1. Who We Are (Data Controller)
Hurghada Islands ("we", "us", "our") is a tourism operator based in Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt, offering island excursions and water-based activities to guests visiting the Red Sea region. For the purposes of EU data protection law (GDPR), we act as the data controller for personal data collected through this website.
Contact: privacy@hurghadaislands.com
2. What Personal Data We Collect
- Identity data: full name, date of birth (where required for safety)
- Contact data: email address, phone number, hotel name
- Booking data: travel dates, number of guests, programme selections, special requests
- Payment data: transaction references (we do not store card details; payments are processed by our PCI-DSS compliant payment providers)
- Technical data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, referral source (via cookies)
- Marketing preferences: whether you have opted in to receive offers and newsletters
3. Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR Article 6)
- Contract performance - to process your booking and deliver the services you have purchased
- Legal obligation - to comply with applicable Egyptian and EU consumer protection, tax and safety laws
- Legitimate interests - to improve our website and prevent fraud
- Consent - for marketing communications and non-essential cookies (you may withdraw consent at any time)
4. How We Use Your Data
- Confirm and manage your booking
- Send trip reminders and operational updates
- Process payments and issue invoices
- Respond to enquiries and customer service requests
- Send marketing emails or offers (only with your explicit consent)
- Analyse website performance and improve user experience
- Meet our legal and regulatory obligations
5. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We may share it with:
• Boat operators and island suppliers - solely to fulfil your booking
• Payment processors (e.g. Stripe) - for secure transaction handling
• Email service providers - to deliver booking confirmations and communications
• Analytics providers (e.g. Google Analytics) - in anonymised or pseudonymised form
• Competent authorities - where required by applicable law
All third-party processors are required to handle your data in accordance with our instructions and applicable data protection law.
6. International Data Transfers
Our servers and some third-party processors may be located outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Where data is transferred outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary:
• Booking records: 7 years (for tax and accounting purposes)
• Marketing preferences: until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
• Technical/log data: up to 12 months
After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.
8. Your Rights Under GDPR
If you are an EU/EEA resident, you have the following rights:
- Right of access - obtain a copy of your personal data
- Right to rectification - correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") - request deletion of your data
- Right to restrict processing - limit how we use your data
- Right to data portability - receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Right to object - object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
- Rights related to automated decision-making - we do not use solely automated decisions with legal effect
- Right to withdraw consent - at any time, without affecting prior processing
To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@hurghadaislands.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority (e.g. your national data protection authority).
9. Cookies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate the website and analyse traffic. For full details, see our Cookie Policy. You can manage cookie preferences via our consent banner or your browser settings.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data about a child, please contact us immediately.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact
For any privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights:
Email: privacy@hurghadaislands.com
Address: Hurghada Marina, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt