HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW
JUNE FOCUS: Hotel Design

With Cyberattacks on the Rise, Is Your Hotel Protected?

By Christopher Bolger Senior Risk Manager, Venture Insurance Programs | June 2014

When Target Corp. was hacked last holiday season, the size and scope of this incident brought national attention to the growing threat of large-scale, financially motivated cybercrimes. In this case, hackers stole credit and debit card records and other personal information from an estimated 70 million people. It is believed thieves gained entry to the systems by infiltrating computers owned by one of its third-party vendors and then used “memory-parsing” malware that captures information at the point of sale before it is encrypted. While the attack on the retail giant was one of the largest cybercrimes ever, it is only one of many ways computer systems can be breached. And retail stores are only one type of business that can be targeted. Consider the hotel industry. With the volume of credit card swipes at check-in, as well as at their bars, restaurants and shops, hotels offer ample opportunities for cyberattacks. In fact, a credit card breach was detected earlier this year at food and beverage outlets at more than two dozens hotels belonging to some of the country's largest hotel chains. Every hotel executive should take seriously the threat of computer security breaches, implementing the most up-to-date prevention and risk management practices, creating an emergency response plan and securing sufficient insurance coverage. **Evaluating the Threats** As mentioned above, the extensive use of credit cards in daily operations is a primary way hotels are susceptible to cyberattacks. Not only do hotels transact business through credit cards, but those cards are kept on file and often accessed multiple times during a guest's stay. Each charge made at a spa, gift shop, bar or restaurant during the course of a stay is another opportunity for cybertheft. You should also consider intentional acts of theft by employees. For example, food and beverage servers can use small devices, easily hidden in a pocket, to swipe customer credit cards over an extended period of time and then sell the data. Another area of entry is through public Wi-Fi access, which is usually unsecured. Naturally, hotels want to provide guests with the best possible lodging experience and many favor ease of access over security. That can be a mistake. Wi-Fi access needs to be secured. Ironically, Computer Weekly reported a government conference on cybersecurity in a London hotel came under attack through the hotel's free Wi-Fi network. While these are three areas where hotels may be vulnerable to data breaches, there are many possibilities. An employee's laptop may be stolen, or access to hotel data may be gained through third party vendors who have access to hotel systems. As we will discuss below, a thorough vulnerability analysis is necessary to determine risk. **The Impact** There is a financial impact when any type of computer security breach occurs. It is estimated Target will lose half a billion dollars from its well-publicized attack. Costs range from computer forensic investigations and customer notifications to legal defense of potentially costly lawsuits. But the impact goes further than the corporate bottom line. You can face a public relations setback that has the potential to jeopardize the trust and patronage of even your most loyal guests. Many people affected by breaches promise never to do business with the involved company again, resulting in a loss of market share. Data breaches can also carry personal risk for hotel executives and board members. Attacks are drawing increased scrutiny from government regulators, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who want to ensure directors and officers are taking necessary steps to prevent breaches. **Prevention and Risk Management** Of course the best way to deal with a data breach is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some key areas to consider when seeking to improve the security of a hotel's data systems. Define roles, responsibilities and oversight. Responsibility for data security may fall to a Chief Information officer, Chief Security Officer or a new position being created called Chief Privacy Officer. Whoever is responsible, the person's role should be clearly defined, including interactions with other departments and relevant outside vendors. Also consider board oversight. Is there a board member or audit committee with the technical expertise to adequately review cybersecurity issues? Conduct a risk assessment. This assessment should be specific to guest privacy policies and data security. You need to know how, why and where your data is vulnerable and what safeguards are applied to each computer and device. You should see a network map that shows where data is stored and who controls it. Get expert help. The technical aspects of cybersecurity should be undertaken with specialized consultants. These experts can offer valuable tools to help build necessary firewalls, data encryption and other safeguards. Some of these services are made available through your insurance partner. Bolster your safeguards. Each hotel will have unique security requirements based on its specific systems and operating environments, but there are