Privacy, Terms & Cookies

This Privacy Policy explains how ExplWorld collects, uses, stores and shares personal data when you use our website, create an account, subscribe to communications, contact us, use our tools or otherwise interact with ExplWorld.

Who is responsible for your data

The data controller is by veru s.r.o., trading as ExplWorld, company number 53736222, VAT number SK2121475048, registered at Lermontovova 911/3, 811 05 Bratislava, Slovakia.

Privacy and legal enquiries: legal@explworld.com.

Personal data we collect

Depending on how you use ExplWorld, we may process account and profile information, contact details, newsletter preferences, form submissions, technical information such as IP address, browser and device data, usage information, and information you voluntarily provide to our editorial or investigations teams.

If purchases, subscriptions, ExplWorld Verified applications, saved trips, reviews, photo submissions or other planned services are introduced, the data necessary to operate those services may also be processed.

Why we process data

• to provide and secure ExplWorld accounts, content, tools and services;
• to respond to editorial, commercial, legal and general enquiries;
• to manage newsletters and communications;
• to understand site performance and audience usage;
• to prevent fraud, abuse and security incidents;
• to comply with legal obligations and protect our legal rights;
• to carry out journalistic activity where protected or permitted by applicable law.

Legal bases

Where the EU General Data Protection Regulation and Slovak data-protection law apply, we rely on one or more appropriate legal bases, including performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, legitimate interests, consent, and-where relevant-legal protections and exemptions applicable to journalism and freedom of expression.

Journalistic material and source information

Information supplied to ExplWorld for journalistic purposes may be handled differently from ordinary user or customer data where applicable law recognises protections for journalism, freedom of expression and source confidentiality. We take source protection seriously, but no communication method can be guaranteed to be completely risk-free.

Service providers

ExplWorld currently uses or integrates external services. These providers may process limited personal data on our behalf or as independent controllers, depending on the service and context.

ExplWorld may add or replace providers as its products develop. Planned technologies that are not yet active are not described here as current processing tools.

International transfers

Some providers may process personal data outside Slovakia or the European Economic Area. Where required by law, we use or rely on recognised transfer mechanisms and safeguards.

Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, security, contractual and editorial requirements. Retention periods vary according to the type of information and the reason it is held.

Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have rights of access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, objection and withdrawal of consent. These rights may be limited where the law protects journalism, freedom of expression, legal claims, source confidentiality or other overriding interests.

Requests can be sent to legal@explworld.com. You may also have the right to complain to the competent data-protection authority.

Children

ExplWorld's accounts and interactive services are intended for users aged 16 or older. ExplWorld does not intentionally target children under 16.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal data. No internet service can guarantee absolute security.

Changes

We may update this policy when our services, technology or legal obligations change. The date of the latest revision appears at the top of this page.

These Terms govern access to and use of ExplWorld websites, editorial content, tools and services operated by by veru s.r.o.

Acceptance

By accessing or using ExplWorld, you agree to these Terms and to policies expressly incorporated into them. If you do not agree, you should not use the service.

Editorial information is not professional advice

ExplWorld provides journalism, travel information, commentary and tools for general informational purposes. Content is not legal, medical, financial, immigration, security or other professional advice.

Travel risk

Travel conditions can change rapidly. Publication of information about a destination-including destinations subject to conflict, political instability, sanctions, restrictions or official travel warnings-does not constitute a representation or recommendation that travel there is safe, lawful or appropriate for any particular person.

Travellers are responsible for checking current official travel advice, immigration and entry requirements, health requirements, insurance terms, local law and their own circumstances before acting.

Intellectual property and content reuse

Unless otherwise stated, ExplWorld content, branding, text, graphics, databases, software, photographs, video and other materials are owned by or licensed to ExplWorld and protected by applicable intellectual-property law.

Except where permitted by law or expressly licensed by ExplWorld, you may not reproduce or republish ExplWorld articles, use ExplWorld photographs without permission, conduct commercial scraping or systematic dataset extraction, or use ExplWorld content to train artificial-intelligence or machine-learning models without prior written authorisation.

Automated crawling whose primary purpose is model training, systematic content extraction or commercial republication is prohibited unless ExplWorld has expressly authorised it. This restriction does not limit rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Third-party services and links

ExplWorld may link to airlines, accommodation providers, booking platforms, government websites and other third parties. We do not control their availability, prices, security or terms, and a link does not necessarily constitute endorsement.

Affiliate and commercial relationships

Some ExplWorld links may be affiliate links and may generate compensation when a user completes a qualifying transaction. Sponsored or commercial material is identified where required. Commercial relationships do not alter ExplWorld's editorial standards.

