PRIVACY POLICY
Welcome to Ethiopian Travel Agency, operated by Friends Travel Services LLC.
We respect your privacy and are dedicated to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data on our website (https://ethiopiantravelagency.com/) (the “Site” or “website”), especially concerning our SMS communications. As part of our commitment to transparency, we ensure our practices comply with The Campaign Registry (TCR) requirements for SMS messaging.
This website is owned and operated by:
Company Name: Friends Travel Services LLC doing business as Ethiopian Travel Agency
Entity Type: Limited Liability Company
Principal Office: 4900 Leesburg Pike, Suite 413, Alexandria VA 22302
Contact Us: ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com
By using our services, you consent to our practices regarding your personal data. This policy will also explain how you can manage your communication preferences, including opting out of receiving promotional messages if you choose. Please read this policy carefully to understand your rights and our responsibilities in handling your information.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com.
- INFORMATION WE COLLECT
When you use our services, we may collect certain personal information to help us provide you with the best travel experience. This includes:
- Name: To personalize our communications and ensure bookings are correctly attributed.
- Phone Number: To send important updates via SMS about your travel bookings and any relevant notifications.
- Email Address: To communicate booking confirmations, travel details, and provide customer support.
We collect only the information necessary to assist you with your travel plans and improve our services. This information is kept confidential and used solely to provide the services you request.
- SMS MESSAGING (TCR COMPLIANCE)
By providing us with your phone number, you consent to receive SMS communications from us regarding your travel arrangements and related services. This includes essential updates on bookings, travel details, and promotional offers relevant to our services.
We are committed to providing clear, compliant, and relevant SMS communications to keep you informed about your travel arrangements. In accordance with The Campaign Registry (TCR) requirements, here is what you need to know about our SMS messaging practices:
- Purpose of SMS Communications: We may send SMS messages to update you on essential aspects of your travel, such as booking confirmations, travel schedules, or other important information. You may also receive occasional promotional offers related to our services, provided you have opted in.
- Frequency of Messages: The frequency of SMS messages depends on the status of your travel plans and your interaction with our services. Essential updates will be sent as needed, while promotional messages may be sent periodically if you have subscribed to receive them.
- Messaging Rates: Standard messaging rates may apply based on your mobile carrier’s policies. We recommend checking with your carrier for potential costs associated with receiving SMS messages from us.
- Opting Out of Promotional Messages: You can easily opt out of promotional SMS messages at any time.
- Reply “STOP”: Simply reply “STOP” to any promotional SMS to unsubscribe.
- Contact Us: Alternatively, you may reach out to us at +1 (888) 576-2854 or via email at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com to request removal from the promotional SMS list.
Please note that while you can opt out of promotional messages, transactional SMS related to your bookings cannot be opted out of, as they are essential for us to provide our services.
- LAWFUL BASIS FOR WHICH WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We collect and use your personal information based on the following lawful bases:
- Contractual Necessity: We use your information to fulfill our obligations under the contract we have with you, such as processing bookings and providing updates on your travel plans. This information is essential to delivering the services you requested.
- Consent: When you sign up for our services, including SMS notifications, you provide consent for us to use your information for communication purposes. You may withdraw your consent at any time by opting out of certain communications.
- Legal Obligations: We may process your personal information to comply with our legal obligations. This includes retaining certain records for a specific period as required by law.
- Legitimate Interests: We may process your information to improve our services, enhance customer support, and ensure smooth travel experiences. We carefully assess that our legitimate interests do not override your privacy rights.
- HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We collect and use your information to ensure you receive a seamless travel experience. Here’s how we use the data you provide:
- To Process Bookings and Reservations: Your information allows us to manage and confirm your travel bookings, ensuring accurate and efficient service.
- To Send SMS and Email Notifications: We use your contact details to send important updates about your travel plans, including booking confirmations, travel dates, and any necessary changes. These notifications ensure that you’re always informed and up-to-date.
- To Provide Customer Support: Your information enables us to assist you with any questions or issues related to your bookings and to deliver effective customer service.
- For Marketing and Promotional Purposes: With your consent, we may send occasional promotional messages about offers or packages that may be of interest to you. You can opt out of these messages at any time.
