Today’s revelation by Marriott International that a data breach exposed the names and personal details of over 500 million guests sent a shudder throughout the hospitality industry worldwide.

Hoteliers know they are an appealing target for hackers as their databases contain identifying and financial information for very large numbers of people, and they have systems that by necessity must be accessible to many different levels within the company. Because privacy laws in the US, the EU (and other countries around the globe) are becoming increasingly stringent, hoteliers are also keenly aware that the retention and use of guests’ personal information now comes with greater potential liability than ever before.

It is time for hotel brands, and hotel owners and operators, to create effective and comprehensive privacy and cybersecurity policies, procedures and systems.

For JMBM’s Hotel Law Blog, I have outlined some key takeaways from the Marriott International breach. To read the blog, see Avoiding Hotel Data Breaches With a Risk Assessment Audit – Lessons From the Marriott International “Glitch”