information collected automatically

• Usage and device data: IP address, browser type, device type, referring URLs, pages viewed, and timestamps.
• Location data: Approximate location derived from your IP address or, when you explicitly search for a destination, the city or coordinates you enter. We do not track your precise real-time location.
• Cookies and local storage: See Section 5 below for details.

Information from third-party integrations

When you interact with features powered by our partners (event search, hotel search, experiences, car rentals, and product listings), those partners may collect information directly from you under their own privacy policies. VewTopia receives limited data such as search queries and click events to display results.

2. How we use your information

• To operate, maintain, and improve the Site and its features.
• To create and manage your account and authenticate your sessions.
• To send newsletters, travel alerts, and insurance quote responses you have requested.
• To respond to contact submissions and provide support.
• To measure and analyze how visitors use the Site so we can improve content and performance.
• To track affiliate link clicks and impressions so we can attribute commissions and report on placements.
• To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues.
• To comply with legal obligations.

3. User accounts and authentication

Account creation is optional. If you create an account, your email and a hashed password are stored in our database. We use PocketBase for authentication, which handles password hashing and session management. You may request password reset via the built-in reset flow, and you can delete your account at any time by contacting us.

4. Affiliate integrations and third-party APIs

VewTopia integrates with several third-party services to provide event, travel, and product information. When you click an affiliate link or use a partner-powered feature, you leave VewTopia and are subject to that partner’s privacy policy. Our current integrations include:

• Ticketmaster: Powers event and ticket search. We send search queries and receive event data. Clicks may be tracked for affiliate attribution.
• Expedia: Powers hotel and accommodation search. We send destination and date parameters and receive property listings.
• Viator: Powers experiences and activities. We send destination queries and receive experience listings.
• DiscoverCars: Powers car rental search across multiple channels. We send pickup location and dates and receive rental offers.
• Amazon Associates: Powers product links in our gear catalog. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon sets cookies on your browser when you click through.
• Google Maps Platform: Powers location suggestions, interactive maps, and nearby-place information. Google may process session information under its own privacy policy.

VewTopia does not sell your personal information to these partners. We share only the data necessary to fulfill your request (for example, a search query or a click event).

5. Cookies and local storage

VewTopia uses cookies and browser local storage to remember your preferences, keep you signed in, measure traffic, and support affiliate attribution. We use the following categories:

• Essential cookies: Required for authentication and core site functionality. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the Site so we can improve it.
• Affiliate and advertising cookies: Set by our partners (such as Amazon) when you click through, to attribute referrals.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some features of the Site, such as staying signed in. Our cookie consent banner lets you accept or decline non-essential cookies on your first visit.

6. Analytics and tracking

We use analytics tools to collect aggregated usage data such as page views, session duration, and traffic sources. This data is used in aggregate and does not identify you personally. Affiliate click and impression tracking records which placements you interact with so we can attribute commissions; this is tied to anonymous placement metadata rather than your identity unless you are signed in.

7. Email and contact collection

When you subscribe to our newsletter or alerts, we store your email address and send you the content you requested. We include an unsubscribe link in every email, and you can also manage your subscription through the unsubscribe page. We do not rent or sell your email address. Contact form submissions are stored to respond to your inquiry and are not shared with third parties.

8. Data retention

We retain account information for as long as your account is active. Newsletter and alert subscriptions are retained until you unsubscribe. Contact submissions are retained as long as needed to respond and for reasonable record-keeping. Analytics data is retained in aggregate for up to 26 months. You may request early deletion at any time.

9. Data security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including hashed passwords, encrypted connections (HTTPS), and access controls. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.

10. Your rights — GDPR (European Economic Area and UK)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you the following rights over your personal data:

• Right of access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”): Request deletion of your personal data.
• Right to restrict processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
• Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for processing that relies on consent at any time.
• Right to lodge a complaint: Complain to your local data protection authority.

We process personal data on the legal bases of consent, contract (account management), legitimate interests (site operation and improvement), and legal obligation. To exercise any of these rights, contact us through the contact page.

11. Your rights — CCPA (California)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives you the following rights:

• Right to know: Request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect, the sources, the purpose, and the third parties we share it with.
• Right to delete: Request deletion of personal information we collected from you.
• Right to opt out of sale or sharing: VewTopia does not sell your personal information. We do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. No opt-out is necessary because no sale or sharing occurs.
• Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

To submit a CCPA request, contact us through the contact page. We will verify your identity before responding and provide the information within 45 days.

12. Children’s privacy

VewTopia is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

13. International transfers

Your information may be processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses to protect data transferred outside the EEA, UK, or Switzerland.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on this page and revise the “last updated” date. Material changes will be noted on the Site or, where appropriate, communicated by email.

15. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us. We will respond in accordance with applicable law.