‘Booking platforms play a key role in preventing holiday fraud’

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Digitalisation makes holidays easier, but it also leaves travellers and business owners more vulnerable to fraud. An increasing number of bookings, payments and communications are taking place via digital platforms, and contact with accommodation providers has largely moved online. Business owners and travellers can take steps themselves to prevent fraud, but booking platforms must take responsibility for prevention.

Difficult to distinguish between a different payment culture and fraud

Whilst on holiday, travellers encounter many new experiences, which means familiar routines are disrupted. This makes it difficult to distinguish between something that is simply ‘different’ and actual fraud: is paying via WhatsApp perhaps perfectly normal in this country? Is it really compulsory to send your passport and credit card details in advance?

Travellers and businesspeople are both bearing the brunt

Both travellers and business owners are increasingly falling victim to fraud. Digital tools make life easier, but at the same time significantly increase the risk. Small business owners are particularly vulnerable. Small hospitality business owners often lack the necessary digital skills and resources to take a proactive approach to cyber security.

What travellers and businesspeople can do themselves

Travellers and business owners rely on well-known platforms to prevent, detect and swiftly resolve cases of fraud. If this does not happen, it not only undermines their trust but also harms the competitive advantage of those platforms themselves. Travellers and business owners can also take their own precautions, for example by thinking carefully about what information they share, and by verifying a payment request with the business owner by telephone.

The key lies with the platforms

However, the real work of prevention lies with the platforms themselves, as they play the biggest role in the flow of information and its security. If this does not happen, trust in digital platforms risks being permanently undermined, and travellers and businesses will ultimately opt for less convenience but greater transparency and control.

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