Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

Journey DMC arranges tailor-made journeys through the Kingdom of Bhutan, working alongside licensed local guides, hoteliers, and the Department of Tourism to deliver our signature high-value, low-impact travel experiences. This policy sets out how we handle the personal data of guests travelling to Bhutan, and reflects the requirements of Bhutan's Data Protection Act as well as tourism regulations administered by the Tourism Council of Bhutan.

Booking a Bhutan itinerary with us, or browsing the Bhutan pages of our website, means you accept the practices described below.

2. Data We Gather

Directly from you:

  • Name, nationality, passport details, and photograph for visa clearance and permit applications
  • Contact information (email, phone, home address)
  • Health declarations or fitness notes relevant to high-altitude trekking
  • Dietary needs, religious considerations, and accessibility requirements
  • Payment details, including confirmation of the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) payment
  • Emergency contact information

Gathered automatically:

  • Browser and device identifiers
  • Website navigation patterns and referral sources
  • Cookie data used to remember your preferences on our site

3. Why We Process This Data

  • Securing your Bhutan Visa Clearance and coordinating with the Tourism Council of Bhutan
  • Calculating and remitting your Sustainable Development Fee
  • Reserving accommodation, transport, and licensed guide services within the Kingdom
  • Arranging permits for restricted or protected areas (e.g., Bumthang, Haa, or trekking routes requiring special clearance)
  • Monitoring traveller welfare during high-altitude activities
  • Handling payments and issuing receipts
  • Sending pre-departure briefings and in-country updates
  • Improving our Bhutan trip offerings based on aggregated feedback

4. Who Sees Your Information

We disclose data only where necessary to deliver your trip:

  • The Department of Immigration and Tourism Council of Bhutan (for visa and permit clearance)
  • Government-licensed Bhutanese tour operators and guides who serve as our on-ground partners
  • Hotels and farmhouse hosts across the Kingdom
  • Airlines (including Drukair and Bhutan Airlines) and domestic transport providers
  • Payment gateways processing SDF and tour payments

We do not sell your data. Every local partner is bound by confidentiality obligations consistent with Bhutanese regulation.

5. Cookies

Our site uses cookies to keep your itinerary preferences and language settings. You may disable these in your browser, though some interactive planning tools may stop working correctly.

6. Protecting Your Data

We apply encrypted transmission, restricted internal access, and periodic reviews of our data handling practices. Passport and visa data used for Bhutanese government submissions are stored only as long as required for clearance and legal record-keeping.

7. How Long We Keep It

Visa and permit records are retained in line with Bhutanese immigration record-keeping requirements. Marketing and preference data are kept only until you withdraw consent or your account becomes inactive for an extended period.

8. Your Choices

You may ask us to:

  • Provide a copy of the data we hold on you
  • Correct inaccurate entries (especially passport/visa details, given how strictly Bhutanese authorities check these)
  • Delete your data once legal retention periods lapse
  • Opt out of promotional Bhutan travel updates at any time

Contact us using the details in Section 11 to act on any of these.

9. Minors

Family itineraries to Bhutan are common; where children are included on a booking, we collect only the minimal information required for permits and hotel registration, provided by a parent or guardian.

10. Policy Updates

We may revise this policy as Bhutanese tourism regulations evolve, particularly regarding SDF administration or permit procedures. The latest version will always be posted here with a revision date.

11. Contact

Journey DMC — Bhutan Desk Website: https://journeydmcbhutan.com/ For Bhutan-specific privacy questions, please reference "Bhutan Data Enquiry" in your correspondence.