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The four leading technologies which have showed a high adoption rate from the industry and have received attention from academia are: self-service, wireless, green, and security technologies. The advantages of these technologies for hoteliers include enhanced customer services and operational efficiency (Doyle, 2007), decreased guest wait times, more efficient methods to settle bills (Singh & Kasavana, 2005), reduction of energy costs (Meeroff & Scarlatos, 2007), and protection of sensitive customer data and credit card numbers

In addition, exploring the influential factors of security system usage will provide greater depth of knowledge with respect to why some hotels have adopted more security systems than others.

there is still a lack of understanding of the nature of risk associated with inadequate IT security, especially among operators of hotels that do not have their own IT departments.

Self-service technologies are commonly defined as devices or applications which permit users to produce a service independent from the direct involvement of the service provider (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree, & Bitner, 2000). The use of self-service technologies in the hotel industry has grown considerably, especially in the areas of self check-in, in-room check-out, and foodservice kiosks

IT systems refer to general support systems such as mainframe computer, mid-range computer, and local area network.

Some of the most significant wireless technology applications involve the use of mobile handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDA), tablet PCs, and cellular phones, or RFID (radio frequency identification). RFID utilizes computer chips and antennas, allowing the chips to wirelessly communicate with a receiver.

While the major usage of RFID in the hotel industry was for inventory control purposes, it also has the potential to be utilized in ways that can provide more conveniences for the guests.

Other possible uses include placing RFID tags on items of high value as a means of theft prevention or integrating tags into guest loyalty cards for easy identification

IT investment that lowers environmental impact and IT that manages the environmental impact of other systems are commonly referred to as “green technology”

Many hoteliers might think becoming more environmentally friendly will cost more for their hotels. However, it has been demonstrated that “going green” is not only the right thing to do for the environment but also provides tangible bottom-line benefits for hotels by reducing consumption of energy and water, as well as other related costs.

Some of the risk factors involved include reliability, security, and privacy issues

A hotel with more technologies being utilized will install more security systems than those with fewer technologies.

Many of these attacks involve attempts by thieves to gain access to customer credit card data, and these attempts constitute a major portion of the risk inherent in IT security

if a system is breached and the merchant is not PCI compliant, the merchant then is responsible for all costs associated with improperly used credit card information taken from that system (Kress, 2008). These losses could bankrupt a business if the security breach goes undetected for even a short time.

IT security systems are those measures taken to protect the confidentiality and integrity of proprietary data.

two main paradigms of adoption are believed to occur: bottom-up adoption and top-down adoption.

Thus, it is reasonable to assume that organizational factors (e.g., financial factor, human resource) will influence the implementation stage of security systems at a hotel.

A hotel with sufficient IT budget will install more security systems than those with insufficient IT budget.

That is, if a hotel does not have its own IT department, it will have a negative influence on successfully installing or maintaining necessary security systems.

A hotel with its own IT department will install more security systems than those without.

Overall, the state of IT spending on security continues undiminished because managed security services are required for almost every application (Communications News, 2007).

risk associated with a breach of IT systems security (e.g., network break-ins) is very high. Consequently, no sector of the business community is exempt from attacks on their IT systems, with an attack being defined as a technique used to exploit a system’s vulnerabilities.

Given the importance of security and privacy at a luxury hotel, this study expects luxury properties to have installed more security systems than other segments

Most hotel employees use their property management systems for hotel operations and should be able to check their e-mails.

To justify the low response rate, previous studies which have compared response rates of mail and e-mail for surveys were reviewed.

the large majority of respondent properties do not have their own IT departments. Second, the people making IT decisions generally do not have IT backgrounds or training. Third, the large majority of respondent properties have little more than firewalls or antivirus software to protect their proprietary data, and these systems alone are not adequate to meet PCI standards, as they do not take steps to encrypt and protect cardholder data, maintain a vulnerability management program, implement strong access control measures, regularly monitor and test their networks, and maintain an information security policy as required by the Security Standards Council.

The respondents were asked to select from a total of fourteen securities related systems

The profile of the respondents revealed that they were experienced hoteliers with more than ten years experience in the industry

Fifty-three percent of the respondents reported that they were with chain hotels that would be considered mid-range properties with an average of 175 rooms (median of 107). Over 80% of the respondents reported working in operations, while fewer than 4% reported working in either IT or engineering (Table 1).