We use your information responsibly and solely for the purposes of delivering and enhancing our services. We do not share your data with third parties, and we prioritize your privacy and security at every step.
- DATA RETENTION AND DELETING YOUR INFORMATION
- Data Retention: We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to provide our services effectively. Once your travel bookings are completed and there is no ongoing need for your data, it will be securely archived or deleted according to our data retention policy.
- Deleting Personal Information: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information at any time. To do so, please contact our customer support team at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com. Upon receiving your request, we will take appropriate steps to delete your information from our active databases. Please note that certain information may be retained in our backup systems for a limited period due to technical and legal requirements.
- User Verification: Prior to processing deletion requests, we may need to verify the identity of the user to ensure the security of personal information.
- Exceptions: Certain information may be exempt from deletion if retention is necessary for legal compliance, dispute resolution, or other legitimate business purposes.
- Effect on Services: Deleting certain information may impact the user’s ability to access and use specific services or features provided by Ethiopian Travel Agency.
- Backup Copies: Information may continue to exist in backup copies for a limited period after deletion. These copies are retained for system restoration purposes and are not actively used.
- INFORMATION SHARING
We respect your privacy and do not share your personal information with third parties. Your data is used solely to provide and improve our services directly to you. We do not sell, rent, or disclose your information to outside parties for marketing or any other purposes.
If there is ever a situation where sharing your data is necessary – for instance, to comply with legal requirements or to protect our rights – we will do so only in strict accordance with applicable laws and privacy protections. In such cases, we will make every effort to inform you, unless restricted by law.
- STORAGE AND SECURITY OF YOUR INFORMATION
- Data Storage: Your information is securely stored with our third-party hosting provider, Squarespace, which follows stringent security protocols to protect data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse.
- Security Measures: We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement a variety of security measures to protect it. These measures include encryption, firewalls, secure socket layer (SSL) technology, and regular security assessments. We also limit access to your personal information to those employees, contractors, and agents who need to know that information to provide our services.
- Employee Confidentiality: Ethiopian Travel Agency employees are bound by confidentiality obligations and are trained on the secure handling of user information. This includes understanding the importance of maintaining the privacy and security of the data they may access.
- Regular Security Audits: Ethiopian Travel Agency conducts regular security audits and assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. This proactive approach helps maintain a robust security posture.
- Incident Response Plan: In the event of a data security incident, Ethiopian Travel Agency has an incident response plan in place to promptly assess, contain, and mitigate the impact of the incident. Users will be notified as required by applicable data protection laws.
- Data Retention Policies: User information is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in the Privacy Policy or as required by applicable laws and regulations. Once the retention period expires, data is securely deleted or anonymized.
- Security: We employ reasonable security practices to ensure that the information is safe and secure with us. However, no information on the internet is 100% safe, and you accept and acknowledge such risk. Also, we will disclose the information so collected for limited purposes as mentioned in this Privacy Policy.
- LINKS TO OTHER SITES
The Website may contain links to third-party websites or services 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 have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or services. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit. Your use of any linked third-party websites or services is at your own risk, and we are not liable for any issues arising from such use.
- RIGHTS OF USERS FROM CALIFORNIA
This privacy notice section for California residents supplements the information contained in our Privacy Policy and it applies solely to all visitors, users, and others who reside in the State of California.
“Shine the Light” and “Eraser” Laws: Residents of the State of California may request a list of all third parties to which we have disclosed certain information during the preceding year for those third parties’ direct marketing purposes.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)/California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA): The CCPA, as amended by the CPRA, provides California residents and/or their authorized agents with specific rights regarding the collection and processing of their personal information.
In compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), we are required to disclose the categories of personal information we collect from users. The following outlines the categories of information we collect, along with examples and purposes for which the information is used.
Categories of Personal Information We Collect
- Identifiers: This includes information such as your name, email address, and phone number, which we use to communicate with you regarding bookings and provide customer support.
- Internet or Other Electronic Network Activity: We may collect certain data through cookies or similar technologies when you visit our website, such as browsing history and interactions on our site. This information allows us to enhance website functionality and improve user experience.
- Geolocation Data: When necessary, we may collect location information to tailor our services based on your geographic area, such as relevant travel updates or offers.
