Cookies Policy

1. Introduction

Dream Spirit Travels ("we", "us", or "our") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website dst.travel (the "Service") to enhance your experience, analyse traffic, and deliver relevant advertising — including through Google Ads.

This Cookies Policy explains what cookies are, how we use them, what third-party cookies we allow, your choices regarding cookies, and how this policy complies with international regulations including the EU ePrivacy Directive, GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other applicable laws.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

2. What Are Cookies & Similar Technologies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They help the website recognise your device and remember information about your visit.

In addition to cookies, we also use related technologies including:

• Web Beacons (Pixel Tags): Tiny transparent images embedded in web pages or emails that track whether a page or email has been viewed.
• Tracking Pixels: Code snippets placed on pages to collect data about user behaviour, used by advertising platforms like Google Ads for conversion tracking and remarketing.
• Local Storage & Session Storage: Browser-based storage that retains data locally on your device.
• Device Fingerprinting: Techniques that collect information about your device configuration to identify it across sessions (we do not actively use this technique, but some third-party partners may).

Throughout this policy, "cookies" refers to all of these technologies unless otherwise specified.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We categorise cookies into four types based on their purpose:

a. Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for our Service to function correctly. They enable core features such as session management, security, and the operation of our travel assessment tools and embedded application (iframe). Without these cookies, the Service cannot function properly. These cookies cannot be disabled.

b. Functionality & Preference Cookies

These cookies remember your choices and preferences (such as nationality, language, or recent searches) to provide a more personalised experience on your return visits.

c. Performance & Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect anonymous, aggregated information about how visitors use our Service. They help us understand user behaviour so we can improve our decision engine (Visa, Country, Trip tools).

d. Advertising & Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by us and our advertising partners to deliver relevant advertisements, track ad campaign performance, and enable remarketing. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other websites.

4. Google Ads & Remarketing Cookies — Detailed Disclosure

We use Google Ads (including Google Search Ads, Google Display Network, and Google Remarketing) to promote our Service. Here is how Google's advertising cookies work on our site:

Conversion Tracking

When you click on a Google ad and arrive on our Service, a temporary conversion tracking cookie is placed on your device. If you complete an action (e.g. submitting a visa assessment), the cookie reports the conversion back to Google. This helps us measure the effectiveness of our ad campaigns. Google's conversion cookies expire after 90 days and do not contain personally identifiable information.

Remarketing

We use Google Remarketing to show advertisements to visitors who have previously interacted with our Service. When you visit our site, Google's remarketing cookies are set so that you may see our ads when you browse other websites in the Google Display Network or search on Google. These cookies do not identify you personally.

Google Analytics (Advertising Features)

We have enabled Google Analytics Advertising Features, which include Remarketing with Google Analytics, Google Display Network Impression Reporting, and Demographics and Interest Reports. These features use cookies to collect data including, via advertising cookies and anonymous identifiers, data about your traffic and demographics. The data is used in aggregate to improve our Service and advertising relevance.

Google's Privacy Policy: For more information on how Google uses data collected via its advertising products, see How Google Uses Information from Sites that Use Its Services.

5. Third-Party Cookies

In addition to our own cookies, the following third parties may set cookies on your device when you use our Service:

• Google (Analytics, Ads, DoubleClick): As described above. Google Privacy Policy
• Embedded Content Providers: Our travel assessment tools may be delivered via embedded applications (iframes) which set their own strictly necessary cookies to maintain session state and process travel data securely.
• Social Media Platforms: If we include social sharing buttons or embedded feeds from platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, those platforms may set cookies. Please refer to their respective privacy and cookie policies.

We do not control third-party cookies. Each third party operates under its own privacy and cookie policies.

6. Consent & Lawful Basis for Cookies

EU, UK & EEA (ePrivacy Directive & GDPR)

In accordance with the EU ePrivacy Directive (Directive 2002/58/EC as amended) and the GDPR/UK GDPR, we obtain your prior consent before placing any non-essential cookies (analytics, functionality, and advertising cookies) on your device. Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent as they are essential for the operation of the Service.

When you first visit our Service, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner that allows you to:

• Accept All: Consent to all categories of cookies.
• Manage Preferences: Choose which categories of cookies to accept or reject.
• Reject Non-Essential: Only strictly necessary cookies will be set.

You may withdraw or change your consent at any time by clearing your cookies or adjusting your browser settings. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

California (CCPA/CPRA)

Under the CCPA and CPRA, sharing data with advertising partners (e.g. Google Ads for remarketing) may constitute "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising. California residents have the right to opt out. We do not sell your personal information. To opt out of data sharing for advertising, use the opt-out links in Section 8.

Other Jurisdictions

For visitors from other jurisdictions (Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Australia, etc.), we adhere to the cookie consent requirements of the respective local laws. For details of your rights, see our Privacy Policy.

7. Cookie Retention Periods

Cookies are retained for varying durations depending on their purpose:

• Session Cookies: Deleted automatically when you close your browser.
• Persistent Cookies: Remain on your device for a set period (as specified in the tables above) or until you manually delete them.
• Google Analytics cookies: Up to 2 years (configurable; we use the default 26-month retention for analytics data).
• Google Ads conversion cookies: 90 days.
• Google DoubleClick (IDE) cookies: 13 months (or until you opt out).

8. How to Manage, Disable & Opt Out of Cookies

a. Browser Settings

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View and delete stored cookies
• Block all or third-party cookies
• Set preferences for specific websites
• Automatically clear cookies when the browser is closed

Instructions for popular browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Safari
• Microsoft Edge

Note: Disabling essential cookies may prevent our travel assessment tools from functioning correctly.

b. Opt Out of Personalised Advertising

You can opt out of personalised advertising cookies specifically via the following industry tools:

• Google Ads Settings: adssettings.google.com — control what ads Google shows you
• Google Analytics Opt-Out: Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on
• Network Advertising Initiative (NAI): optout.networkadvertising.org
• Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA): optout.aboutads.info
• Your Online Choices (EU): youronlinechoices.eu

c. Mobile Device Settings

On mobile devices, you can limit ad tracking through your device settings:

• iOS: Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking > toggle off "Allow Apps to Request to Track"
• Android: Settings > Privacy > Ads > enable "Opt Out of Ads Personalisation"

9. Changes to This Cookies Policy

We may update this Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in applicable laws, or enhancements to our Service. We will post the revised policy on this page and update the "Last Updated" date at the top. Where a material change is made, we will take reasonable steps to notify you, including via a new cookie consent prompt. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this Cookies Policy, or if you wish to exercise your rights regarding cookies and tracking technologies, please contact us:

For EU/UK residents, you also have the right to lodge a complaint about our use of cookies with your local data protection authority. In the UK, this is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — ico.org.uk.