Cookie Policy

Last Updated: January 15, 2025

1. Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains how UAE Cultural Map ("we," "our," or "us") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website. This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy, which provides additional information about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this Cookie Policy, unless you have disabled them in your browser settings.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile) when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners.

Cookies allow a website to recognize your device and store some information about your preferences or past actions. This helps us provide you with a better experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

3.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be disabled. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, accessibility, and basic website operations. Without these cookies, certain features of our Service would not be available.

Purpose and Examples:

  • Session Management: Cookies that maintain your session state, keep you logged in, and remember your authentication status
  • Security: Cookies that detect and prevent security threats, fraud, and unauthorized access attempts
  • Load Balancing: Cookies that distribute traffic across servers to ensure optimal performance
  • Cookie Consent: Cookies that remember your cookie preferences and consent choices
  • Form Functionality: Cookies that enable form submissions and prevent duplicate submissions
  • Shopping Cart: Cookies that maintain your shopping cart or saved items (if applicable)
  • Accessibility: Cookies that remember your accessibility preferences and settings

Legal Basis: These cookies are necessary for the performance of a contract (providing the Service) and for our legitimate interests (security and functionality).

Retention: Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent essential cookies may be retained for up to 1 year.

3.2 Analytics and Performance Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information about website usage, performance, and user behavior. This data is typically aggregated and anonymized, helping us improve the way our website works, identify issues, and optimize user experience.

What We Track:

  • Page Views: Which pages are visited, how often, and in what order
  • User Behavior: Click patterns, scroll depth, time spent on pages, and navigation paths
  • Traffic Sources: How users found our website (search engines, direct, referrals, social media)
  • Device Information: Browser type, device type, operating system, and screen resolution
  • Geographic Data: General location based on IP address (country, city level)
  • Performance Metrics: Page load times, error rates, and technical performance data
  • Conversion Tracking: Completion of goals, form submissions, and key actions

Third-Party Analytics Services:

  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to analyze website usage. Google Analytics uses cookies and may collect information about your use of our Service. For more information, visit Google's Privacy Policy and Google's Cookie Policy.
  • Google Analytics Cookies: _ga (2 years), _ga_* (2 years), _gid (24 hours), _gat (1 minute)

Legal Basis: These cookies are used based on your consent. You can opt-out at any time.

Retention: Analytics cookies are typically retained for 2 years, but aggregated data may be retained longer for statistical purposes.

3.3 Functionality Cookies

These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced, more personalized features. They enable the website to provide improved functionality and personalization by remembering your preferences and settings.

What We Remember:

  • Language Preferences: Your preferred language for website content and interface
  • Regional Settings: Your region, timezone, and date/time format preferences
  • User Interface Customization: Display preferences, theme settings, and layout choices
  • Authentication: Remembering your login status and authentication tokens (if you choose "Remember Me")
  • Location Preferences: Saved locations, favorite destinations, and location-based settings
  • Content Preferences: Content filters, categories of interest, and personalized recommendations
  • Accessibility Settings: Font size, color contrast, and other accessibility preferences
  • Video/Audio Preferences: Playback settings, volume preferences, and autoplay settings

Legal Basis: These cookies are used based on your consent or for the performance of a contract (providing personalized features).

Retention: Functionality cookies are typically retained for 1-2 years or until you clear your browser data.

3.4 Targeting and Advertising Cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant content on other sites.

Currently, we do not use targeting or advertising cookies. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and provide you with the option to opt-out.

4. Third-Party Cookies and Services

In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third-party cookies and services that set cookies on your device. These third-party services help us provide functionality, analyze usage, and improve our Service.

4.1 Google Services

We use several Google services that may set cookies on your device:

  • Google Analytics: Analyzes website traffic, user behavior, and provides insights into how users interact with our Service
  • Google Maps: Displays interactive maps, provides location services, and enables map-based features
  • Google Fonts: Loads web fonts to ensure consistent typography (may set cookies for font loading optimization)
  • Google reCAPTCHA: Protects against spam and abuse (if used on forms)

Google Cookies: Google services may set various cookies including _ga, _gid, _gat, NID, and others. For detailed information about Google's use of cookies, please visit:

4.2 Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

We may use CDN services to deliver content faster and improve website performance. CDNs may set cookies to optimize content delivery and track performance metrics.

4.3 Social Media Platforms

If we integrate social media features (such as social sharing buttons or embedded content), these platforms may set cookies even if you don't interact with them. These cookies are controlled by the respective social media platforms:

Note: Currently, we do not actively integrate social media features, but this may change in the future.

4.4 Other Third-Party Services

We may use other third-party services that set cookies, including:

  • Customer support platforms (if applicable)
  • Email marketing services (if applicable)
  • Video hosting platforms (if we embed videos)
  • Payment processors (if applicable)

We will update this policy if we add new third-party services that use cookies.

5. How Long Do Cookies Stay on My Device?

Cookies can be either "session" or "persistent" cookies:

  • Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser. They are used to maintain your session while you navigate through the website.
  • Persistent Cookies: These cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. They are used to remember your preferences and improve your experience across multiple visits.

The specific retention period for each cookie depends on its purpose. Most analytics cookies are retained for up to 2 years, while functionality cookies may be retained for shorter periods.

6. Your Cookie Choices

You have the right to accept or reject cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer.

6.1 Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner at the bottom of the page. You can choose to:

  • Accept: Allow all cookies to be set
  • Decline: Reject non-essential cookies (essential cookies will still be set)

Your choice is stored in your browser's local storage and will be remembered for future visits. You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser's local storage or cookies.

6.2 Browser Settings

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Here are links to instructions for popular browsers:

Please note that if you disable cookies, some features of our website may not function properly, and your experience may be limited.

6.3 Google Analytics Opt-Out

You can opt-out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. This add-on prevents Google Analytics from collecting information about your visits to websites.

7. Local Storage

In addition to cookies, we use browser local storage to store certain information on your device, such as:

  • Your cookie consent preference
  • User preferences and settings
  • Temporary data for website functionality

Local storage data is stored on your device and can be cleared through your browser settings, similar to cookies.

8. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Currently, there is no standard for how DNT signals should be interpreted. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or mechanisms.

9. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Cookie Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through cookies or other tracking technologies.

11. Compliance with Laws

Our use of cookies complies with applicable laws in the United Arab Emirates and international data protection standards. We are committed to protecting your privacy and providing transparency about our data practices.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us:

13. Additional Resources

For more information about cookies and how to manage them, you may visit: