Privacy Policy

A. Introduction / Scope

This privacy policy informs you about the processing of your personal data by smooth entertainment gmbh (hereinafter “SE”) in connection with:

your visit to SE’s websites (in particular www.smoothjazzeurope.eu and smoothjazzshop.eu),
the booking and performance of the trips, hotel packages, river cruises and concert events offered by SE, including optional additional services, excursions and supporting programmes.

It applies to all data subjects, in particular customers, prospective customers, newsletter subscribers, participants in trips/festivals as well as artist and business-partner contacts.

B. Controller and Data Protection Contact

Controller within the meaning of the GDPR:

smooth entertainment gmbh
Perzheimstr. 48
86150 Augsburg, Germany

Telephone: +49 (0)821-2292711
E-mail: shop@smooth-entertainment.eu

Data protection contact / contact person:

Christian Bössner
Perzheimstr. 48
86150 Augsburg, Germany

E-mail: shop@smooth-entertainment.eu

A data protection officer is currently not legally required at SE and has therefore not been appointed. The contact person for all data protection matters is the contact named above.

C. Categories of Data Processed, Purposes and Legal Bases

I. Website visit (www.smoothjazzeurope.eu, smoothjazzshop.eu)

Server log files

When you access our websites, we automatically process technical usage data (IP address, date/time, requested URL, referrer URL, name and version of the browser, operating system). The purpose is the provision of the websites, IT security and error analysis.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in secure operation).

Cookies and comparable technologies (incl. TTDSG)

Our websites use cookies and comparable technologies in order to make our offering more user-friendly, more effective and more secure (e.g. shopping-cart function, language selection, currency, session cookies) as well as – where you consent – for usage analysis and for marketing purposes.

Technically necessary cookies (e.g. shopping cart, login, language selection) are based on Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR and Section 25(2) TTDSG (German Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act).
Analytics/marketing cookies and comparable technologies (e.g. web-analytics services, social-media plugins) are used only with your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR in conjunction with Section 25(1) TTDSG); we obtain this consent via a consent banner (“Deny / Configure / Accept all cookies”).

Details of the tools used (provider, purposes, storage period, third-country transfer, options to withdraw) are explained in the cookie banner or in a separate cookie notice.

Web analytics / statistics

Where you consent, we use web-analytics services for the statistical evaluation of the use of our websites and to optimise our offering. The services use cookies and similar technologies; IP addresses may be processed in anonymised form.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Withdrawal: You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future via the settings in the cookie banner.

Social-media plugins / links / embedded media

Our websites contain links to and, where applicable, plugins of social-media services (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, X) as well as functions for subscribing to our newsletter. When you click a social-media button or when plugins are active, usage data (IP address, page accessed, browser data) is transmitted to the respective provider.

Insofar as consent is required for this, the use takes place on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR; otherwise we rely on our legitimate interest in an attractive presentation and networking (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

Insofar as videos or other media are embedded via external services, usage data may be transmitted to the respective providers when these contents are accessed. Further information on the data processing can be found in the privacy notices of the respective providers.

II. Booking of trips, hotel packages, river cruises and concert tickets

Booking and contract data

In connection with bookings via our online shop smoothjazzshop.eu and via linked booking pages (“Pricing & Reservations”), we collect in particular:

Master data: form of address, name, postal address, contact details, and, where applicable, date of birth and language,
Booking data: selected trip/event, travel date, cabin/room category, additional services (e.g. excursions, wellness offers), travel participants, travel price and secured payment certificate,
Payment data: selected payment method (advance payment, credit card, PayPal, SEPA direct debit, instalment payment), bank/credit-card details, payment status, instalment plans,
Communication data: e-mails, telephone notes, complaints and notices of defects.

The purpose is the conclusion and performance of travel and event contracts, including customer communication, deposit of tickets/vouchers at the Box Office or Welcome Desk, participant administration, billing and service.

Legal bases:

Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures),
Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR (fulfilment of statutory obligations as a tour operator under Sections 651a et seq. BGB (German Civil Code) and Articles 250, 252 EGBGB (Introductory Act to the German Civil Code) as well as tax- and commercial-law retention requirements),
Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in efficient customer administration and the prevention of misuse), where there is no direct contractual relationship.

Payment processing and instalment payments

For the processing of payments (advance payment, credit card, PayPal, SEPA direct debit, instalment payments) we pass payment data on to payment service providers and banks.

