Policies & Legal Terms

1. Data we collect

Visit Al-Ahsa is primarily an informational site, and browsing its content requires no registration or account. Nevertheless, we may collect the following categories of data:

• Technical data collected automatically when you browse the site, such as: the Internet Protocol (IP) address, the browser and operating-system type, the pages visited and duration of the visit, and the source of access to the site.
• Usage and analytics data aggregated through Google Analytics and similar analytical tools — statistical data that is largely anonymous, used to understand browsing patterns.
• Data you provide voluntarily when contacting us by email or contact forms, such as: your name, email address and the content of your message.

2. Purposes of collecting and using data

We use the data referred to above solely for the following legitimate purposes:

• Improving the site's content and the user experience based on browsing patterns and visitors' general interests.
• Measuring the site's performance and analysing visit traffic statistically for ongoing development.
• Responding to enquiries and messages received from visitors.
• Protecting the site from misuse and fraudulent or harmful activity.

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data with any third party under any circumstances, and we share it only to the extent necessary to operate the analytical tools mentioned, or where the law requires us to disclose it to a competent authority.

3. Google Analytics and tracking files

The site uses Google Analytics (including the GA4 version) provided by Google to analyse use of the site. This service relies on cookies and similar tracking means to collect statistical information about visits, and this information may be transferred to and stored on Google's servers. Google's processing of this data is subject to its own privacy policy. You can find details on managing tracking files and opt-out options in the “Cookie Policy” set out in Section Four of this document.

4. User rights

In accordance with the Saudi Personal Data Protection Law, you enjoy the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to be informed: to know the nature of the data we collect about you, the purpose of collecting it, and how it is processed.
• Right of access: to request access to your personal data held by us and to obtain a copy of it.
• Right to rectification: to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to erasure (destruction): to request deletion of your personal data once it is no longer needed or you withdraw your consent, unless there is a legal ground to retain it.
• Right to withdraw consent: to withdraw your consent to the processing of your data at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, you may contact us through the site's official channels, and we will respond to your request within a reasonable period and in line with regulatory requirements.

5. Data protection and retention period

We apply appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect data from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction, including: encrypting the connection to the site via the HTTPS protocol, enabling security headers, and restricting access to data to those who need it only. We retain personal data only for the period necessary to achieve the purposes for which it was collected, or for the period required by the applicable regulations.

6. Minors’ privacy

The site does not intentionally target the collection of personal data from those under eighteen. If we become aware that we have collected data from a minor without their guardian's consent, we will move to delete it as soon as we learn of it.

1. Nature and purpose of the site

Visit Al-Ahsa is an independent informational site that aims to introduce the Al-Ahsa Oasis, its heritage and natural landmarks and its seasonal events, and to provide guidance and cultural content for visitors and those interested. The site is not a government body, does not represent any official authority, and does not provide direct booking or sales services.

2. Intellectual property rights

All the site’s contents — text, articles, literary narratives, images, designs, logos, interactive maps, visual identity and source code — are owned by or licensed to Visit Al-Ahsa, and are protected under the Saudi Copyright Law and the relevant international conventions. They may not be copied, republished, distributed, modified or exploited commercially without prior written permission.

3. Permitted use

• Browsing the site and viewing its content for personal, non-commercial purposes.
• Sharing links to the site’s pages via social media or otherwise, with attribution to the source.
• Limited quotation of the content for education, research or criticism, as permitted by the regulations, with clear attribution of the content to the site.

4. Prohibited use

When using the site, you are prohibited from doing any of the following:

• Copying content or images, or republishing them in whole or in part for commercial purposes without prior written permission.
• Using the site in any activity that violates the regulations in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the Anti-Cyber Crime Law.
• Attempting to hack or disrupt the site, or gain unauthorised access to its systems or data.
• Using automated programs (such as bots or scrapers) to extract content or collect data systematically without consent.
• Impersonating the site or implying the existence of a partnership, sponsorship or endorsement from it without a documented agreement.
• Publishing or sending any offensive or defamatory content, or content that violates public morals and Islamic values, through any of the communication channels associated with the site.

5. Amendments and service suspension

The site reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue its content or services, in whole or in part, at any time and without prior notice, with no resulting liability towards users.

