Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to EgyptTourGuide. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.

By using EgyptTourGuide, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with the practices described in this policy, please do not use our services.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, username, and password when you create an account
• Profile Information: Profile photos, bio, location, languages spoken, and other information you choose to share
• Verification Documents: For tour guides, we collect identity documents, license numbers, and professional credentials for verification purposes
• Payment Information: Billing address, payment method details (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Communication Data: Messages exchanged between guides and travelers through our platform

Automatically Collected Information

When you use our platform, we automatically collect certain information:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, searches, and navigation patterns
• Location Data: General location information based on IP address (when permitted)
• Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience and analyze platform usage

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Provision: To create and manage your account, process bookings, facilitate communication between guides and travelers, and provide customer support
• Verification: To verify guide credentials, licenses, and professional qualifications to ensure platform safety and authenticity
• Communication: To send booking confirmations, updates, notifications, and respond to your inquiries
• Payment Processing: To process payments, calculate commissions, and handle financial transactions securely
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our services, develop new features, and optimize user experience
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address fraud, security threats, and other illegal activities
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations, enforce our Terms of Service, and protect our rights
• Marketing: With your consent, to send promotional communications about tours, guides, and platform updates (you can opt-out at any time)

Information Sharing and Disclosure

Public Information

Certain information is publicly visible on our platform:

• Guide Profiles: Name, photo, bio, credentials, tour listings, ratings, and reviews are visible to all users
• Tour Listings: Tour descriptions, prices, schedules, and photos are publicly displayed
• Reviews: Reviews and ratings you post are visible to other users

Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

• Payment processing and financial transactions
• Email delivery and communication services
• Cloud hosting and data storage
• Analytics and performance monitoring
• Customer support and help desk services

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to:

• Respond to legal requests and protect our rights
• Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Prevent fraud, security threats, or illegal activities
• Protect the safety of our users and the public

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: We use SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted between your device and our servers
• Secure Storage: Personal information is stored on secure servers with restricted access
• Access Controls: Only authorized personnel have access to personal data, and access is logged and monitored
• Regular Updates: We regularly update our security systems and practices to address emerging threats
• Payment Security: Payment information is processed through PCI-DSS compliant payment processors

Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You can access and review your personal information through your account settings
• Correction: You can update or correct inaccurate information in your profile
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format
• Opt-Out: You can opt-out of marketing communications by updating your preferences or clicking unsubscribe links
• Cookies: You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@egypttourguide.net or through your account settings.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience:

• Essential Cookies: Required for platform functionality, authentication, and security
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform to improve services
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with your consent)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect platform functionality.

Children's Privacy

EgyptTourGuide is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. We will delete such information upon verification.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. By using our platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to Egypt and other countries where we operate.

We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, regardless of where it is processed.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services and fulfill bookings
• Comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements and Terms of Service
• Maintain accurate records for financial and tax purposes

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information, except where we are required to retain it for legal, regulatory, or business purposes.

Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify you of significant changes via email or platform notification
• Post the updated policy on our website

Continued use of our platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically.