Cyber Security Threats in Tourism and Hospitality
Published by Christopher Porter on November 11, 2024
Cybersecurity threats in tourism and hospitality are a daily reality. Hotels, restaurants, online travel agencies (OTAs), and booking platforms handle loyalty-program data packed with sensitive guest information—from passport numbers to credit card details—turning every digital touchpoint into a potential attack surface.
According to a 2023 study by Cornell University and FreedomPay, nearly 31% of hospitality organizations suffered a data breach, and 89% were targeted more than once in the same year. These breaches expose personal information, disrupt guest services, and cost businesses millions in damages.
This article explores why the hospitality sector is a growing target, real-world cases of cyberattacks, and practical defenses businesses can build to protect their operations and customers.
Why Is the Hospitality Industry Targeted by Cybercrime?
The rapid digital transformation of the sector has expanded the attack surface, making cyber security in tourism and hospitality more critical than ever. To build effective, proactive defenses, we first need to understand why this sector attracts cybercriminals.
The Digital Overhaul
The hospitality industry’s widespread adoption of digital platforms has expanded its online footprint, creating more potential entry points for cybercriminals. While enhancing the guest experience, the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices also increases the surface area for attacks. These vulnerabilities threaten the guest journey by compromising data privacy, disrupting services, and weakening brand trust.
High-Value Data
Few sectors handle as much personal and financial information as hospitality. From passport scans to credit card details and guest preferences, the data collected is both vast and sensitive. This makes hospitality businesses particularly appealing to attackers.
Human Factor and Vendor Chains
High staff turnover and seasonal employment can lead to inconsistent training and low awareness of threats like phishing and social engineering. Many organizations today mitigate this problem by integrating cybersecurity training into onboarding, offering regular refreshers, and simulating real-world attack scenarios.
Examples of Cyber Security Threats in Tourism
Tourism and hospitality face a rapidly evolving range of cyber threats – more targeted, coordinated, and damaging than ever. Recent high-profile breaches reveal how vulnerable the industry has become and how costly a single lapse can be.
Major Hospitality Industry Cyberattacks
| Company | Incident | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott International (2018) | Data breach affecting 383 million guest records | £18.4 million fine from UK’s ICO; $52 million settlement with FTC and 49 U.S. states |
| Caesars Entertainment (2023) | Ransomware attack via social engineering of an outsourced IT vendor | Compromised loyalty program database; reportedly paid $15 million ransom |
| MGM Resorts (2023) | Ransomware attack via vishing (voice phishing) of IT help desk | Estimated $100 million in lost revenue and recovery expenses; disrupted hotel operations |
| Booking.com (2024) | Targeted phishing campaign against hotels across multiple regions | Remote access malware deployment; theft of guest payment data and reservation details |
As hotels modernize with IoT technology such as smart locks, room sensors, and automated check-in kiosks, new vulnerabilities emerge. Some devices have been exploited for unauthorized room access or as gateways into internal networks. At the national level, DDoS attacks have even taken down tourism websites, such as those targeting Spain’s digital platforms in 2023.
Every breach damages guest trust and business credibility. According to a 2023 study published in the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) journal, digital fraud attempts in the travel and leisure sectors rose by 156% in 2022.
Key Insight
According to recent findings, the cost of cybercrime is projected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025, with a 15% annual increase from 2020. The hospitality sector is particularly vulnerable, with cybercriminals targeting its wealth of sensitive customer data and increasingly connected systems.
Future Trends in Cybersecurity for the Hospitality Industry
The next wave of cybersecurity in tourism and hospitality will be shaped by technological innovation and rising stakeholder expectations. Here are some noticeable trends:
AI-Driven Defense
Brands are using AI for real-time threat detection, predictive analytics, and automated response—enabling continuous cyber threat assessment. These tools reduce reliance on manual monitoring and help teams respond to attacks faster and more accurately. For example, AI-based security platforms like CrowdStrike Falcon use machine learning to detect unusual network behavior and automatically isolate compromised devices before breaches escalate.
AI as a Double-Edged Sword
While AI enhances defenses, it also empowers attackers with automated cyber threats, deepfake phishing, and advanced social engineering. According to StrongDM’s 2024 State of AI in Cybersecurity report, 87% of cybersecurity professionals express concern over AI-powered threats, particularly those involving data breaches, identity fraud, and ransomware attacks.
