Privacy Policy

1Who We Are

Ayan Travels & Tours (Pvt.) Ltd. is a licensed travel and tourism company registered in Pakistan, operating under Government Licence No. 3628, and holding IATA (International Air Transport Association) and TAAP (Travel Agent Accreditation Program) certifications. We are headquartered at:

We provide Umrah packages, hajj services, visa processing, flight ticketing, hotel bookings, and travel consultancy to individual and corporate clients.

2Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following ways:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Identity Information: Full name, date of birth, gender, nationality, religion (for Umrah/Hajj purposes)
• Contact Information: Phone number, WhatsApp number, email address, home/mailing address
• Travel Documents: Passport number, passport expiry date, copy of passport, CNIC/NICOP number, travel history
• Booking Details: Travel dates, destination preferences, number of travellers, special requirements, room preferences
• Payment Information: Bank transfer receipts, EasyPaisa/JazzCash transaction references (we do not store full card numbers)
• Medical Information: If voluntarily disclosed for special assistance, disability requirements, or Hajj/Umrah health declarations
• Enquiry & Communication Records: Messages submitted via our website contact form, WhatsApp, email, or phone

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device & Browser Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URL, click patterns
• Location Data: General geographic location derived from IP address (city/country level only)
• Cookies: Session and preference cookies (see Section 8)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Airline reservation systems (PNR data, booking confirmations)
• Embassy and consulate communications for visa processing
• Hotel and accommodation providers
• Group booking coordinators acting on your behalf

3How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following lawful purposes:

We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

4Information Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for commercial purposes. We only share your information in the following circumstances:

• Airlines & GDS Systems: Your name, passport details, and travel dates are shared with airlines and Global Distribution Systems (e.g. Amadeus, Sabre) to issue tickets
• Hotels & Accommodation: Name, check-in/check-out dates, and contact information shared with hotels to confirm reservations
• Embassies & Consulates: Passport copies, photographs, financial documents, and other visa-required information submitted directly to the relevant embassy or VFS/TLScontact centre
• Ground Transport Operators: Name and contact number shared with transport providers for airport transfers and Ziyarat services
• Regulatory Authorities: Government bodies including FIA (Federal Investigation Agency), PCAA (Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority), and other authorities as required by Pakistani law
• Professional Advisors: Lawyers or accountants under strict confidentiality, only when legally necessary
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred — you will be notified in advance

All third parties we share data with are required to maintain appropriate security measures and may only use your information for the specified purpose.

5Passport & Government-Issued ID

As a travel agency, we necessarily collect and process passport and CNIC/NICOP information as part of our core service delivery. Specifically:

• Passport copies are collected to apply for visas, issue airline tickets, and fulfil Umrah/Hajj requirements
• Passport data is shared only with airlines, hotels, embassies, and immigration authorities as required
• We do not store passport images beyond the period required to complete your booking and related services
• Physical copies of documents are stored in locked filing systems at our Karachi office and are destroyed securely once they are no longer needed
• Digital copies are stored on password-protected systems with access restricted to authorised staff only

6Visa Applications

When you engage us to process a visa application, you authorise us to:

• Collect and compile all required documents on your behalf
• Submit your application to the relevant embassy, consulate, or visa application centre
• Receive correspondence from the embassy regarding your application status
• Forward your original passport to the embassy via secure courier where required

Please note the following important terms regarding visa applications:

• Visa approval is the sole discretion of the respective embassy or consulate. Ayan Travels makes no guarantee of visa approval
• In the event of visa rejection, you remain liable for all government fees and visa charges already paid
• If your passport is sent to an embassy on your behalf, an additional handling charge of PKR 5,000 applies
• Processing times quoted are estimates only and subject to change by the embassy
• We retain copies of your visa application documents for 12 months after the application is resolved

7Payment Information

We accept payments via bank transfer, EasyPaisa, JazzCash, and cash at our office. Regarding payment data:

• We do not collect or store credit/debit card numbers, CVV codes, or banking login credentials
• Bank transfer receipts and transaction references are stored for accounting and audit purposes as required by Pakistani financial regulations
• Payment receipts are issued for all transactions — please retain these for your records
• Financial records are retained for a minimum of 7 years in compliance with Pakistani tax and corporate law

All pricing quoted is subject to exchange rate fluctuations and airline/hotel rate changes. Final amounts are confirmed at the time of booking confirmation.

