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LA CASITA DEL TURISTA
Immersive Learning Center in Costa Rica
PRIVACY POLICY
Effective date: September 3, 2026
La Casita del Turista ("La Casita," "we," "us," or "our") respects the privacy of prospective participants, enrolled participants, website visitors, and other individuals who communicate with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information in connection with our website, applications, enrollment process, residential learning programs, communications, and related services.
This policy is intended to reflect the principles of Costa Rica's Law No. 8968, Protection of the Person with regard to the Processing of Personal Data, and its applicable regulations, including informed consent, purpose limitation, data quality, confidentiality, security, and the rights of data subjects.
1. Who This Policy Applies To
This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through our website, inquiry and application forms, enrollment and pre-arrival forms, email and other communications, program administration, and participation in La Casita programs.
Our programs are intended for adults age 18 and older. We do not intentionally offer our standard residential programs to minors or knowingly collect personal information from minors through the ordinary enrollment process.
2. Information We May Collect
We collect only information that is reasonably relevant to the purposes described in this policy. Depending on how you interact with La Casita, this may include:
Identification and contact information: name, date of birth, nationality, email address, telephone or WhatsApp number, country of residence, and other information needed to identify or communicate with you.
Application and enrollment information: program interests, selected program, program dates, language level or educational information where relevant, enrollment status, payment status, and communications relating to your participation.
Travel and logistical information: arrival or departure information and other details that you voluntarily provide when reasonably necessary to coordinate your program.
Emergency information: the name, relationship, telephone number, and email address of your designated emergency contact.
Health, accessibility, allergy, and dietary information: information you choose or are asked to provide when reasonably necessary to support your health, safety, accessibility, meals, or participation in program activities. Some of this information may be sensitive personal data and will be handled with additional care.
Insurance information: travel and medical insurance provider, policy number, coverage dates, emergency assistance details, and proof of coverage.
Payment and transaction information: amounts paid, payment dates, transaction references, and related billing records. Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers. La Casita does not need to receive or store complete payment-card credentials when those details are processed directly by the payment provider.
Website and technical information: information that may be collected automatically through our website or its service providers, such as IP address, browser or device information, pages visited, approximate location derived from technical information, cookies, and similar technologies.
Communications: messages, questions, feedback, requests, and other information you provide when communicating with us.
Photos and video: only where applicable and subject to the separate choices and permissions presented to participants regarding promotional use of identifiable images.
3. Why We Use Personal Information
We may use personal information to respond to inquiries and applications; evaluate and administer enrollment; process and document payments; communicate program information; coordinate accommodation, meals, transportation, classes, field visits, and other program components; prepare for health, dietary, accessibility, safety, and emergency needs; verify required travel and medical insurance; maintain participant and business records; address complaints, incidents, or legal matters; improve our programs and website; prevent misuse or security incidents; and comply with applicable legal or regulatory obligations.
We will not intentionally use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the reason for which it was collected without an appropriate legal basis or additional consent where required.
4. Consent and Information You Provide
Where consent is required, we seek to provide appropriate information about the purpose of the collection and intended use of the data before or at the time it is requested.
By voluntarily submitting information through our forms or directly to La Casita, you acknowledge the processing described in this policy to the extent permitted by applicable law. Where a separate or express consent is appropriate - particularly for optional promotional photo or media use - we will request it separately.
You may withdraw a consent where applicable. Withdrawal does not necessarily affect processing that was lawful before
the withdrawal or information that must be retained or processed on another lawful basis.
5. Sensitive Personal Information
Health, medical, accessibility, and certain other personal information may require heightened confidentiality. La Casita seeks to collect such information only when it is reasonably necessary for participant safety, accommodation, dietary planning, emergency response, or another legitimate program need.
Access to this information should be limited to people who reasonably need it for the relevant purpose. When necessary for participant safety or service delivery, relevant information may be communicated to appropriate providers, such as a guide, accommodation or food provider, emergency responder, healthcare provider, or insurer, while seeking to limit disclosure to what is reasonably necessary.
6. Emergency Contacts
When you provide another person's information as an emergency contact, you should provide information that is accurate
and appropriate for that purpose. We use emergency-contact information only for program administration, safety, emergencies, or other circumstances in which contacting that person is reasonably necessary.
7. How We May Share Information
We do not sell personal information.
We may share limited personal information with service providers and collaborators when reasonably necessary to operate a program or provide requested services. These may include educators, guides, transportation providers, accommodation or food providers, activity operators, technology and website providers, payment processors, professional advisers, insurers or emergency assistance services, and public authorities where disclosure is required or legally appropriate.
