Privacy Policy – Africa Photography

This Privacy Policy explains how Africa Photography collects, uses and protects your personal data when you browse https://africa-photography.ch, request information about a photographic safari, or make a booking through the website or by contacting us directly.

This policy applies exclusively to this safari website, operated by Africa Photography. When you follow links to the external photography portfolio or Fine Art print shop, those platforms are governed by their own privacy policies, independently of this policy.

By using this website or contacting Africa Photography for information about safaris, you confirm that you have read this Privacy Policy and understand how your personal data is processed.

Data controller and contact details

The data controller responsible for this website and for processing your personal data is:

Africa Photography

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, you may contact Africa Photography using the following details:

For privacy and security reasons, a physical address is not published. All data protection requests must be submitted by email.

Personal data collected

Africa Photography collects and processes various categories of personal data in connection with safari enquiries, bookings and use of the website. This data may include:

• Contact details: your name, email address, telephone or WhatsApp number, and the country from which you contact us.
• Enquiry and booking information: details about your travel plans and preferences, such as preferred safari dates, group size, photographic interests, budget range, language preferences and special requests, as well as information needed to manage bookings and payments when you use the ecommerce shopping cart.
• Communication data: messages you send by email, contact forms or WhatsApp, and notes required to follow up on your enquiry and organise the safari.
• Blog and content interactions: information you provide if you leave a comment on the Safari Stories blog or subscribe to updates, such as your name, email address and the content of your comment.
• Technical and usage data: data collected automatically when you visit the website, such as your IP address, browser type, approximate location, pages visited and other analytical information, generally collected through cookies and similar tools.

You are not required to provide all of this information, but some data may be necessary for us to respond properly to your enquiry, prepare an offer or complete a safari booking.

Purposes and legal basis of processing

Your personal data is used solely for clear and legitimate purposes connected with the safaris and the operation of this website. In particular, Africa Photography may process your data to:

• Respond to enquiries: answer your questions about photographic safaris, provide information about itineraries and availability, and prepare personalised proposals.
• Manage bookings and payments: confirm safari bookings, issue invoices, manage payments made through the ecommerce shopping cart or by other agreed methods, and communicate essential information before departure.
• Provide requested updates: send you specific updates or information that you have requested, such as news about a particular departure or a follow-up communication after your trip.
• Improve the website and services: analyse how visitors use the website, resolve technical problems, maintain security, and develop new or improved safari offers.
• Comply with legal obligations and protect rights: retain records required for accounting, tax or insurance purposes, and protect the legitimate interests and rights of Africa Photography, its guests and its partners.

Depending on the circumstances, the main legal bases for processing your data are your consent – for example, when you voluntarily provide information or subscribe to communications – the need to perform or prepare a contract with you in relation to safari enquiries and bookings, and Africa Photography's legitimate interests in operating its business and website securely and efficiently.

Data sharing and third parties

Africa Photography does not sell your personal data. However, your data may be shared with trusted third parties when this is necessary to operate the website, respond to your enquiries or deliver your safari.

These third parties may include:

• Hosting and technical service providers: companies that host the website, maintain its security and store data on secure servers.
• Email and communication services: tools used to send and receive emails, manage contact forms and maintain contact through channels such as WhatsApp.
• Payment and ecommerce services: services that process payments or manage the online shopping cart used for safari bookings, where applicable.
• Analytics and performance tools: services that help us understand how visitors use the website so that its content, performance and security can be improved.
• Local partners involved in your safari: where necessary, selected partners may receive limited data, such as your name and booking details, so that they can provide the services you have booked.

When you use a link to access the external photography portfolio or Fine Art print shop, you may be redirected to platforms operated by other providers. Those platforms have their own privacy policies and terms of use, which apply independently of this website.

Data retention

Africa Photography retains your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, or for the period required by applicable laws and the legitimate needs of the business.

In general:

• Enquiry data is retained for a reasonable period so that we can follow up on your questions and keep a record of previous conversations.
• Booking and payment records are retained for longer periods where necessary to meet accounting, tax, insurance or other legal obligations.
• Technical and analytical data is generally retained for shorter periods, sufficient to analyse trends and maintain the security and performance of the website.

When data is no longer required, it is deleted or retained only in a form that does not allow you to be personally identified.

Your data protection rights

You have several important rights in relation to your personal data. Depending on the laws applicable to you, these may include the right to:

• Access the personal data that Africa Photography holds about you.
• Correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
• Request the deletion of your personal data when it is no longer needed, or when you withdraw your consent and there is no other legal basis for processing it.
• Restrict or object to certain types of processing, particularly when data is used for direct marketing or on the basis of legitimate interests.
• Withdraw your consent at any time when processing is based on your consent. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights or have concerns about how your data is processed, email info@africa-photography.ch, providing sufficient information to identify yourself and describe your request.

Cookies and tracking technologies

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to function correctly and to understand how visitors use the site.

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.

On this website, cookies may be used to:

• Remember your preferences and allow pages to load correctly.
• Support the operation of enquiry and booking features, including the ecommerce shopping cart where available.
• Collect anonymous statistics about traffic and visitor behaviour so that content and navigation can be improved over time.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. If you choose to block certain cookies, some parts of the website may not function as intended, but you will still be able to access general information about the safaris.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Africa Photography may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to the safaris offered, the operation of the website or applicable data protection requirements.

When a significant change is made, the updated version will be published on this page and the date of the latest revision may be shown.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to remain informed about how your personal data is collected, used and protected.

If you have any questions about changes to this policy, contact Africa Photography at info@africa-photography.ch.