1. Introduction
Welcome to tourist in, your gateway to an unforgettable tourism experience in Monteverde. At tourist in, a company with a strong commitment to technological innovation and creative strategies, we understand the importance of privacy in today’s digital world. We are dedicated to combining advanced technology with creative strategies to offer solutions that transform the tourism experience, taking it to new horizons.
The purpose of this Privacy and Cookies Policy is to clearly explain how we collect, use, protect, and, in certain cases, share your personal data when you visit or use our Marketplace. We are fully committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. Therefore, we handle this information with the utmost care and respect, ensuring its confidentiality and security in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the legislation of Costa Rica and relevant international regulations.
Our policy reflects our commitment to your privacy and data protection rights, giving you full control over your personal information. At tourist in, we believe in transparency and are dedicated to maintaining the trust you place in us by using our services and participating in the vibrant tourist community we represent.
We invite you to read this Policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your personal data and how it will be treated. Your privacy is our priority, and we are here to ensure that your experience with tourist in is as safe and satisfactory as possible.
2. Information About the Data Controller
tourist in is a marketplace operated by ACA Digital Experts S.A., which is the entity responsible for processing your personal data in the context of this Privacy and Cookies Policy. We are registered in Costa Rica, and our main office is located at Sigma Business Center, Building C, Units 11 and 12, San José, Costa Rica. You can contact us for any inquiries related to this policy or your personal data at the email address [email protected].
3. Data Collected
At tourist in, we value the trust you place in us when using our Marketplace and are committed to protecting your privacy. To provide our services and continuously improve your experience, we collect certain types of personal information. Transparency is fundamental to us, so below, we detail the types of personal data we collect, how we collect it, and why.
Types of Personal Data Collected:
- Identification Data: Full name, identification document (e.g., ID card, passport) necessary for account creation, bookings, and transactions within the Marketplace.
- Contact Data: Email address and phone number. These are essential for communicating with you, confirming bookings, sending relevant information about services, and providing customer support.
- Financial Data: Credit/debit card information and other payment methods. These are required to process payments for services purchased on the Marketplace.
- Location Data: We may collect data about your location when you use our website or mobile applications to provide location-based services and personalized recommendations.
- Technical Information: This includes IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, and other technology on the devices you use to access the Marketplace.
- Usage Data: Information about how you use our website, products, and services. This helps us design a more personalized experience and continuously improve our services.
How and Why We Collect This Data:
- Through Registration and Booking Forms: When you register on our site or make a booking, you directly provide most of this data to us.
- Automatically: We collect technical and usage data through cookies and similar technologies as you browse our site or use our application.
- To Improve Your Experience: Collecting this data allows us to personalize and enhance your interactions with the Marketplace, facilitate transactions, and provide optimal customer service.
- Legal Compliance: In some cases, we are required to collect certain information for legal or regulatory reasons.
Our commitment is to use your personal data only for the specific purposes for which it was collected and in accordance with this Privacy and Cookies Policy. Your privacy is our priority, and we work hard to protect your personal data and ensure your right to privacy.
4. Use of Data
At tourist in, we use the data we collect with the primary goal of providing and improving our Marketplace services, while ensuring a personalized and secure experience. Below, we detail how and why we use your data, highlighting the legal basis for each use:
- Service Management: We use your identification and contact data to manage your bookings, purchases, and provide you with the requested services. This includes communicating with you for confirmations, changes to our services or policies, and customer support. This use is based on the necessity to perform the contract we have with you.
- Communication and Customer Support: Your contact information allows us to offer support and respond to your inquiries or comments. This processing is based on our legitimate interest in providing quality customer service and improving your user experience.
- Marketing and Promotions: With your explicit consent, we may use your data to send you information about promotions, special offers, and news about our products or services that we believe may interest you. This use is based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
- Service Improvement and Personalization: We analyze your usage data and technical information to understand how you interact with our Marketplace. This allows us to personalize your experience, improve our services, and develop new features. We rely on our legitimate interest to process this data to benefit from offering you a more personalized and efficient service.
