This Privacy Policy was last updated on September 1, 2009.
Our Policy:
Welcome to the web site (the “ Web Site”) of Explorica, Inc. (“Explorica”, “we”, “us” and/or “our”). This Web Site is operated by Explorica and has been created to provide information about our company and our educational tours (the “Explorica Services”) to our Web Site visitors (“you”, “your”). This Privacy Policy sets forth Explorica’s policy with respect to information including personally identifiable data (“Personal Data”) and other information that is collected from Web Site visitors.
Information We Collect:
When you interact with us through the Web Site, we may collect Personal Data and other information from you, as further described below:
Personal Data That You Provide Through the Web Site: We collect Personal Data from you when you voluntarily provide such information, such as when you contact us with inquiries, respond to one of our surveys, register for access to the Explorica Services or use certain Explorica Services. Explorica collects basic Personal Data, including your name, address, phone number, date of birth, email address, and credit card data. We use secure online forms and store all information in protected operating environments inaccessible to the public. Wherever Explorica collects Personal Data we make an effort to provide a link to this Privacy Policy.
By voluntarily providing us with Personal Data, you are consenting to our use of it in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you provide Personal Data to this Web Site, you acknowledge and agree that such Personal Data may be transferred from your current location to the offices and servers of Explorica and the authorized third parties referred to herein located in the United States.
Other Information:
Non-Identifiable Data: When you interact with Explorica through the Web Site, we receive and store certain personally non-identifiable information. Such information, which is collected passively using various technologies, cannot presently be used to specifically identify you. Explorica may store such information itself or such information may be included in databases owned and maintained by Explorica affiliates, agents or service providers. This Web Site may use such information and pool it with other information to track, for example, the total number of visitors to our Web Site, the number of visitors to each page of our Web Site, and the domain names of our visitors' Internet service providers. It is important to note that no Personal Data is available or used in this process.
In operating this Web Site, we may use a technology called "cookies." A cookie is a piece of information that the computer that hosts our Web Site gives to your browser when you access the Web Site. Our cookies help provide additional functionality to the Web Site and help us analyze Web Site usage more accurately. For instance, our Web Site may set a cookie on your browser that allows you to access the Web Site without needing to remember and then enter a password more than once during a visit to the Web Site. In all cases in which we use cookies, we will not collect Personal Data except with your permission. On most web browsers, you will find a “help” section on the toolbar. Please refer to this section for information on how to receive notification when you are receiving a new cookie and how to turn cookies off. We recommend that you leave cookies turned on because they allow you to take advantage of some of the Web Site’s features.
Aggregated Personal Data: In an ongoing effort to better understand and serve the users of the Explorica Services, Explorica often conducts research on its customer demographics, interests and behavior based on the Personal Data and other information provided to us. This research may be compiled and analyzed on an aggregate basis, and Explorica may share this aggregate data with its affiliates, agents and business partners. This aggregate information does not identify you personally. Explorica may also disclose aggregated user statistics in order to describe our services to current and prospective business partners, and to other third parties for other lawful purposes.
Explorica uses the Personal Data you provide in a manner that is consistent with this Privacy Policy. If you provide Personal Data for a certain reason, we may use the Personal Data in connection with the reason for which it was provided. If you contact us by e-mail, we will use the Personal Data you provide to answer your question or resolve your problem. Also, if you provide Personal Data in order to obtain access to the Explorica Services, we will use your Personal Data to provide you with access to such services and to monitor your use of such services. For instance, we collect Personal Data to reserve your tour and create your online personal account. We do not disclose your Personal Data to anyone else, other than the hotels, airlines, and additional service providers you'll be using on your trip. We use your email address to answer your questions and to send you updates on your itinerary. Explorica and its subsidiaries and affiliates (the “Explorica Related Companies”) may also use your Personal Data and other personally non-identifiable information collected through the Web Site to help us improve the content and functionality of the Web Site, to better understand our users and to improve the Explorica Services. For instance, Explorica Related Companies may provide general statistics about users' travel habits to reputable third-party vendors. This information is not user-specific; your identity remains anonymous. Explorica Related Companies may use this information to contact you in the future to tell you about services we believe will be of interest to you. If we do so, each communication we send you will contain instructions permitting you to "opt-out" of receiving future communications. In addition, if at any time you wish not to receive any future communications or you wish to have your name deleted from our mailing lists, please contact us as indicated below.
