What are cookies?

A cookie is an file that a web server can download onto the hard disk of your computer in order to track any kind of information about you as a user. Cookies are used for a variety of different purposes, such as storing data for future visits, recognising users and avoiding requesting the same authentification time and again, tracking which websites you visit, and for saving preferences in user-adjustable areas…). Websites normally use cookies to obtain statistical information about their sites, and to analyze users’ online behavioural patterns.

Types of cookies

The cookies used on our website can be classified in accordance with the following criteria:

Depending on who installs the cookie, these may be:

  • Our own cookies: These are sent to the user’s computer terminal from a computer or domain managed by our own editors, from which they provide the service requested by the user.
  • Third party cookies: These are sent to the user’s computer terminal either from a computer or domain managed by the GRAN CANARIA TOURIST BOARD or by a third party, but the information collated by cookies is managed by a third party other than the GRAN CANARIA TOURIST BOARD.

Depending on their duration, cookies can be:

  • Session cookies: These last for as long as the user is using the website, and are erased when the user stops browsing it.
  • Persistent cookies: These remain on the user’s terminal for a longer period, facilitating control of chosen preferences without having to repeat certain parametres every time the user visits the website.

Depending on their purpose, cookies can be:

  • Technical cookies: These cookies are essential and strictly necessary for the correct functioning of a website and for the use of the different options and services it offers. These cookies include those for session maintenance, those which allow security elements to be used, those to share content on social media, etc. 
  • Personalization cookies: These allow users to choose or to personalize characteristics on the website, such as language, regional configuration or the type of browser they wish to use.
  • Analysis cookies: These are used by websites to set up browsing profiles and to learn about users’ preferences, with the aim of improving their offers and services. They allow the geographical areas of greatest interest to users to be controlled, as well as the information on the web with their greatest acceptance, etc. 
  • Publicity and advertising cookies: These allow for publicity areas to be managed depending on certain criteria. For example, frequency of access, edited content, etc. 

Through advertising management, publicity cookies allow behavioural information to be stored, via the observation of browsing habits, by studying access patterns and thus creating users’ preference profiles, so as to offer them publicity related to their interests. 

Cookies used on our website

Cookies from our own website:

Name of cookie Type Purpose When is it installed? Expiry date
COOKIE_SUPPORT Technical   When user accesses the web 1 year
GUEST_LANGUAGE_ID Technical To store the language selection made by the user. It doesn’t store information of any other kind, and it is not essential for the correct functioning of the website. When the language is selected 1 year
JSESSIONID Technical To store a single session identifier, for the correct functioning of the website When user accesses the website When user finishes browsing the website
incap_ses_315_177537 Technical  
When user’s session is ended
visid_incap_177537 Technical  
2 years

Third party cookies used on our website:

Name of cookie Type Purpose When is it installed? More information Expiry date
Google Analytics Analytical A Google tool used to help analyze the way our visitors browse and interact with the website, and to detect possible improvements to its usability. These cookies are: _utma, _utmb, _utmc, _utmz, _utmv y _utmx When the user accesses the website Press here From 30 minutes to 2 years, depending on the type of 

Our website does not control cookies used by these third parties. For further information about cookies on social media or other external websites, we suggest you check their own cookies policies. The GRAN CANARIA TOURIST BOARD has a presence on websites and services of third parties for which, if you wish to know about their conditions regarding privacy and use of cookies, you should check the policies they provide themselves:

Information and the obtaining of consent for installation

At all times, the GRAN CANARIA TOURIST BOARD shall endeavour to establish suitable mechanisms to inform and gain the consent of Users for the installation of any cookies which may be required. The GRAN CANARIA TOURIST BOARD displays information about its cookie policy when a user accesses the website, via a pop-up and a link on the website, with the purpose of the user giving consent to their processing. 

Based on this information, users may:

  • Accept the cookies.
  • Modify their browser settings in order to restrict or block cookies at any time. In the event of users restricting or blocking cookies, they may find that the website’s functionality is reduced.
  • Continue to browse or move around the scroll bar, implying acceptance of their use. 

How can I prevent cookies being installed?

Users may set their browser to accept or not accept cookies they receive, or to have the browser alert them when a server wishes to download a cookie on their computer. If they disable any cookies, some of the website’s uses are not guaranteed to function correctly.

Below we provide a list of examples of how to disable cookies depending on the type of browser used:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer: On the Tools menu option, select Internet Options and access Privacy.
  • Firefox for Mac: On the Preferences menu option, select Privacy, and access Show Cookies
  • Firefox for Windows: Go to the Tool option on the menu, select Options, access Privacy and then go to Use a personal setting for browser history  
  • Safari: Access the Preferences menu option and select Privacy.
  • Google Chrome: on the Tools menu option, select Options (Preferences on a Mac), access Advanced Options, and then the Content Settings option on the Privacy section, and finally set Cookies in the Content Settings section.

For further information, log on to the following link at the Spanish Data Protection Agency where you will get help to set privacy settings on social media, browsers and mobile operating systems. More information here.

Links to other websites

If you choose to leave our website through links to other websites that do not belong to our organization, the GRAN CANARIA TOURIST BOARD shall not be held responsible either for the privacy policies of these websites, or for the cookies they may download onto your computer.

Updating of our cookie policy

This policy is revised periodically to ensure its validity, so is subject to modifications. We recommend you visit the page regularly, where we will inform you of any relevant updates.