Safety, Security More Important Than Ever: Experts

LAS VEGAS— To avoid complications and/or litigation, properties in the timeshare and hotel industries must create a culture of safety and security, according to panelists at the 2002 International Resort Development Conference & Exposition here. At the Security Implications in the Timeshare Industry session, Ray Wood, director/loss prevention at Marriott Vacation Club International, and Timothy Shalhoob, detective sergeant/tourist safety unit with the Las Vegas Metropolitan police department both advised attendees to educate their staffs on the importance of security. They also urged hotels/resorts to invest in technology such as digital surveillance. A tool than can be monitored from a remote location in the case of several properties, can afford detailed images of criminals that can be e-mailed to local authorities and media within in minutes of a crime, and is able to create images that are easier and less expensive to store on CDs. They both said properties need surveillance to protect vulnerable areas like elevators, and against fraudulent claims by guests. “It’s not about the settlement; it’s about how much it costs to prepare a case,” said Wood. Wood and Shalhoob also spoke about behavior profiling— looking for behaviors that preclude a crime. Both noted it’s different from racial profiling since you are not singling out one group. “Your front-desk staff [in particular]needs to be trained, needs to know what’s unusual behavior… in a post-Sept. 11 world and on a day-to-day basis,” said Shalhoob. Wood also noted that aggressive hospitality, such as greeting guests the minute they enter a property, is a great deterrent and puts off potential criminals. Barbara Capella Loehr