Bookassist's Privacy Policy

Last Update: May 24, 2018

Bookassist provides services to hotels or other accommodation providers including web-site hosting, online reservations booking engine and online voucher purchase.

Please find the following information here:

Legal Information for Bookassist
Security Information
Privacy Policy
Cookies Policy

1. Legal Information for Bookassist

Company Name: Automatic Netware Limited, trading as Bookassist
Company Number: IE312796
Registered Address: Automatic Netware Limited, Suite 3, One Earlsfort Centre, Lower Hatch Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Contact Phone No. +353 1 676 2913
Email Address: ireland@bookassist.com
Website: https://www.bookassist.com
Data Protection contact: email dpo@bookassist.com

2. Security Information

Security Certificate

Bookassist is verified as a service provider through the Thawte Certification Authority. Follow this link to learn more:

about SSL certificates

Credit Card Security

If you are making an online reservation or voucher purchase for a hotel or other accommodation provider via the Bookassist system, then Bookassist may need to collect your credit card details.

The credit card details page of Bookassist is protected by powerful Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technology. SSL encrypts your credit card details before they travel over the Internet. This ensures that your credit card details will remain completely confidential while in transit.

Additionally, credit card usage is verified directly through a live secure connection with the banking system at time of debiting. This ensures that known stolen cards cannot be used and fraudulent transactions are minimised.

3. Privacy Policy

This sets out the privacy policy applicable to the Bookassist website, mailing list and the systems of Automatic Netware Ltd. trading as Bookassist. This privacy policy explains what is being done with your personal data. Personal data (“data”) is anything that can be linked to you. Any personal data which you provide to us will be treated with appropriate standards of security and confidentiality and in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 and associated national legislation.

All references to “you” or “your” mean you, the user of a Bookassist service, and all references to “we”, “us” or “our” refer to Bookassist.

What information does Bookassist collect and process about you and why?

Online reservations and voucher purchase:
- In order to carry out the reservation process and online voucher purchase we require all the information marked with the asterisk including your name, address, phone number, email address, recipient name (if voucher purchase) and the credit card details that shall be used to pay for the accommodation or voucher. We will collect any other data you may choose to provide, which may include special categories of personal data such as dietary requirements.
- During the online reservation process, we will ask whether you consent to your contact details being used in the future by the accommodation provider other than in direct connection with your reservation, for example for special offers or other communications from the accommodation provider.
- Such data is collected and processed based on our contractual obligation to perform the online reservation or voucher purchase.
Bookassist’s Newsletter:
- If you have subscribed to Bookassist’s Newsletter, we collect your email address to keep you informed on Bookassist news.
- If you are subscribed, we may track your interaction with the email i.e. if you opened the email or clicked on a link, to track whether you like the content being sent. We also may collect your IP address and timestamp in order to facilitate the workings of the mailing list.
- Such data is collected on the basis of your request and or consent to subscribe to Bookassist’s Newsletter.
Bookassist clients:
- Contact information is collected about our clients based on our contractual obligation to provide services to the client. This may include personal contact details, such as names, email addresses and phone numbers.
- We may track your interaction with the email i.e. if you opened the email or clicked on a link, to track whether you like the content being sent. We also may collect your IP address and timestamp in order to facilitate the workings of the mailing list.
On our web-site, and during the online reservation process and online voucher purchase, we may collect Cookies. Please see details of our Cookies Policy below.

How does Bookassist use the information?

Online reservations and voucher purchase:
- To complete or support the online reservation process or online voucher purchase process.
- Bookassist will not contact you other than in direct connection with your reservation or voucher purchase.
Bookassist’s Newsletter:
- Where you subscribe to our newsletter, we may send you product updates or other news.
- Where you subscribe to our newsletter we shall take note if you are already a client and we may or may not send you specifically targeted mail in line with your company’s preferences.
Bookassist clients:
- To complete or support an activity required for providing our service to you the client.
For statistical usage in order to facilitate improvements.

What if you do not want to provide your personal data?

Online reservations and voucher purchase:
- If you do not wish to provide data that is required for the online reservation process or online voucher purchase process as symbolised by the asterisk then you will not be able to proceed with the process and we advise that you contact the accommodation provider directly.
- If you do not wish to provide data during the online reservation process or online voucher purchase process that is not required, i.e. that does not have an asterisk beside it, then you may choose to not provide such information and this shall not impact upon the process.
Bookassist’s Newsletter:
- If you do not wish to provide information that is requested for signing up to Bookassist’s Newsletter, then you will not receive the Newsletter. If you sign up initially and no longer wish to receive the Newsletter, you may withdraw consent at any time by unsubscribing and or contacting our Data Protection contact, see contact details above.
Bookassist clients:
- If you do not wish to provide any contact details, please contact Bookassist as to how you wish to be contacted.
If you do not wish for us to collect Cookie information please see our Cookie Policy below for further details.