- Security and Fraud Prevention: The security of our Marketplace is paramount. We use your data to detect and prevent fraudulent or unauthorized activities. This processing is based on our legitimate interest in protecting our services and all our users.
Legal Basis for Processing:
- Consent: For processing based on consent, we remind you that you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of the processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
- Legitimate Interest: For activities based on legitimate interests, we have considered and balanced any potential impact on you and your rights before processing your personal data.
We commit to using your personal data exclusively for the described purposes, ensuring that the processing is conducted transparently, fairly, and lawfully. We respect your privacy and decisions regarding the use of your information, providing you with full control over your personal data.
5. Data Sharing with Third Parties
At tourist in, our fundamental premise is the protection of your privacy. We understand the importance of your personal data and make careful decisions about how and with whom it is shared. Information sharing is done only in specific circumstances and under strict security measures, always with the aim of improving your experience on our Marketplace or fulfilling legal obligations. Below are the categories of third parties with whom we may share your data and under what conditions:
Categories of Third Parties:
- Service Providers: For essential functions such as payment processing, data analysis, marketing, customer service, and IT operations, we share necessary data with service providers acting on our behalf. These providers are subject to contractual obligations that ensure a high level of data protection and are only permitted to use your personal data according to our instructions.
- Business Partners: If you book or purchase services offered by third parties through our Marketplace, we will share the necessary data with them for the execution of those services. This includes, for example, hotels, tour operators, and travel agencies. These partners have their own privacy policies, which we recommend you review.
- Legal and Regulatory Requirements: We may disclose your personal data if we are legally required to do so or if sharing is necessary to (a) comply with legal processes; (b) respond to requests from public and governmental authorities; (c) enforce our terms and conditions; (d) protect our operations or those of any of our affiliates; (e) protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property, and/or those of our affiliates, you, or others; and (f) allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages we may sustain.
Safeguards and Commitments:
- Confidentiality Agreements: All third parties with whom we share data are bound by confidentiality agreements and are required to implement appropriate data security measures.
- Use Limitation: We limit the information shared with third parties to the minimum necessary to fulfill the specified purposes and do not allow third parties to use your personal data for their own purposes, especially marketing purposes, without your explicit consent.
- Transparency and Choice: We will inform you about any new sharing of your data with third parties, offering you the opportunity to opt-out of such sharing whenever possible according to the nature of the service provided.
Your privacy is our priority. We are committed to keeping your personal data secure and using it only in ways that are consistent with your expectations and applicable data protection laws.
6. International Data Transfers
At tourist in, we recognize that our users come from all over the world, and sometimes it may be necessary to transfer your personal data across borders, including outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Costa Rica. These transfers are always carried out ensuring the highest protection and security of your data, in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
Safeguards Implemented:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs): We primarily rely on the Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission to ensure that your personal data enjoys an adequate level of protection when transferred outside the EEA. These clauses oblige the recipients of your data to maintain and protect your personal data according to the standards defined by the European Union.
- Impact Assessments and Adequacy Verifications: Before making any international data transfers, we conduct impact assessments to ensure that the recipient country provides an adequate level of data protection. If any risks are identified, we implement additional measures to reinforce the protection of your data.
- Transparency: We will inform you about any transfer of your personal data outside your region, providing you with specific details about the reasons for the transfer and the measures taken to protect your data.
Right to Information and Control:
You have the right to obtain detailed information about the international transfers of your personal data, including the specific safeguards in place to protect your information. If you have any questions or need more information about how we manage these transfers, please do not hesitate to contact us using the details provided in the "Contact" section.
We are committed to making all international data transfers with the utmost care and only when strictly necessary, ensuring at all times the protection and security of your personal information, in accordance with our privacy principles and applicable laws.
7. User Rights
At tourist in, we respect your privacy and recognize your rights regarding your personal data. According to applicable data protection legislation, including the regulations of Costa Rica and relevant international laws, you have the following rights:
- Right of Access: You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you and to obtain information on how it is being processed.
- Right to Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Right to Erasure (Right to Be Forgotten): You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or if you withdraw your consent in cases where the processing is based on consent.
