The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 gave customers more control over how their personal data is used. Organizations are now required to obtain explicit consent from users before collecting and storing their information, and they must also appoint a data protection officer to respond to requests about the purpose of collecting personal data, provide a copy of all user data if needed, and set up the data deletion process. Customers now have the right to be forgotten, meaning they can ask for their personal data to be removed.
For travel companies, the two main concepts to consider when complying with GDPR are consent and security. Customers must provide their consent for their personal data to be securely stored, and companies must have a clear understanding of why and how their customers’ data is being used. Companies must also ensure that the data is adequately protected.
1. Data Collection and Processing: Travel and tourism companies need to collect and process large amounts of personal data from customers in order to provide services. GDPR requires that companies have a lawful basis for collecting and processing this data, which can be a challenge for companies in an industry where customer data is essential.
2. Consent: GDPR requires companies to obtain consent from customers before collecting or processing their data. In the travel and tourism industry, customers often book services without fully understanding the data collection and processing involved, which makes it difficult for companies to obtain their consent.
3. Data Security: GDPR requires companies to protect the personal data of their customers. This is a particular challenge for travel and tourism companies, who must ensure that customer data is secure when accessing services on the go, such as when booking flights or hotels.
4. Data Portability: GDPR also requires companies to make it easy for customers to access, copy, and transfer their data when they wish. This is challenging for travel and tourism companies, who must provide the necessary tools and infrastructure to enable customers to do this.