Nearly 70% of the respondents’ properties did not have their own IT department (69.2% did not have, and 30.8% had their own IT departments, n = 234, missing data = 10).

Fifty-three percent of them (n = 244) thought the most important goal for hotel technology would be enhancing the customer’s experience.

second identified goal was utilizing technology to help generate revenue (41%)

differentiate properties from their competition (20%), to lower expenses (16%), and to increase security (6%).

Internet kiosks in the lobby represented the most frequently used self-service technology (36.5%, n = 244), followed by kiosks for airline check-in/board pass

With respect to security systems currently in use, antivirus security systems represented the most frequently used security system (92.2%), followed by hardware firewalls, software firewalls, physical security, and encrypted login security systems.

intrusion detection was the most frequently identified system (15.6%), followed by vulnerability assessment scanning (13.5%), Internet scanning (13.1%), antivirus (11.5%), digital ID server (11.5%), and nonreusable passwords (9.8%; Table 2).

Thus, the hypothesis was supported that there was a linear relationship between the three factors and the adequacy of security systems.

The positive standardized coefficient (β) of .389 indicates that there was a statistically significant (p < .001) linear relationship between IT usage (the number of wireless, self-service, and green technologies a hotel was using) and the adequacy of security systems

The study revealed certain things of interest, the most significant of which is the need for greater emphasis on IT security among hoteliers.

only about 30% of all respondents reported having their own IT departments. Since budget hotel properties are extremely unlikely to have an IT department, it is highly likely that the very large majority of IT decisions throughout the industry are being made by hotel operators for whom IT is not their primary area of concern.

Furthermore, the focus of hoteliers for future IT implementations is enhancing the guest experience (53%) and generating revenue (41%). Very few respondents (6%) identified increasing security as a 5-year IT goal.

While almost all respondents use information systems as part of their jobs, very few are trained in the development, maintenance, and secure use of these systems.

no correlation was found between the respondents’ perceived adequacy of their IT budgets and the adequacy of installed security systems, as adequacy of IT budget did not appear as a significant term in the regression analysis.

Nearly 10% of respondents do not have so much as anti-virus protection for their systems, and nearly half do not even take simple physical precautions to protect their IT systems.

we note that no correlation exists between the respondents’ perceived adequacy of their IT budgets and the number of installed IT security systems, as the number of installed systems was not a significant factor in the regression analysis.

The sample obtained in this study represented the targeted sample: over 80% of the respondents were working in hotel operations. Furthermore, the purpose of this study was to explore hotel operators’ insight of technology usage, IT budget, and security measures rather than to confirm existing theories or to generalize the results.

it is reasonable to conclude that the respondents did not have an adequate understanding of the nature of the IT security hazards facing them for the average property does not have installed systems adequate to meet PCI standards, yet they reported having adequate budgets.

In order to adequately protect proprietary data, one must have an understanding of network security, which is an understanding apart from software functionality.

Properties with their own IT departments, however, reported that they had a higher number of installed IS security systems than did those properties without their own IT departments.

roperties without their own IT departments, in particular, have a less adequate understanding of their IT security needs than may be necessary.

This study found hoteliers’ lack of attention to security provision, training in IT, and PCI compliance can place hoteliers at great risk. For example, the cost of a single incident at a noncompliant property could result in the loss of the entire business.

It will be useful to examine the reasons why luxury properties are more likely to employ adequate security measures to determine whether this greater use is attributable to better understanding of security issues or some other factor.

The study was limited by the nature of online surveys; the response rate was quite low. Future studies could test the proposed research model via paper-based mail surveys to increase a response rate.

Endpoint security provides protection at the device level. Devices that may be secured by endpoint security include cell phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Endpoint security will prevent your devices from accessing malicious networks that may be a threat to your organization. Advance malware protection and device management software are examples of endpoint security.

Applications, data, and identities are moving to the cloud, meaning users are connecting directly to the Internet and are not protected by the traditional security stack. Cloud security can help secure the usage of software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications and the public cloud.  A cloud-access security broker (CASB), secure Internet gateway (SIG), and cloud-based unified threat management (UTM) can be used for cloud security.

