What security challenges are impacting the hospitality market?

The hospitality industry continues to face several traditional challenges – investigating and responding to criminal activity, theft perpetrated by insiders and guests, injuries on managed properties, and natural or manmade disasters. In many cases, security professionals also face an expanded ‘attack surface’ as technology has introduced new ways for malicious actors to exploit known vulnerabilities. For example, the proliferation of ride sharing and food delivery services has substantially increased the number of individuals who may need legitimate access to a facility, while also providing cover for action for threat actors. Social media makes understanding and monitoring these problems a more critical concern for security leaders since consumers can quickly and widely share any problems they encounter, creating potential brand image and reputation problems. Many industry leaders are already investing in technology to help to mitigate physical threats – such as access control technologies that also provide camera and alarm functionality when responding to threats.

Under the Government’s Protect Duty Bill in the United Kingdom, public venues such as large hotels and event spaces could be legally required to devise and provide specific security plans for a terror attack. Otherwise known as ‘Martyn’s Law,’ the Bill follows the campaign launched by the mother of Martyn Hett, who was among those who tragically lost their lives in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 and will require venues to thoroughly overview their security operations. As hostile vehicles have become increasingly relied on by those seeking to launch an attack, it will be important to consider Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) as part of a protective security strategy – especially for venues in locations that are more vulnerable to this form of attack.

Today, the hospitality industry is faced with both old and new challenges. The sector will, of course, continue to ensure the safety, comfort, and privacy of its guests and customers. To overcome these existing challenges, video analytics features such as real-time incident alerts and anomaly detection will greatly benefit restaurants and hotels by knowing what’s happening as it’s happening. Anomaly detection works in a similar way, as those monitoring security cameras will be alerted when something is out of the ordinary. For example, a hotel guest by the pool outside of its opening hours is a cause for concern. There are also now different challenges impacting the hospitality market. The sector will have to work hard to create a healthy, well-managed environment compliant with health code regulations. Using the data gained from heat-mapping and people counting allows professionals to know how many people have entered the premises and where they are in the building.

Modern hospitality environments are naturally diverse and present decision makers with several security challenges, where common risks can be associated with employee safety concerns, overwhelmed security systems and even antisocial guest behaviour. To combat these vulnerabilities, hospitality is evolving by adopting technology more readily, with many introducing Wi-Fi infrastructures, NFC technology and cloud services into their buildings. In hotels for example, Bluetooth mobile apps and smart proximity key cards have changed the way visitors interact with hotel door locks and have been designed to reduce the risks associated with unauthorised visitors and unexpected thefts. However, the adoption of technology introduces new risks – such as cybercrime – and so the industry must remain vigilant and work towards a more holistic approach to technology if we aim to productively address all security challenges, both new and old.

One of the biggest challenges for the hospitality market is the current labour shortage. This is forcing organisations to run with skeleton crews, and it has become normal for a single employee to open and close restaurants or cover the front desk at a hotel. This creates myriad security challenges when considering how to protect both employees and assets. Traditional video surveillance that simply records events that have happened in the past is not enough to make employees feel secure. A better approach is to monitor hospitality environments proactively with interactive monitoring and virtual guard services that can directly interact with employees and persons of interest. Such systems allow companies to gain complete situational awareness even during periods of minimal staffing. AI-based cameras can measure occupancy rates and queue lengths to further analyse and inform managers about periods of peak demand to help ensure enough staff is scheduled.

Hospitality businesses face myriad challenges heading into 2023, including rising food costs, labour shortages, rising crime and violent crime. Across the U.S., the quick service restaurant (QSR) segment has experienced sharp increases in robberies, burglaries and violence directed at employees. In 2020 the FBI ranked the QSR segment 8th among all categories for violent crime with more than 10,000 incidents committed in fast food locations. The impact of this very visible trend affects the brand and employees alike, and some national chains are now shuttering locations around the country over fear for their employees’ safety. Security Platforms that protect people, property and products while maintaining individual privacy are critical. A unified, real-time view of restaurant operations can speed up incident response and investigations to combat this trend while also driving operational efficiencies that address staffing shortages.