Who has access to some or all of the information Bookassist collects?

Bookassist, its parent company, its branches and its subsidiary companies.
We use third parties to aid with data storage and back-up.
For any email communications, including to our clients or to our newsletter subscribers, we use third parties to aid with email administration and tracking.
If data needs to be transferred outside the EU, Bookassist shall ensure the appropriate data protection and security measures are in place.
Certain third parties have access to your Cookies, see our Cookies Policy below for further details. Such third parties may store and process such data outside of the EU.
Legal authorities where obligated to do so.
Online reservations and voucher purchase:
- If you are making an online reservation or voucher purchase for an accommodation provider via the Bookassist system, Bookassist provides the relevant data to the accommodation provider. These accommodation services may not share our Privacy Policy so be sure to also check their Privacy Policy.
- Financial clearing services, including financial payment providers, possibly not sharing our Privacy Policy shall be given access from time to time to credit card information in order to facilitate the reservation process.
Bookassist’s Newsletter:
- We use third parties to aid with our marketing activities, such as our mailing list.

Is your data secure?

Yes, Bookassist has secure storage systems and processes in place.

What are your rights?

You have the right to request access to all data Bookassist holds concerning you.
You have the right to request rectification of any data Bookassist holds concerning you.
You have the right to request the erasure of any data concerning you; please note that the erasure of certain data may impact on the provision of our services.
You have the right to data portability; this means that you can request for your data to be provided in a suitable format.
Where consent is obtained in order to collect and process certain aspects of your data, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, for example, you may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time by clicking the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email.
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority.

How long will we keep your data for?

Online reservations and voucher purchase:
- Your credit card information shall be retained for no longer than one month from your departure from the accommodation provider.
- Your personal data, other than your credit card information, gathered via the reservation process, including your name, address, email address and phone number shall be retained for no longer than 12 months from your departure from the accommodation provider. Your booking reference number, in isolation from any other personal data, shall be retained indefinitely for statistical purposes.
- Your personal data, other than your credit card information, gathered via online voucher purchase shall be retained for no longer than 12 months after the voucher expiry.
Bookassist’s Newsletter:
- Your email address is removed from the Bookassist mailing list once you have requested to unsubscribe.
- Your personal details are completely removed from our database once you click the option that you want to be completely removed from the Bookassist database.
Bookassist clients:
- Any personal data that we received from our clients shall be retained for two years after the date of last invoice.
We shall retain aggregated anonymised data indefinitely for statistical and administrative purposes.

What can you do if you have issues or want to exercise your rights?

You may contact our Data Protection contact, see contact details above.

In particular, if you believe that our websites or systems have collected incorrect information or if you would like to dispute any information, please do not hesitate to contact us

4. Cookies Policy

This Policy outlines how Bookassist may use Cookies on our website and or on the websites of our clients. To make the website work properly, Bookassist sometimes places small data files called Cookies on your device. Cookies used by us enable us to improve the website and to deliver a more personalised service for you.

What are Cookies?

Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information that are downloaded to your device when you visit our website. Cookies are then sent back to the originating website on each subsequent visit, or to another website that recognises that Cookie. Cookies are useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device. It enables the website to remember your actions and preferences (such as login, language, font size and other display preferences) over a period of time, so you don’t have to keep re-entering them whenever you come back to the site or browse from one page to another. There are a number of different types of Cookies, each having a different purpose. For example, certain Cookies are used to remember a user’s action, to identify the user or for online behavioural advertising.

What different types of Cookies are there?

STRICTLY NECESSARY COOKIES

Strictly Necessary Cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features. We use these Cookies to enable the services which you have specifically asked for.

PERFORMANCE COOKIES

Performance Cookies are Cookies which collect information on how visitors use a website, i.e. which pages visitors go to most. We use these Cookies to collect information anonymously on the pages which you have visited.

FUNCTIONAL COOKIES

Functional Cookies are Cookies which allow the website to remember choices made by the user (name, address, language). We use these Cookies to remember choices made to improve our users experience.