Your Right to Know: California residents have the right to request that we disclose the following information to you about our collection and use of your personal information over the past twelve (12) months. We may ask you to provide certain information to identify yourself so that we may compare it with our records in order to verify your request. Upon verification, we will disclose to you:
- The categories of personal information we have collected about you.
- The categories of sources for the personal information we have collected about you.
- The specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
- Our business or commercial purpose for collecting or “selling” your personal information as defined by the CCPA.
- The categories of third parties to whom we have sold or shared your personal information, if any, and the categories of personal information that we have shared with each third-party recipient.
Your Right to Opt-Out of “Sale” or “Sharing” of Personal Information: California residents have the right to opt-out of the “sale” or “sharing” of their personal information as defined by the CCPA by contacting us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com.
Please note that we do not knowingly “sell” the personal information of any individuals.
If and where we are “sharing” your personal information with third parties for the purposes of cross-context behavioral advertising or profiling, you may opt-out of such sharing at any time by submitting a request at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com.
Your Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information: California residents may have the right to request that businesses limit the use of any sensitive personal information to those uses which are necessary to perform the Services or for other specifically-enumerated business purposes under the CCPA, as amended by the CPRA. Please note that we do not use sensitive personal information other than as necessary to perform the Services or as specifically permitted under the CCPA.
Your Right to Delete: California residents have the right to request that we delete any of the personal information collected from you and retained by us, subject to certain exceptions. We may ask you to provide certain information to identify yourself so that we may compare it with our records in order to verify your request. Once your request is verified and we have determined that we are required to delete the requested personal information in accordance with the CCPA, we will delete, and direct our service providers to delete your personal information from their records. Your request to delete personal information that we have collected may be denied if we conclude it is necessary for us to retain such personal information under one or more of the exceptions listed in the CCPA.
Your Right to Correct: Under the CCPA, as amended by the CPRA, California residents have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate personal information we maintain about you, taking into account the nature of the personal information and the purposes for which we are processing such personal information. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to correct such inaccurate personal information about you.
Non-Discrimination: You will not receive any discriminatory treatment by us for the exercise of your privacy rights conferred by the CCPA.
To exercise any of your rights, please contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com
- NOTICE FOR USERS FROM NEVADA
Under Nevada law, certain Nevada residents may opt out of the sale of “personally identifiable information” for monetary consideration to a person for that person to license or sell such information to additional persons.
“Personally identifiable information” includes first and last name, address, email address, phone number, social security number, or an identifier that allows a specific person to be contacted either physically or online.
Please note, we do not sell your personal information to anyone.
- RIGHTS OF USERS FROM VIRGINIA
If you are a customer located in Virginia, you have specific rights regarding your personal information under the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA). These rights include:
- Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. This allows you to receive a copy of the data we have collected and verify that we are processing it lawfully.
- Right to Correct: You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date.
- Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information where there is no longer a legitimate reason for us to continue processing it.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request the transfer of your personal information to you or to a third party in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. This allows you to reuse your data across different services.
- Right to Opt-Out of Data Processing: You have the right to opt-out of the processing of your personal information for purposes of:
- Targeted Advertising: Opt-out of your personal data being used for targeted advertising.
- Sale of Personal Data: Opt-out of the sale of your personal data.
- Profiling: Opt-out of profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning you.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: You have the right not to be discriminated against for exercising your rights under the VCDPA. This means we will not deny you goods or services, charge you different prices, or provide a different level of service because you exercised any of your rights.
- Right to Appeal: If we refuse to take action on your request, you have the right to appeal our decision. We will inform you of the reasons for our refusal and provide you with information on how you can appeal the decision.
Important Note: These rights will only be exercisable if and when our business falls within the threshold that makes the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) applicable to us.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable data protection laws and take steps to confirm your identity before fulfilling your request to protect your privacy and security.
- RIGHTS OF USERS FROM FLORIDA
We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. As part of our compliance with the Florida Information Protection Act (FIPA), this section outlines the rights you have under this data protection law – if and when such act applies to our company. FIPA grants you certain rights concerning the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information by businesses operating in Florida. We recognize the importance of these rights and aim to provide you with transparency and control over your personal data. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the rights described below, which empower you to make informed decisions about your privacy.
