Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 15, 2026

Glocal Turkey ("we," "us," "our") operates glocalturkey.org as an intermediary travel services platform connecting international travelers with verified local service providers across Turkey. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

When you use Glocal Turkey to search for or book travel services, we may collect:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and postal address
• Travel Details: Pickup and drop-off locations, travel dates, destination preferences, and special requirements
• Payment Information: Credit card details, billing address (processed securely through our payment partners)
• Account Information: Username, password (encrypted), and profile preferences if you create an account
• Communication Records: Correspondence with our customer support team, reviews, and feedback
• Identity Documents: Driver's license, passport, or other identification required by service providers

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit glocalturkey.org, we automatically collect certain technical data:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, search queries, referral sources
• Location Data: General geographic location derived from IP address (not precise GPS coordinates)
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Data collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy)

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

• Service Providers: Car rental companies, insurance providers, hotels, transfer operators, and eSIM suppliers share booking confirmations and service-related data
• Payment Processors: Transaction confirmation and fraud prevention data from payment partners
• Social Media: Public profile information if you connect your social media account
• Analytics Partners: Aggregated demographic and behavioral data from analytics services

2. How We Use Your Information

Glocal Turkey uses your personal information for the following purposes:

2.1 Service Delivery

• Processing and confirming bookings with local service providers across Turkey
• Facilitating communication between you and service providers (car rental agencies, hotels, transfer companies)
• Managing your account and providing customer support
• Sending booking confirmations, vouchers, and service-related notifications
• Handling modifications, cancellations, and refund requests

2.2 Platform Improvement

• Analyzing user behavior to enhance website functionality and user experience
• Conducting market research to understand travel preferences in Turkey
• Testing new features and optimizing search algorithms
• Personalizing content and service recommendations based on your search history

2.3 Communication and Marketing

• Sending promotional emails about travel deals, seasonal offers, and new services (with your consent)
• Providing travel tips, destination guides, and updates about Turkey travel regulations
• Requesting feedback and reviews after service completion
• Notifying you about platform updates, policy changes, and important announcements

2.4 Legal and Security

• Complying with legal obligations under Turkish and international law
• Preventing fraud, unauthorized access, and security breaches
• Resolving disputes and enforcing our Terms & Conditions
• Responding to law enforcement requests and court orders

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, and Switzerland, we process your personal data based on:

• Contract Performance: Processing necessary to fulfill booking requests and provide services
• Legitimate Interests: Improving our platform, preventing fraud, and conducting business operations
• Legal Obligation: Complying with tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements
• Consent: Marketing communications and optional data collection (you can withdraw consent anytime)

4. How We Share Your Information

Glocal Turkey operates as an intermediary and must share certain information to facilitate bookings. We share your data with:

4.1 Service Providers in Turkey

When you book through our platform, we share necessary booking details with:

• Car Rental Companies: Name, contact information, driver's license details, pickup/drop-off locations, rental dates
• Insurance Providers: Travel details, personal information required for policy issuance
• Transfer Operators: Pickup location, flight details, destination address, passenger count
• Hotels: Guest names, contact information, check-in/check-out dates, special requests
• eSIM Suppliers: Email address for eSIM delivery and activation instructions

4.2 Payment Partners

We use secure payment processors to handle transactions. Your payment card details are transmitted directly to our PCI-DSS compliant payment partners and are not stored on our servers.

4.3 Technology and Analytics Partners

• Google Analytics: Website usage data for traffic analysis and optimization
• Hosting Providers: Technical data stored on secure cloud infrastructure
• Email Service Providers: Contact information for transactional and marketing emails
• Customer Support Tools: Communication records for support ticket management

4.4 Legal and Compliance

We may disclose your information when required by law, such as:

• Responding to subpoenas, court orders, or government requests
• Investigating suspected fraud or illegal activity
• Protecting the rights, property, or safety of Glocal Turkey, users, or the public
• Enforcing our Terms & Conditions and other agreements

