Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority (“Jackson County TDA,” “we,” “our” or “us”) collects through DiscoverJacksonNC.com (the “Website”), how we use and share it, and the choices you have.

Applicability of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information we collect through the Website at www.discoverjacksonnc.com and through our email communications. It does not apply to information collected by other websites, including those of our partners, vendors or the businesses listed on our Website.

Information You Provide to Us

We collect personal information you choose to give us, such as when you:

Request a printed Visitor Guide (name, mailing address and email address);
Sign up for our email newsletter (name and email address);
Contact us with a question, request, complaint or compliment (name, email address, phone number and your message);
Submit an event, listing or media request; or
Apply for a job with us (contact information and your resume).

We use this information to respond to you, fulfill your request and, if you have signed up, send you news and offers about visiting Jackson County. You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time (see “Your Choices” below).

Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit the Website, we and our service providers automatically collect certain information, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, referring website, pages viewed, actions taken on the Website, and the dates and times of your visits. We use this information to understand how visitors use the Website, improve it, and measure the effectiveness of our marketing. We collect this information using cookies and similar technologies, as explained in the Cookie Policy below.

Cookie Policy

This Cookie Policy explains how cookies and similar technologies (together, “Cookies”) are used on the Website and in our emails, and how you can control them.

1. What Is a Cookie?

A cookie is a small text file, often containing a unique identifier, that a website stores on your computer, tablet or phone (your “device”) when you visit.

We may also use web beacons (also called “pixels” or “clear GIFs”) on the Website and in our emails. These small images let us know whether you viewed a page or opened an email, whether you arrived from one of our online ads, and how well our campaigns perform. Web beacons often rely on cookies, so blocking cookies may limit how they work.

Cookies we set are “first-party Cookies.” Cookies set by our service providers and partners are “third-party Cookies.” “Session Cookies” are deleted when you close your browser, while “persistent Cookies” stay on your device for a set period of time.

2. What Cookies Do We Use?

Personal information collected through our first-party Cookies is covered by this Privacy Policy. Information collected through third-party Cookies is governed by that third party's privacy policy.

Essential Cookies: These let you navigate the Website and use its features. Without them, parts of the Website may not work properly.

Preference Cookies: These remember your choices, such as language or location settings, so we can personalize the Website for you.

Analytics Cookies: These help us understand how visitors use the Website, such as which pages are most popular and whether visitors run into problems. We use tools such as Google Analytics to see overall usage patterns, not to identify individual visitors.

Social Media Cookies: These let you share our content on social networks and allow content from those networks, such as photo galleries and videos, to display on our Website. Social networks may use these Cookies for their own advertising.

Advertising Cookies: These help us and our advertising partners show you relevant ads about Jackson County on other websites and social media, and measure how well those ads work. In the European Economic Area, we do not personalize or target ads based on your activity.

Third-party services we use: The Website uses the following third-party services, which may set their own Cookies or web beacons:

Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use the Website (Google Privacy Policy);
Google Ads, to show and measure our advertising (Google Privacy Policy);
Meta Pixel, to measure and improve our advertising on Facebook and Instagram (Meta Privacy Policy);
CrowdRiff, to display visitor photo galleries from social media on the Website; and
BookDirect, to power lodging search and booking on the Website. Information you enter when booking is collected by BookDirect and the lodging provider and is subject to their privacy policies.

3. How Do I Manage Cookies?

You can accept or refuse Cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers accept Cookies automatically, but you can usually change your settings to block or delete them. If you block Cookies, some features of the Website may not work as intended. Learn how to manage Cookies in your browser:

For other browsers, visit allaboutcookies.org.

To opt out of Google Analytics on all websites, install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. To limit interest-based advertising, visit the Digital Advertising Alliance or the Network Advertising Initiative, or adjust the ad settings in your Google and social media accounts.

Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control. Some browsers let you send a “Do Not Track” or Global Privacy Control signal to the websites you visit. Because there is no common standard for how websites should respond to these signals, our Website does not currently respond to them. You can still control Cookies and interest-based advertising using the options described above.

How We Use the Information We Collect

We use the information we collect to:

Respond to your requests and questions, and mail Visitor Guides you request;
Send newsletters and other communications you have signed up for;
Operate, maintain, secure and improve the Website;
Understand our visitors and measure the effectiveness of our marketing and advertising;
Process job applications;
Perform research and analysis, including using aggregated or de-identified information; and
Comply with legal requirements, including public records laws, and enforce our policies.

If we want to use your personal information for a purpose not described here, we will tell you at the time we collect it.

Sharing Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as described in this Privacy Policy or as we tell you when we collect it:

Service providers: We share information with companies that perform services for us, such as hosting and operating the Website, sending emails, mailing Visitor Guides, and providing analytics and advertising services. They are required by contract to protect your information and use it only to provide services to us.
Partners you contact: If you use a form on our Website to request information from or book with a local business, your information is sent to that business. Its use of your information is governed by its own privacy policy.
Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, in response to a valid legal request, or to protect our rights, the safety of others, or to investigate fraud or other illegal activity.

North Carolina Public Records Law

The Jackson County TDA is a public authority. Information you submit to us, including emails and form submissions, may be considered a public record under the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. Chapter 132) and may be subject to disclosure upon request, unless an exception under state law applies.

Your Choices

Email: You can unsubscribe from our emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email or by contacting us. We may still send you messages related to a request you made.
Cookies and advertising: You can manage Cookies and interest-based ads as described in the Cookie Policy above.
Access and corrections: You can ask us to update, correct or delete the personal information you have given us by contacting us below. We will honor your request unless we are required by law, including public records retention requirements, to keep the information.

Data Retention

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, or as required by North Carolina records retention schedules and other applicable laws.

Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the personal information we collect. However, no method of transmitting or storing information over the internet is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children's Privacy

The Website is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Links to Other Websites

The Website includes links to other websites, such as lodging, attractions and booking sites, for your convenience. These websites are operated independently from us, and we are not responsible for their content or privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the updated policy on this page and change the “Last Revised” date below.