Security and Safety in the Lodging Industry:

Security and Safety in the Lodging Industry: The Use of CCTV Cameras and Proper Lighting Security and Safety in the Lodging Industry In the past, when an individual needed to access a lodging facility, they would only be torn between two things: food and the space. Today, however, security has become so much of a concern that clients first have to find out how secure the environment is and the safety equipment a lodging facility uses in order to determine how safe they will be during their brief stay.

Hotels and lodges have to determine the most effective safety procedures and equipment to apply. The staff at Berryworth Inns cannot decide whether to install CCTV cameras or improve the hotel lighting. Gerald opines that CCTV will be more effective in deterring criminal activity, while according to Frank, the more lights there are, the fewer the criminals that will likely invade the area (xxx). According to Cathy (2002), there are factors that have to be put into consideration when considering the safety and security of a given facility or lodging.

These include the size of the facility, the location, and how long it has been in operation, as well as the history of crimes in the period under consideration. After a thorough assessment of all this factors, it will be easier to determine whether to install CCTV cameras or to improve lighting and whether to ensure doors have locks or peepholes. Therefore, a lodging facility's location, size and history are the major determinants of its security and safety.

The location of a hotel or lodging has significant influence on the type of safety equipment that should be installed. Cathy (2002) also states that a motel's location has the greatest influence on security. For example, when a lodging facility is located in an area that is popular due to insecurity, huge investments, such as CCTV cameras and lighting cannot be ignored just because of the financial implications.

In such hotels, the guest will feel safer if they see CCTV cameras, and in agreement with Gideon, there will be lesser criminal activity as people know they are being recorded. If a facility is on a secure environment, small investments, such as peepholes can be adequate. When John and Mary checked into a small motel in the rural area, peepholes would have prevented the unfortunate events that occurred. The size of the facility also determines how safe guests feel, depending on the safety equipment employed.

If it is a large facility, peepholes and locks will not offer the same sense of security that CCTV cameras will, just like Gerald states in the case of Berryworth Inns (xxx). Even if CCTV systems are installed, more lighting is required due to the larger parking lots, as Sandy argues. However, if it is a small facility there is no need to install CCTV cameras because they warrant more financial costs and additional staffing is also required for monitoring and communication (xxx).

In addition to the location and size of a given lodging facility, the length of time it has been in operation and the number of security cases it has dealt with during this period could be an indication that it is time to upgrade the facility's security measures. If there is criminal activity despite the fact that the lighting has been improved, then it may be time to install CCTV cameras, regardless of the given location or size.

In John and Mary's case, the attack should have prompted the motel management to locate peepholes on every single door in the motel (xxx). Therefore, every facility should upgrade its safety equipment regularly so as to deal with new types.