Hospitality Technology

This article includes 5 security risks (including technology related and not) common in the hospitality industry, as well as some specific examples and ways to avoid those issues. It was written in July of 2022 and as a result is likely relevant today. Although not all of the security issues are technology related, I posted this article because I believe that all of them can at least be addressed by incorporating technology. For example, unauthorized visitors can be addressed through increased camera and scanning technology to identify visitors that may have poor intentions entering the premises.

5 Common Security Issues in the Hospitality Industry

There is clearly a connection between ownership of "stuff" and proper stewardship of the same. this article brings to light how this process needs to be sustainable and the responsibilities that we all have to ensure that our own footprint is not causing more harm to our planet through poor management of the items we have purchased. According to a 2013 report by the Consumer Electronics Association, the average American household uses about 28 electronic products such as personal computers, mobile phones, televisions and electronic readers (e-readers). With an ever increasing supply of new electronic gadgets, EPA's Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling show that Americans generated 2.7 million tons of consumer electronics goods in 2018, representing less than one percent of all municipal solid waste generation.

This article describes the effects of technology on our environment. Everything from production to dumping the product can cause long term pollution issues if we are not careful. This article gives tips to combat this issue.

This article explains social media in hospitality and tourism. I really loved the explanation of the SOSTAC method which stands for S-Situation analysis/ Who are we? O-Objectives/ Where do you need to go? S-Strategy/ How you'll meet the objectives T-Tactics/ Details of strategy A-Action/Do your thing C-Control/ How did you do. This method was created by PR. Smith in 1990. It was created for digital strategy, and we still use this method nowadays. This technology helps us define our goals and KPI's as well as understand the buying process, what audience we need to cater to to have a successful following and monetary outcome as well as how to keep that momentum.

Phillips a manufacturer of TVs and other electronics made efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in terms of e-waste by extending the lifetime of its current products used in hospitality. They did this by creating software updates that would upgrade the TVs without having to replace them with newer models that have all the bells and whistles that guests expect to have in newer Smart TVs. Since 2019 "53.6 million metric tons of e-waste" have been calculated up 21 percent since 2014. Laptops and TVs are among the highest number of items being discarded. Phillips like many companies has committed to making green initiatives and one of these ways was with currently used TVs in the industry. Rather than replace them with a newer model they can update with simple software which allows them to last longer. Sustainability has been at the forefront of customers' minds and Phillips made its own commitment to sustainability in the industry. It is great to see tech giants making efforts to be sustainable. I know we hear about "green initiatives" but we often don't see them. This is something tangible and has a huge impact not only on the tech side but for hospitality providers. Instead of needing the greatest and latest they can save money and keep using currently purchased tech and just upgrade it. I find this very appealing especially for smaller HSP that may not have budget replacement every so often. I also find this good for consumers because it can also be done at home. These updates are available for all Phillips tv users, not just HSP. So this goes a long way to benefit the environment. And many more ideas can come from this simple idea.

This article provides a detailed approach on the negative and positive impacts of electronic waste from a global standpoint. This article also provides statistical data to show the various types of technological gadgets that contribute to e-waste, the materials they are made from, and new initiatives put in place to recycle these items.

This article discusses the importance of using social media in the hospitality industry. According to the article, social media increases visibility, increases direct bookings, and increases brand awareness. When done correctly with the right team and right platforms, social media can result in tremendous benefits for hospitality companies. Some of the platforms mentioned were LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. These platforms help companies to communicate with potential and existing customers through ads, stories, reels, videos, as well as customer testimonials. Influencers were also mentioned as these social media stars have a large and/or specific following that can help promote hospitality brands. Overall in this day and age, if you would like your company to succeed, you need to be on social media because it is the best form of marketing and promotion.

With travelers becoming more aware of sustainability and its benefits, many sectors within the hospitality industry are modifying their product to be sustainable. Using green computer technology like contactless check-in rather that key cards which overproduces plastic for the key cards used. Hotels are also using automation and AI like having an automatic power shut off when a guest leaves their room and smart showers limiting shower length.

This article talks about the development of sustainable technology and how it relates to tourism in Barbados. It mainly discusses new technologies and how the country plans to create more business opportunities that promote tourism but also help the economy to thrive. The main takeaway is that the country hopes to become a fully renewable economy by 2030. It has many different natural resources and business opportunities that will allow for the skilled labor that is necessary to do so.