- Right to Restriction of Processing: You can request that we limit the processing of your personal data, which means we will only retain it for certain purposes.
- Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances, especially for direct marketing purposes.
- Right to Data Portability: You can request that we transfer your personal data to another data controller in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, where technically feasible.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: In cases where processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time.
- Right to Complain: If you believe your rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with a competent data protection authority.
How to Exercise Your Rights:
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the "Contact" section of this policy. To help us process your request efficiently, include your full name, the email address associated with your account (if applicable), and specify the right or rights you wish to exercise. We are committed to responding to all requests within 30 days, as required by law.
We are dedicated to protecting and respecting your privacy rights. If you have questions about your rights or need assistance in exercising them, we are here to help.
8. Data Security
At tourist in, we take the security of your personal data very seriously. We are committed to protecting your data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or undue destruction. To achieve this, we have implemented a range of technical and organizational measures designed to ensure the security of your personal data.
Security Measures Implemented:
- Data Encryption: We use encryption technology to protect personal data transmitted through our Marketplace, especially sensitive information such as financial data.
- Access Control: We restrict access to your personal data to only those employees, contractors, and agents of tourist in who need to know such information to process it on our behalf and who are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations.
- Security Audits: We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate potential data security risks.
- Employee Training: We provide regular data protection and security training to our employees to ensure they are informed about the best practices in information security.
- Incident Response: We have established procedures to manage potential data security incidents. In the event of a security breach that may significantly affect you, we will notify you without undue delay, in accordance with applicable laws.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement:
We recognize that security threats are constantly evolving, so our approach to data security is one of continuous improvement. We regularly review and update our security policies and procedures to adapt to new threats and emerging technologies.
Contact in Case of Security Concerns:
If you have any concerns about the security of your personal data or if you suspect a potential security incident, please contact us immediately using the information provided in the "Contact" section of this policy.
At ACA Digital Experts, we are committed to protecting your personal data and providing you with a secure environment for your interactions and transactions on our Marketplace.
9. Cookie Policy
At tourist in, we use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better browsing experience, understand how you interact with our Marketplace, and, in some cases, show you personalized advertising based on your browsing habits. Here we explain what cookies are, how we use them, and how you can manage your preferences.
What are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that websites store on your device when you visit web pages. These cookies are used to remember your preferences, help you navigate more efficiently, and improve your overall experience on our site.
Types of Cookies We Use:
- Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the basic functioning of our Marketplace and cannot be disabled. They include, for example, cookies that allow you to securely access areas with authentication requirements.
- Performance and Analytics Cookies: These cookies allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and see how they move around the site. This helps us improve the way our Marketplace works, for example, by ensuring that users easily find what they are looking for.
- Functionality Cookies: These cookies are used to recognize you when you return to our Marketplace. This allows us to personalize our content for you, greet you by name, and remember your preferences.
- Advertising Cookies: These cookies record your visit to our Marketplace, the pages you have visited, and the links you have followed. We will use this information to make our Marketplace and the advertising displayed more relevant to your interests.
Managing Cookies:
You have full control over cookies and can adjust your preferences at any time through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- View the cookies you have and delete them individually.
- Block third-party cookies.
- Block cookies from specific websites.
- Block all cookies.
- Delete all cookies when you close your browser.
For more information on how to manage and delete cookies, visit aboutcookies.org. Please note that some functionalities of our Marketplace may be affected if you block or delete cookies.
Changes to Our Cookie Policy:
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect, for example, changes in the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Therefore, we encourage you to review this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.
Your continued use of our Marketplace after being informed of our cookie practices indicates your acceptance of such practices. If you have any questions regarding this Cookie Policy, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact" section.
10. Minors
At tourist in, we recognize the importance of protecting the privacy of minors. Our Marketplace is not directed at individuals under the age defined by child protection laws in various countries, generally under 18 years old, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from minors without the appropriate parental or legal guardian consent.
Policies and Restrictions for Minors:
- Use of the Marketplace: Minors should not use our Marketplace or provide us with personal data without the supervision and consent of a parent or legal guardian. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a minor without parental consent verification, we will take steps to delete that information from our servers.