- Right to Be Informed: You have the right to be informed about how your personal information is collected, used, stored, and shared by businesses under the Florida Information Protection Act (FIPA). This includes receiving clear and concise privacy notices that disclose the types of personal information collected, the purposes for which it is used, and any third parties with whom it may be shared.
- Right to Access: You have the right to request access to your personal information held by businesses subject to FIPA. Upon submitting a valid request, businesses must provide you with a copy of your personal information in a commonly used and machine-readable format. This allows you to review the accuracy and completeness of your personal information and understand how it is being processed.
- Right to Rectification: If your personal information held by a business is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request its rectification. Upon receiving a valid request, businesses must promptly update or correct your personal information, ensuring that it is accurate and up to date.
- Right to Deletion: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information held by businesses subject to FIPA. Upon submitting a valid deletion request, businesses must delete your personal information, unless retention of the data is required by law or for legitimate business purposes.
- Right to Restrict Processing: FIPA grants you the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal information by businesses. This means that businesses must limit the ways in which they use or process your personal information upon receiving a valid request, while still retaining the data. Restrictions may include temporarily suspending processing activities or limiting the purposes for which the personal information is used.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request the portability of your personal information held by businesses subject to FIPA. This means that upon submitting a valid request, businesses must provide you with your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, allowing you to transmit it to another entity if desired.
- Right to Opt-Out of Sale: Under FIPA, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. Businesses are required to provide a clear and conspicuous opt-out mechanism for you to exercise this right. Once your opt-out request is received, businesses must refrain from selling your personal information, unless an exception applies under the law.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: FIPA prohibits businesses from discriminating against you based on your exercise of your rights under the Act. Businesses cannot deny goods, services, discounts, or any other benefits based on your exercise of your privacy rights, except, where permitted by law.
However, it is pertinent to note that the above rights also come with certain exceptions. For any questions, clarifications, or to exercise any of the rights described above, please contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com. We will promptly review and respond to your requests in accordance with the requirements of FIPA if you are entitled to such right.
- RIGHTS OF USERS FROM ILLINOIS
If you are a resident of Illinois, you have certain rights under the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information by our company. We are committed to upholding these rights, and this section outlines the specific rights granted to you under PIPA:
- Right to Know: You have the right to know what categories of personal information we collect about you and the purposes for which we use it. We are committed to providing transparency regarding the collection and use of your personal information. You can find detailed information about the types of personal information we collect and the purposes for which it is used in this Privacy Policy.
- Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. If you wish to exercise this right, please contact us through the methods provided in the “Contact Information” section of this Privacy Policy. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe, as required by law.
- Right to Correct: If you believe that any personal information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request corrections. Please contact us with your request, and we will promptly review and update your personal information as needed.
- Right to Delete: Under certain circumstances, you may have the right to request the deletion of your personal information. We will comply with such requests to the extent required by applicable law. However, please note that we may retain certain information for legitimate business purposes or as required by law.
- Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties, as permitted by PIPA. We do not sell personal information to third parties.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights under PIPA. This includes denying you goods or services, charging you different prices, or providing you with a lower quality of service.
- Contact Information: If you have any questions, concerns, or wish to exercise your rights under PIPA, please contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com. Please include “PIPA Rights Request” in the subject line of your email.
- RIGHTS OF USERS FROM OTHER STATES / COUNTRIES
Your data controller with respect to the personal information collected on the website is:
Company Name: Friends Travel Services LLC doing business as Ethiopian Travel Agency
Entity Type: Limited Liability Company
Principal Office: 4900 Leesburg Pike, Suite 413, Alexandria VA 22302
Contact Us: ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com
Depending upon the laws of your specific state or country, you may be eligible for some or all the following rights in respect of your personal information:
- Right to obtain information: You may have a right to obtain information about how and on what basis your personal information is processed and to obtain a copy.
- Right to rectification: You may have the right to have any incomplete or inaccurate information we hold about you rectified and corrected.