Majority of millennials use social media to share their travel experiences with their friends. Social media is a very important tool in this day and age for the travel industry and hospitality. Engagement with potential guests online sets a more positive first impression, and can lead to more bookings and exposure. Social media also allows businesses to reach a larger audience by using targeted ads on different social media platforms. Tracking these ads can help improve the marketing strategies to see which ads are providing more traffic. Having a strict and consistent schedule of posting content can also be helpful, as it shows potential guests engagement with the community, especially if there is a lot of interaction in comments, as well as giveaways thrown in to the mix. Businesses can also partner with influencers to show off their locations for them to their massive followings. This increases the awareness and showcases the property to a large audience that may not have seen it otherwise. Social media, if used properly, can be a great tool to engage with existing and potential guests. Communication and engagement build loyalty, while broadening the audience spreads awareness.

This article by Michael Toedt on "Data privacy matters in the hotel industry" speaks on the approaches that can be taken to protect guests' data and their privacy since these practices increase guests' trust and loyalty to companies. Accordingly, it is vital for hotels to securely store guests' information. Thankfully, CDM systems make it much simpler for hotel staff to manage data-related requests from clients, such as updating personal details. They also enable one-click deletions, preventing data disputes.

Backup and recovery describes the process of creating and storing copies of data that can be used to protect organizations against data loss. This is sometimes referred to as operational recovery. The purpose of the backup is to create a copy of data that can be recovered in the event of a primary data failure. Primary data failures can be the result of hardware or software failure, data corruption, or a human-caused event. Storing the copy of the data on separate medium is critical to protect against primary data loss or corruption. This additional medium can be as simple as an external drive or USB stick. The possibility of weather-related events may justify having copies of data at remote locations. For best results, backup copies are made on a consistent, regular basis to minimize the amount data lost between backups.

With privacy being a concern in the hospitality industry, hotels are incentivizing a customer sharing information with a heightened personalized experience. Customers are willing to share personal data to earn loyalty program benefits, receive special discounts and offers, and will shop more often with those brands that personalize their communications.

Even though we are aware that generally, individuals are more inclined to do things when there are benefits to them, this new exchange of data for access to certain benefits has now placed that transaction at the forefront of my mind. This is because schemes are not being applied to secretly obtain customers' personal data, but rather the customers are willing to share them. This exchange is beneficial to guests since they earn travelers' consent, unlock richer experiences, better service, and high long-term loyalty. In my opinion, this is a fair trade. Thanks for sharing this article on "How Hotels Can Drive Increased Revenue and Loyalty By Offering a Reciprocal Value Exchange with Guests."

Facial recognition and the use of biometrics are going to be essential in the future. This article outlines several ways it can impact the hospitality industry in a positive way. The most interesting has to do with F&B capabilities. This system linked with AI will be able to streamline restaurant ordering and payment.

This is exactly what I have been discussing pertaining to the importance of having an update and recovery strategy. Update and Upgrade Software Immediately Apply all available software updates, automate the process to the extent possible, and use an update service provided directly from the vendor.. . Exercise a System Recovery Plan Create, review, and exercise a system recovery plan to ensure the restoration of data as part of a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy. The plan must protect critical data, configurations, and logs to ensure continuity of operations due to unexpected events.

This was about the risks in the hospitality and tourism industry when it comes to big data and analytics. Big data is so important in the hospitality industry because it's how companies know who to cater to and with what and how. In addition to the importance of big data, there are risks that come with it. A few risks are data leaks, hackers, etc. Companies invest money in their systems so these things are avoided.

This article discusses the most active cyber threats that exist today. I chose this article because it highlights a topic many industry leaders aren't aware of. Many view cyber attacks as crimes of opportunity, which they often are. However, we have to remember that there are also dedicated groups who are committed to acquiring data they shouldn't have. Knowing these groups, their signs, and what industries they target can help create a stronger team and plan to protect against them. These are especially common in hospitality and retail.

Chief of Information Security officers (CISO) report summarizes that hospitality and retail industries will be spending more accounting for 70% more providers. The report looks at a variety of benchmarks to assess like budgets and personnel. Fraud is not as prioritized as one might think and this time the focus is on business disruption. One core of responsibility seen by at least 70% of CISOs is of continuity and disaster recovery. They are also examining a new benchmark which is staff function priorities. The evolving of the industries is why cybersecurity threats are so complex. The report provides vital information to benefit CISOs on trends. The report in question is very interesting in how it examines what people are spending on their IT security budgets and breaks down where that money is being utilized and staffing. This would be a useful tool for hospitality providers looking to increase their budget because they can analyze other providers and what is currently trending in terms of threats and how to allocate assets whether money or personnel. If the biggest threat to providers is disruption then having an emergency action plan in place would highly benefit providers under underbudgeting. This would be a great tool for any organization to plan their IT strategy with security in mind.