Privacy Policy | Distinct Travel

Privacy Policy for Distinct Travel

Effective Date: May 5, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Distinct Travel (“we,” “us,” or “our”). This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, process, protect, and disclose your personal information when you visit our website distincttravel.co.za (the “Site”) and interact with our services, including accessing our travel guides, tips, and related content (the “Service”).

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information transparently and responsibly, in accordance with applicable data protection laws, primarily the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”) of South Africa. This policy is designed to be clear and straightforward, reflecting our commitment to trustworthiness.

For the purpose of POPIA, Distinct Travel is the “Responsible Party” (equivalent to Data Controller).

2. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide and improve our Service, communicate with you, and ensure the security and functionality of our Site. The types of personal information we may collect include:

  • Information You Provide Directly:
    • Contact Information: Your name and email address if you subscribe to a newsletter, submit a contact form, or leave a comment.
    • Communications: Any information you provide when you communicate with us directly (e.g., via email).
    • Comments: Information you provide when commenting on blog posts (name, email, comment content).
  • Information Collected Automatically:
    • Log Data: When you visit our Site, our servers may automatically record information (“Log Data”), including your IP address, browser type and settings, device information, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, and timestamps.
    • Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our Site and Service.
  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies:
    • We use cookies (small text files placed on your device) and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons or pixels) to collect information about your Browse activities. This helps us operate the site, analyze traffic, understand user preferences, and improve your experience. Please see our “Cookies” section below for more details.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for specific, explicit, and legitimate purposes, including:

  • To Provide and Maintain the Service: Delivering content, guides, and information available on the Site.
  • To Improve the Service: Analyzing usage data and feedback to understand user needs and enhance our content, site design, and functionality. This relies on our legitimate interest to improve our offerings.
  • To Communicate With You: Responding to your inquiries, comments, or questions submitted via contact forms or email. Sending newsletters or updates if you have explicitly consented (subscribed).
  • For Analytics: Using tools like Google Analytics to understand website traffic patterns and user behaviour (often using aggregated or anonymized data where possible). This relies on our legitimate interest or your consent for non-essential cookies.
  • For Security: Monitoring for fraudulent or malicious activity and ensuring the security of our Site and user data.
  • To Comply with Legal Obligations: Fulfilling legal requirements, responding to lawful requests from authorities.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA)

Our legal basis for collecting and using the personal information described above depends on the information concerned and the specific context:

  • Consent: We rely on your explicit consent for actions like subscribing you to our email newsletter or placing non-essential cookies on your device. You can withdraw your consent at any time.
  • Legitimate Interests: We process some data based on our legitimate interests (e.g., analyzing website usage to improve content, ensuring site security), provided these interests are not overridden by your data protection interests or fundamental rights and freedoms.
  • Legal Obligation: We may process information if required to comply with South African law.

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We value your privacy and do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party companies that perform services on our behalf (e.g., website hosting providers, email marketing services like Mailchimp if used for newsletters, analytics providers like Google Analytics). These providers are obligated to protect your information and only use it for the specific services they provide to us.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request.
  • Business Transfers: If Distinct Travel is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to commitments made in this Privacy Policy.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (e.g., for legal or accounting purposes). For example:

  • Information collected via analytics is typically retained according to the service provider’s policies (e.g., Google Analytics retention settings).
  • Contact form submissions may be kept for customer service purposes but are not used for marketing unless consent is given.
  • If you unsubscribe from a newsletter, your email address will be removed from the active mailing list promptly but may be retained in a suppression list to prevent accidental re-subscription.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the personal information we collect against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. This includes using HTTPS/SSL encryption for data transmitted to and from our Site and working with reputable hosting providers. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. Your Data Protection Rights under POPIA

As a data subject in South Africa, you have specific rights regarding your personal information under POPIA:

  • Right of Access: You have the right to request copies of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or complete information you believe is incomplete.
  • Right to Erasure (Deletion): You have the right to request that we erase your personal information, under certain conditions.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information, under certain conditions.
  • Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal information based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
  • Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that we transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions (usually applies to data processed based on consent or contract).
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: If we rely on your consent to process your information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing before the withdrawal.
  • Right Not to be Subject to Automated Decision-Making: You have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produce legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affect you (Note: Distinct Travel likely does not engage in such processing, but the right exists).
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe that our processing of your personal information violates POPIA.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 13. We will respond to your request in accordance with POPIA requirements.

9. Cookies Policy

Cookies are small text files stored on your browser or device by websites you visit. We use them to:

  • Ensure the basic functionality of the Site (essential cookies).
  • Analyze how visitors use the Site using tools like Google Analytics (analytics cookies).
  • Remember your preferences (functional cookies).
  • Potentially support embedded content like YouTube videos (third-party cookies).

You can manage your cookie preferences:

  • Browser Settings: Most web browsers allow you to view, manage, delete, and block cookies. Please refer to your browser’s help documentation for instructions. Note that blocking essential cookies may impact site functionality.
  • Cookie Consent Tool (If Implemented): If we implement a cookie consent banner/tool, you can manage your preferences for non-essential cookies there.

For more information about cookies, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Site and Service are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 18, please contact us.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information, including personal information, may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of South Africa where the data protection laws may differ. For example, services like Google Analytics or potentially our website hosting or email providers may store data in other countries (e.g., the United States).

If we transfer your personal information outside of South Africa, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place as required by POPIA, such as ensuring the recipient country has adequate data protection laws, using Standard Contractual Clauses, or relying on Binding Corporate Rules, to ensure your information receives a level of protection comparable to that provided by POPIA.

12. Links to Other Websites

Our Site may contain links to other websites that are not operated by us (e.g., links to booking sites, attractions, other blogs). If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Effective Date” at the top. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes are effective when they are posted on this page.

14. Contact Information

Transparency and your trust are important to us. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights under POPIA, or have any concerns about our privacy practices, please contact us:

Email: info@distincttravel.co.za

15. Information Regulator (South Africa)

If you are unsatisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal information unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa: