Your Travels/Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 18 June 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Lutarea ("we", "us", or "our") handles information in connection with the mobile application Your Travels (the "App") for Apple iOS and iPadOS, including optional Apple Watch companion and home screen widgets. The App uses the bundle identifier com.lutarea.yourtravel; the widget extension uses com.lutarea.yourtravel.YourTravelWidgets; the Watch companion uses com.lutarea.yourtravel.watchkitapp.

1. Summary

Your Travels stores your travel catalog on your device using SwiftData. When you are signed into iCloud, the App also syncs your records through Apple CloudKit in your private iCloud account (container iCloud.com.lutarea.yourtravel). User JSON backups you export are stored separately in the shared Lutarea iCloud Documents container (iCloud.com.lutarea.backups, shown in Files as Lutarea BACKUPS / Your Travels Backups) or in a folder you choose. Lutarea does not operate its own backend that receives your map data for advertising or resale, and we do not embed third-party advertising or analytics SDKs in the App.

2. Data we process

Depending on how you use the App, categories of information may include:

  • Visited countries and places — country codes, visit dates, map reveal progress, city and address fields, coordinates, notes, and related metadata you enter.
  • Trips and wishlist — trip titles, dates, notes, cover images, links between trips and places, and wishlist entries with priority and optional location pins.
  • Trip expenses — amounts, currencies, categories, and notes you record for budgeting.
  • Photos — images you attach to places or trip covers, stored with the App's data (including CloudKit external storage when sync is active).
  • Achievements and stats — progress toward in-app achievements and optional birthday date you enter in Settings for stats.
  • Preferences — theme, language, map heatmap, preferred currency, notification settings, and similar options stored locally or synced via CloudKit where applicable.
  • Location — when you add a place or use the Watch companion, the App may use your precise location while in use to suggest country and city or to save coordinates, only after you grant location permission.
  • Photo library and camera — when you pick or capture photos, Apple's system pickers share only what you confirm.
  • Notifications — if enabled, local reminders for upcoming trips and wishlist entries are scheduled on your device; notification permission is requested when you turn the feature on.
  • Exchange rates (optional) — when you set a trip start date, the App may request historical USD/EUR rates from the public National Bank of Ukraine API (bank.gov.ua) to convert multi-currency trip expenses. The request includes only the date and currency codes, not your travel catalog or Apple ID.
  • Photo discovery (optional) — if you enable it in Settings, the App may scan your photo library metadata (including geotags on photos you have already granted access to) to suggest countries you may have visited. Scanning runs on device; Lutarea does not receive your library.
  • App lock and privacy screen — optional passcode and Face ID / Touch ID, and optional blur in the app switcher, are stored locally on your device.
  • Spotlight and shortcuts — when you open a place, the App may donate a Spotlight entry on device. Siri Shortcuts you add open in-app flows (for example adding a place); no separate Lutarea account is required.
  • CloudKit sync — when iCloud is available, SwiftData records listed above may sync through CloudKit in container iCloud.com.lutarea.yourtravel. Apple processes this data under your iCloud account and Apple's terms. Lutarea does not receive a copy of your synced database on our servers.
  • User JSON backups — when you export a backup, the App writes your-travel-backup-….json files containing visited countries and places (schema v1) to the shared Lutarea backups container or a custom folder you choose. This is separate from CloudKit sync and does not include trips, wishlist, expenses, photos, or achievements. Backup files are not encrypted by the App; protect them like any personal document.
  • GeoJSON export — optional share-sheet export of place coordinates; not stored in Lutarea BACKUPS by default.
  • Trip sharing (CloudKit Sharing) — if you share a trip, a read-only snapshot is uploaded to CloudKit for the recipient you invite through Apple's sharing UI. Only participants you approve via Apple can access that share.
  • Widgets and Live Activity — limited summaries (for example upcoming trip or place counts) may be written to App Group group.com.lutarea.yourtravel for display on the home screen or Lock Screen; not sent to Lutarea servers.
  • Apple Watch — quick-add payloads may be sent between Watch and iPhone via WatchConnectivity; the phone persists data.
  • Diagnostics visible to Apple — the App may subscribe to Apple MetricKit for performance diagnostics processed under Apple's policies. If you opt in to share analytics with Apple, Apple may also collect crash diagnostics separately.

3. Purposes and legal bases (EEA, UK, and similar)

Where the GDPR or similar laws apply, we rely on appropriate bases such as:

  • Performance of a contract / steps at your request — providing the App and features you enable.
  • Legitimate interests — securing the App and improving stability, where not overridden by your rights.
  • Consent — where required for optional permissions (location, photos, notifications), as managed by iOS.

4. Storage and retention

Core data is stored on your device with SwiftData. With iCloud signed in, CloudKit may also store synced records and photo assets in your private iCloud account. Widget and Watch companions use on-device App Group or WatchConnectivity channels; they do not copy your full database to Lutarea servers.

Retention is controlled by you: delete places, trips, or other items in the App, use Settings reset, or uninstall the App. JSON backups in iCloud Drive or elsewhere are files you manage. CloudKit data already in iCloud remains subject to your Apple ID until you delete it.

5. Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. Data may be processed by:

  • Apple — App Store, CloudKit sync, iCloud Drive for user backups, CloudKit Sharing for trips you choose to share, WidgetKit, WatchConnectivity, App Groups, photo/camera pickers, notifications, Spotlight, Siri Shortcuts, and device security.
  • National Bank of Ukraine (public API) — when you use multi-currency trip budgets, the App may fetch official exchange rates from bank.gov.ua as described above. No personal travel catalog is sent.
  • People you invite — when you share a trip via CloudKit Sharing, participants you approve can view the shared snapshot according to Apple's sharing rules.
  • Law and safety — if legally required, subject to applicable law.

6. International transfers

If you use iCloud or store backups in cloud storage, Apple (or your chosen folder provider) may process data in regions covered by their terms. Lutarea does not operate its own cross-border database for your travel catalog.

7. Security

Protect your device, passcode, and Apple ID. Trip sharing and iCloud access are governed by Apple's security model. JSON backups you export are your responsibility to store safely.

8. Your rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, rectify, delete, restrict, port, or object to processing. Much of this can be done in the App or by managing iCloud and exported files. Contact us at the email below for privacy requests.

9. Children

The App is not directed at children under the age where parental consent is required in your jurisdiction.

10. Changes

We may update this Policy; the "Last updated" date above will change. Additional notice will be provided where required by law.

11. Contact

Privacy questions for Your Travels: support@lutarea.com.

Lutarea