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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 8 November 2026

1. Who we are

This Privacy Policy explains how World Business Travel Forum FZC ("WBTF", "the Forum", "we", "us") collects, uses, shares and protects personal data when you visit worldbusinesstravelforum.com, register for our events, apply for the Hosted Buyer Programme, subscribe to our newsletter or white papers, join the WBTF Buyer Community, a Global Council or the Dubai Declaration, or otherwise contact us.World Business Travel Forum FZC is a Free Zone Company licensed by the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Authority, Government of Sharjah, under licence number 4422093.01, with its registered address at Business Centre, Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Our head office and Secretariat are located c/o MCI Middle East LLC, Office Suite 902, Level 9, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE. WBTF is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.Privacy contact: wbtf_secretariat@worldbusinesstravelforum.com (subject "Privacy"), +971 4 311 6313.

2. The laws we follow

As a company established in the Emirate of Sharjah, we process personal data in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates, in particular Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL) and Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes, together with the rules of the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Authority. Because our community is global, we also apply the principles of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the UK GDPR and the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) where they apply to you. Where those laws give you stronger rights, we honour them.

3. Our core promises

- We never sell, rent or trade your personal data.- Corporate buyer contact details and survey answers are never shared with suppliers without your explicit consent. Research results are published only in aggregate and cannot identify you or your company.- Hosted buyer answers are shared with programme partners only for meeting matchmaking, and only when you agree in your application.- Every supplier meeting at a WBTF event is requested or accepted by the buyer.- You can unsubscribe from our communications at any time.

4. The personal data we collect

- Identity and contact data: name, job title, company, business email, phone or WhatsApp number, country, city and postal address.- Registration data: registration category (corporate, industry or sponsor), dietary and accessibility requirements, emergency contact, billing details and payment confirmation. Card payments are processed by our registration and payment partners; we do not store full card numbers.- Hosted buyer data: departure city, nationality (for visa planning), company size, travel programme and spend bands, supplier preferences and your company's policy on hosted travel.- Professional and community data: role, seniority, sector, Buyer Community tier, council interests, pulse survey and benchmarking answers.- Communications data: enquiries, correspondence and newsletter preferences.- Event data: attendance, badge scans you choose to share, and photographs and video recorded at our events.- Technical data: IP address, browser, device and pages visited, collected through essential cookies and, only with your consent, analytics and marketing cookies.We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data. If you share health or accessibility needs so we can support you at an event, we use that information only for that purpose and delete it after the event.

5. How and why we use your data

- Event registration, badges, confirmations, attendance – performance of a contract.- Hosted Buyer selection, travel, accommodation and matchmaking – performance of a contract and your consent.- Invoicing, VAT and accounting – legal obligation.- Event updates for events you registered for – contract / legitimate interest.- Newsletter, white papers, Data of the Month – your consent (withdraw any time).- Buyer Community, Global Councils, surveys, benchmarks – your consent.- Aggregated, anonymised research – legitimate interest.- Dubai Declaration signatory listing – your consent.- Venue security, safety, emergency contact – legitimate and vital interests.- Website security and essential functionality – legitimate interest.- Analytics – your consent.Under UAE law, we rely on your consent or on the other lawful grounds recognised by the PDPL, including contract performance and compliance with legal obligations.

6. Who we share your data with

Only as far as necessary, with: MCI Middle East LLC, which operates the WBTF Secretariat and event management; our online registration platform (EventsAir), operated for us by MCI; HubSpot, our customer relationship management system, and our email and newsletter providers; website hosting and security providers; event venues, our airline partner and hotel partners, only where needed to deliver your attendance or hosted travel; sponsors and partners, only if you actively opt in; professional advisers, auditors and authorities where required by law. All service providers act on our instructions under written agreements that require them to keep your data secure and confidential.

7. International transfers

We are based in the UAE and work with service providers worldwide, including HubSpot, which may store data in the European Union or the United States. Transfers outside the UAE are made in line with the PDPL. For people in the EU, UK or Switzerland, transfers to countries without an adequacy decision use appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.

8. How long we keep your data

- Event registration data: up to 3 years after the event, unless you ask us to delete it sooner.- Hosted Buyer applications: up to 2 years after the event.- Accounting records: as long as UAE law requires.- Newsletter, Buyer Community and Council data: until you unsubscribe or leave.- Health, dietary and accessibility information: deleted within 30 days of the event.- Individual survey responses: up to 2 years; published research contains aggregated data only.

9. Photography and recording

WBTF events are photographed and filmed, and selected sessions may be recorded or streamed and published on our website and social media. If you prefer not to be photographed, tell the registration desk on arrival. Buyer Circle roundtables are held under the Chatham House Rule and are never recorded.

10. Your rights

Depending on the law that applies to you, you may: be informed and access a copy of your data; correct it; request deletion; restrict or object to processing, including direct marketing at any time; receive your data in a portable format; withdraw consent at any time; not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that significantly affect you; and lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority in the UAE or, if you are in the EU, UK or Switzerland, with your local supervisory authority. To exercise these rights, email wbtf_secretariat@worldbusinesstravelforum.com with the subject "Privacy request". We respond within 30 days and may need to verify your identity.

11. Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls and contractual safeguards with our providers. If a personal data breach is likely to put your rights at risk, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected individuals as required by applicable law.

12. Cookies

We use essential cookies for security and basic functionality. HubSpot tracking, analytics or marketing cookies are used only if you accept them in our cookie banner. You can change your choice at any time via "Cookie settings" in the footer.

13. Children

Our services are intended for business professionals. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18.

Our site links to third-party sites, including our registration platform and news sources. Their own privacy policies apply.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. The "Last updated" date shows the latest version; significant changes will be highlighted on our website.

16. Governing law

This policy is governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates as applied in the Emirate of Sharjah, without prejudice to any mandatory data protection rights you have under the laws of your own country.