Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

We are Discover Belgium, a travel and information platform dedicated to providing content about Belgium's history, culture, cities, and attractions. When collecting information about our visitors or subscribers, we qualify as a "data controller" under European Union data protection laws. This means we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use personal data about you.

2. How Do We Collect Your Data?

We collect information about you when you:

• Fill in a subscription form for our newsletter
• Contact us through our Contact form
• Engage with our website features
• Visit our website (through cookies and similar technologies)

We may also collect information by automated means. When you visit our website, view our content, or read our newsletters, we automatically collect information about you via cookies, web beacons, and other similar technologies. For more information on our use of cookies, please see our Cookie Policy available on the website.

3. What Data Do We Collect?

We collect two types of information about you: personal data and non-personal data.

Personal data.

This includes information that identifies you, such as:

• Your name and email address (when you subscribe to our newsletter)
• Contact information you share with us through our Contact form
• Any other information you voluntarily provide to us

Non-personal data.

This is information that doesn't directly identify you and generally comes from your use of our website, including:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• IP address (in anonymized form)
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring website or source
• Aggregated data about website usage

4. How Do We Use Your Data?

We use the information we collect about you to:

• Provide and improve our website content and services
• Send you our newsletter (if you've subscribed)
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Communicate with you about events, travel information, or updates about Belgium
• Analyze website usage to enhance user experience
• Ensure the security and proper functioning of our website
• Comply with legal obligations

5. What Are Our Purposes and Legal Basis for Collecting Your Personal Data?

We collect your personal data based on:

• Your consent (for example, when you subscribe to our newsletter)
• Our legitimate interests (such as improving our website and services)
• The performance of a contract with you (when you engage with specific services)
• Compliance with a legal obligation

6. With Whom Do We Share Personal Data?

Except for the limited circumstances described here, we do not share your personal data with third parties. When we need to provide your personal data to third parties, we will only share it to the extent necessary to provide you with our services, and we ensure that we have appropriate data protection agreements in place.

We may share your data with:

Hosting Services:

We use reputable third-party services to host our website and store data.

Newsletter Services:

If you subscribe to our newsletter, your email address is processed by our email newsletter provider to send you the communications you've requested.

Analytics Providers:

We use analytics services to improve our website and understand user behavior. These services receive anonymized data only.

Payment Processors:

If we offer any paid services, payment information is handled by secure third-party payment processors.

In no case do we sell, rent, or lease your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes.

We may also disclose your personal information if required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency).

7. For How Long Do We Retain Your Personal Data?

We keep your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including for the purpose of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

For newsletter subscribers, we keep your information until you unsubscribe or request deletion of your data.

For general contact inquiries, we typically retain information for up to two years after your last interaction with us.

8. How Do We Transfer Your Data?

Discover Belgium complies with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as all applicable data protection laws. If we transfer personal data from the European Economic Area (EEA) to a country outside the EEA, we implement appropriate safeguards to ensure your personal data receives adequate protection, such as using Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

9. What Are Your Rights in Connection with Personal Data?

In accordance with data protection laws, you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate personal data
• Request erasure of your personal data
• Withdraw your consent at any time
• Object to processing of your personal data
• Request restriction of processing your personal data
• Request transfer of your personal data (data portability)

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us through our Contact page or by email at privacy@discoverbelgium.com.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority if you believe we have not complied with applicable data protection laws.

10. Security

The security of your personal information is important to us. We follow industry-standard practices to protect the personal information submitted to us, both during transmission and once it is received. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and you believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can take necessary action.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this 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 "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through our Contact page or by email at privacy@discoverbelgium.com.