If Explorica intends on using any Personal Data in any manner that is not consistent with this Privacy Policy, you will be informed of such anticipated use prior to or at the time at which the Personal Data is used.
Our Disclosure of Your Personal Data and Other Information:
Explorica is not in the business of selling your Personal Data. We consider this information to be a vital part of our relationship with you. There are, however, certain circumstances in which we may share your Personal Data with certain third parties without further notice to you, as set forth below:
Business Transfers: As we develop our business, we might sell or buy businesses or assets. In the event of a sale of a business or a merger, reorganization, dissolution or similar event, Personal Data may be part of the transferred assets.
Related Companies: We may also share your Personal Data with other Explorica Related Companies for purposes consistent with this Privacy Policy.
Agents, Consultants and Related Third Parties: Explorica, like many businesses, sometimes hires others to perform certain business-related functions. Examples of such functions include mailing information, maintaining databases and processing payments. When we employ anyone else to perform a function of this nature, we only provide them with the information that they need to perform their specific function.
Legal Requirements: Explorica may disclose your Personal Data without your consent if required, or permitted, to do so by law.
Your Choices:
You can use the Web Site without providing any Personal Data. If you choose not to provide any Personal Data, you may not be able to use certain Explorica Services.
Exclusions:
This Privacy Policy does not apply to any Personal Data collected by Explorica other than Personal Data collected through the Web Site. This Privacy Policy shall not apply to any unsolicited information you provide to Explorica through this Web Site or through any other means. This includes, but is not limited to, information posted to any public areas of the Web Site, such as bulletin boards (collectively, “Public Areas”), any ideas for new products or modifications to existing products, and other unsolicited submissions (collectively, “Unsolicited Information”). All Unsolicited Information shall be deemed to be non-confidential and Explorica shall be free to reproduce, use, disclose, and distribute such Unsolicited Information to others without limitation or attribution.
Children:
Explorica does not knowingly collect Personal Data from children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, please do not submit any Personal Data through the Web Site. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 13 has provided Personal Data to Explorica through this Web Site, please contact us, and we will endeavor to delete that information from our databases.
Explorica complies with applicable federal law and the guidelines set up by the US Federal Trade Commission that require web sites to post privacy policies and to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from anyone under the age of 18. Personal Data collected from anyone under the age of 18 is used strictly to complete travel reservations and is shared only with outside vendors involved in that process.
We encourage parents and legal guardians to monitor their children’s Internet usage and to help enforce our Privacy Policy by instructing their children never to provide Personal Data on this Web Site without their permission.
Links to Other Web Sites:
This Privacy Policy applies only to the Web Site. This Web Site may contain links to other web sites not operated or controlled by Explorica (the “Third Party Sites”). The policies and procedures we described here do not apply to the Third Party Sites. The links from this Web Site do not imply that Explorica endorses or has reviewed the Third Party Sites. We suggest contacting those sites directly for information on their privacy policies.
Security:
Explorica takes reasonable steps to protect the Personal Data provided via the Web Site from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no Internet or e-mail transmission is ever fully secure or error free. In particular, e-mail sent to or from this Web Site may not be secure. Therefore, you should take special care in deciding what information you send to us via e-mail. Please keep this in mind when disclosing any Personal Data to Explorica via the Internet.
Other Terms and Conditions:
Your access to and use of this Web Site is subject to the Terms of Use. Please visit www.explorica.ca/terms-of-use.
Changes to Explorica’s Privacy Policy:
The Web Site and our business may change from time to time. As a result, at times it may be necessary for Explorica to make changes to this Privacy Policy. Explorica reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time and from time to time without prior notice. Please review this policy periodically, and especially before you provide any Personal Data. This Privacy Policy was last updated on the date indicated above. Your continued use of the Web Site after any changes or revisions to this Privacy Policy shall indicate your agreement with the terms of such revised Privacy Policy.
Access to Information; Contacting Explorica:
To keep your Personal Data accurate, current, and complete, please contact us as specified below. We will take reasonable steps to update or correct Personal Data in our possession that you have previously submitted via this Web Site.
Please also feel free to contact us if you have any questions about Explorica’s Privacy Policy or the information practices of this Web Site.
You may contact us as follows: online@explorica.ca