Editorial Policy & Process

Effective date: 23 October 2025
Applies to: Website, newsletters, social channels, and any Tisreo Tour branded publications

1) Mission & Scope

Mission. Help travelers move with context, care, and confidence—pairing practical guidance with human stories.
Scope. Country Guides (India, UK, US, Australia), Metropolis features, Popular Road Trips, and our five signature lenses: Borrowed Routines, Thresholds & Between-Times, Hands-On with Local Skills, The Commons Test, Return & Reckon.

2) Editorial Values

Accuracy over virality. Facts must be correct, current, and sourced.
Independence. Editorial decisions are insulated from advertising, affiliate revenue, and commercial partnerships.
Accountability. Clear bylines, transparent methods, public corrections log.
Respect. No stereotyping; center local perspectives and consent.
Usefulness. Every article should answer a traveler’s real question and reduce avoidable harm to people and places.

3) Roles & Responsibilities (RACI)

Commissioning Editor (CE) — Responsible: commissions, assigns, budget, deadlines.
Section Editor (SE) — Accountable: structure, voice, legal & ethical sign-off.
Fact-Checker (FC) — Responsible: verifies every checkable claim, link, price, law, and caption.
Copy Editor (Copy) — Responsible: style, clarity, accessibility, SEO hygiene.
Standards Editor (Standards) — Consulted: ethics, conflicts, sensitive content.
Photo/Maps Editor (Visuals) — Responsible: image rights, captions, alt text, geodata hygiene.
Publisher (Pub) — Informed: final go-live and change log.

Freelancers are held to the same standards and must sign the Contributor Ethics & Conflicts Disclosure (Appendix A).

4) Sourcing Standards

Minimums per article (unless noted):

At least 2 independent primary sources (on-the-ground interviews, official notices, schedules, ordinances, operator confirmations).
At least 1 secondary corroborator (recent reputable publication, research report, or dataset).
Laws/fees/timetables must link to official or operator pages. Screenshots alone are not sufficient.
Wikipedia or social media may be used as pointers only, never as sole evidence.
Quotes recorded/verified; paraphrases approved by the interviewee when practical for sensitive topics.

Source Log (required in CMS, not public): name/role, contact method, date/time, claim supported, link/file, verification status, retention date.

5) Fact-Checking Protocol

Every checkable statement receives a status tag:

Verified (V): confirmed by primary/official source ≤90 days old.
Corroborated (C): aligned with ≥2 credible sources when no primary exists.
Reported (R): first-hand observation with notes/photos; flagged for quarterly re-check.
Uncertain (U): clearly labeled in copy (“as of…”, “reported by…”) or removed.

Hard checks for travel content:

Visas, entry rules, permits, road closures, public transit changes, park/temple hours, trail conditions, safety advisories, seasonal weather anomalies, strike actions.
Prices: show price range and date verified; avoid quoting single, potentially stale prices.
Maps: verify access points, step-free routes, water/food/fuel availability, mobile coverage where relevant.

6) Conflicts of Interest & Independence

No assigned writer may cover a business in which they (or immediate family) have a financial interest or ongoing relationship.
Press trips/comped experiences: allowed only with prior Standards approval, no copy approval, no guaranteed coverage, and mandatory disclosure on page.
Affiliate/ads have no influence on rankings, inclusion, or sentiment. Deal pages are clearly labeled “Sponsored” if paid.

7) Reviews & Recommendations Methodology

What we review: Stays, tours, transit routes, neighborhoods, trails, cafés, public spaces, museums, and road trips.

Rubric (1–5) with weights (total 100):

Context & Culture (20): local relevance, respect for traditions, language access.
The Commons Test (20): transit, parks, libraries, public toilets, walkability, equitable access.
Stewardship & Impact (15): environmental practices, labor standards, community benefit.
Reliability (15): consistency across days/seasons; transparency about limitations.
Value for Money (10): fairness vs. peers; hidden fees disclosed.
Accessibility (10): ramps, step counts, signage, quiet spaces, dietary support.
Safety & Practicalities (10): lighting, emergency info, mobile/fuel/facilities.

Scoring rules: No single dimension may be below 2 for a place to be “Recommended.” Anything with labor/exploitation red flags is Not Recommended, regardless of score elsewhere.

Update cadence: High-change venues (restaurants, tours) quarterly; public spaces/routes bi-annually; “evergreen” backgrounders annually. Each article displays Published, Last Updated, and Fact-Checked dates.

8) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA)

Representation: include local voices; avoid parachute frames; credit culture-bearers and fixers.
Language: people-first terms; avoid clichés and exoticism; use local names with diacritics and respectful endonyms.
Accessibility Data: list step counts, gradients, surfaces, restroom details, visual/auditory aids when known.
Indigenous Lands: acknowledge stewardship when relevant and seek consent for sensitive sites.

9) Visual, Photo, Video & Map Ethics

Rights & Credits: confirm license; credit creator and source; store releases for identifiable people.
Minors: blur faces or obtain verifiable guardian consent; no sensitive context images without necessity.
Geotagging: remove/obfuscate EXIF/location for fragile ecosystems, religious sites, or culturally sensitive locations; describe access in low-specificity terms where disclosure increases harm.
Edits: color/contrast only; no content-altering edits. Disclose compositing or AI-generated visuals; no AI images in reported pieces unless clearly labeled as illustration.
Maps: mark seasonal closures, water/fuel, step-free paths; avoid promoting trespass or closed/unsafe trails.

10) Sensitive Content & Safety

Risky activities: include objective risk notes and skill/gear prerequisites.
Crisis reporting: avoid rumor, label unverified info, and prioritize official advisories.
Cultural/religious spaces: follow local dress/photography rules; consult custodians where practical.

