If your business operates in Travel & Leisure, whether in hospitality, aviation, rail, cruise, online travel, or events, you already know just how digital, data-rich, and interconnected the sector has become.
From Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and Property Management Systems (PMS) to Passenger Service Systems (PSS), booking engines, loyalty programmes, and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), the modern travel experience is stitched together through a complex web of platforms and integrations and a colossal amount of data.
Add to that e-tickets, mobile apps, digital ID verification, contactless check-in, smart hotel rooms, and Wi-Fi-powered guest services, and it’s easy to see why the threat landscape has grown faster than in many other sectors.
Every API connection, customer login, and staff account is a potential attack vector. Cybercriminals are exploiting them, not just to steal data, but to disrupt operations, extort payments, and erode customer trust.
Why Is Travel & Leisure so Heavily Targeted?
Travel & Leisure is uniquely exposed for several reasons:
- Valuable & varied personal data: This includes booking history, passport information, names, addresses, phone numbers, credit card details, loyalty programme data, travel itineraries, and sometimes even biometric or identity document data.
- Many digital touch points & third parties: Booking engines, property management systems, travel agencies, payment processors, mobile apps, web platforms, vendor systems, IoT in hotels, etc. Each adds to an extensive and complex attack surface.
- Public‑facing operations & reputational risk: Customers expect trust, privacy, and a smooth service. When booking data, guest information, or travel histories leak, the backlash can be immediate; most companies within the sector are very public-facing.
- High urgency and perishable services: Missed flights, system outages, check‑in failures. Attackers know companies will often respond quickly (and sometimes pay) to avoid disruptions.
- Regulatory & insurance pressure: Global Data Protection Acts, PCI DSS, etc. Getting it wrong can lead to fines, investigations, and class actions. Insurers increasingly expect strong cyber hygiene before offering coverage; those without coverage are left with additional financial exposure.
- Human & process vulnerabilities: Seasonal staff, high staff turnover, inconsistent training, weak vendor oversight, and sometimes weak identity and access controls.
How Much Is Travel & Leisure Data Worth On the Dark Web? What Are Criminals Paying?
Understanding the value of stolen data helps illustrate the incentives behind financially motivated cyberattacks.
Here’s a snapshot of what criminals are paying on the dark web for key types of travel-related information:
- UK payment card details sell for an average of about £11 per card, according to a study analysing over 135,000 stolen UK payment cards. The price varies depending on the card’s validity, credit limit, and how recently it was issued. (Source: NordVPN)
- Full identity packages, including verified identity documents, passports, and biometrics, can start as low as £10, but comprehensive, recent, or verified IDs command much higher prices, sometimes hundreds of pounds. (Source: Independent)
- Stolen travel documents and booking information are widely available on the dark web. Scans of verified UK passports, if recently compromised, can fetch upwards of £4,000, while older or invalidated versions can be purchased for as little as £8. (Source: Tech Digest / NordVPN)
- Aggregated stolen data for an individual (multiple data points such as IDs, cards, travel records, loyalty accounts) can be worth over £4,000 per person to cybercriminals seeking to carry out complex fraud or resale operations. (Source: Hicomply)
These figures highlight why Travel & Leisure companies face such high risks. Even a “small leak” of booking data or payment details can turn into a lucrative item for criminals, driving persistent, targeted attacks across the sector.
High‑Profile Breaches: 2020‑2025
There is no shortage of incidents within the Travel & Leisure sector over the past few years. Notable examples include:
2020: Prestige Software Exposure (Used by companies such as Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com)
- Misconfigured cloud storage exposed millions of booking records dating back to 2013, including customer names, contact details, and payment data.
2021: SITA Data Breach
- Cyberattack on SITA’s passenger service system affected frequent flyer data from multiple global airlines, including United and American Airlines.
2022: Marriott International Data Breach
- Hackers stole data, including guest credit card and passport details, from a Marriott property in the U.S. using social engineering tactics. The third notable data breach announced within a four-year period for the hotel chain.
2023: MGM Resorts International Cyberattack
- A major ransomware attack by the Scattered Spider group disrupted operations across U.S. properties; MGM reported losses of $100 million.
2024: Transport for London (TfL)
- In September 2024, TfL detected suspicious activity in its network and shut down several systems, suspending various services in an effort to contain the attack. The incident cost TFL more than £30m.
2025: Qantas Airways Data Breach
- A system breach exposed data of 5.7 million customers, including names, emails, and frequent flyer details.
Why the Problem Is Likely To Get Worse
Several reasons point to the risk escalating over the near future
- More data, more digitalisation: Travel & Leisure providers continue to collect more data (mobile apps, loyalty programmes, identity documents, biometrics, etc.).
- Supply chain & third‑party risk rising: Outsourced booking platforms, third‑party processors, and vendor integrations all carry the risk of increased exposure. Attackers often find the weakest link.
- More sophisticated attacks: AI/ML‑driven phishing, more advanced social engineering, zero‑day exploits, ransomware, which very often includes data exfiltration.
- Dark web ecosystem is maturing: Easier to buy, sell, and monetise stolen data. Demand for identity documents, travel records, etc., remains high.
- Regulation & compliance complexity: As data protection laws become stricter, non‑compliance costs rise; unprepared businesses will be exposed.
- Greater public scrutiny & media attention: Every breach gets more attention; the reputational risk is more costly. More class action lawsuits or consumer claims are likely to follow.
How Blackfoot Helps Travel & Leisure Businesses Stay Ahead of Threats
At Blackfoot, we’ve spent the last 17 years helping travel and leisure organisations, including hotel groups, airlines, airports, membership clubs, and technology providers to travel agencies stay ahead of the threats.
We really understand that Travel and Leisure businesses operate in highly dynamic environments, constantly changing bookings, customer data flowing through multiple systems, and critical integrations with third parties like GDS or payment processors.
Proactive Protection with Blackfoot’s Sentry Platform
Sentry continuously monitors your digital ecosystem, whether that is a property management system (PMS), airline passenger service system, APIs, applications or infrastructure. It delivers actionable insights through expert manual penetration testing to continuous automated security assessments, which allows our customers to fix issues before they become incidents.
In an industry where brand trust and customer experience are everything, this kind of visibility isn’t a luxury; it’s now very much essential.
Real-World Expertise That Matches Your Landscape
The threats faced by a global airline aren’t the same as those confronting a boutique hotel chain or regional travel agency; our approach reflects that.
Blackfoot brings industry-specific understanding, including:
- Regulatory and contractual compliance (e.g. PCI DSS, ISO 27001, GDPR)
- Securing integrations across GDS, payment platforms, and loyalty systems
- Testing web and mobile applications used by customers and partners
- Managing supplier and third-party cyber risks
- Training operational staff in security best practices
Our expert consultants don’t just audit and advise; they work closely with your teams to build resilience from the ground up, driven by top-down strategic advice.
A Security Partner That Moves With You
Whether you’re expanding into new markets, adopting new technologies, or enhancing your customer experience, cybersecurity must scale with your business.
Blackfoot’s managed services, incident response, testing, and governance capabilities are designed to do just that, supporting your operations today, tomorrow and beyond.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Cyber threats targeting the travel and leisure industry aren’t slowing down, and neither should your defences.
If you’re looking for a partner who understands your world and can help you stay secure, compliant, and ahead of the curve, get in touch with our friendly team today to schedule a free consultation.