We seek to disclose only information relevant to the service or purpose involved. Third-party providers may process information under their own privacy practices and legal obligations.
8. Website Platform, Payment Providers, and Other Services
Our website and online forms may be hosted or supported by third-party technology providers, including Wix or other providers we may use from time to time. Such providers may process technical, form, communication, or account information on our behalf or in connection with their services.
Payments may be completed through external payment providers or financial institutions. When you follow a payment link or use an external payment service, that provider's own privacy and security terms may also apply.
Because our providers may change as our operations develop, this policy describes categories of providers rather than guaranteeing the use of any particular company.
9. International Data Processing and Transfers
Some technology, payment, communications, cloud-storage, insurance, or other service providers may process or store information outside Costa Rica. Where personal information is transferred or made accessible internationally, La Casita will seek to handle such transfers in accordance with applicable Costa Rican data-protection requirements and appropriate authorization or safeguards where required.
10. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for site functionality, security, preferences, analytics, or other permitted purposes. Some cookies may be placed by the website platform or integrated third-party services.
Where required, visitors should be given appropriate choices regarding non-essential cookies. Browser settings may also allow users to block or delete cookies, although doing so can affect website functionality. Specific cookie categories and providers should be reflected in the website's cookie banner or cookie settings as configured on the live site.
11. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including program administration, participant safety, accounting, dispute resolution, legal compliance, and legitimate business recordkeeping.
Different categories of information may be kept for different periods. Information that is no longer relevant or necessary should be deleted, anonymized, or otherwise handled in accordance with applicable law and legitimate retention requirements.
We do not state a single retention period for every category because the appropriate period may depend on the type of record and applicable legal or operational requirements.
12. Data Security and Confidentiality
We take reasonable administrative, organizational, and technical measures intended to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or misuse.
These measures may include access limitations, password-protected systems, appropriate account permissions, secure service providers, confidentiality practices, and limiting sensitive information to personnel or providers who reasonably need access.
No method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If we become aware of a significant security incident involving personal information, we will assess and respond to it in accordance with applicable obligations.
13. Your Privacy Rights
Subject to applicable Costa Rican law, you may have rights relating to your personal information, including the ability to request information about data held about you and, where applicable, request access, correction, updating, or deletion of inaccurate, outdated, unnecessary, or improperly processed information.
You may also contact us with questions about the purposes for which your information is used, recipients or categories of recipients, or a consent you previously provided.
To protect privacy and security, we may take reasonable steps to verify the identity of a person making a request before providing access to or changing personal information.
14. Marketing Communications
We may send administrative communications that are necessary for an inquiry, application, enrollment, payment, or program participation.
Promotional or marketing communications should be sent in accordance with applicable consent and communication requirements. Where an unsubscribe or opt-out mechanism is provided, you may use it to stop receiving promotional communications. Opting out of marketing does not prevent necessary transactional or program-related messages.
15. Photography and Media
Participation in a La Casita program does not automatically require a participant to authorize promotional use of their identifiable image.
Where La Casita wishes to use identifiable photographs or video for promotional, website, social-media, or similar public-facing purposes, participants will be given a separate media-consent choice. Declining optional promotional media consent will not affect eligibility to participate in the program.
This section does not prevent incidental or legally permitted documentation where a separate consent is not required, but La Casita will seek to respect participant privacy and reasonable expectations.
16. Third-Party Websites and Services
Our website or communications may contain links to third-party websites, payment pages, booking tools, maps, social-media platforms, or other external services. La Casita does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties. You should review the privacy information provided by those services when you use them.
17. Accuracy of Information
We ask participants to provide accurate and current information, particularly information relevant to enrollment, emergency contacts, insurance, health and safety, allergies, accessibility, and travel logistics.
If information changes before or during a program, participants should inform La Casita when the change is relevant to program administration or safety.
18. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, technology, providers, practices, or legal obligations change. The current version should be published on our website with an updated effective date.
Material changes that significantly affect enrolled participants may also be communicated directly when appropriate.
19. Contact Us
For questions, requests, corrections, or concerns regarding personal information or this Privacy Policy, contact:
La Casita del Turista
Immersive Learning Center in Costa Rica
Cartago, Costa Rica
Email: info@lacasitadelturista.com
Website: www.lacasitadelturista.com
Individuals may also have the right to seek protection of their data-protection rights before the competent Costa Rican authority, including the Agencia de Protección de Datos de los Habitantes (PRODHAB), as provided by applicable law.
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