The world seems to be a bit darker and edgier than in the past and guest security should be taken seriously by the hotel hosting your next event. It’s shocking when untoward events take place in a hotel; guests book a room for comfort and convenience. Their security is simply taken for granted.

It never crossed Erin Andrew’s mind that her privacy would be invaded last September at the Nashville Marriott. The ESPN sportscaster was photographed with a cell phone through an altered hotel room peephole while she was changing. Other celebrities have been stalked or robbed while staying at quality hotels. Security procedures have become more stringent after the violation of Erin Andrew’s privacy.

You may not have a celebrity speaker at your event; however, the nature of the event might pose some security problems that need to be addressed. Preventative measures should be taken if your guest speaker is well known either to the public or in the industry. Book the speaker into his or her room using an alias.

Alert hotel personnel if anyone requests a room stating they are in your party, you must be notified immediately. Changes are the request is legitimate but it’s better to avert a problem than fix it.