4.5 Business Transfers

If Glocal Turkey is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your personal information may be transferred. We will notify you via email and/or prominent website notice before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. International Data Transfers

Glocal Turkey operates globally and may transfer your personal information outside your country of residence, including to Turkey and other jurisdictions where our service providers operate. When we transfer data from the EEA to countries without adequate data protection laws, we implement appropriate safeguards such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
• Privacy Shield certification (where applicable)
• Binding Corporate Rules
• Your explicit consent for specific transfers

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention Periods:

• Booking Data: 7 years from transaction date (tax and accounting requirements)
• Account Information: Until account deletion or 3 years of inactivity
• Marketing Communications: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized after 26 months
• Support Records: 5 years after last interaction

After retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymize your personal information. Anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for statistical analysis.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access and Portability

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format

7.2 Correction and Deletion

• Right to Rectification: Update inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")

7.3 Restriction and Objection

• Right to Restriction: Limit how we process your data in certain circumstances
• Right to Object: Opt out of processing for direct marketing or legitimate interests

7.4 Consent Withdrawal

• Withdraw consent for marketing communications (unsubscribe link in every email)
• Revoke consent for optional data collection

7.5 Complaints

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have violated privacy laws.

To exercise your rights, contact us at: [email protected]

We will respond to your request within 30 days. Some requests may require identity verification to protect your privacy.

8. Data Security

Glocal Turkey implements industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction:

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission; AES-256 encryption for stored data
• Access Controls: Role-based access with multi-factor authentication for employees
• Secure Infrastructure: Data hosted on SOC 2 certified cloud servers with regular security audits
• Network Security: Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular vulnerability scanning
• Incident Response: Documented procedures for detecting and responding to security breaches
• Employee Training: Regular privacy and security training for all staff members

While we take reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to improve our safeguards.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Glocal Turkey uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze website traffic, and deliver personalized content. For detailed information about the types of cookies we use, their purposes, and how to manage your preferences, please review our Cookie Policy.

Cookie Categories:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality and cannot be disabled
• Performance Cookies: Collect anonymous usage data to improve site performance
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Marketing Cookies: Track your activity for targeted advertising (requires consent)

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website contains links to third-party websites and integrates services from external providers (car rental companies, insurance providers, payment processors). This Privacy Policy applies only to Glocal Turkey. When you click external links or interact with third-party services, their own privacy policies govern data collection and use.

We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of:

• Service providers you book through our platform
• Payment processors handling your transactions
• Social media platforms you interact with
• Affiliate partners whose links appear on our site

Glocal Turkey is not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties.

11. Children's Privacy

Glocal Turkey does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 years of age. Our services are intended for adults booking travel services. If you are under 16, please do not provide any personal information through our website.

If we discover that we have inadvertently collected data from a child under 16, we will delete such information promptly. Parents or guardians who believe we may have collected information from their child should contact us immediately at [email protected].

12. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals to websites. Currently, there is no industry standard for responding to DNT signals. Glocal Turkey does not respond to DNT signals at this time. You can control tracking through cookie settings and browser preferences.

13. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Categories of Information We Collect:

• Identifiers (name, email, IP address)
• Commercial information (booking history, purchase records)
• Internet activity (browsing behavior, search queries)
• Geolocation data (general location from IP)
• Professional information (if provided for business travel)

Your CCPA Rights:

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of data categories collected, sources, purposes, and third parties we share with
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to exceptions)
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the "sale" of personal information (Note: Glocal Turkey does not sell personal data)
• Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights

To submit a CCPA request, email [email protected] with "CCPA Request" in the subject line. We will verify your identity before processing the request.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Glocal Turkey may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or business operations. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email notification to registered users
• Displaying a prominent notice on our homepage

Your continued use of Glocal Turkey after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days. For urgent matters, please indicate "Urgent Privacy Request" in your email subject line.

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This Privacy Policy was last updated on January 15, 2026, and applies to all users of glocalturkey.org. By using our platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.