More than 93.8 million U.S. households considered themselves campers in 2021. For campground owners, this represents a massive amount of sensitive camper information. Cyber attacks cost the U.S. economy billions annually, and every camper who makes a reservation at your campgrounds trusts you to protect their sensitive data. Protecting camper consumer data is critical for guests and campgrounds alike.
Many campgrounds use online reservation technology. It’s easy for guests and administrators and streamlines the booking process. Campground owners or management may be at risk of expensive and damaging cyber attacks without adequate security for their reservation software. Understanding how to protect camper information is the first step to upgrading your reservation software security and placing your campgrounds in a safer, more competitive position.
What Is Campground Reservation Software?
Reservation software is a tool that helps campgrounds manage their bookings and reservation requests online. This software has many benefits, including simplifying the booking process, improving branding and using data to plan ahead for the season. It provides campground owners with valuable information and ensures guests are seldom disappointed.
In today’s digital age, many guests are more comfortable making reservations online, so campground reservation software is often a must-have tool, especially for larger campgrounds.
Why Is Campground Reservation Security Important?
Guests must part with sensitive information to make a booking, so the reservation software must be secure enough to protect camper consumer data from the point of input, making cybersecurity a key component of any reservation software.
Cybercriminals are always looking for opportunities to get hold of sensitive data — 63% of small business owners report being victims of cyber attacks. Once they have access to your data, they can steal identities and use that information to access bank accounts, credit cards and more. A significant data breach is expensive to repair financially and in terms of your reputation.
The best course of action is to focus on preventive measures and ensure the reservation software you choose protects all camper data.
The Benefits of Security for Campground Reservation Software
Security is critical for campground reservation software to protect campers and your campground’s reputation. There are several benefits to choosing reservation software with excellent security, including the following:
Protecting Camper Consumer Data
Reservation software holds more than just guests’ reservation information. Most campgrounds use complex software that carries a vast array of guest information, like food and activity preferences, how often they travel and what they spend their money on at your stores. It can also include guest feedback and credit card transactions.
Camper consumer data is extremely valuable, and cyber criminals who manage to access it could sell it or use it for their own means. In short, it is a commodity many people of questionable morals would love to access. Providing campers with the peace of mind that their data is safe is of the utmost importance for them and any campground owner.
Focusing on Guest Experience
Reservation software has the ability to provide guests with a high-level experience. Quality reservation software lets you augment your guests’ experiences with the ethical use of their consumer data and be there in real time to ensure they enjoy their stay. You can provide them with specials and alert them to activities that they may enjoy while they are at your campground.
Increasing Guest Confidence
Just like a successful cyberattack can cause extensive damage to a business’s reputation, good software security is a huge asset for guest confidence. Guests are much more comfortable sharing their sensitive information when they know you can protect it. Having quality software security can potentially increase bookings and give you and your workforce peace of mind, helping you create more meaningful experiences for your guests.
Limiting Access
One of the fundamentals of good security is limiting access to guests’ sensitive information. As much as 85% of data breaches involve a human element, and ensuring that only trusted employees have access to data — and only relevant and necessary data — is crucial. Quality reservation software lets you establish various access levels to sensitive information based on employee roles and seniority.
What to Look for When Choosing Secure Reservation Software
A secure reservation software must protect camper information and maintain your system’s integrity. Secure booking systems protect your data from corruption, eavesdropping and ransomware attacks. When guests use their credit cards at your campground, it ensures their banking information remains encrypted and inaccessible.
Your reservation software must have robust antivirus capabilities that scan your systems regularly for breaches and weaknesses so it can patch them up. Hackers are always looking for new ways to breach valuable systems, but antivirus software goes a long way to prevent them. Guests should feel completely safe when making payments, and secure reservation software provides receipts and requires an email address and password to complete money transfers.
PCI DSS Compliance
The payment card industry data security standard (PCI DSS) is a set of requirements that ensure all companies with access to customer credit card information provide a secure online environment during storage, processing and transmission. Companies that handle such sensitive information must maintain compliance with these standards. To maintain compliance, your campground needs to do the following:
- Take appropriate measures to ensure your website is secure.
- Incorporate pages that are members-only and hidden from the public.
- Encrypt all sensitive cardholder information.
- Maintain a robust security policy.
- Have up-to-date antivirus software throughout all your systems.
- Test secure systems regularly to ensure they are working and remain compliant.
- Set up administrative accounts for management.
- Ensure credit card information is available to select people when needed.
- Maintain login security for all reservations.
Ensure Security and Compliance with Kampgrounds of America, Inc.
The K2 KampSight® campground management system is a proprietary system designed by KOA and provides the foundation for productive campground operations. K2 KampSight is secure, multifunctional and web-based, performing 4.1 million credit card transactions annually.
K2 KampSight is one of the many benefits of wearing the yellow shirt and experiencing the KOA difference. It protects sensitive information, maintains industry-standard encryptions and ensures you’re compliant by automatic adherence to privacy and security guidelines. Request more information to join the KOA family today!