ADVERTISING COOKIES

Advertising Cookies are Cookies which are used to deliver adverts more relevant to a user’s interests. They remember that a user has viewed a website before. They are often linked to the functionality of the site. We use these Cookies to collect information about your browsing habits in order to make advertising relevant to you and your interests.

TAILORED ADVERTISING

If you have Cookies enabled on your device, we will present you with advertisements relevant to our website. Google and third party vendors show our advertisements across different internet sites. If you have Cookies switched on you may see advertisements for this website on other websites.

THIRD PARTY COOKIES

We may install third party cookies on our website. Third party cookies are cookies that are set by a domain other than the website that is being visited by the user. If a user visits a website and another entity sets a cookie through that website, this would be a third party cookie.

What Cookies does Bookassist use?

Bookassist uses the following Cookies – in order to opt out of any of these Cookies, please see the section below entitled “How can consent be withdrawn to Cookies collection?”

Bookassist Cookies:
- Bookassist session cookie is a Strictly Necessary cookie, it’s essential for the service, it maintains the user session. It’s controlled by Bookassist; it expires with the session.
- Bookassist conversion tracking cookie is a Performance cookie, it’s essential for the service, it tracks conversion statistics. It’s controlled by Bookassist; it expires in 1 year.
- Bookassist booking reference cookie is a Functional cookie, it’s not essential for the service, it saves user preferences. It’s controlled/accessed by Bookassist and the hotel; it expires in 1 year.
- Bookassist cookies policy cookie is a Functional cookie, it’s essential for the service, it’s used to show cookies policy on first visit. It’s controlled by Bookassist; it expires in 1 year.
- Bookassist home popup and abandon popup cookies are Functional cookies, essential for the service, used to collect information about popups. They are controlled by Bookassist; they expire with the session.
- Bookassist cms cookie is a Functional cookie, it’s essential for the service, it maintains session in hotel’s website and maintains user preferences such as language. It’s controlled by Bookassist; it expires in 1 year.
- Bookassist newcms cookie is a Functional cookie, it’s essential for the service, it saves user preferences. It’s controlled by Bookassist; it expires with the session.
Google Cookies:
Google Cookies are Third Party cookies controlled by Google, and can be accessed by Bookassist and the hotel. For information about Google cookies, see: https://policies.google.com/technologies/cookies
- Google Analytics is a Third-Party Performance cookie, it’s essential for the service, it’s used to collect information on how the website is used. See more information about Google Analytics here: https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/analyticsjs/cookie-usage?hl=en
- Google Remarketing is a Third-Party Advertising or Tailored Advertising cookie, it’s not essential for the service, it’s used to deliver advertising relevant to your interests.
- Google Adwords is a Third-Party Performance cookie, it’s not essential for the service, it’s used to collect statistical information about use and conversion.
Other Third Party Cookies:
- Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are all Third-Party cookies, not essential for the service, used for Social Media sharing. They are controlled by those third parties.
- Vimeo and Youtube are Third Party cookies used to provide video, not essential for the service. They are controlled by those third parties.

Bookassist provides a detailed list of Cookies used by Bookassist here: https://bookassist.org/cookies-list/

The website of our Clients (e.g. hotels and other accommodation providers) may use other Cookies – please check their Cookies Policy for details.

Who controls/accesses the Cookies-related information?

Bookassist controls access to cookie-related information and we provide access to authorised third parties including but not limited to Google Analytics.

Will the Cookies be used for any other purposes than those stated above?

The Cookies will not be used for any purpose other than the ones stated above, notwithstanding that this Cookie Policy may change from time to time. As such it is your duty to ensure that you have read the most up to date Cookie Policy whenever you use our services or visit our website.

How can consent be withdrawn to Cookies collection?

You can control and/or delete cookies as you wish – for details, see www.aboutcookies.org. You can delete all Cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed. If you do this, however, you may have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit a site and some services and functionalities may not work.

Should you wish to opt out of Google Analytics in particular please visit the Google Analytics opt-out page https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/

Should you wish to opt out of Tailored Advertising in particular please visit the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/

Please note that by blocking Cookies, you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website, in particular the use of the booking engine to complete a reservation.

Your right to privacy

Bookassist respects your right to privacy. Any personal information which you provide on this website will be treated with the appropriate standards of security and confidentiality and in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 and associated national legislation.

If, after supplying personal information, you require a copy of it or you wish to discuss, correct or delete it, please contact us. See our Privacy Policy above for further details.

Policy Modifications

Bookassist reserves the right to change this Policy at any time and to publish changes without specific notification to the users of the website.