Skift Take
Short story: Hotels are just as fine as other businesses. It’s guns in the U.S. that are the problem.
The mass shooting that took place on October 1 in Las Vegas has raised a number of questions for the travel and hotel industry in regards to safety and security.
On Sunday evening, a gunman opened fire onto a crowd of 22,000 people gathered at the Route 91 Harvest Festival from his hotel room at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, killing more than 58 people and injuring more than 500. It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.
Las Vegas is one of the most popular travel destinations in the U.S. In 2016, the city welcomed 42.9 million visitors, 6.3 million of which came to the city specifically to attend meetings and events, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). The city is also home to more than 150,000 hotel rooms.
LVCVA president and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter issued a statement, saying, "This was a horrific, yet isolated, incident. At this time, it is important to allow the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police to conclude their investigation into the incident and to attend to the needs of the victims and their families. Las Vegas is a strong community that will work through this tragic incident. We are grateful beyond words to our incomparable law enforcement, first responders and everyone who continues to help victims and their families."
In a press statement issued on October 2, MGM Resorts International CEO and chairman Jim Murren said, "We’re working with law enforcement in every way possible. At the moment, we are deferring communications about the investigation to the FBI and Las Vegas Metro PD."
In a statement, Jennifer Forkish, VP of corporate communications for Caesars Entertainment, which operates Caesars Palace and other hotels located on the Las Vegas Strip, said, “We are constantly reviewing our security policies and practices to keep our guests and employees safe. We are also working very closely with law enforcement, especially Las Vegas Metro, to continue to keep our properties secure.”
Because of the city's gaming-friendly environment, the city's hotel-casinos are among the most sophisticated in terms of hotel security and surveillance activity: very little goes unnoticed on the casino floor.
But given what transpired on Sunday night, hotel officials and local tourism authorities are no doubt going to reexamine their respective safety and security measures, and they'll be asking themselves what more they can do to assure the safety and security of their guests and employe
