You can usually visit our websites anonymously. All VisitScotland websites make use of analytics technology to measure website usage patterns, for example page traffic. The tools we use for doing so sometimes involve placing “cookies” or other tracking technologies on your web browser or device.
You will always be informed when we place essential and analytics cookies on your device and you will have a choice regarding the use of tracking and advertising cookies (using a cookie management banner which gives you options to accept or deny such cookies). Analytics cookies are placed on your device with an “opt-out” option available to you. We will not place tracking cookies on your device without your prior “opt-in” consent. If you choose to deny analytics, tracking or advertising cookies you can still browse our websites anonymously. Emails will contain a code which records when you open a message and when you click on links contained in the message.
When you visit a specific page on a VisitScotland website having clicked on a link in an email, promotion, advert or social media post, your arrival on that “landing page” will be logged anonymously and your subsequent movement around the website logged - again, in an anonymised way - using an analytics system. When you click on a link in an email this is added to your record in an email management system.
Note that when you interact with elements on the website which collect personal data, for example a signup form, this will usually record your IP address. It will also involve the collection of identity and contact information in the context of some of the data collection methods noted elsewhere on this list of activities. For example, “register to receive a newsletter” activity.
