During the Fitur international tourism trade fair, the National Cyber Security Institute (INCIBE) and the State Company for Innovation Management and Tourism Technology (SEGITTUR) signed a joint agreement to promote understanding and raise awareness of cyber security for tourism businesses.
The agreement was signed by Rosa Díaz, Director-General of INCIBE, and Enrique Martínez, Chairman of SEGITTUR, and was witnessed by Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, and Fernando Valdés, Secretary of State for Tourism.
Both companies are thus investing in improving cyber security and resistance to cyber security incidents in the tourism sub-sectors, such as travel agencies, hotel chains, car hire companies and tour operators.
Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, stressed that “Companies’ cyber security and digital confidence have become key elements in digital transformation and economic growth.” She sees increasing protection against cyber threats and promoting security as “Essential factors in the development of this sector’s economy”.
Fernando Valdés, Secretary of State for Tourism, meanwhile noted the need to tackle the digitalisation of the tourism sector as a whole, which also means that tourism companies must be able to rely on technological solutions to protect their businesses and their customers’ data. “We are going to use EU funds to help companies access this type of solution,” he said.
Among the different working areas of this agreement is the commitment to undertake a study to measure the cyber-resilience of the tourism sector companies that rely the most on technology, using the Cyber-Resilience Improvement Indicators methodology developed by INCIBE. This methodology consists of assessing and measuring the organisations’ ability to withstand and overcome digital disturbances and disasters. The model allows organisations to model their ability to anticipate, resist, recover and progress following incidents which could affect the provision of their services.
Another of the projects laid out in the agreement is the creation of a cyber security guide for the tourism sector. This project firstly aims to promote secure digital transformation with guarantees for the tourism and leisure sectors, and will tackle the main key cyber security aspects affecting companies as part of this transformation.
The Guide will be aimed at companies offering services in tourist and leisure destinations, such as accommodation, restaurants, recreational activities and cultural attractions, as well as those that help visitors make use of these destinations, such as travel agencies and car hire companies, among others. It will also analyse the main cyber security threats that companies within this sector are exposed to.
Similarly, both companies have committed to organising other joint awareness and advertising initiatives to help improve the digital security of the companies represented by SEGITTUR.
What is INCIBE?
The National Cyber Security Institute is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, through the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, established as a benchmark entity for the development of citizens’ and companies’ cyber security and digital confidence. It is also a driving force for social transformation and innovation opportunities, encouraging R&D&i and talent.