User accounts and submissions

Users are responsible for keeping account credentials secure and for activity carried out through their accounts. If ExplWorld introduces reviews, photo submissions, saved trips, business applications or other contribution features, users must have the legal right to submit the relevant material and must not submit unlawful, defamatory, infringing or malicious content.

Confidential journalistic tips and commissioned editorial contributions are governed by separate editorial arrangements and should not be treated as ordinary user-generated content.

Acceptable use

You must not interfere with ExplWorld's operation, attempt unauthorised access, introduce malicious code, unlawfully collect personal data, impersonate another person or organisation, or use ExplWorld in violation of applicable law or third-party rights.

Availability and accuracy

We may change, suspend or discontinue features at any time. We do not guarantee uninterrupted availability. Travel rules, prices, schedules, opening hours and other practical information may change after publication.

Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, by veru s.r.o. and ExplWorld are not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential loss arising from use of the service or reliance on its content. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or mandatory consumer rights.

Governing law and courts

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Slovak Republic and applicable European Union law. The courts of the Slovak Republic have jurisdiction, subject to mandatory consumer-protection and jurisdiction rules that may give users rights to bring proceedings elsewhere.

Changes to the Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The current version and revision date will be available on this page.

ExplWorld uses cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, remember consent choices, support account functionality and understand how the site is used.

Current categories

Category	How ExplWorld currently uses it	Consent approach
Strictly necessary	Core website functions, account/session functionality, security and storage of cookie-consent choices through ExplWorld's custom consent system.	Used where necessary to provide the service and where permitted without consent.
Analytics	Google Analytics is used to understand audience behaviour and site performance.	Activated only in accordance with the consent requirements that apply to the visitor.
Advertising measurement	Meta Pixel measures the effectiveness of ExplWorld's advertising on Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram). It is present on every page but, wherever consent is required, starts in a revoked state and stores nothing until the visitor accepts.	Revoked until the visitor accepts where consent is legally required; declining, or withdrawing later, switches measurement off.
Session replay and heatmaps	Microsoft Clarity records how pages are used - scrolling, clicks and navigation - to show where the site is confusing. It is loaded on every page but records nothing until consent is given.	Loaded in a denied state and activated only after the visitor accepts; declining, or withdrawing later, switches recording off.
Reader revenue	Subscribe with Google (Google Reader Revenue Manager) presents Google-hosted contribution and newsletter prompts on article pages.	Not loaded at all unless the visitor accepts; a decline means the service is never requested.
Audience measurement (cookieless)	Vercel Web Analytics is used to measure site performance and aggregate visits. It does not store cookies or persistent identifiers on your device.	Operates without storing cookies; used in accordance with applicable law.
Functional / communications	Services such as account infrastructure, newsletter delivery and related functionality may use technical storage or identifiers where necessary for the requested service.	Used according to purpose and applicable consent requirements.
Payments	Stripe may use cookies or similar technologies when payment features are used.	Used as required for payment functionality and in accordance with applicable law.

Analytics services

ExplWorld currently uses Google Analytics, Vercel Web Analytics and Microsoft Clarity. Google Analytics is used to understand audience behaviour and site performance. Vercel Web Analytics is used to measure site performance and aggregated visits and does not store cookies on your device. Microsoft Clarity provides session replay and heatmaps: it is present on every page but is started in a denied state and records nothing, sets no cookies and collects no session until the visitor accepts. Analytics technologies are used only according to the consent choices presented through our custom cookie-consent controls where consent is legally required.

Reader revenue

Article pages may present contribution and newsletter prompts through Subscribe with Google, part of Google Reader Revenue Manager. Unlike the analytics services above, this one is not loaded in a denied state: it is not requested from Google at all unless the visitor has accepted, so declining means the service is never contacted. It appears only on article pages, not on the homepage, the travel tools or the country guides.

Planned technologies

ExplWorld may introduce additional technologies in the future, including advertising or audience-measurement tools. A planned service is not treated as an active cookie or tracking technology until it is actually deployed. This policy will be updated when material technologies change.

Managing your choices

You can manage available cookie choices through ExplWorld's cookie-consent controls. Browser settings may also allow you to block or delete cookies, although doing so may affect some site functionality.

Cookie inventory

Because cookie names and durations can change as services are updated or configured, ExplWorld's consent interface is the current source for the active non-essential cookie and technology choices available on the production site. This policy describes only services confirmed as in use.

by veru s.r.o.
Lermontovova 911/3
811 05 Bratislava
Slovakia

Company number: 53736222
VAT number: SK2121475048

Privacy and legal enquiries: legal@explworld.com