Frost and Sullivan offers Security Survey and Specialised Staff Training for hotel chains

(31/07/2009)

Security standards in the international hospitality industry need to be urgently reviewed in response to the growing global terrorist threat. In the last twelve months, the number of deadly attacks on luxury hotels has accelerated significantly, and the bombings of the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels in Jakarta a couple of weeks ago highlight yet again how urgent this need has become.

In response to this evolving situation, Frost & Sullivan has developed a Security Excellence Programme designed specifically for the global hospitality sector.

As Frost & Sullivan Partner, Dorman Followwill, explains: “The primary goal of this programme is to produce objective, quantifiable and independent data on the security level at any particular hotel, factoring in a wide range of key variables. The specific details of a security risk assessment always remain confidential on completion to each individual hotel. However, in the longer-term, we plan to develop an industry-wide rating system in collaboration with key industry associations and global hotel chains, which can be made available to a restricted group of accredited users such as travel agencies, corporations, insurance agencies and governments to assist their understanding of the security options available to travellers worldwide.”

Partnering with Frost & Sullivan in this challenging undertaking is international counter-terrorism consultancy SDS Group (part of AIM-listed Pentagon Protection plc), whose technical director, Dr. John Wyatt, MBE, is United Nations Blast Consultant for Europe and North Africa. As the first step in the new joint initiative, Frost & Sullivan and the SDS Group have published a white paper entitled “Improving Hotel Security in Today’s Unpredictable Global Environment.”

To answer growing demands for hotel security provisions to be reviewed, Frost & Sullivan is working with luxury hotels worldwide to carry out comprehensive surveys of the status and standard of security measures in place.

Mr Followwill outlines: “Each of our clients can request a Security Excellence Survey of their hotel or hotel chain, and receive an in-depth confidential assessment detailing the key findings of the survey. These include individual ratings by specific security category, such as type of structure, glazing format, perimeter protection, access control, security camera effectiveness, emergency planning, staff capabilities, etc. Frost & Sullivan also plans to extend its exclusive ‘Best Practices Awards’ system into the sector by formally recognising hotels implementing ‘best-of-breed’ security practices. Our long-term aim is to assist the global hospitality industry to adopt those security practices that provide the highest levels of guest and staff protection possible in today’s unpredictable world.”

In addition to risk assessment surveys of individual hotels around the world, Frost & Sullivan and the SDS Group are also offering in-depth training courses for Hotel Security Managers and other key personnel, featuring expert instructors with hands-on experience of securing hotels and other high-value soft targets. The training courses build upon and extend significantly the advice being supplied to hotels by police and government authorities by providing practical details on how to improve security measures throughout the hotel environment and how to deal with emergency situations should they occur.

Three day Hotel Security Manager Training Courses are held every month in London, with places still available on courses scheduled for 21-23 September; 19-21 October; 16-18 November and 14-16 December.

Related topics:  Building access control system   CCTV system and accessories   Fire detection and alarm   Intrusion detection   Security guarding   Security training   Sensors and detectors 

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