In order to enforce contractual payment claims (e.g. reminders, default interest, withdrawal in the event of payment default), we also process your contact and payment information.

Legal bases: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract) as well as Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in enforcing our claims).

Credit assessment

Where instalment-payment models or other advance performances are agreed, SE may carry out a credit assessment in order to avoid payment defaults.

The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in risk minimisation). Insofar as credit agencies (e.g. SCHUFA) are involved for this purpose, we inform you of this separately and obtain any required consents (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

Travel-related special data / special categories

Where necessary in individual cases (e.g. visa, health requirements of the service providers, special mobility needs), additional information may be processed (e.g. nationality, special health-related information).

The legal bases are Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of the trip) and – for special categories of personal data – Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR (explicit consent) or Art. 9(2)(h) GDPR, where applicable. The provision of such data is voluntary but may be necessary for certain services.

Additional services

For separately bookable additional services that are not part of the booked package-travel contract (e.g. optional excursions, wellness, sports or other leisure offers), we process your booking, payment and cancellation data for the performance and billing of these services.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.

III. Newsletter and direct marketing

Newsletter

You can subscribe to a newsletter via SE’s websites as well as during the booking process. For this purpose we collect your e-mail address and, where applicable, language/preferences.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent) in conjunction with Art. 7 GDPR (double opt-in).

Withdrawal: You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, e.g. by clicking the unsubscribe link in every newsletter e-mail.

Marketing to existing customers (direct marketing)

SE may occasionally inform existing customers by e-mail about similar events/trips, provided that the statutory requirements – in particular Section 7(3) UWG (German Act Against Unfair Competition) – are met.

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in direct advertising). You may object to the use of your data for this purpose at any time (see section “Rights of data subjects”).

IV. Photo, film and sound recordings at events

In connection with the concerts, festivals, hotel trips and river cruises organised by SE, photo, film and sound recordings are made by SE and, where applicable, by commissioned service providers and are in part transmitted live (“livestream”).

Purposes

documentation of the events,
reporting and public relations (e.g. website, social media, programme booklets, brochures, image/sound media),
internal evaluation and archiving.

Categories of data subjects / data

Affected are in particular participating guests, artists, employees and other persons involved. We process image and sound recordings (face, appearance, voice) within the context of the event, as well as, where applicable, information on location, date and context.

Legal bases / consent and KUG

In many cases SE relies on consents granted in connection with the booking and in the General Travel and Business Terms and Conditions (“Photo, Film and Sound Recordings and Transmissions – Customer’s Consent”) (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, Art. 7 GDPR; for images and sound recordings additionally Sections 22, 23 KUG (German Art Copyright Act)).

In addition, we rely on a legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) in documenting events and advertising them to the customary extent; this applies in particular to recordings on which guests are recognisable only as part of the event in the crowd. The balancing of interests takes into account the expectations of the participants (public events, artist shows).

For particularly prominent, individualised promotional recordings of the customer that go beyond general reporting and public relations (e.g. targeted use as the main motif of a campaign), SE obtains the customer’s separate consent in advance.

All of the consents declared above are given free of charge.

Livestreams and social-media transmissions

Certain concerts and programme items are transmitted as a livestream over the internet or broadcast in real time via social-media channels (e.g. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram). In doing so, you may be recognisable as a participant in image and/or sound; the recipients of the data are the respective platform operators of the streaming and social-media services used.

Depending on the location of the platform operator, the data transfer also takes place to third countries outside the EU/EEA; for further information see the section “Transfers to third countries”.

Withdrawal / objection

A consent that has been granted may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR). Uses already lawfully carried out (e.g. printing of programme brochures, videos already published) remain unaffected; printed works already produced or completed productions do not have to be recalled.

Insofar as SE relies on legitimate interests, you may object to the processing on grounds relating to your particular situation (Art. 21 GDPR).

Please direct withdrawals and objections to the contact address named in section B.

Recordings made by customers themselves

Independent photo, film and sound recordings by visitors are, under SE’s General Travel and Business Terms and Conditions, generally prohibited or permitted only to a limited extent (short snippets for purely private purposes/social media without any intention to make a profit). The corresponding provisions are separate contractual clauses and are not amended by this privacy policy.

V. Recipients / categories of recipients

We pass on personal data only insofar as this is permissible and necessary for the purposes described above or where consent has been given.