6. Governing law

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the regulations in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and jurisdiction over any dispute arising from them lies with the competent courts and judicial authorities in the Kingdom.

1. Accuracy and updating of information

The information provided on the site — including opening hours of landmarks and sites, entry and service prices, dates of events and seasonal festivals, and details of restaurants, cafés and accommodation — is offered as general guidance and is subject to change at any time by the operating parties without our knowledge. The site therefore does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or currency of this information at all times, and we always advise visitors to verify it directly with the official bodies or the operators of the sites and events before planning a visit.

2. Limits of liability

Neither Visit Al-Ahsa nor those running it bear any liability for:

• Any direct, indirect or consequential damages arising from use of the site or reliance on its information.
• Any financial losses, costs or obligations resulting from decisions taken based on the site’s content, such as price changes, event cancellations or landmark closures.
• The quality of services provided by the bodies and establishments mentioned on the site, as their mention is not a binding recommendation nor a guarantee of the level of their services.
• Any interruption in access to the site, technical failures or software errors beyond reasonable control.

3. Guidance, not specialised advice

The content published on the site is general introductory and guidance content and does not constitute specialised advice of any kind. The user must exercise the necessary personal care and independent verification before taking any decision based on the site’s content.

1. What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit websites; they help the site recognise your device and remember some information about your visit, improving the browsing experience and enabling analysis of the site’s performance.

2. Types of files used on the site

• Files essential for operation: required for the basic functioning of the site and correct display of its pages; they cannot be disabled through the site.
• Analytical files: used via Google Analytics (GA4) to collect anonymous statistics about visits — such as the number of visitors, the most-viewed pages, browsing duration and sources of access — with the aim of developing content and improving the experience.
• Performance and measurement files belonging to similar analytical tools that may be added in future; this policy will be updated when they are adopted.

The site does not currently use advertising or marketing cookies to target visitors.

3. Control and disabling options

You have full freedom to manage or disable cookies through the following options:

• Browser settings: all modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) allow you to delete or block cookies wholly or partly through the privacy settings.
• Google Analytics opt-out tool: you can install the official Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent your browsing data being shared with the service.
• Private browsing mode: using incognito or private mode limits the storage of tracking files on your device.

Please note that disabling some files may affect the performance of certain site features, without preventing access to its basic content.

1. Ownership statement

All rights reserved © to Visit Al-Ahsa (visit-alahsa.com). This includes — by way of example, not limitation — texts, articles and literary and historical narratives; photographs and processed images; illustrations and designs; the logo and visual identity (including the white-eared bulbul character); interactive maps; and the site’s structure and source code. Any content on the site licensed from other parties remains the property of its owners and is used according to its licences.

2. Scope of protection

The site’s content enjoys the protection afforded under the Copyright Law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the international conventions to which the Kingdom is a party, including the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Any unauthorised use constitutes an infringement warranting legal accountability.

3. Reporting an infringement of rights

If you believe that any content published on the site infringes intellectual property rights belonging to you or those you represent, please notify us through the site’s official channels, provided that the report includes the following:

• Identification of the work in which the allegedly infringed right subsists, and the capacity of the reporter (rights holder or their agent).
• The link to the content objected to on the site and an accurate description of it.
• Proof of ownership of the right, or authorisation to act on behalf of its owner.
• Contact details of the reporter (name and email).

We will consider every serious report within a reasonable period, and take the appropriate action — from correcting the attribution to removing the content — where the claim is proven valid, and notify the reporter of the outcome.

4. Licensing and use requests

Those wishing to use the site’s content or images for media, educational or commercial purposes may submit a licensing request through the official channels, and each request will be considered according to its nature and purpose.

1. Limits of liability for links

• The inclusion of any external link does not necessarily mean the site endorses the linked party’s content or guarantees its services.
• The site bears no liability for the content of external sites and applications, or its accuracy, legality or currency.
• The site bears no liability for the privacy policies, terms of use or data-collection practices of those parties, and we advise reviewing their policies before dealing with them.
• Any financial or contractual dealing you conduct with an external party via a link on the site is entirely your responsibility and directly between you and that party.

2. Reporting broken or non-compliant links

We are keen to review external links periodically, and we welcome reports of any broken link or one leading to inappropriate or non-compliant content, through the official channels, and we will move to address it as soon as possible.