TEF boss says protecting data infrastructure is key in tourism

WESTERN BUREAU:

Dr Carey Wallace, executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), says while it is essential and a plus for tourism businesses to embark on data collection within that sector, it is equally crucial for those businesses to have an extremely robust cybersecurity system in place.

Wallace, who was speaking during a panel discussion, at the 3rd Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo, which is being staged at the Princes Hotels and Resort, in Hanover, highlighted the importance of data collection within any tourism enterprise, noting that, if properly utilised, it can add value to customer satisfaction.

“The more personalised the data is the better the service we can provide,” said Wallace in emphasising that data can help to predict what the customer wants.

However, while noting the positives about how data can be used within the tourism sector to improve service delivery, Wallace said it was of critical importance that that personalised data be protected to ensure the process works as intended.

Wallace also spoke to the need for a collaborative effort between tourism establishments to develop best practices towards the protection of personalised data, noting that if sound systems are not in place, there are potential ways for breaches.

The TEF boss went on to outline six potential ways in which data collection can be breached in tourism entities, inclusive of data leaks.

PHISING ATTACKS

“Phishing can come in various forms, supply chain attacks, ransomware, the clogging of information technology servers and the breaching of the technology equipment of one source just to access that of another entity,” he said.

According to Wallace, the best bet for businesses is for them to have systems in place to counter the illegal activity of impostors on their information technology infrastructure.

“The first thing that you have to do is to ensure that you are training your team, every single person who uses your servers,” said Wallace. “It is very important for them to be trained and for them to have the eye to notice any potential attack on your system and to put measures in place quickly, to either prevent or to recover.”

Wallace also spoke about the legislative moves that are being adopted internationally, as preventative measures against cybercrimes, adding that in Jamaica, there is the Data Protection Act. He added that participation in forums like the Global Tourism Resilience Conference will help entrepreneurs to become more aware of cyber threats, and ways to overcome them.

The conference and expo are being held under the theme: ‘Building Tourism Resilience Through Digital Transformation’.

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