With application security, applications are specifically coded at the time of their creation to be as secure as possible, to help ensure they are not vulnerable to attacks. This added layer of security involves evaluating the code of an app and identifying the vulnerabilities that may exist within the software.

"I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well.

Yet more card-free security systems are on the way.

Many industry watchers are keeping an eye on Houston's largest hotel, the vast 1,200-room Hilton Americas–Houston. The hotel has a facial recognition system that can identify and track guests, employees, and even suitcases. With 700 employees and an annual $16 million payroll, the system offers benefits such as employee time-theft monitoring and prevention for the hotel. But travelers aren't that concerned about employees taking an extra cigarette break. What it means for you is that the system includes alerts if unwanted people are on the property and a response time of mere seconds if there's an incident. Customer service is heightened as well: Returning guests will be recognized and greeted by name. And with 1,200 rooms worth of luggage in transit, the system makes it a lot easier to find lost or misdirected bags.

not everyone wants to be on-camera, all the time. With concerns about "snooping" and a Truman Show-like lack of privacy, might guests feel that systems such as this are too intrusive in our hotels? "

Technology is opening new doors to hotel safety, and the way we navigate hotels is set to change in the blink of an eye. Or the swipe of a cellphone. Or the print of a finger. With futuristic systems like scent and iris scanners and digital facial-recognition, hotel security is being taken to the next level. #plain_module { width: 590px; height:170px; border: none; float:left; margin:0px; font-size:12px;} #plain_module img {border:none; width: 13px; height:14; border: 0px; margin:0px; } #plain_module .mini_main { margin: 0px; padding:0px; width:585px; height:220px; repeat scroll 0 0} #plain_module .mini_item_header {padding:10px 0px; margin: 0px 0px; font-size:16px; color: #555555; border-bottom:1px dotted #CCCCCC;} #plain_module .mini_item {padding:5px 0px; margin: 0px 0px;} #plain_module a { color: #49A3CA; text-decoration:none; } #plain_module a:hover { color: #F98419; text-decoration:underline;} span.gray {color:#949494;} .mini_main li{list-style-type: none;background-image: url(http://www.aolcdn.com/travel/bullet);background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: 0 1px;padding-left: 10px;} Those plastic key cards that once seemed so innovative will soon go the way of the actual key. The new thing is contact-less Smartcards and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards that need just be waved to allow room access. Much like the cruise world's one card system, these cards may soon make hotel stays easier by allowing guests to pay for services, as well as to check-in and check-out, through a single device. Travelers may even be able to save preferences on the cards, from pillow type to floor choice. RFID cards are already in use at New York's Plaza Hotel, and Starwood Hotels are considering introducing them into their hip Aloft and Element properties. But travelers worried they will constantly have to traipse back to reception every time they lose their card need not despair. Security systems in some hotels do away with cards altogether. "In addition to Radio Frequency Identification, there are also systems that use a smartphone, such as an iPhone," says Frank Wolfe, CEO of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. "When a guest checks into a hotel and provides their phone number, they get an encrypted sound code via text message." You can then play back the code to unlock your room door.

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well. Movement-activated video-capture systems were showcased in New Zealand in September 2010. Researchers are at work on devices capable of recognizing an individual's gait or walk and even their DNA. Frank Wolfe says, "If you want to go 'way out there', there are some systems being explored that can allegedly sniff someone, and also systems that can recognize the pattern of blood veins on a human being which are apparently unique to the individual," says Wolfe. Quite common in Japan, vascular-recognition systems such as this are still "several years off," according to Wolfe. "I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

A related threat is that of “skimmers,” or devices that catch credit card numbers when consumers use them for payment. The problem primarily is contained to the restaurant industry, but Callaghan is concerned it could spread to hotels.

Ironically, one of the main reasons terrorism tops the list is because it has become less of an issue in recent years, sources said.

“The greatest business risk, as I see it … is insurance fraud. And it’s the most expensive,” he said.

The hot-button issue within the realm of hotel-information technology is mobile and cloud technology.

“Liability” as a general label refers to hoteliers being held liable for the acts, which are often criminal, of third parties, the AH&LA’s Callaghan said.

