This Privacy Policy explains how the Seychelles Small Hotels & Establishments Association (SSHEA, we, our or us) collects, uses, discloses and protects your personal information when you use sshea.com (the “Site”). By using the Site, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

1. Information you provide voluntarily. When you complete our membership application, enquiry form or otherwise communicate with us, you provide personal information such as your name, email address, phone number/WhatsApp, preferred travel dates, preferred islands and details about your accommodation or travel preferencessshea.com. Prospective members may also provide business information about their accommodation establishments (e.g., name of establishment, number of rooms, licence status and other documentation)sshea.com.

2. Data from communications. If you contact us via email, phone or WhatsApp, we may keep a record of your communication and any personal information contained within.

3. Usage data. We automatically collect information about your device and how you use the Site, such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, the date and time of your visit and other diagnostic data. We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to gather this data (see Section 6).

4. Data from third‑party sources. We may receive information about you from third‑party service providers (e.g., payment processors or analytics providers) in accordance with their privacy policies. When you click a link to an external service such as WhatsApp or Google Maps, those services may collect data subject to their own privacy policies.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

1. To respond to enquiries. We use the contact information and travel preferences you provide to respond to your enquiries, connect you with relevant SSHEA members or provide travel guidance.

2. To process membership applications. We use applicant information to evaluate eligibility, communicate with applicants, verify compliance with membership requirements and manage member accounts and benefits.

3. To operate and improve the Site. Usage data helps us understand how visitors navigate our Site so that we can optimise content, user experience and security.

4. For marketing and communications. With your consent, we may send you updates about SSHEA news, member promotions or Seychelles travel information. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.

5. To comply with legal obligations. We may process your personal information to comply with legal and regulatory requirements or to protect our rights or those of others.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Our legal basis for processing personal information will depend on the information concerned and the context in which it is processed. Generally, we process personal information because:

• Consent. You have given us consent to process your information for specific purposes (e.g., when you submit an enquiry).

• Contract. Processing is necessary to perform our contract with you (e.g., when you apply for SSHEA membership).

• Legitimate interests. We have a legitimate interest in operating, protecting and improving our Site, provided that our interests do not override your rights.

• Legal obligations. Processing is necessary for compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

4. Disclosure of Your Information

We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:

1. With service providers. We engage trusted third‑party service providers to perform functions on our behalf, such as website hosting, email services, analytics and customer support. These service providers may have access to personal information only as needed to perform their services and are obligated to protect it.

2. With SSHEA members and partners. When you submit a travel enquiry, we may share your contact details and preferences with SSHEA member establishments or partners to enable them to provide relevant accommodation information or assistance.

3. For legal reasons. We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or if we believe such action is necessary to (i) comply with legal obligations, (ii) protect the rights, property or safety of SSHEA, our members or others, or (iii) prevent fraud or illegal activity.

4. In the event of a reorganisation. If SSHEA undergoes a merger or other corporate reorganisation, your information may be transferred as part of that process.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

5. International Transfers

SSHEA is based in Seychelles, but our service providers may operate in other countries. When personal information is transferred outside Seychelles, we take steps to ensure that it is treated securely and in accordance with this Policy and applicable data‑protection laws.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The Site uses cookies and similar technologies to collect usage data and enhance your experience. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. You can configure your browser to refuse cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, certain features of the Site may not function properly without cookies.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies to enable core functionality such as page navigation and access to secure areas.

• Analytics cookies to understand how users interact with the Site and improve performance.

• Third‑party cookies from services such as Google Maps (used in the interactive map on the Site) and WhatsApp integrationsshea.com. These cookies are controlled by the third‑party providers and are subject to their privacy policies.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need the information, we will delete or anonymise it.

8. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. Nevertheless, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

1. Access. Request access to the personal information we hold about you.

2. Rectification. Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

3. Deletion. Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.

4. Objection or restriction. Object to or request restriction of our processing of your information where permitted by law.

5. Withdraw consent. Withdraw any consent you previously provided to us.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

10. Children’s Privacy

The Site is not directed to children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “last updated” date. Your continued use of the Site after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us via the enquiry form on the Site or by reaching out through the contact details provided in the Site’s contact section.