Effective Date: November 1, 2024

Welcome to Balkan Wanders (“we”, “our”, or “us”). We operate the website balkanwanders.com (the “Service”). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and disclose your personal information when you visit our website or use our services. By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services:

• Personal Data: While using our Service, we may ask you to provide certain personally identifiable information, such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address. This information is used to contact or identify you.
• Booking Information: When you book a tour or service through Balkan Wanders, we collect information related to your booking, including travel dates, destination preferences, and any special requests or accommodations.
• Payment Information: We use third-party payment processors to handle payments securely. While we do not store your credit card information, we may retain transaction details for accounting purposes.
• Technical Data: We collect information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and usage data to analyze website traffic and improve the user experience.

2. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: When you provide us with personal information to complete a transaction, verify your credit card, or arrange for a delivery, we imply that you consent to our collecting it and using it for that specific reason only.
• Performance of a Contract: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party, such as booking a tour.
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving our services, provided that these are not overridden by your rights.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for various purposes, including:

• To process and manage your bookings and reservations.
• To communicate with you, including sending booking confirmations, updates, and promotional offers.
• To personalize your experience based on your preferences and travel history.
• To improve our Service, including monitoring usage and analyzing trends.
• To comply with legal obligations and protect our legal rights.

4. Sharing of Information

We may share your information with:

• Service Providers: Third-party companies that assist us in providing our Service, such as payment processors, accommodation providers, and local tour guides. These parties have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency).

5. International Data Transfers

As a company based in Bulgaria with clients from around the world, we may transfer your personal data to countries outside your place of residence. By using our Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country of residence.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as:

• The right to access, correct, or delete your personal data.
• The right to object to or restrict the processing of your data.
• The right to data portability. 

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@balkanwanders.com.We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe. 

7. Cookie Policy

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and analyze usage patterns.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help us recognize your device and store information about your preferences or past actions.

Types of Cookies We Use

• • Essential Cookies: These are necessary to provide you with services available through our website.
  • Performance and Functionality Cookies: Enhance the performance and functionality of our website but are non-essential to their use.
  • Analytics and Customization Cookies: Collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective marketing campaigns are.
  • Advertising Cookies: Make advertising messages more relevant to you
  • Third-Party Cookies: In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third parties’ cookies to report usage statistics of the Service and deliver advertisements.

Your Choices Regarding Cookies

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie preferences by adjusting your browser settings. Please note that if you choose to refuse cookies, you may not be able to use the full functionality of our website.

For more information about cookies and how to manage them, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

8. Consent for Marketing Communications 

With your consent, we may use your personal information to send you promotional emails about our services, special offers, and other updates. You can opt-out at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of our emails or by contacting us directly at contact@balkanwanders.com.

 9. Data Security

We are committed to protecting your personal information. We implement industry-standard security measures, such as encryption and secure servers, to safeguard your data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. The criteria used to determine our retention periods include:

• The duration of our relationship with you.
• Legal obligations we are subject to.
• The necessity to retain records for legal claims.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by us. 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.

12. Compliance with International Regulations

We comply with applicable international data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for European users and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Balkan Wanders

• Email: contact@balkanwanders.com
• Website: balkanwanders.com
• Address: Druzhba 1, Sofia, 1592