“Security” still is something of a taboo in the global hotel industry, said Paul Moxness VP for corporate safety and security at The Rezidor Hotel Group, a Brussels-based hotel management company, with more than 400 hotels and nearly 90,000 rooms in its portfolio.

VingCard Elsafe provides comprehensive training on the technology for the hotel staff and encourages everyone who will have interaction with the locks to participate

, preventing

As hotel locks become increasingly automated, preventing them from becoming vulnerable to security concerns has become a top priority for hoteliers

As hotel locks become increasingly automated, preventing them from becoming vulnerable to security

“  Our Classic magstripe locks do not store critical security information within individual locks, such as master key information, and any service device must authenticate itself through diversified encryption methods to gain access to the lock software ,” Shea said. “  When VingCard Elsafe moved the industry towards RFID technology, security was one key driver, and our primary focus was to add additional security to the RFID card to prevent cloning. To that end, VingCard Elsafe hotel locking systems do not work with cards that have no anti-cloning capability.”

VingCard Elsafe’s locks can also detect tampering and work to alert hotel security staff using the company’s VISIONLINE system. “[The VISIONLINE system] incudes alarms to alert the hotel front desk if someone attempts to tamper with a door lock as well as providing real time alerts to the hotel’s security staff

VingCard Elsafe’s locks can also detect tampering and work to alert hotel security staff using the company’s VISIONLINE system. “[The VISIONLINE system] incudes alarms to alert the hotel front desk if someone attempts to tamper with a door lock as well as providing real time alerts to the hotel’s security staff when activity is detected that a card is being misused,”

For instance, a ‘wandering intruder alert’ warns hotel security personnel when a card is presented to a number of different doors.  Other alarms include detecting that a door is forced open, left open, or ‘mule tool’ intrusions when a door is opened from the inside handle without an occupant in the room.”

After installation, hotels must work to keep their staff trained and their system upgraded to keep pace with the latest security issues.  

VingCard Elsafe provides comprehensive training on the technology for the hotel staff and encourages everyone who will have interaction with the locks to participate ,”

As with any hotel upgrade, hoteliers understand that renovation and upgrades are a regular part of running their business

Looking past RFID solutions for instance, VingCard Elsafe has made our RFID locks compatible with next generation technologies, like Near Field Communications (NFC), providing our customers with an easy upgrade path at reasonable cost.”  

They expect ironclad security that protects their entire “online” experience in the hotel, from online booking and iPad-enabled check-in to the wireless connectivity in their rooms.

The biggest threat to network security at the hotel property level isn’t a lack of technology – it is the lack of resources to manage it.

Ideally the firewall or IPS device should be shipped directly to the property where anyone (e.g. GM) can simply plug the device into the network

3. Longer or no security audit cycles

APTS are considered the most dangerous type of cyber-attack as they simply bypass the defenses that are in place.

Cyber-crime shows up on the security radar as the second highest risk the hotel industry is exposed to.

The gap between the low number of qualified security auditors worldwide and new hotels built is getting bigger and bigger.

Nearly 1.26 million hotels worldwide are dealing with all sorts of safety & security issues.

4. Physical crime will remain an issue for hotels

Physical crime ranges from professional burglaries using nifty social engineering techniques to temporary drug laps in hotel rooms.

Holdups at night involving firearms have increased since hotels are easily accessible and less protected compared to other industries operating at night.

5. Loss of competitive advantage after a major security incident

The recovery costs after a security incident, including the attention of the media, are often much higher than the investment in security and risk management.

Reputation is a vital yet fragile advantage that requires its very own security plan in a strong competitive market where guests nowadays love to make their booking decisions with the help of online travel review sites such as Tripadvisor & Co.

New cyber security companies are popping up all the time in response to the heightened demand. This can make it hard to stand out in the crowd, and it makes it essential for you to communicate what makes your brand different.

you also want to be credible.

your potential customers need a significant amount of education to understand what threats they face and what solutions they may need.

This is especially true given that CEOs and other C-level executives are not as well versed in information security, which can impact a company’s decision to include cyber security as part of their overall preparedness plan.

Though there is plenty of evidence pointing to the necessity of cyber security in protecting valuable data, the truth is that many businesses just don’t prioritize cyber security until it is too late.

only one in five, or 22% of those surveyed said that they fully incorporate information security into their strategy and planning.

data suggests that cyber security marketers must find ways to create a sense of urgency for potential customers

Content marketing can help you build credibility while addressing the major challenge of educating your prospects. In order for your content to be effective,

ensure that it is unique.