considerations that apply to all hotels. - Limit the number of computers and devices that store sensitive information. - When using a Wi-Fi network, use a secure wireless connection and an effective firewall. - Use encryption for storing, receiving and transmitting data. - Have all employees use strong passwords, which are changed regularly. - Check security practices of any vendors that interface with your computers or who serve your guests. Create effective and realistic policies and procedures. Make sure you have an effective and accurate privacy policy in place, detailing measures you take to secure guest data and the real risks involved. These cybersecurity policies and procedures should be written, implemented and incorporated into the overall written safety and emergency planning program, including assigned responsibilities. It's important to note in 2012, the Federal Trade Commission filed suit against Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and three of its subsidiaries claiming the hotel did not take common and well-known security measures to prevent a series of cyber attacks that began in 2008. The suit also claimed the company's privacy policy misrepresented the security measures it put in place. Consider mobile and social. Extend your policies across social media and mobile devices, and create enforceable employee policies. According to recent market research, nearly half of all global Internet consumers employ mobile devices as their primary means of accessing the Web. Due to this rise of “anywhere” access to the Internet and the volume and type of information shared across social media platforms, security policies must factor these elements into privacy and security policies to properly mitigate risk. Create a specific crisis response plan. In the event of a breach, you will need crisis response services that will take the necessary steps related to ensure business continuity, notification of guests, suppliers, employees, law enforcement and regulatory bodies, and communicate effectively with the media. Ensure good hiring practices. While there are unknown hackers located in other countries, you can reduce the threat of internal attacks by making sure you have effective pre-employment background checks and other screening for employees, especially those with access to computer systems and guest credit cards. **Insurance** While effective safeguards can protect a hotel from many threats, hackers are becoming more sophisticated and often operate overseas. This makes it more difficult to investigate and prosecute suspected attacks - and essential to have privacy and data breach insurance coverage. These insurance policies were initially very costly, but have become increasingly affordable as more insurance carriers have entered the market. Today, robust coverage is available for hotels, including policies for first-party (the hotel) costs and third-party (guests and others affected) liability. These policies should cover a hotel's costs to respond to the data breach, including: - Forensic computer investigations to confirm the breach and identify whose information has been put at risk. This can be a costly endeavor. - Costs to draft and deliver notifications to individuals, the payment card industry or a regulator. This coverage should include costs to set up a call center. - Credit or identity protection services for affected individuals. - Crisis management and public relations specialists to help mitigate the potential fallout from a breach event. Privacy protection is necessary to cover the costs to defend claims related to handling personally identifiable or confidential corporate information, including: - Violations of privacy or consumer data protection laws. - Negligence or breach of contract. - Negligent network security resulting from events such as the transmission of malicious software or a denial of service attack (when the hotel's systems or website are not available to guests or other intended users). - Regulatory actions, which can be costly to defend and include defense costs, civil penalties and compensatory awards. Other coverage can be added, including: - Cyber extortion: when a hacker threatens to hack into and damage websites or data in an attempt to extort money. - Hacker damage to your digital assets, including websites and other electronic data. - Cyber Business Interruption that compensates hotels for loss of revenue due to a cyberattack. When considering insurance, it's important to make sure you have sufficient limits to cover each of the costs and liabilities you potentially face. There have been breaches that have taken up to two years to discover. A continuous evaluation of your policies and procedures is crucial to a successful program. And ask if your insurer provides pre-breach risk management services and post-breach response services to help manage an incident as it unfolds. Cybercrime is evolving and escalating, and the potential damage to a hotel's bottom line and reputation cannot be ignored or understated. A hotel's data systems, risk management and crisis response plans, privacy policies and governance all need to be updated regularly to ensure they continue to keep pace with emerging threats. The same is true with insurance. Policies continue to improve so review your cyber coverage annually to be sure your coverage and limits are adequate.

