Data Security in Travel & Hospitality
Travel and hospitality organisations process vast volumes of payment card data, passport details, loyalty programme information, and personal travel data — making them a high-value target for cybercriminals and a focal point for data protection regulation. PCI DSS, GDPR, and ISO 27001 are the three core compliance pillars for the sector.
PCI DSS for Travel Businesses
Airlines, hotels, OTAs, and booking platforms processing payment cards are subject to PCI DSS across multiple channels — web booking, mobile apps, call centres, and property management systems. The complexity of multi-channel, multi-property payment environments makes scope definition and control implementation particularly challenging. BALTUM provides specialist PCI DSS scoping and SAQ/ROC support for travel sector organisations.
Guest Data and GDPR
Hotel loyalty programmes, CRM systems, and guest profiling create significant GDPR obligations — including lawful basis for processing, data retention policies, cross-border transfer mechanisms for international guest data, and data subject rights fulfilment. ISO 27701 provides the Privacy Information Management System framework that demonstrates GDPR accountability to regulators and institutional partners.
ISO 27001 for Hospitality Technology
Hospitality technology vendors — property management systems (PMS), channel managers, revenue management platforms, and guest experience apps — are increasingly required to hold ISO 27001 certification by hotel group procurement teams and major OTAs as a condition of integration and partnership agreements.