Blogs are great for attracting prospects in every stage of the buyer’s journey. Try to create some evergreen blog content that will be universally relevant

Offering downloadable content like e-books and whitepapers is also an excellent way to convert your site traffic into leads that you can later nurture.

Another aspect of downloadable content that you’ll need to consider is the landing page.

case studies are one of the most important tactics for B2B companies.

Email Marketing

Downloadable content like e-books, case studies, and reports that provide readers with a more in-depth understanding of important cyber security topics. Links to your most recent blog posts talking about recent attacks or security concerns and those that break down complex cyber security topics for a wider reading audience. Video content that emphasizes the importance of cyber security and communicates the value of your company’s offering. A digest of relevant articles from reputable industry publications that helps readers better understand hot topics in cyber security. Monthly offers and sales promotions like a free trail, which can encourage prospects to sign up.

Webinars are a great way for cyber security marketers to connect with bottom-of-the-funnel leads.

interactive element.

Webinars can sometimes be costly to produce. However, as with other parts of your marketing campaign, there is also an opportunity to repurpose your webinar to get more out of this content.

Paid campaigns are great at accomplishing two goals – amplifying your content marketing efforts and getting prospects to arrive at your demo request landing page.

Don’t exaggerate your solution’s results.

Use data in your messaging. 

Create an easy-to-navigate library of premium content. 

, evacuation, fire extinguishing and danger management processes

Security cameras in the hotel lobby, coded access cards - that's it

hard" security systems, which can help avert or manage serious threats such as terrorist attacks.

investors or owners of a hotel property often ignore these chain-specific security standards for cost reasons and provide budgets that cover only the minimum required by law.

between different types of "passive" security

hotels is very simplistic: security cameras in the lobby or other public areas and coded access control cards for elevators and rooms

We have highly sophisticated danger management systems today, particularly at airports, elements of which could be implemented in large hotels or connected to professional expert systems via remote security service centres

Outside of "classic trouble spots" such as the Middle East, people have a false sense of security.

However, the vast majority of hotel operators are reluctant to make additional voluntary investments. Even insurance companies have not really taken up the opportunities presented

The effective interlink between security equipment and security processes to protect persons and assets in real time is the main issue.

Hotels may be concerned about the costs of higher-level security systems but criminal activity could cost a hotel its reputation and not to mention, a person his or her life

The PCI Mobile Payment Acceptance Security Guidelines recognize payment security as a shared responsibility. By providing a high level introduction and overview of the mobile payments space and the security risks of mobile devices, the document outlines the unique, complex and evolving mobile environment that underscores the need for all parties in the payment chain to work together to ensure mobile acceptance solutions are deployed securely.

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well.

here are some systems being explored that can allegedly sniff someone, and also systems that can recognize the pattern of blood veins on a human being which are apparently unique to the individual,

new thing is contact-less Smartcards and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards that need just be waved to allow room access.

Kimpton's 190-room Nine Zero Hotel in Boston was the first hotel to install a biometric iris scanner back in 2004

we navigate hotels is set to change in the blink of an eye. Or the swipe of a cellphone. Or the print of a finger. With futuristic systems like scent and iris scanners and digital facial-recognition, hotel security is being taken to the next level. #plain_module { width: 590px; height:170px; border: none; float:left; margin:0px; font-size:12px;} #plain_module img {border:none; width: 13px; height:14; border: 0px; margin:0px; } #plain_module .mini_main { margin: 0px; padding:0px; width:585px; height:220px; repeat scroll 0 0} #plain_module .mini_item_header {padding:10px 0px; margin: 0px 0px; font-size:16px; color: #555555; border-bottom:1px dotted #CCCCCC;} #plain_module .mini_item {padding:5px 0px; margin: 0px 0px;} #plain_module a { color: #49A3CA; text-decoration:none; } #plain_module a:hover { color: #F98419; text-decoration:underline;} span.gray {color:#949494;} .mini_main li{list-style-type: none;background-image: url(http://www.aolcdn.com/travel/bullet);background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: 0 1px;padding-left: 10px;}

Security Innovations, Incorporated (SII) specializes in online and real-time access control systems for the lodging industry. SII provides security products that integrate standard electrical and building specifications.

