COOKIE POLICY
Last updated: September 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how The World Locals uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit theworldlocals.com.
The World Locals is operated by Charles John Gaffney, trading as The World Locals, in the United Kingdom.
For more information about how we collect and use personal information, please see our Privacy Policy.
If you have any questions about our use of cookies, contact hello@theworldlocals.com.
WHAT ARE COOKIES?
Cookies are small pieces of information that websites store on your computer, phone or other device when you visit them.
They can help websites function correctly, remember choices and understand how visitors interact with a website.
Similar technologies, including local storage, scripts, tags and tracking technologies, can perform comparable functions.
HOW WE USE COOKIES
The World Locals uses cookies and similar technologies for purposes including:
operating and securing the website
remembering your cookie preferences
understanding how visitors use The World Locals
measuring website and content performance
understanding how visitors reach our website
attributing qualifying bookings or purchases made through affiliate links
Some cookies are necessary for the website to function.
Others, including analytics and affiliate tracking cookies, are treated as non-essential and are controlled through our cookie consent system where required.
TYPES OF COOKIES WE USE
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies support essential website functionality and cannot normally be switched off through our cookie controls.
They may be used for purposes such as:
website security
preventing fraudulent or malicious activity
ensuring pages and forms function correctly
remembering your cookie consent choices
preventing technical errors
Squarespace, our website platform, places certain necessary cookies depending on the features being used on the site.
Analytics and performance cookies
We use analytics technologies to understand how visitors find and use The World Locals.
These help us understand information such as:
how many people visit the website
which pages are most popular
how visitors arrive at the website
how people interact with our content
device and browser information
approximate geographic information
We use both Squarespace Analytics and Google Analytics.
We currently treat these analytics cookies as non-essential and manage them through our cookie consent controls.
Affiliate cookies
The World Locals participates in affiliate marketing programmes, including Travelpayouts.
When you click certain affiliate links, widgets or travel tools, a cookie or similar technology may be used to record that the referral came from The World Locals.
This allows the relevant affiliate platform or travel provider to attribute a qualifying booking or purchase to us.
Travelpayouts states that its Partner ID is generally stored in a visitor's cookie for 30 days, unless a particular programme specifies a different period.
These technologies are treated as non-essential where consent is required.
COOKIES CURRENTLY USED
The exact cookies placed on your device can depend on your browser, your consent choices, the Squarespace features active on the website and the content you interact with.
The main cookies currently relevant to The World Locals include the following.
Squarespace cookies
Squarespace may use cookies such as:
Crumb
Used to help protect the website against cross-site request forgery. This is generally a session cookie.
ss_performancecookiesAllowed
Used to remember whether you have accepted analytics and performance cookies.
ss_marketingcookiesAllowed
Used to remember your marketing-cookie preference.
ss_cid
Used by Squarespace Analytics to help identify unique visitors.
ss_cpvisit
Used by Squarespace Analytics to help identify unique visitors and sessions.
ss_cvisit
Used to help identify visitor sessions.
ss_cvr
Used by Squarespace Analytics to help identify unique visitors and sessions.
ss_cvt
Used to help track visitor sessions.
The duration of these cookies can vary. Some are session-based, while others may remain on your device for longer periods.
Google Analytics cookies
Google Analytics may use cookies such as:
_ga
Used to distinguish visitors for analytics purposes. This can remain on your device for up to two years.
_ga_<container-id>
Used to maintain session information. This can also remain on your device for up to two years.
Our Google Analytics account is configured to retain applicable user-level and event-level data for 14 months.
Travelpayouts and affiliate cookies
Travelpayouts or participating travel providers may use affiliate attribution cookies when you interact with an affiliate link, widget or tool.
These cookies are used to record referral information so that a qualifying booking or purchase can be attributed to The World Locals.
Travelpayouts states that its Partner ID is generally stored for 30 days, although individual programmes may use different attribution periods.
Additional cookies or similar technologies may be used if we add new website features, integrations or commercial partners.
SQUARESPACE
The World Locals is built and hosted using Squarespace.
Squarespace uses necessary cookies to operate and securely deliver the website and may use analytics and performance cookies to provide us with information about website traffic and visitor activity.
We use Squarespace's cookie consent controls to manage non-essential cookie preferences where required.
GOOGLE ANALYTICS
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors discover and interact with The World Locals.
Google Analytics may process information relating to:
website visits and sessions
pages viewed
interactions with content
browser and device information
approximate geographic location
traffic and referral sources
Where analytics cookies or other non-essential technologies require consent, they are subject to your cookie preferences.
Our Google Analytics property is configured to retain applicable user-level and event-level data for 14 months.
This does not necessarily affect aggregated reporting data that may remain available for longer.
TRAVELPAYOUTS AND AFFILIATE TRACKING
The World Locals uses Travelpayouts to provide certain affiliate links, widgets and travel offers.
When you interact with one of these tools, Travelpayouts may record our unique Partner ID so that clicks, searches and bookings can be attributed to The World Locals.
Travelpayouts states that this Partner ID is normally stored in a cookie for 30 days, although individual affiliate programmes may use different attribution periods.
Third-party travel providers reached through Travelpayouts may also use their own cookies and tracking technologies.
Those providers operate under their own privacy and cookie policies.
COOKIE CONSENT
When you first visit The World Locals, you may be shown a cookie banner allowing you to control the use of non-essential cookies.
Depending on the options displayed, you may be able to:
accept non-essential cookies
decline non-essential cookies
manage your preferences by category
Strictly necessary cookies may be used without your consent where they are required to provide or secure the website.
CHANGING OR WITHDRAWING YOUR COOKIE PREFERENCES
You can change or withdraw your cookie choices using the cookie preference controls available on The World Locals.
If you withdraw consent, this does not affect the lawfulness of any processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.
CONTROLLING COOKIES THROUGH YOUR BROWSER
Most browsers also allow you to control cookies directly through their settings.
Depending on your browser, you may be able to:
delete existing cookies
prevent new cookies from being stored
block third-party cookies
clear cookies when your browser closes
use private or incognito browsing
Blocking some cookies may affect how certain parts of the website operate.
THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES
The World Locals contains links to third-party websites, including hotels, booking platforms, airlines, tour operators, restaurants and other travel-related businesses.
When you follow a link to another website, that third party may use its own cookies or similar technologies.
We do not control cookies placed directly by third-party websites once you leave The World Locals.
Their own privacy and cookie policies will apply.
INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Some of the companies providing analytics, website or affiliate services to The World Locals operate internationally.
This may include Squarespace, Google and Travelpayouts.
Where personal information collected through cookies or similar technologies is transferred outside the United Kingdom, the relevant provider may use legally recognised safeguards such as adequacy regulations, approved contractual protections or other permitted international transfer mechanisms.
Further information can be found in our Privacy Policy and in the privacy information provided by the relevant service provider.
YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
Where information collected through cookies constitutes personal information, you may have rights under UK data protection law.
These can include rights relating to:
access
correction
deletion
restriction
objection
withdrawal of consent
For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.
You can contact us about your privacy rights at:
CHANGES TO THIS COOKIE POLICY
We may update this Cookie Policy when:
the technologies used by The World Locals change
we add or remove website services
our advertising or affiliate relationships change
cookie durations or purposes change
legal or regulatory requirements change
When we make changes, we will update the Last updated date at the top of this page.
CONTACT US
If you have questions about this Cookie Policy or the technologies used on The World Locals, please contact:
The World Locals
Charles John Gaffney, trading as The World Locals
Email: hello@theworldlocals.com
Website: theworldlocals.com
United Kingdom