Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 2025
Last Updated: January 2025

At Southern Mystique, accessible from https://southernmystiques.com, your privacy is of utmost importance to us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website and services.


Who We Are

Southern Mystique offers guided heritage walks through Galle Fort, led by a certified heritage interpreter. Our website serves as an informational and booking platform for our tours.

Website address: https://southernmystiques.com
Contact email: contactsouthernmystique@gmail.com


Information We Collect

1. Personal Information

When you book a tour, send an inquiry, or leave a comment, we may collect your:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Phone number (if provided voluntarily)

  • Message or inquiry details

2. Technical Information

When you visit our website, certain information may be automatically collected such as:

  • Your IP address

  • Browser type and version

  • Device type and operating system

  • Referring URLs and browsing behavior on our site


Comments

When visitors leave comments, we collect the data shown in the comments form, as well as the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection.

An anonymized string (hash) created from your email may be sent to the Gravatar service to check if you use it. Once your comment is approved, your profile picture (if any) will be visible next to your comment.
You can read Gravatar’s Privacy Policy here: https://automattic.com/privacy/


Media

If you upload images to the website, avoid uploading files containing embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors may be able to extract this data from images displayed on the site.


Cookies

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience.
Cookies may store:

  • Your name and email (if you comment, for convenience on future visits)

  • Login sessions (if applicable)

  • Screen display preferences

You can disable cookies through your browser settings, but some site functions may not work as intended.


Embedded Content from Other Websites

Articles or pages on our website may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, or articles). Embedded content behaves as if you visited the external site directly and may collect data or use cookies as per their own privacy policy.


Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell, rent, or trade your data with anyone.
However, your information may be shared with:

  • Third-party service providers who help us operate the site (e.g., hosting, spam detection)

  • Automated systems that check for spam (such as Akismet or reCAPTCHA)

  • Payment gateways, if online payments are enabled, to securely process transactions


How Long We Retain Your Data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely so we can recognize and approve follow-ups automatically.
For users who register or submit bookings, their data is stored securely until the service is completed or the data is manually removed upon request.


Your Data Rights

You can request:

  • A copy of the personal data we hold about you

  • Correction or deletion of your data

  • Withdrawal of consent to receive communication or marketing materials

Please contact us at contactsouthernmystique@gmail.com for any data-related requests.
Requests will be handled within 30 days.


Where Your Data Is Sent

Visitor comments or submissions may be checked through an automated spam detection service or analytics platform such as Google Analytics to help improve our website experience.


Security of Your Information

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration. However, please note that no online transmission is 100% secure.


Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. All changes will be posted on this page with the updated date. Continued use of our site signifies your acceptance of these updates.


Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact:
📧 Email: contactsouthernmystique@gmail.com
🌐 Website: https://southernmystiques.com