8Website Cookies & Tracking

Our website (ayantravel.com / any associated domain) uses the following types of cookies:

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on our website. We do not use advertising or retargeting cookies.

9WhatsApp & Email Communications

A significant portion of our client communication occurs through WhatsApp and email. When you contact us through these channels:

• Your phone number and the content of your messages are stored in our communication records
• Messages may be reviewed by authorised Ayan Travels staff for the purpose of fulfilling your booking or enquiry
• WhatsApp messages are subject to Meta (WhatsApp) Privacy Policy in addition to ours
• We do not share your WhatsApp number or email with any marketing third party
• You may opt out of WhatsApp communications at any time by informing us — however, this may affect our ability to deliver your booking information

If you subscribe to our newsletter via our website, you can unsubscribe at any time by contacting us at ayantravel01@gmail.com with the subject line "Unsubscribe".

10Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Our standard retention periods are:

Once the retention period expires, data is securely deleted or anonymised. You may request earlier deletion subject to our legal obligations (see Section 12).

11Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures, including:

• Physical Security: Client documents stored in locked cabinets at our Karachi office, accessible only to authorised staff
• Digital Security: Password-protected systems, access controls, and restricted staff access to sensitive client files
• Secure Communications: We recommend sharing sensitive documents only via WhatsApp's end-to-end encrypted messaging or secure email
• Staff Training: All staff are trained on data confidentiality obligations and are bound by confidentiality agreements
• Website Security: Our website uses HTTPS encryption for all data in transit

12Your Rights

Subject to applicable Pakistani law and any overriding legal obligations, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to Correction: Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
• Right to Object: Object to us processing your information for marketing purposes — opt out at any time
• Right to Restrict: Request that we restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to Portability: Request your data in a structured, commonly used format where technically feasible
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time — this will not affect lawfulness of prior processing

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at ayantravel01@gmail.com with the subject line "Privacy Request". We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

13Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites including airline portals, hotel booking platforms, embassy websites, and visa application centres. These sites operate under their own privacy policies, and we have no control over their data practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party website you visit.

Common third parties our clients interact with include:

• Airblue, AirSial, PIA, Emirates — subject to their respective airline privacy policies
• VFS Global, TLScontact — visa application centres with their own data handling procedures
• Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj & Umrah systems (Nusuk, Absher)
• WhatsApp (Meta) — for our communication channel
• Netlify — our website hosting provider, governed by Netlify's privacy policy

14Children's Privacy

We provide Umrah and travel services to families including children. When minors (under 18 years) are included in a booking:

• All personal data for minors is provided by and collected from the parent or legal guardian
• The parent or guardian is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the minor's information
• We do not directly collect personal data from children without verifiable parental consent
• Minor passenger data is handled with the same security standards as adult data

Our website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children for marketing purposes.

15International Transfers

The nature of international travel services requires that we transfer your personal information to parties located outside Pakistan, including:

• Saudi Arabia: For Umrah and Hajj visa applications, hotel bookings, and ground services
• UAE, UK, USA, Schengen Area, and other visa destinations: Passport and supporting documents submitted to embassies and consulates
• Airline systems: Reservation data transmitted via IATA-compliant Global Distribution Systems

These transfers are necessary to fulfil your travel booking and are conducted in accordance with applicable requirements. We ensure that any party receiving your data is required to protect it appropriately. By engaging our services, you consent to these international transfers as necessary to deliver the services you have requested.

16Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify active clients via email or WhatsApp where required
• Post a notice on our website homepage for 30 days following significant changes

Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We recommend reviewing this page periodically.

17Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through any of the following channels: