Terms and rules

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of the Independent Travel Advisors Community Platform (the “Service”), operated by Independent Travel Advisors ("we," "us," "our"). By accessing or using the Service, you agree to comply with these Terms in full. The Service is intended as a professional networking platform for individuals and entities within the travel industry, offering forums, promotional tools, and other services for users engaged in the travel trade. The use of the Service is subject to your acceptance of these Terms, and by using the Service, you agree to be bound by them.

2. Eligibility for Use

The Service is available only to individuals who are at least 18 years of age and are engaged in or have a professional interest in the global travel sector. Eligible users include, but are not limited to:

  • Travel advisors (home-based or office-based)
  • Tour operators, cruise lines, and guides
  • Travel reservations staff and supplier sales teams
  • Legal, PR, and marketing professionals specializing in travel
  • Event organizers, academics, and retirees with expertise in the travel industry
  • Press members, representatives from tourism boards, and overseas resorts
  • Individuals transitioning between roles in the travel industry

By registering for the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet these eligibility requirements. Any misrepresentation of identity, role, or qualifications may result in immediate termination of your account and potential legal action.

3. User Conduct and Content Responsibility

You agree that you will use the Service in a professional, lawful, and respectful manner. Specifically, you must:

  • Refrain from posting, transmitting, or distributing content that is defamatory, unlawful, fraudulent, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.
  • Respect the confidentiality of information shared within the community, particularly by users transitioning between roles or those who are retired from the industry.
  • Ensure that any content you share does not infringe on the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other proprietary rights of any third party.
  • Take full responsibility for all content you post on the platform and any legal consequences arising from your actions, including any harm or damages caused to other users or third parties.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and remove content without prior notice if you violate these Terms, engage in unlawful behavior, or harm the community.

4. Moderation and Appeals Process

We reserve the right to monitor, moderate, or remove any user-generated content on the platform that we deem to be in violation of these Terms or that poses a risk to the integrity of the community. If your content is flagged or removed, you may appeal this decision by following the established appeal procedures. We will make every effort to review and respond to your appeal in a fair and timely manner. However, the final decision regarding the removal of content remains at our sole discretion.

5. Specialized Access and Community Areas

The Service includes various specialized sections and forums to cater to specific areas of the travel industry, such as:

  • Special Offers: Sections dedicated to Tour Offers, Cruise Offers, Airfare Specials, Hotel Offers, and Tech Offers.
  • Industry-Specific Forums: Including sections for Travel Advisors, Host Agencies, Tour Operators, Airlines, Hotels, Cruiselines, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), Guides Corner, Travel Tech, and Travel Extras.

Access to some sections may be restricted based on your professional role or affiliation within the travel industry. We encourage users to engage in discussions relevant to their expertise and refrain from accessing or posting in sections that are not applicable to their professional background.

6. License to Use Content

By submitting content to the Service, you hereby grant us a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, modify, distribute, and display your content on the Service or in other media. You retain all intellectual property rights in the content you submit, but you acknowledge that we may use your content for the purposes of operating, promoting, and improving the Service without further approval or compensation.

7. Promotional Content and Special Offers

You may promote your services, products, or special offers within designated sections of the platform, such as Special Offers for tours, cruises, airfare, hotels, and technology products. However, it is explicitly stated that:

  • All promotional offers, negotiations, or transactions are strictly between the advertising partners and the users. ITA assumes no responsibility or liability for any offers, deals, or agreements between users and third-party advertisers unless specifically noted by ITA in writing.
  • Any promotional content must comply with professional standards and be relevant to the travel industry. Posting unsolicited or irrelevant promotional content outside the designated sections may result in the suspension or termination of your account.

8. Third-Party Content and Links

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or resources. Such links are provided for your convenience only, and ITA does not endorse or take responsibility for the content, products, or services available through third-party links. Your interaction with third-party sites is at your own risk, and you agree that ITA is not liable for any damages, losses, or issues arising from your use of such sites.

9. Amendments to Terms

We reserve the right to update, modify, or revise these Terms at any time, and such changes will become effective upon posting. You will be notified of significant changes through email or platform notifications. Continued use of the Service after the effective date of such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

10. Termination and Account Suspension

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting our support team. We also reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at our discretion, particularly in the event of a breach of these Terms. Upon termination, any content you have posted may remain on the platform, subject to the license granted in Section 6. We will handle your data in accordance with our data retention and privacy policies.

11. Data Privacy and Security

We are committed to protecting your personal data and ensuring compliance with all applicable data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Please refer to our Privacy Policy for detailed information about how we collect, store, and process your personal data.

12. Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, ITA disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. ITA shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of your use or inability to use the Service, even if ITA has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ITA, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and service providers, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, expenses, or costs (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising from or related to your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any third-party rights, or any content you submit, post, or transmit through the platform. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of your account or use of the Service.

14. Force Majeure

ITA shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay is due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil disturbances, strikes, power outages, and technical failures.

15. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Service, the parties shall first attempt to resolve the matter through good-faith negotiation. If the dispute cannot be resolved within 30 days, it shall be submitted to binding arbitration under the rules of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). The arbitration shall take place in London, England, and the proceedings shall be conducted in English. Each party shall bear its own costs of arbitration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, ITA reserves the right to seek injunctive or equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect its intellectual property or other proprietary rights.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these Terms or the use of the Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

17. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments regarding these Terms, please contact us via email at support@independenttraveladvisors.com

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