The movement toward high-tech solutions to engage guests and customers has greatly increased in the hospitality industry and has especially accelerated over the past year as hospitality enterprises implemented health safety protocols to address distancing guidelines. As a result, the implementation of property-wide technologies using personal identifiable information (PII) has presented a challenge to hospitality organizations, who must make sure the data is carefully controlled so it can be used to meaningfully improve guest services but remain safe from malicious cyber activity.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) has organized the Global Hospitality PII Management (GHPM) Task Force, whose members, all prominent hospitality technology experts, are tasked with thoughtfully examining and developing guidelines for hospitality companies to follow as best practice. The information presented will have an international perspective, with participants representing countries across the globe. This is especially important as data privacy regulations vary internationally and will be an essential consideration in the development of the resource.
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“By the nature of today’s technologies, companies now collect vast amounts of personal data to assist in providing seamless and personalized services to their customers. Artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and other future technologies will change the way the entire world operates,” said HFTP global president Mark Pate Sr., assistant controller and IT director for Highpointe Hotel Corp. Noting that the guidelines are “developed by experts specifically knowledgeable about the hospitality space,” Pate added that their goal for the guidelines and directives “is to stay focused on the data issue and assist with solutions to challenges the industry is facing today and into the future.”
The GHPM Task Force includes a wide variety of prominent hospitality professionals from around the globe and is chaired by Michael Levie, co-founder of CitizenM Hotels.
Because the panel of experts will represent the global hospitality industry and the resulting resource will be published as guidance for the global hospitality industry, HFTP has left positions open for additional volunteers. The selection of individuals to fill these spots will be done by the entire task force. To submit your interest in volunteering, visit the task force web page.
