PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: June 6, 2026
Website Owner (Data Controller):
Vera Soublechero Alvarez
Pl. Isabel la Católica, 1, 7º Piso, Centro, 18009 Granada, Spain
Email: vera@onlyatourguide.com
Website: www.onlyatourguide.com

1. Introduction

Welcome. This Privacy Policy explains how I, Vera Soublechero Alvarez, collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit this website, submit travel stories, or sign up to receive emails from me.

I am established in Spain. This policy complies with:

  • The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

  • The Spanish Data Protection Act (Ley Orgánica 3/2018, “LOPDGDD”)

  • Applicable EU and Spanish e‑privacy and cookie laws

2. Who I Am and How to Contact Me

Data Controller: Vera Soublechero Alvarez
Postal address: Pl. Isabel la Católica, 1, 7º Piso, Centro, 18009 Granada, Spain
Email: vera@onlyatourguide.com
Website: www.onlyatourguide.com

For any questions about this policy or to exercise your data protection rights, contact me at the email above.

3. What Personal Data I Collect

a) Travel Stories Submitted by You
If you submit a travel story, history, or narrative through this website, I collect:

  • Your name

  • Your email address

  • The full text of your travel story or history

  • Any additional content you include (photos, location details, dates, etc.)

b) Email Sign‑Ups
If you sign up to receive emails from me, I collect:

  • Your email address

  • Your name (if provided)

  • The date and time you signed up

c) Technical and Usage Data
When you visit this website, I may automatically collect:

  • IP address

  • Browser type and version

  • Device information

  • Pages visited and time spent on the site

  • Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 8)

d) Hosting and Platform Data (Squarespace)
This website is hosted by Squarespace, which collects technical data to provide:

  • Site hosting and performance

  • Security and fraud prevention

  • Core platform analytics

Squarespace's privacy policy applies to their data collection:
https://www.squarespace.com/privacy

e) Contractual requirement
Providing your name, email address, and story content is necessary if you wish to submit a travel story. If you do not provide this information or do not accept the Story Submission Terms, you will not be able to submit a story. Providing your email address for marketing communications is optional.

4. How I Use Your Personal Data

a) Travel Stories
I use submitted travel stories to:

  • Review and potentially publish them

  • Contact you regarding your submission

  • Exercise the exploitation rights you have granted me under the Story Submission Terms (see Section 6)

  • Translate, adapt, reproduce, distribute, and commercially exploit the story in any medium or format worldwide, as permitted under those Terms

b) Email Sign‑Ups
I use email addresses to:

  • Send occasional emails about my books (Only a Tour Guide Can Tell You and Guiando voy) and the OTG community

  • Share news about tours, events, and promotions

  • Maintain my community of traveling storytellers

  • Notify you about new content or projects

c) Website Operations
I use technical data to:

  • Operate and maintain this website

  • Analyze usage and improve user experience

  • Protect website security

  • Comply with legal obligations

5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under GDPR, I process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

  • Travel stories: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party – the Story Submission Terms that you accept before submitting your story (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR).

  • Special categories of personal data included in stories (if any): Your explicit consent, where required by Article 9(2)(a) GDPR.

  • Email sign‑ups: Your explicit consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may withdraw your consent at any time.

  • Website operation and security: My legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR) in providing a secure and functional website.

  • Non‑essential analytics and marketing cookies: Your consent, given through the cookie banner (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR, together with applicable e‑privacy rules).

6. Travel Stories and Rights Transfer

The submission of travel stories is governed by the separate Story Submission Terms, which you must accept when sending your story. By checking the corresponding box, you grant me, Vera Soublechero Alvarez, extensive exploitation rights to your story. The Terms cover:

  • Full transfer of economic exploitation rights (copyright, publishing, adaptation, translation, audio‑visual rights, etc.)

  • Worldwide, perpetual, and irrevocable grant (subject to moral rights)

  • No further compensation

Please read the Story Submission Terms carefully before submitting your story. If you do not agree, do not submit your story.

Special categories of data: Your story may reveal sensitive information (for example, ethnic origin, health, religion). You are advised not to include such data. If you nevertheless include it, you explicitly consent to its processing for the purposes of reviewing and exploiting your story.

7. Email Communications and Marketing

  • I only send emails to people who have explicitly signed up to receive them. I do not send spam.

  • Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

  • You may also contact me directly at vera@onlyatourguide.com to request removal from my email list.

  • I do not sell your email address or share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

a) What Cookies I Use

  • Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function (Squarespace infrastructure).

  • Analytics Cookies: Squarespace Analytics is used to understand site usage. Google Analytics and other third‑party analytics tools are not currently active.