- Parental/Guardian Consent: If any sections of our Marketplace are directed at minors, parental or legal guardian consent will be required before collecting any personal data from the minor. tourist in is committed to protecting the privacy of minors and complying with applicable laws related to parental consent.
- Rights of Parents/Guardians: Parents or legal guardians have the right to review, request the correction or deletion of, and refuse further processing of their minor's personal data. To exercise these rights, they can contact us using the contact information provided in the "Contact" section of this policy.
Recommendations for Parents and Legal Guardians:
We encourage parents and legal guardians to actively participate in their minor's online experience and use parental control tools and other measures to ensure a safe and educational online experience. It is also important to discuss online safety with minors, including the importance of not disclosing personal information to strangers on the internet.
At tourist in, we strive to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all our users, and we take our responsibility to protect personal information seriously, especially when it comes to minors. If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices related to minors, please do not hesitate to contact us.
11. Third-Party Links
At tourist in, our Marketplace may include links to third-party websites, services, and applications that we believe may be of interest to you or complement your travel experience. These links are provided for your convenience and to enrich your user experience, but it is important that you understand how to interact with them safely.
Important Considerations:
- Autonomy of Policies: When you visit any third-party website, service, or application through a link provided on our Marketplace, please be aware that these external platforms operate under their own privacy and cookie policies, independent of tourist in. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of such third-party sites.
- Security Recommendations: We advise you to carefully read the privacy and cookie policies of any third-party website before providing personal information. This will help you understand how your data will be handled and protected in those environments.
- Absence of Endorsement: The inclusion of third-party links on our Marketplace does not imply an endorsement of the content, products, or services offered. Your decision to access any third-party website, service, or application is entirely voluntary and at your own risk.
Safe Browsing:
- Critical Evaluation: Use your judgment when evaluating the reliability of third-party websites. Consider seeking reviews and recommendations from trusted sources before engaging with any service or making purchases.
- Data Protection: Be cautious when sharing personal information, especially on websites that do not appear to have adequate security measures. Remember, you always have control over the information you choose to share.
Contact:
If you have any questions or concerns about our interaction with third-party websites, services, or applications, or about how to navigate safely, please do not hesitate to contact us using the information provided in the "Contact" section of this policy.
At tourist in, we are committed to providing you with a safe and enriching browsing experience, ensuring you have the necessary information to make informed decisions while using our Marketplace.
12. Policy Updates
At tourist in, we are committed to the continuous improvement of our services and maintaining high standards of privacy and data security. We understand that the digital environment is constantly evolving, which may require periodic adjustments to our Privacy and Cookie Policy. Therefore, we reserve the right to update and modify this policy at any time to reflect changes in our privacy practices, applicable laws and regulations, or the operation of our Marketplace.
Update Process:
- Periodic Review: We regularly review our Privacy and Cookie Policy to ensure it is accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date with respect to applicable laws and best practices in data privacy and security.
- Notification of Changes: If we make significant changes to our policy, we will notify you before the changes take effect. This notification may be made through various means, including, but not limited to, posting the revised policy on our Marketplace with a new "last updated" date or sending a notice directly to the email address you have provided to us.
- Access to Previous Versions: We will maintain an archive of previous versions of our Privacy and Cookie Policy so you can review changes made over time. This archive will be available upon request.
Your Responsibility:
We encourage you to review our Privacy and Cookie Policy frequently to stay informed about how we protect your information and to be aware of any changes that may affect you. Your continued use of our Marketplace after the posting or notification of changes to our policy will signify your acceptance and consent to those changes.
Date of Last Update:
The last update of this Privacy and Cookie Policy was made on March 23, 2024, and it is effective as of that date.
13. Contact
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about our Privacy and Cookie Policy, or if you wish to exercise any of your rights as a data subject, you can contact us at [email protected], and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
At tourist in, we are here to assist you with any concerns related to your privacy and data protection. Your trust is valuable to us, and we strive to address all your questions and concerns effectively and promptly.