In recent years, the realms of sales marketing, distribution, and loyalty have undergone significant transformation in response to the challenges and opportunities brought about by remote work.

In the hospitality industry, traditional metrics like revenue performance and guest satisfaction have long been the go-to indicators for assessing a hotel’s business health.

Many of us grapple with the constant influx of emails and the pressure to stay organized and responsive, which can lead to the overwhelming feeling of email anxiety or stress. In our fast-paced industry and constant connectivity, managing email and calendar schedules effectively has become a crucial aspect of maintaining productivity and well-being.

In the recently released HSMAI Foundation Special Report: The State of Hotel Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization Talent 2023-2024, the second trend investigates how the gig economy and fractional staffing models are changing talent sourcing. Employers in the hospitality industry must adopt a marketing mindset to effectively attract and source the best talent.

In this excerpt from the HSMAI Foundation Special Report: The State of Hotel Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization Talent 2023-2024, we explore the intricate dynamics of the hospitality industry, shaped by demographic trends and evolving workforce paradigms. My review illuminates the industry’s current landscape, characterized by both optimism and challenges as it emerges from the post- COVID-19 era. 

The trends influencing the hospitality sector talent, particularly in sales, marketing, and revenue optimization, have demonstrated consistency with previous years. However, it is important to acknowledge the significant developments and emerging shifts that are impacting talent within hospitality. This report offers insights into past and emerging trends while examining how the industry has addressed these issues. The HSMAI Foundation State of Talent Report is made possible with the support of the HSMAI Foundation’s corporate talent partners and individual donors and is authored by Dorothy Dowling, Managing Director, Horwath HTL, and a special advisor to the HSMAI Foundation board. 

HSMAI’s Rising Sales Leader Council Members are the future of sales leadership, with new ideas and creative solutions. They are adapting to an industry that is influenced by economic uncertainties, rapid technological developments, and changing customer needs. At their first meeting of 2024, they reviewed their scouting reports, covering the topics they believe will be most relevant this year.  

Keeping up with the latest developments and issues in hotel distribution is essential as it changes. In December, HSMAI hosted a virtual distribution executive roundtable. Industry leaders gathered for a discussion that offered valuable perspectives on the state of distribution. Read on for the key takeaways from the discussion.  

From meeting planners to your team to guests, it is essential to change your communication strategies aligning with the changing landscape and technological advances. Drawing from a recent discussion with HSMAI Rising Sales Leaders, I have identified four actionable insights that can lead to improved communication throughout hotels, spanning across departments, and extending to clients. 

As the New Year unfolds, it’s the perfect time to embrace healthy habits —especially when it comes to integrating those habits into your work routine. I brought this topic of discussion to the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board to hear what these leaders and their companies are doing to thrive and flourish in their personal and professional lives in 2024.  

While it may be impossible to predict the future, we can certainly share, discuss, and consider EVENTS that may occur in order to be more prepared. This is the topic that nearly forty commercial executives contributed to during a group conversation facilitated by Bart Berkey, Founder of Most People Don’t. 

In today’s competitive environment, commercial strategy can give you an edge in efficiency, growth, and profitability. A cross-discipline working group of Rising Leader Council members set out to capture suggestions for those undertaking this journey. The insights, drawing on the wisdom of 67 industry experts, aim to help us understand the path to building a commercial strategy team. 

Group business comes in many forms – corporate, sports, entertainment, government, religious, etc. – and it is an essential piece of hotel sales. With the dreaded pandemic in the rearview mirror, the Rising Sales Leader Council discussed group travel’s current state, how it has shifted, and where it is headed. 

HSMAI staff recently had the opportunity to interview Kimberly Furlong, Chief Commercial Officer, Atrium Hospitality. Kimberly received the Career Achievement in Sales Award during HSMAI Sales Leader Forum, November 8th in Long Beach. 

Being in hospitality sales can create a very busy environment where we don’t take time for ourselves. Providing time for ourselves can let us become better at our job. I recently discussed this with my fellow Rising Sales Leader Council Members.

AI continues to be an opportunity and a bit of an enigma. On November 7th in Long Beach, Organizational members will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into Demystifying AI at HSMAI’s Curate.  Take a look at the jam-packed agenda for this executive insight forum.   

We face a transformative period as we enter budget planning for 2024. While the process remains, the focus and strategies are evolving. The HSMAI Sales Advisory Board recently met to dig into the best practices. 

With our industry facing staffing struggles, sales teams have had to wear many hats. How do we increase our sales productivity while managing our time? Hotel sales processes have undoubtedly seen changes in attaining new business post pandemic. During a HSMAI Rising Sales Leaders recent discussion, members highlighted fresh perspectives on the dynamic sales environment. 