Encryption: Encryption keeps data safe from unauthorized users. If an attacker steals an encrypted file, access is denied without finding a secret key. The data is worthless to anyone who does not have the key.

Authentication: Weak passwords are the most common enterprise security vulnerability. Many employees write their passwords down on paper. This defeats the purpose. Multi-factor authentication can solve this problem.

Breach Drills: Simulating data breaches can help employees identify and prevent phishing attacks. Users can also improve response times when real breaches occur. This establishes protocols for handling suspicious activity and gives feedback to users.Measurement: The results of data breach drills must inform future performance. Practice only makes perfect if analysts measure the results and find ways to improve upon them. Quantify the results of simulation drills and employee training to maximize the security of cloud storage.

Is the Cloud Secure and Private?Professional cloud storage comes with state-of-the-art security. Users must follow the vendor’s security guidelines. Negligent use can compromise even the best protection.

Redundancy makes cloud storage security platforms failure-proof. On-site data storage is far riskier. Large cloud vendors use economies of scale to guarantee user data is intact. These vendors measure hard drive failure and compensate for them through redundancy.Even without redundant files, only a small percentage of cloud vendor hard drives fail. These companies rely on storage for their entire income. These vendors take every precaution to ensure users’ data remains safe.

Occupancy levels dropped 90% for several months and have only recently returned to a consistent 40%, with many hotels still closed,

“Despite the low occupancy levels, we continue to have a significant number of incidents resulting in a much higher incident-to-occupied-room ratio than we have historically seen. We have seen a dramatic increase in heart attacks and suicides over the past few months, and continue to have increased numbers of fraud and guest-on-guest type incidents.”

Even as the need for security persists, many hospitality chains have pared back their security budgets.

Eventually COVID-19 will recede, but new risk categories will likely continue to unfold in hospitality. Security professionals can help to steer a course by reminding upper management that risk is more than just a monetary calculation.

Under these emerging policies, security is striving to put more active eyes on guest rooms — right at a time when COVID-related staff reductions are making it harder for security even to sustain normal operations.

Even if there’s only one person working the front desk, “they still need to be making the rounds,” Perman says. “They need to be knocking on doors and making contact, making conversation. You need them to keep up that level of human intervention.”

“A passive infrared detector can also be used to detect temperature in human beings, so a video camera that is infrared capable can detect fever in a human, and that is being done in a lot of places,”

Through COVID-19, though, technology can be a double-edged sword. For example, some hotels have turned to mobile-phone-based check-in to provide a touchless experience. “From a security perspective there are unintended consequences there,” Danson says. “Now you never have to go to the front desk, you never have to encounter a person.”

In some cases, entire corporate departments are being eliminated, so there is no centralized security department. There is no one providing corporate guidance, no one providing policies and procedures.”

Reputational damage and revenue loss from a breach headline not only impact individual edge locations, but the corporate brand as well.

Hotels need a ‘toolbelt’ of various security technologies that can be used to prevent malicious attacks. A managed firewall is essential, blocking dangerous traffic from coming onto the network and preventing sensitive data from being exfiltrated, or sent, to the hackers.

One way to implement these advanced toolsets includes outsourcing to a managed security firm specializing in this type of service

If used correctly, hotels could see anomalies that could lead to breaches prior to any damage being done — allowing them to halt hackers in their tracks.

The benefits or Visa’s 3-D Secure™ are clearly seen: high level of security for consumers, a significantly lower chance of chargeback and credit card fraud, and overall confidence in CNP transactions.

As for MasterCard’s SecureCode™ is resembles Visa’s 3-D Secure™. MasterCard credit card holders register at MasterCard’s SecureCode™ website and asked to provide a personal secure code, which will then be asked for when purchasing online.

he benefits for e-Commerce merchants using Visa’ 3-D Secure™ and MasterCard’ SecureCode™ technologies are:

The benefits for consumers who make purchases at e-Commerce online stores bearing the 3-D Secure™ or SecureCode™ logos, thus using 3-D Secure™ or SecureCode™ for safe processing are:

3-D Secure™ and SecureCode™ will definitely improve the world of e-Commerce and CNP online shopping.

