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Introduction
This Tourism British Columbia ("Tourism BC") web site is designed to help people find information about travel and vacation experiences in British Columbia, and participate in a variety of tourism-related services. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our customers. Any personal information provided to Tourism BC is collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and other applicable legislation.
What is Personal Information?
Personal information is recorded information about an identifiable individual, including their name, address, e-mail address, phone number and credit card information. It does not include business contact information. When Tourism BC collects personal information, we identify:
What Personal Information We Collect and How We Use It
When someone visits our web site, our web server automatically collects a limited amount of standard information essential to the operation, security and evaluation of the Tourism BC web site. This information helps us to make our site more useful to visitors and includes:
While some of this information (e.g. browser type and operating system) does not identify who people are, other information, such as Internet domain names or the IP addresses of internet service providers, may provide identification. The extent of personal identification depends on the 'naming standards' followed by the internet service provider. You may wish to check with your provider to inquire about their policies and practices in this regard. Tourism BC does not use this information to identify individuals who visit our web site unless required to do so as part of an internal investigation or other law enforcement purpose.
Any personal information collected via our web site is done in compliance with BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and is considered necessary for providing services offered throughout our organization (e.g. web site, call centre, Visitor Info Centres, front desks, etc.). Remember that there is always an option of whether or not to provide us with personal information. Your decision not to participate in electronic service delivery activities will not impair your ability to browse our web site. However, it may limit the use of certain web site features. The personal information provided to us is only used for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose. For example, personal information may only be used to: send information about British Columbia that we believe will be of interest (based on a confidential personal profile); contact about upcoming vacation opportunities; respond to inquiries; provide requested materials; obtain feedback on vacation experiences; or assist with the use of our web site. In most cases, we try to obtain explicit consent before these activities will occur. At any time, anyone may request that we stop communicating by either updating their user profile or contacting us at 1-800 HELLO BC.
In certain circumstances, we may need to provide personal information to our service providers in order to facilitate the operation of our web site or processing of payment transactions. Before any personal information is disclosed, all recipient organizations must agree to protect the privacy of personal information in a manner consistent with our policy, and in compliance with BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Security of Your Information
Tourism BC is obligated to protect personal information by making reasonable security arrangements against such risks as unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal. Security measures, such as the use of FTP secure sites, have been integrated into the design, implementation and day-to-day operating practices as part our commitment to protect the information we hold.
The personal information submitted is secure once it reaches the Tourism BC server. In transit between a computer and the server, however, it may not be secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that information will not be disclosed in ways not otherwise described in this policy.
Links to Other Web Sites
The Tourism BC web site links to some external web sites that offer information on tourism-related products and services. These sites may be operated by other government agencies, non-profit organizations and private businesses. Tourism BC is not responsible for the content and privacy practices of other web sites. We encourage users to review the privacy policy for each external site before submitting any personal information.
Cookies
"Cookies" are small pieces of data that web pages place in computers to assist in returning to that page. Tourism BC may use cookies to track activities on our web site. However, only sessional cookies, those which do not store personal information, will be used. It is possible to change the settings on a web browser to deny cookies or to warn when cookies will be deposited.
How Long Information Is Retained
The length of information retention varies in relation to the nature of the service provided. We keep information for the length of time necessary to fulfill the purpose(s) for which it was collected. Tourism BC manages the information it collects in accordance with government records retention schedules and other legislative requirements.
Changes to Our Privacy Policy
Tourism BC may, from time to time, review and revise its privacy practices and our web site privacy policy.
Who Can I Contact About the Tourism BC Privacy Policy or the Collection/Use of Information?
General questions or comments about this privacy policy can be directed by e-mail, phone, fax or in writing to our privacy manager at:
Tourism British Columbia
Manager, Records, Access & Privacy
300-1803 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC V8W 9W5
Phone: (250) 356-6363
Fax: (250) 387-2815
E-mail: privacy@tourismbc.com
Where Can I Find Information on BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act?
For general information relating to British Columbia's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, please refer to Ministry of Management Services web site at www.mser.gov.bc.ca/privacyaccess/
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