Recipients may in particular be:

Service providers: hotels, shipping companies, transport and excursion companies as well as other travel and event service providers in Germany and abroad; the specific service providers are named in the travel information and the notices for the festivals (e.g. Protur Biomar Gran Hotel & Spa, Sa Coma Playa Hotel & Spa, Dorint An der Kongresshalle Augsburg, PINE CLIFFS RESORT, LÜFTNER CRUISES GmbH).
Payment service providers and banks for payment processing (e.g. credit-card providers, PayPal, banks for advance payment/SEPA).
Insurers, in particular travel insurers (e.g. for travel-cancellation and insolvency protection), insofar as you book corresponding services or we use corresponding products to secure the travel price.
IT service providers (hosting, shop system, newsletter dispatch, booking systems, web-analytics tools) within the framework of data-processing agreements (Art. 28 GDPR).
Artist and agency partners, insofar as this is necessary for contract performance, promotion or scheduling.
Advisors and authorities (e.g. tax advisors, lawyers, supervisory authorities, customs and health authorities) within the framework of statutory obligations.

Data is passed on to other third parties only where this is permitted by law, where there is a legal obligation, or where you have consented.

VI. Transfers to third countries

SE organises international trips/festivals, among others in Spain and Portugal, and works together with service providers in other EU states (e.g. Spain, Portugal, Austria). Data transfers to these service providers take place within the EU/EEA on the basis of the GDPR.

In addition, data transfers to countries outside the EEA (“third countries”) may occur, in particular in connection with certain IT service providers and social-media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube), where data may be transferred to the USA or other third countries.

Insofar as the third country is covered by an adequacy decision of the EU Commission (Art. 45 GDPR), the transfer takes place on this basis.
In other cases we use appropriate safeguards (e.g. EU standard contractual clauses pursuant to Art. 46(2) GDPR) and take additional technical/organisational measures in order to ensure an adequate level of data protection.

Information on this (including copies of the safeguards) can be requested via the contact details named in section B.

D. Storage period and criteria for retention

We store personal data only for as long as is necessary for the respective purposes or as long as statutory retention periods exist:

Contract and booking data: in principle for the duration of the contractual relationship; beyond that within the framework of statutory retention periods (regularly 6 or 10 years under tax- and commercial-law provisions, in particular the Fiscal Code (AO) and the Commercial Code (HGB)).
Complaint and liability data: for the duration of any statutory limitation periods.
Newsletter data: until withdrawal of consent or objection to use for advertising purposes; proof of consent may additionally be stored for up to 3 years within the framework of limitation periods.
Photo/video/sound recordings: for the duration of customary use for documentation and marketing purposes; in the event of a withdrawal or objection, further use is discontinued – as far as legally and technically possible – but printed works already published or completed productions are not recalled.
Web-analytics/cookie data: in accordance with the respective tool settings and your consents; details are available in the cookie banner.

E. Rights of data subjects

Within the scope of the statutory requirements, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access to the data stored by us (Art. 15 GDPR).
Right to rectification of inaccurate data (Art. 16 GDPR).
Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”, Art. 17 GDPR).
Right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR).
Right to data portability (Art. 20 GDPR), where applicable (in particular for electronically stored booking and contract data).
Right to object to processing based on Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR, in particular against direct advertising as well as against certain processing operations (e.g. photo/video recordings on the basis of legitimate interests; Art. 21 GDPR).
Right to withdraw consents with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR), for example in relation to newsletters, image/sound recordings and certain web-analytics/marketing tools.

To exercise your rights, you may contact the contact details named in section B at any time.

In addition, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR), in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, your place of work or the place of the alleged infringement. The authority responsible for SE is in particular the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (Bayerisches Landesamt für Datenschutzaufsicht, BayLDA).

F. Obligation to provide data

The provision of certain personal data is necessary for the conclusion and performance of travel and event contracts (e.g. contact details, travel data, payment information). Without this data, SE cannot conclude or perform the contract with you. Insofar as the provision of data is voluntary (e.g. special mobility needs), we expressly point this out.

G. Status and changes to this privacy policy

This privacy policy applies from 24.06.2026. We reserve the right to amend it in order to adapt it to changes in the legal situation, technical developments or changes to our business processes. The respective current version is available at any time at www.smoothjazzeurope.eu/information/privacy-policy and www.smoothjazzshop.eu/Privacy-policy.

Version 2.0 – as of 24.06.2026