“The success or failure of a tourism destination or hospitality industry depends on how safe and secure  the environment is for the guests and tourists.

“There must be locals involved in the policing of our parks, hotels  and tourist centres. These locals  know the  terrain very well, they know the criminals amongst them and they are in position to fish them out,” he said.

Furthermore, it is important to consider the proper dress for the security staff to be in line with the hospitality management philosophy.

Safety is a term which relates to protecting guests and staff within the hotel from the potential hazards, injury, and death by dealing with dangerous materials and different kinds of accidents. In contrast, security regards the protection of property from criminal accidents and terrorist activities.

Providing the highest levels of safety standards and security ensures good marketing for the hotels by preventing an accident before it becomes a major issue causing loss of life and property.

effective information system and being well prepared for emergencies could prevent or minimize loss for the hotels.

four-phase model to plan for the crisis and to deal with the emergencies; this model proposed reduction, readiness, response, and recovery phases to deal with the crisis.

Many practitioners imply that regarding the technology evolution in the last decade, Information Technology has become a fundamental part of the hospitality industry,

the importance of an updated emergency plan

The hospitality industry is one of the most vulnerable industries to crises.

is vulnerable to both internal and external emergencies.

updated regularly, and a direct communication system should be employed to respond to and overcome the crisis.

The importance of continuous emergency training for the employees is also emphasized.

ole of the media, information, and the social media should be reviewed and evaluated continuously

causing negative impacts not only for the hospitality players, but also for the tourists and the local community.

biometric technologies could ensure the hotel security and increase the effectiveness of hotel information systems. This will reduce the costs, improve management of the employee and guest activities, and improve the ability to recognize the criminal activities.

Preparedness and an updated emergency plan with managers' awareness will help the hospitality industry to provide the necessary resources, as well as effective training to avoid or minimize risks. Safety surveillance and security systems are very important to save guests' lives and hospitality properties. These factors can also be used as a marketing tool for guests and meeting planners. Finally, it's very important to understand the crisis emergency frameworks to mitigate effects and be well prepared before the crisis strike, and furthermore, to minimize losses during evacuation when the disaster happens.

susceptible to epidemics movements,

Hotels should issue a check-list concerning a hotel’s vulnerability to emergencies caused by natural disasters (hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis) or man-made crises (terrorist attacks, explosions, fires, spill, food poisoning).

This will transmit a positive image: hospitality may gain a lot by using its safety and security as a marketing tool to attract more tourists to the destination.

However, with more countries migrating to chip cards and EMV-compliant POS systems, attackers have shifted their focus to card-not-present fraud and are targeting industries where consumers are making their payments and reservations over the phone—such as hotel contact centers.

If guests aren’t convinced that the hotel is keeping their personal and financial data secure, they will take their business elsewhere. In order to protect their brand reputation and their business, hotels need to create a culture of security throughout their entire organization that focuses on protecting guests’ digital property in addition to their physical property. One of the best places to start is their contact center.

In an era of increasing cyberattacks, hotels can make themselves less of a target by adopting technology to ensure that payment card data and other personally identifiable information is kept secure and segregated from the contact center.

With such an approach, customers calling to make a reservation or order additional services discreetly type their card numbers into the telephone keypad, rather than reading them out loud to the agent on the phone line. The data is securely routed to the payment gateway or a more secure server so it is never shared with the agent and is not held in the contact center infrastructure. This ensures that there is no possible spillover of the data to the unsecured or unmonitored areas of the business. It also reduces the number of individuals with access to the sensitive data, and makes the hotel contact center a less attractive target for cybercriminals. As an added benefit, this approach makes it easier for the hotel to comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards by reducing the scope of compliance. By keeping payment card data out of the contact center, hotels can significantly reduce the high costs and extensive time associated with maintaining PCI DSS compliance.  

With stronger security practices for handling guests’ sensitive data, the hotel industry as a whole can transform itself from being one of the most likely targets for data breaches to becoming a model for data security, thereby ensuring that fewer customers ever have to go through the experience

Guests can sleep peacefully knowing that their data is secure, and the hotel can rest assured that its name won’t be making headlines as victim of a costly data breach.