Happy vacation! Security at tourist spots

Security isn't what travelers want to think about before heading to a vacation, but top tourist sites are working hard to keep visitors both secure and happy

By Joan Goodchild, Senior Editor

July 14, 2010 — CSO —

While many people are getting ready for their summer vacations, security professionals at tourist attractions around the country are preparing to ramp up their efforts. A recent Harris May Poll finds 66 percent of Americans will take a summer vacation this year—good news for the country's $704 billion tourism industry, which relies heavily on summer travel each year.

The last thing travelers have on their mind during vacation is security, and the top tourist sites around the U.S. want it to stay that way. But that doesn't come without an intense amount of preparation and work by officials in charge of security at tourist sites, according to Bill Farrar, senior vice president, operations & business development with security firm Andrews International. From museums and monuments, to theme parks and movie studios, there are different and unique challenges to securing each type of site.

"There is a different culture in each place, and that also depends on the state and part of the country it's in, too," said Farrar. "Security needs to be geared for the needs of that site."

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Farrar, who during his career has overseen executive protection and investigations, including stalking problems, to ensure the welfare of numerous entertainment and executive clients of Andrews International, gives us a rundown of the security needs at some of the popular destinations sites for summer vacation.

Movie studio (Examples: Universal Studio, Warner Brothers Studio, Paramount Studio)
The biggest security concern in a movie studio where the public is allowed to come on site for tours is keeping those people that are working there feeling comfortable, said Farrar.

"They need to feel that they are able to do their jobs without being bothered or threatened by the general population," he said. "Everyone thinks of terrorism when it comes to security, but it's as much as the obsessed fan or stalker that can be anywhere from a pest to being deadly. You are dealing with all levels of it."

The challenge is to keep security tight while also allowing for employees to work without feeling too hindered. That means access control that is both appropriate and secure.

"We try and make the person who is there working every day feel comfortable going to work and that they are not going to be bothered and are free to do what they need to do."

Landmark site or museum (Examples: Washington monument, Statue of Liberty, Smithsonian Museums)
Depending on the nature of the site, they can truly be a target for security incidents, said Farrar. Many landmarks and museums have now implemented magnetometers for visitors to pass through before entering the building. This can cause a mixed reaction among tourists.

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