ABTA’s Risk Management Training Day: Using Data to Enhance Risk Management in the Tourism Sector

We were pleased to be part of ABTA’s Health, Safety & Security Risk Management Training Day in London as a sponsor, and to contribute to the programme with a session led by Mireia Delgado, Business Director at Preverisk Group.

In her talk, “Using Data to Enhance Risk Management in the Tourism Sector”, Mireia explored how organisations can use data not just to report on risk, but to anticipate it, prioritise it, and act on it with greater confidence—especially across complex, multi-destination portfolios.

How data and predictive models are reshaping tourism risk management

Risk environments in tourism can change quickly, and often unevenly. One of the clearest themes from the session was the value of moving from a reactive approach (responding after incidents occur) towards a more proactive one—using predictive models and trend analysis to spot patterns early.

When structured well, data can help teams:

1. detect emerging issues sooner
2. understand where risk is intensifying (and why)
3. test scenarios and plan proportionate responses

Which data sources lead to better decisions across diverse portfolios

Another focus was the importance of choosing the right inputs. Tourism organisations rarely rely on a single dataset, and decision-making improves when multiple sources are combined into a coherent view.

The session highlighted the role of using data sources that support:

1. consistent comparisons across destinations and asset types
2. operationally relevant insights (not just high-level indicators)
3. clear governance around data quality and updating cycles

The aim is simple: turn information into decisions that frontline teams and leadership can act on with clarity.

Real examples of data-driven risk mitigation in travel organisations

Finally, Mireia shared real-world ways data can support risk mitigation—helping organisations identify priority interventions, allocate resources more effectively, and track the impact of controls over time.

Across the discussion, a consistent message emerged: data becomes most valuable when it’s embedded into everyday risk processes, not treated as a separate reporting exercise.

Closing thoughts

Thank you to ABTA and everyone who joined the session for the thoughtful engagement and conversations throughout the day. It was a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives with peers and continue the discussion on how the sector can strengthen risk management through practical, data-informed approaches.

If you’d like to continue the conversation or explore how data can support your organisation’s risk priorities, feel free to get in touch with our team.