  • Marketing Cookies: I do not currently use Meta Pixel, Google Ads, or similar advertising cookies. If I activate these tools in the future, I will update this policy and request your consent before placing such cookies.

For a complete list of the specific cookies we use, their purposes and durations, please see our [Cookie Policy]([Insert the full URL of your Cookie Policy page here]).

b) Your Consent
Non‑essential cookies (analytics and marketing) are only placed after you accept them through the cookie banner. The banner allows you to accept or reject cookies by category with equal ease. You can change your preferences at any time through the “Cookie Settings” link on the website, or by clearing cookies and adjusting your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

9. Data Retention

I keep your personal data for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

  • Travel stories that are published or accepted for exploitation: Indefinitely, as they form part of the literary works I may exploit under the Story Submission Terms.

  • Unpublished or rejected story submissions: Will be deleted or anonymized within 24 months, unless retention is necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

  • Email sign‑ups: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion.

  • Technical data: Up to 12 months for analytics purposes.

10. Data Security

I take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration, including:

  • SSL encryption (HTTPS) provided by Squarespace

  • Secure hosting infrastructure

  • Limited access to your data

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. I cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Third‑Party Services

This website may use third‑party services that collect technical data:

ServicePurposePrivacy PolicySquarespaceWebsite hosting and platformSquarespace PrivacySquarespace AnalyticsSite traffic and usage analyticsSquarespace AnalyticsGoogle AnalyticsWeb analyticsNot currently active. If activated, used only with consent. Google PrivacyEmail service providers (e.g., Mailchimp)Email marketingSee provider’s privacy policyPayment processors (if applicable)Secure transaction processingSee processor’s privacy policy

I do not control these third parties’ privacy practices. Please review their privacy policies.

12. Form Blocks and Data Collection

This website uses Squarespace Form Blocks for:

  • Contact forms

  • Newsletter sign‑ups

  • Travel story submissions

When you submit a form:

  • Your data is stored in Squarespace and/or forwarded to my email inbox

  • I use it only for the purpose for which you submitted it

  • I do not sell your personal data. I may share data with trusted service providers who process it on my behalf, as described in this policy.

For newsletter sign‑ups, you must explicitly opt in.
For travel story submissions, you must explicitly agree to the Privacy Policy and the Story Submission Terms.

13. E‑Commerce and Payments (If Applicable)

If I sell products or services through this website:

  • Payments are processed by third‑party processors (Stripe, PayPal, Squarespace Payments, etc.)

  • Transaction data is processed securely by the payment processor, not stored by me

  • PCI compliance is handled by the payment processor

Please see the payment processor’s privacy policy for details.

14. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a person in the EU, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

RightWhat It MeansAccessRequest a copy of your personal dataRectificationRequest correction of inaccurate dataErasureRequest deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”)RestrictionRequest limitation of how I process your dataPortabilityRequest transfer of your data to another serviceObjectionObject to processing based on legitimate interestWithdraw ConsentWithdraw consent at any time (for email marketing)

To exercise these rights, contact me at vera@onlyatourguide.com. I will respond within one month. This period may be extended by two additional months where necessary, considering the complexity and number of requests, in which case I will inform you.

I do not use your personal data for automated decision‑making, including profiling, that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

Important Note on Submitted Stories:
Because your story is processed for the performance of the Story Submission Terms, your right to erasure does not automatically require me to delete the entire story. However, I will delete or anonymize personal identifiers (name, email address) from public display whenever you request. For personal data woven into the narrative itself, I will balance your request against my contractual rights and the integrity of the work; where feasible, I will remove identifying details.

15. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the EU (for example, the United States, where Squarespace’s servers are located). Where required, I rely on appropriate safeguards such as EU Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decisions, or provider participation in an approved transfer framework. Contact me for more information on these safeguards.

16. Children’s Privacy

This website is not intended for children under 14 years of age (the digital consent age under Spanish law). I do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 14. If I learn I have collected such data, I will delete it promptly.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The updated version will include a new “Effective Date”. If changes materially affect how I process your personal data, I will take appropriate steps to inform you and, where required, request your consent again. I recommend reviewing this policy regularly.

18. Contact Me

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or the Story Submission Terms, contact me at:

Vera Soublechero Alvarez
Pl. Isabel la Católica, 1, 7º Piso, Centro, 18009 Granada, Spain
Email: vera@onlyatourguide.com
Website: www.onlyatourguide.com

19. Complaints

If you believe I have violated your data protection rights, you may contact the Spanish Data Protection Agency (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos, AEPD):

  • Website: https://www.aepd.es

  • Address: C/ Jorge Juan, 10, 28001 Madrid, Spain

  • Email: contacto@aepd.es