11) Legal & Ethical Review

Defamation: claims of wrongdoing require on-the-record sources or official documents; seek comment from the subject with a reasonable deadline.
Privacy: blur house numbers, license plates, private individuals without public role.
Copyright: no unlicensed text, photos, maps, datasets.
Consumer law disclosures: affiliate links and sponsorships are labeled at the top of content; experiential comp disclosure near first mention.
Takedown pathways: follow our Terms (notice-and-action for illegal content; DMCA for alleged copyright infringement).

12) Corrections, Clarifications & Updates

Corrections: for factual errors; add a Correction note at the end with date and what changed.
Clarifications: when wording was ambiguous; add Clarification note.
Quiet updates: routine freshness edits without meaning change; update the Last Updated stamp and internal log.
Turnaround: critical safety/visa errors—same day; material pricing/operational errors—72 hours.
Public Log: maintain a monthly corrections page summarizing significant fixes.

13) Data, Metrics & Quality Control

Freshness SLA: ≥85% of guides verified within the past 12 months; transit/schedule pages within 90 days.
Sourcing ratio: ≥70% of claims tied to primary/official sources.
Correction rate: target <0.5% of monthly article views lead to correction-worthy issues.
Accessibility coverage: ≥60% of place pages include concrete accessibility data points.
Commons indicators: each city guide must include sections on public spaces, toilets, transit, and walkability.

Quarterly Standards Review audits 10% of live pages against this policy.

14) AI & Automation Use

Permitted: idea generation, outline scaffolding, translation assists, deduping notes, grammar passes.
Prohibited: generating factual claims without human verification; AI-written reviews of places not personally visited or independently reported; undisclosed AI images.
Disclosures: any AI-assisted translation or image will be labeled as such.
Verification: a human editor must validate every fact and link; AI outputs are treated as unverified notes until checked.

15) Working with Communities

Borrowed Routines: obtain consent; compensate hosts for time; share the draft for accuracy of their routine (not tonal approval).
Hands-On with Local Skills: do not publish “how-to” that trivializes livelihoods; include training/credential paths and accountability norms.
Return & Reckon: when revisiting communities, disclose prior coverage and outcomes; offer right of reply when discussing long-term effects.

16) Pitch-to-Publish Workflow (with Checklists)

Step 1 — Pitch & Commission (CE, SE)

One-paragraph angle with who/what/why now, relevant lens, potential harm/benefit analysis.
Preliminary source list with at least 1 local contact.
Conflict disclosure submitted.
Go/No-Go recorded in CMS.

Step 2 — Reporting Plan (SE, Writer)

Define claims to verify; identify laws/permits/fees; accessibility data targets; photo/map plan.
Risk & sensitivity checklist completed.

Step 3 — Drafting (Writer)

Use transparent time stamps (“Verified on 21 Oct 2025”).
Embed links to primary sources beside claims.
Provide Source Log and interview notes.

Step 4 — Fact-Check (FC)

Line-by-line check; apply V/C/R/U tags; build Fact-Check Sheet (Appendix B).
For unresolved items: annotate and return within 2 business days.

Step 5 — Copy & Standards (Copy, Standards)

Style, clarity, inclusive language, safety framing, legal checks, disclosures placed near top.
Visuals cleared; alt text written; geodata sanitized where needed.

Step 6 — Publish (SE, Pub)

Insert Published, Last Updated, Fact-Checked dates.
Add Change Log entry (summary of edits).
Run live link checker and accessibility scan.

Step 7 — Post-Publish Monitoring (SE)

Reader feedback triage queue; safety/visa alerts subscribed; schedule next review per cadence.

17) Style & Presentation

Tone: helpful, precise, never hectoring or sensational.
Clarity: put need-to-know facts in the first screen; long-form context later.
Numbers: use local currency and metric/imperial where appropriate; show verification date.
Maps & Tables: caption with data sources and last verification date.
Accessibility: alt text for all non-decorative images; plain-language summaries; headings structure H1–H3 maximum depth.

18) Transparency Labels (examples)

Disclosure: “Parts of this experience were hosted by [X]. No copy approval was given.”
Affiliate: “If you book via our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.”
Update: “Transit schedule verified on 15 Sep 2025 after operator timetable change.”
Method: “Ratings use our 7-factor rubric (see Editorial Policy).”

19) Enforcement & Escalation

Breaches of this policy (plagiarism, fabrication, undisclosed conflicts, coercion for favorable coverage, misuse of images/data) trigger an internal review by Standards with outcomes ranging from correction and training to removal of work, termination of contract, and public editor’s note if warranted.

20) Appendices (Templates)

Appendix A — Contributor Ethics & Conflicts Disclosure (summary)

List any financial ties, free/discounted goods or services, family/friend relationships with covered entities in past 24 months.
Declare other paid work that may intersect (PR, marketing, sponsored content).
Sign: no plagiarism, no hidden endorsements, follow geotag ethics, respect site rules and laws.

Appendix B — Fact-Check Sheet (per article)

Article ID & URL
Claims table: Claim | Source Type (Primary/Secondary) | Link/Document | Status (V/C/R/U) | Checker initials | Date
Legal flags & responses
Final sign-off: FC, SE, Standards

Appendix C — Corrections Log (public summary)

Date | URL | Type (Correction/Clarification) | What changed | Why | Editor

Appendix D — Visuals Rights Tracker

Asset | Creator/Owner | License/Contract | Territory/Term | Model/Property Release | Notes

21) Review Cycle

This policy is reviewed annually by the Standards Editor and Publisher, and whenever material legal or platform changes affect our work. The latest version and change history will be linked from the site footer.

Contact the Corrections and Standards Desk: contact@tisreotour.com