Cybersecurity as a Regulatory Requirement
Data protection laws vary across regions but are reshaping cybersecurity in tourism and hospitality worldwide. The GDPR governs guest data privacy in the European Union, enforcing strict consent and breach notification rules. The CCPA mandates transparency for businesses serving California residents, requiring clear disclosures on data collection and usage. In Asia-Pacific, laws like Singapore’s PDPA and Australia’s Privacy Act impose similar obligations on handling personal information. Failure to comply with these regulations risks regulatory penalties and long-term erosion of customer trust.
Cybersecurity as a Trust Signal for Travelers
Many travelers today look for signs of strong cybersecurity measures before booking their next trip or tour. Visible data protection measures such as secure payment gateways, privacy certifications, and transparent breach-response plans can influence customer decisions and set hospitality brands apart.
Cybersecurity as Brand Equity
Forward-thinking hospitality brands are making cybersecurity part of their identity by embedding security into every digital interaction, training staff regularly, running phishing simulations to maintain awareness, and promoting certifications like CISM and CISSP among their IT leadership to reinforce trust and expertise.
Pro Tip
Professionals equipped with certifications like CISM and CISSP are better positioned to design, implement, and manage enterprise-wide cybersecurity programs. Training Camp’s CISM Bootcamp and CISSP Bootcamp help fast-track your certification journey, providing structured preparation for leaders navigating hospitality’s growing digital risks.
How Can Organizations Reduce the Risks of Cyber Attacks
Minimizing risk in hospitality begins with building a culture of proactive defense—one that integrates technology, process, and people. Here are some actionable steps to consider:
Build Cyber-Aware Teams
Well-trained employees and leadership are your first line of defense. Organizations should encourage IT teams to pursue certifications like CISM through structured, outcome-focused programs, run regular phishing simulations to sharpen awareness, provide refresher courses for seasonal employees (who are often the most vulnerable), and train all staff to identify and report threats—reducing human error, the leading cause of breaches in hospitality.
Enhanced IT Infrastructure
Strengthen your security infrastructure with endpoint security for all hotel-operated devices (front-desk computers, POS terminals, smart locks, etc.), secure payment systems compliant with PCI DSS standards, multi-factor authentication for accessing booking systems and guest databases, regular vulnerability assessments targeting property management systems and booking APIs, and network segmentation to separate guest Wi-Fi from critical operational systems.
Establish a Real Response Plan
When an incident happens, response speed and clarity matter. Be prepared with documented escalation procedures and internal communications playbooks, clear roles for IT, public relations (PR), and operations in breach scenarios, and a robust vendor risk framework that holds suppliers to strict cybersecurity standards, audit access, and builds breach accountability into contracts.
Become a Cybersecurity Leader
Cybersecurity in tourism and hospitality is facing increasingly sophisticated threats, targeting guest data, disrupting operations, and damaging brand reputation. A single breach can shut down booking systems, leak customer loyalty data, and cost millions in lost revenue and regulatory fines.
Hospitality and tourism brands must prioritize strengthening their security defenses to protect customer trust and maintain brand reputation. This requires IT teams to continuously upgrade their skills and stay ahead of emerging cyber threats.
If you’re ready to advance your cybersecurity career in hospitality, explore how structured training like our CISM Certification Bootcamp can help you build stronger defenses, earn recognized credentials, and lead with confidence.
Ready to protect the hospitality industry from cyber threats?
References
Chin, K. (2024, November 18). Cybersecurity in the hospitality industry: challenges and solutions. UpGuard. https://www.upguard.com/blog/cybersecurity-in-the-hospitality-industry
Elphick, D. (2025, March 19). Cyber security in the hospitality industry. SiteMinder. https://www.siteminder.com/r/cyber-security-hospitality-industry/
Florido-Benítez, L. (2024). The cybersecurity applied by online travel agencies and hotels to protect users’ private data in smart cities. Smart Cities, 7(1), 475–495. https://doi.org/10.3390/smartcities7010019
Kenanf. (2024, February 26). 3 Cyberattacks that devastated hospitality in 2023 and 2024. Asimily. https://asimily.com/blog/3-cyberattacks-hospitality-2023-2024/
