Last updated: [Friday 12 June 2026]

Paul Polano Tours (“Paul Polano Tours”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly, lawfully and transparently. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you interact with us, how we use it, who we share it with, and the rights you have over your information.

This Policy is aligned with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa. Where applicable to you, we also have regard to the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other relevant data-protection laws.

By using our website, requesting a quote, making a booking, or otherwise sharing your information with us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy.

1. Who we are

Paul Polano Tours is a Cape Town–based tour company offering personalised, professional private and shared tours to local and international guests. Our team of experienced guides shares their knowledge and passion to show you the best of Cape Town and the surrounding region.

Contact details:

• Business name: Paul Polano Tours
• Email: info@paulpolanotours.co.za
• Phone / WhatsApp: +27 (84) 880-3753

2. The information we collect

We only collect the information we need to respond to you, plan your tour and run our business. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

Information you give us directly

• Your name, email address and phone number
• The details of your enquiry or booking, such as preferred tour, dates, group size, pick-up location and special interests
• Passenger details for everyone in your party where needed to deliver the tour
• Payment-related information needed to process your booking (see section 6 below)
• Any special requirements you choose to share with us, such as dietary needs, mobility requirements or medical information that helps us keep you safe and comfortable
• Feedback, reviews, photographs or other content you choose to send us

Information we collect automatically

• Basic technical data when you visit our website, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed and the date and time of your visit
• Information collected through cookies and similar technologies (see section 9 below)

We try to keep data collection to a minimum. If you choose not to provide certain information, we may not be able to process your enquiry or deliver part of your tour.

3. Special (sensitive) information

Some details – such as dietary, mobility, health or medical information – are treated as special personal information under POPIA. We only collect and use this information where you choose to share it, and we use it solely to plan your tour responsibly and to keep you safe and comfortable. You can ask us to remove it at any time.

4. How we use your information

We use your personal information to:

• Respond to your enquiries and provide quotes
• Confirm, manage and deliver your tour bookings
• Arrange transport, guides, entrance permits and any third-party activities included in your tour
• Communicate with you about your booking, including changes, confirmations and follow-ups
• Process payments and keep accurate financial records
• Handle cancellations, refunds and complaints
• Improve our tours, website and customer service
• Send you marketing or trip inspiration only if you have asked to receive it (you can unsubscribe at any time)
• Comply with our legal, tax and regulatory obligations

5. Our lawful basis for processing

We process your personal information on the following grounds:

• Performance of a contract – to respond to enquiries, confirm bookings and deliver the tours you have requested
• Consent – for optional marketing communications and for any special information such as health or dietary needs
• Legitimate interests – to run, protect and improve our business, prevent fraud and abuse, and understand how our website is used, balanced against your rights
• Legal obligation – to meet our tax, accounting and other legal duties

You may withdraw any consent you have given at any time by contacting us.

6. Payments

When you pay for a tour, your payment is processed by trusted third-party payment providers. We do not store your full card number or security code on our systems. Please note that the payment provider’s own privacy terms will also apply to the handling of your payment information.

7. How we share your information

We treat your information as confidential and only share it where necessary. We may share your information with:

• Tour suppliers and partners – such as transport providers, activity operators, attractions and venues – strictly as needed to deliver your tour
• Service providers – such as our website host, booking and payment platforms, email tools and IT support – who act on our instructions and are required to keep your information secure
• Professional advisers – such as accountants or legal advisers, where reasonably required
• Authorities or regulators – where we are required to do so by law, or to protect our rights, our guests or the public

We do not sell or rent your personal information to anyone.

8. International transfers

Because we work with international guests and some service providers may be located outside South Africa, your information may occasionally be transferred across borders. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information continues to be protected to a standard consistent with POPIA.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to help the site function properly, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used so we can improve it. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings, although some parts of the site may not work as intended if you do. Where required, we will ask for your consent before using non-essential cookies.

10. How long do we keep your information

We keep your information only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy, after which we securely delete or anonymise it. In general:

• Enquiry and quote records are kept for a reasonable period in case you book or get back in touch, then removed
• Booking and financial records are kept for as long as required by South African tax and accounting law
• Marketing contact details are kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove them

11. How we protect your information

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information against loss, misuse and unauthorised access, including secure systems, restricted access and trusted service providers. While we work hard to safeguard your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we continually review and improve our measures.

12. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

• Ask what personal information we hold about you and request access to it
• Ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or out of date
• Ask us to delete information where we are not required to keep it
• Object to or ask us to restrict certain uses of your information
• Withdraw your consent where we rely on it
• Request a copy of certain information in a portable format, where applicable

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer using the details in section 1. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request, and we will respond within the timeframes required by law.

13. Children’s privacy

Our services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without the consent of a parent or guardian. Where a booking includes minors, we rely on the accompanying adult to provide and consent to the use of their details. If you believe we hold a child’s information without proper consent, please contact us and we will address it.

14. Third-party websites

Our website may contain links to other websites, such as social media platforms or partner sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies before sharing your information.

15. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. The “Last updated” date at the top shows when it was last revised. Significant changes will be highlighted where appropriate, and your continued use of our services after an update means you accept the revised Policy.

16. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

• Business name: Paul Polano Tours
• Email: info@paulpolanotours.co.za
• Phone / WhatsApp: +27 (84) 880-3753