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How to Support The Mental Health of Hospitality Staff When The Pressure's On

By Josh Felix, Director, Solution Design, Axonify

The third season of “White Lotus” recently wrapped and left an indelible mark on pop culture. The award-winning and widely-discussed show, known for its sharp-as-knives satire and meme-worthy moments, follows the interactions between the ultra-wealthy hotel guests and the staff who cater to their needs at the namesake luxury resort, putting the hospitality industry front and center in the cultural conversation. Watching these heightened characters behave in absurd, poignant and violent ways was not only prestige TV at its finest but also an opportunity to explore the complex dynamics at the intersection of privilege, service and human behavior within a...

Tips on Making Your Morning Lineups the Most Fun 15 Minutes of the Day

By Mychal Milian, General Manager, Waterstone Resort & Marina, Boca Raton - Curio Collection by Hilton

In hospitality, mornings set the tone for the day. Your team can walk out of a morning lineup ready to tackle the day’s challenges—or dragging their feet, unmotivated before their shift even starts. It’s up to leadership to turn those quick 15 minutes into the highlight of the day. So how do you make your morning lineups not just another meeting but a moment your team looks forward to? I’ve spent years perfecting my own morning lineups, and trust me—it’s a blend of high energy, structure, and just the right amount of fun. Here’s how you can do...

Beyond Magic Fingers: Sleep Science for Hotels and Resorts

By Lawrence Adams, Principal, Lawrence Adams Architect

From the second-floor lodging rooms of Silk Road caravansaries and the roadside mansiones of the Roman Empire to today’s limitless variety of hotel accommodations, hospitality’s most important service to its guests has always been the promise of a good night’s sleep. Heads in Beds has long been the primary objective of hotel companies. While contemporary hotels may provide many guest attractions in the way of fine restaurants, beautiful meeting spaces, lively entertainment, and lavish social spaces, facilitating the opportunity for its guests to have a quiet, comfortable, and secure place to slumber is still its most important provision. Any...

Maximizing Guest Experience Through Operational Excellence: A Sales Manager's Perspective

By Enari Bryant, Sales Manager, Brick Hospitality

Operational excellence is at the heart of guest satisfaction. A great stay isn’t just about one standout moment—it’s a series of seamless interactions that shape a guest’s perception of value. This experience is what drives brand loyalty, online reputation, and ultimately, revenue growth. While strong sales strategies bring guests in, it’s flawless operations that turn those bookings into repeat visitors and glowing reviews. Every guest experience element matters—from front desk efficiency to housekeeping standards. When everything runs smoothly, guests enjoy a stress-free stay, leading to higher satisfaction, stronger loyalty, and a greater likelihood of returning. On the flip side,...

Artificial Intelligence as a Hospitality Business and Education Tool

By Robert O'Halloran, Professor & Director, Hospitality Management, East Carolina University

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evident all around us. It is the next level up of being technology proficient and effective in running a business and or in all sectors of the economy, including education. My business perspective is education-based. In that area, we are in the business of hospitality business education. AI has and will continue to have a place, some educators think of generative AI and their students using that tool to author their essays, reports, or complete assignments. What is generative AI? The name refers to artificial intelligence algorithms – probably the best known being ChatGPT...

Wellness Fallacy Trap in Hospitality? Beware of Wellness Booby Traps!

By Laszlo Puczko, CEO & Co-Founder, Health Tourism Worldwide

According to common understanding a trap is ‘a dangerous or unpleasant situation which you have got into and from which it is difficult or impossible to escape’: Wellness is supposed to have only pleasant attributes, you may say, so how can it represent any kind of trap? Very easily. Especially in hospitality settings and scenarios. The easiness is coming from the potential misunderstandings, misinterpretation of anticipated expectations, and also from development and management faux pas. Translating The Wellness Concept & Term If you were operating or developing hospitality assets, you cannot possibly...

Transforming Hospitality: Designing Hotels for the New Era of Work and Leisure

By Blima Ehrentreu, Founder & CEO, The Designers Group

The hospitality industry is at a crossroads, driven by the rise of the ’Work From Hotel’ (WFH) trend. As remote work becomes integral to modern life, hotel designs across North America are evolving to meet the needs of modern travelers who seek to blend work and leisure seamlessly. Drawing inspiration from co-working hubs, wellness centers, and sustainable architecture, hospitality design is being re-imagined. The influence of these industries is sparking innovative solutions, reshaping hotels into spaces where functionality, relaxation, and modern aesthetics converge. Shifting Travel Dynamics and the Rise of Bleisure Travel has undergone a seismic shift in recent...

HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW JUNE FOCUS: Hotel Design

With Cyberattacks on the Rise, Is Your Hotel Protected?

By Christopher Bolger Senior Risk Manager, Venture Insurance Programs | June 2014

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HOTEL BUSINESS REVIEW
JUNE FOCUS: Hotel Design