Hotels have been identified as critical national infrastructure and as such require the appropriate level of perimeter protection and access control security measures to keep guests and employees safe from a targeted attack.
There is a desire to make places of leisure as accessible as possible to ensure there is a friendly and welcoming atmosphere at all times. Security measures must not be intrusive and must operate within the day-to-day running of a hotel. It's important to avoid a 'fortress mentality'.
The prevention of effective flow of pedestrians or vehicles in and out of an area is crucial. There is however a balance to be achieved where those responsible for security are comfortable that there are robust protective security measures available to mitigate against the threat of terrorism or accidental vehicle impact.
For some new infrastructure, counter-terrorism measures are written into planning permission for the construction of new hotels. There is also a retro-fit requirement on older infrastructure. Key stakeholders have a responsibility for the security and safety of their guests and staff.