Cookie Statement
Whenever you use our online services, including our applications, cookies and other tracking technologies can be used in various ways, like making the Portugal Online website work, to analyze traffic, or for advertisement purposes. These technologies are either used by us directly, or by our business partners, including third-party service providers and advertisers we work with. If you want to learn more about what a cookie is, how they're used and what your choices are, you can read more here.
What's a cookie?
A cookie is a small amount of data that's placed in the browser of your computer or on your mobile device. So-called “first-party cookies” (not as much fun as they sound) are cookies served by the entity operating the domain through which the cookie is served. Portugal Online’s own cookies are therefore “first-party cookies." In case we allow others to service cookies through the Portugal Online websites and apps, these cookies are so-called “third-party cookies."
In addition, there's a difference between session cookies and permanent cookies. Session cookies only exist until you close your browser. Permanent cookies have a longer lifespan and aren't automatically deleted when you close your browser. We strive to serve cookies or allow the serving of cookies with a maximum lifespan of 5 years. Only in exceptional circumstances, like for security purposes and where absolutely necessary, will a cookie have a longer lifespan than that.
In addition, other tracking technologies are used which are similar to cookies. These can include web beacons (also known as pixel tags, web bugs, or gifs), tracking URLs, or software development kits (SDKs). A web beacon is a tiny graphic image of just one pixel that can be delivered to your computer as part of a web page request in an app, in an advertisement, or in an HTML email message. Pixels can be used to retrieve info from your device, like your device type or operating system, IP address, and time of visit. They're also used to serve and read cookies in your browser. Tracking URLs are used to understand from what referring website the Portugal Online websites or apps are used. SDKs are small pieces of code included in apps that function like cookies and web beacons.
All these technologies together are referred to in this Cookie Statement as “cookies."
How are cookies used?
Cookies are used for different purposes. They allow you to be recognized as the same user across the different pages of a website, between websites, or when you use an app. The types of info that we collect through cookies include IP address; device ID; viewed pages; browser type; browsing info; operating system; internet service provider; timestamp; whether you have responded to an advertisement; the referring URL; and features used, or activities engaged in within the website/apps.
Our website and apps use cookies for different purposes:
Technical Cookies: We try to give our visitors an advanced, user-friendly website and apps that adapt automatically to their needs and wishes. To achieve this, we use technical cookies to show you our website, to make them function correctly, to create your user account, to sign you in, and to manage your bookings. These technical cookies are absolutely necessary for our website to function properly.
Functional Cookies: We also use functional cookies to remember your preferences and help you use our website and apps efficiently and effectively. If you're using the Portugal Online websites or apps to search for a Trip, for example, these cookies remember your preferred currency, language, your searches, and your previously viewed Trip Providers. We might also use cookies to remember your registration info so that you don’t have to retype your login credentials each time you visit our site. Passwords will, however, always be encrypted. These functional cookies aren't strictly necessary for the functioning of our website or apps, but they add functionality and enhance your Portugal Online experience.
Analytics Cookies: We use these cookies to gain insight into how our visitors use Portugal Online. This means we can find out what works and what doesn't, optimize and improve our websites or apps, understand the effectiveness of advertisements and communications, and ensure we continue to be interesting and relevant. The data we gather can include which web pages you've viewed, which referring/exit pages you've entered and left from, which platform type you've used, which emails you've opened and acted upon, and date and time stamp info.
It also means we can use details about how you interacted with the site, like the number of clicks you make on a given page, your mouse movements and scrolling activity, the search words you use, and the text you enter into various fields. We use analytics cookies as part of our online advertising campaigns to learn how users interact with our website or apps after they've been shown an online advertisement. This may include advertisements on third-party websites. Analytics cookies may also be used to enable our business partners to learn if their customers use accommodation offers integrated into their websites.
What are your choices?
To learn more about cookies and how to manage or delete them, just visit allaboutcookies.org and the help section of your browser. In the settings for browsers like Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox or Chrome, you can set which cookies to accept and which to reject. Where you find these settings depends on your browser – use the "Help" function in your browser to locate the settings you need.
If you decide not to accept certain technical and/or functional cookies, you might not be able to use some functions on our website. We currently don't support “Do Not Track” browser settings. In case a common standard has been developed that defines what exactly will be meant by “Do Not Track” browser signals, we'll review Cookie Statement again.
Advertising: When it comes to online advertising and marketing companies, we strive to work with companies that are members of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and/or the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Members of NAI and IAB adhere to industry standards and codes of conduct. NAI and IAB members allow you to opt out of behavioral advertising. Visit www.networkadvertising.org to identify the NAI members that may have placed an advertising cookie file on your computer.
To opt out of an NAI member's behavioral advertising program, just check the box that corresponds to the company you want to opt out from. You can also visit www.youronlinechoices.com or www.youradchoices.com to learn how to opt out of customized advertisements. Your mobile device may allow you to limit the sharing of information for retargeting purposes through its settings. Be aware that opting out of an online advertising network doesn't mean that you will no longer receive or be subject to online advertising or marketing analysis. It just means the network you opted out of won't deliver ads customized to your web preferences and browsing patterns anymore.
Analytics: In order to control the collection of data for analytical purposes through Google Analytics from certain browser types, you may want to visit the following link: Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on (only for desktop). To control the collection of data for analytical purposes by Yandex.Metrica (a tracking pixel owned by Russian search engine YANDEX), users with the language setting of Russian, Ukrainian or Turkish may want to visit the following link: yandex.com. Yandex.Metrica isn't used for users with any other languages. You also have an option to opt out from Yandex personalized advertisements. In order to do so, visit this page and uncheck the “Consider my interests" box.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments about this Cookie Statement, send an email to dataprotectionoffice@PortugalOnline.com Our Cookie Statement may also be amended from time to time – so visit this page regularly to stay up to date.