Homeland Security Recruits Hotel Guests to Fight Terrorism

Next time you spend the night in a hotel room, flick on the television and check out the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) new TV spots.

DHS is enlisting hotel guests to join the fight against terrorism. Starting Nov. 2, all TVs in Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt and several other hotel chains across the United States will show a short public service announcement from DHS.

This private sector partnership is another example of how DHS and our nation's hospitality industry are working together to protect our country, recognizing that security and economic prosperity often go hand-in-hand, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said in a press release.

Napolitano joined American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) President and CEO Joe McInerney, LedgeNet Interactive Corporation Chairman and CEO Scott Peterson, and W Hotel General Manager Ed Beaten to announce the partnership for the See Something, Say Something public awareness campaign.

Each of us has a role to play in helping keep America safe, and time and again, we have seen the value of public vigilance in thwarting terrorism. Sending the simple but effective 'If You See Something, Say Something' message to the millions of guests that stay at hotels and motels each year is a significant step in engaging the full range of partners in our homeland security efforts, Napolitano said. America's hospitality industry is a vital engine for job growth and sustainment-and with partnerships like this it is also becoming an increasingly important partner in our nation's security.

DHS's partnership with the private hotel sector will feature 15-second public service announcements that will air on the Welcome Channel in hotels rooms in all 50 states. The PSAs encourage viewers to be vigilant and call law enforcement if they see something suspicious during their travels. In total, the PSAs will be deployed to nearly 5,500 hotels, covering an estimated 1.2 million hotel rooms nationwide.

With 98% of all hotel guests turning on the TV during their stay - and with PSAs for this campaign now playing in more than 1.2 million guest rooms across all 50 states - we will be conveying this vital message of vigilance to many millions of travelers throughout the United States, Peterson, the CEO of LodgeNet, said.

The federal government contacted the American Hotel & Lodging Association, which connected them with LodgeNet, the industry's largest TV content provider. LodgeNet claims that 98% of hotel guests turn on their hotel television, and the average guest keeps it on for more than three hours per day.

DHS has formed several partnerships over the past two years to enlist public support. They've joined with a myriad of groups including Amtrak, the National Football League, the Mall of America, and the U.S. Tennis Association.

DHS' See Something, Say Something campaign was adopted from a campaign implemented by the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The goal of the campaign is to train the public to recognize behaviors and indicators related to terrorism, crime, and other threats.