PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is the security standard every business that stores, processes or transmits card data must follow. For hotels it governs how guest card details are handled across PMS, booking engine and front desk.
The standard covers network security, access control, encryption and monitoring. Compliance level depends on transaction volume, and most hotels validate through self-assessment questionnaires while their payment providers carry the heavier certification burden.
The practical path for a hotel is to minimize contact with raw card data through tokenization and hosted payment pages. Writing card numbers on paper, storing them in emails or keeping them visible in the PMS are the classic violations that turn a breach into a serious liability.
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