- Right of Erasure: You may have the right to erase your personal information in limited circumstances where (a) you believe that it is no longer necessary for us to hold your personal information; (b) we are processing your personal information on the basis of legitimate interests and you object to such processing, and we cannot demonstrate an overriding legitimate ground for the processing; (c) where you have provided your personal information to us with your consent and you wish to withdraw your consent and there is no other ground under which we can process your personal information; and (d) where you believe the personal information we hold about you is being unlawfully processed by us.
- Right of restriction: You may have the right to restrict processing of your personal information where: (a) the accuracy of the personal information is contested; (b) the processing is unlawful but you object to the erasure of the personal information; (c) we no longer require the personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, but it is required for the establishment, exercise or defense of a legal claim or (d) you have objected to us processing your personal information based on our legitimate interests and we are considering your objection.
- Right to object: You may have the right to object to decisions which are based solely on automated processing or profiling.
- Right to ask for a copy: Where you have provided your personal information to us with your consent, you may have the right to ask us for a copy of this data in a structured, machine-readable format and to ask us to share (port) this data to another data controller; or to obtain a copy of or access to safeguards under which your personal information is transferred outside of your jurisdiction.
- Right to withdraw your consent. You may have the right to withdraw your consent on using your personal data. If you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide you with access to certain specific functionalities of our services.
- Request the transfer of your Personal Data. If you so have this right, we will provide to you, or to a third-party you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Please note that this right may only apply to automated information which you initially provided consent for us to use or where we used the information to perform a contract with you.
To make such requests, please contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com. Please note, we reserve the right to reject the request if you are not entitled to the right that you request to enforce.
- RESPONDING TO LEGAL REQUESTS
We may access, preserve, and share your information in response to a legal request (like a search warrant, court order or subpoena/summon) if we have a good faith belief that the law requires us to do so. This may include responding to legal requests from law enforcement agencies, courts, tribunals, and government authorities. We may also access, preserve and share information when we have a good faith belief it is necessary to: detect, prevent and address fraud and other illegal activity; to protect ourselves, you and others, including as part of investigations; or to prevent death or imminent bodily harm. We also may retain information from accounts disabled for violations of our terms for at least a year to prevent repeat abuse or other violations of our terms.
- CHILDREN PRIVACY
The website is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information as soon as possible. Please contact us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com if you believe we knowingly or unknowingly collected information described in this Section.
- OPTING OUT
- Opting Out of Promotional Messages: If you no longer wish to receive promotional SMS messages from us, you can opt out at any time by replying with “STOP” to any promotional message. This will immediately remove you from our promotional messaging list.
- Alternative Opt-Out Method: You can also contact us directly at +1 (888) 576-2854 or by emailing ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com to request removal from our promotional communications.
- Transactional Messages: Please note that opting out of promotional messages does not affect transactional SMS communications, which include essential updates related to your travel bookings. These messages are necessary for us to provide our services effectively, and you cannot opt out of receiving them.
- Confirmation of Opt-Out: Upon opting out, you will receive a confirmation message verifying that you have been successfully removed from promotional communications.
- CHOICE OF LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Unless provided by the relevant statute, rules, or directives applicable to the jurisdiction in which you reside, in case of any disputes, issues, claims or controversies arising out of or in relation to your use of the Site or our services, the laws of the State of Virginia (USA) shall be applicable, without regards to its conflict of law provisions, and the courts located in the Alexandria, Virginia shall have the exclusive jurisdiction to try and entertain all disputes arising from this Privacy Policy
- DESIGNATED CONTACT FOR PRIVACY RELATED QUERIES
In the event you have any grievance regarding anything related to this Privacy Policy, you may freely write your concerns through your registered email to Grievance Officer/Designated Representative at below:
- Name: Roza Ejigu
- Postal: 4900 Leesburg Pike, Suite 413, Alexandria VA 22302
- UPDATES TO THIS POLICY
We may add to or change or update this Privacy Policy at any time, from time to time, entirely at our own discretion, with or without any prior written notice. You are responsible for checking this Policy periodically. Your use of the Site/services after any amendments to this Policy shall constitute your acceptance to such amendments.
- WELCOMING OF SUGGESTIONS
We welcome your comments regarding this Privacy Policy. Please write to us at ethiopiantravelagency@gmail.com.
Last updated on November 03, 2024.