Gissell Moronta, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Atrium Hospitality is set to share invaluable insights at the upcoming HSMAI Sales Leader Forum during the SLF Lightning Round. HSMAI staff sat down with Gissell to find out more.

HSMAI staff recently had the chance to interview Bart Berkey, Founder and CEO at Most People Don’t, a speaker at the upcoming Sales Leader Forum. We learned more about his experience and what attendees can expect from his session, Unleashing Potential: Nurturing Top Contributors for Impactful Growth. 

We recently had a chance to chat with Mike Francis, Business Consulting Manager at ZS about his presentation at  Sales Leader Forum. Read on to get a closer look at what Mike had to share about his expertise and his session: Revolutionizing Hotel Sales Today and Tomorrow.  

HSMAI honored the 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization and Distribution — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Melissa Kouvelas, Senior Director of Worldwide Sales, BWH Hotel Group, is one of these honorees. 

As we navigate the complexities of a post-pandemic world, one question looms large: What is the future of corporate travel? This question was brought to the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board.  

Take a deep dive into the importance of mentorship and the lasting and immediate effects it can have on careers with the HSMAI Rising Sales Leaders.

HSMAI honored the 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization and Distribution — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Laurie Garzon, Director of Sales and Marketing at Wailea Beach Resort Marriott is one of these honorees. 

HSMAI honored the 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization and Distribution — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Gillian Ware, CMP, National Sales Director, San Diego Tourism Authority is one of these honorees. 

In a recent HSMAI Sales Advisory Board meeting, the topic of meeting space utilization was discussed by the group. Read on for three takeaways from our dynamic discussion.  

HSMAI honored the 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Kevin McAteer, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Concord Hospitality is one of these honorees. 

HSMAI honored the 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Learn about Top 25 honoree Yola Marshall, Vice President America Sales, IHG Hotels & Resorts.

The integration of technology into the sales process is not just a trend but a necessary step toward staying competitive and achieving success. The HSMAI Sales Advisory Board recently explored the impact of technology on sales and its benefits. 

HSMAI’s marketing and revenue optimization conferences — combined into “Commercial Strategy Week” in 2022 — have been at the forefront of the hospitality industry for the past 20 years, providing invaluable insights, education, and networking opportunities for hospitality professionals.

Having a positive working relationship with your supervisor is essential for career development. Even if we don’t realize it, we typically engage in tactics that help us ‘manage up’. The HSMAI Rising Sales Leader Council recently met to discuss how to master this concept and use it to build successful partnerships. 

The HSMAI Sales Advisory Board recently met to talk about proactive sales, formerly known as “prospecting,” in its more intimidating form. The conversation was revealing. While the expectation was to discuss overcoming obstacles to prospecting, what played out was a conversation about the ease of proactive sales in our new environments.   

The HSMAI Sales Rising Leader Council met to share their thoughts on employee engagement and gaining buy-in. 

many hotel sales teams are bogged down with administrative tasks and other duties that leave them with less time to sell. The HSMAI Sales Advisory Board met to discuss how hotel sellers can be more efficient and have more time to sell.

In 2023 we have fallen back into uncertainty where the conversation around the economic concerns doesn’t match the actual data the hotels are experiencing in real time. Insights from the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board on how we are forecasting in today’s climate.  

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we’ve had to adapt when it comes to meetings, events, and even leisure travel. The Rising Sales Leader Council met to discuss the challenges we’ve faced successfully managing client expectations and share some strategies we use to manage these situations. 

The HSMAI Rising Sales Leader Council met to discuss how customer service can make all the difference when hotel amenities are often similar, and price is often the deciding factor. Here are the top five ways we shared to stand out.

Since boomers are going to retire, generation Z  is increasingly more important. The HSMAI Sales Advisory Board recently discussed what we are or should be doing to attract, train, and retain this generation of incredibly talented people.

The theme of last month’s HSMAI Sales Leader Forum was Elevate. Off-property sales leaders gathered to learn from experts, meet future leaders, and collaborate on the most pressing issues in hospitality sales. We’ve put together many of the best practices and ahas here.

The action-packed HSMAI Sales Leader Forum last week in Frisco, Texas, included strategic conversations, thought leader keynotes, and collaborative roundtables. Read on for key takeaways from the event that highlighted important trends and provided critical insights and best practices. 

Recently Hannah Smith, Senior Consultant at STR, spoke with HSMAI staff to offer a preview of her keynote at HSMAI’s Sales Leader Forum October 20.   

The most prepared companies and sales teams come up on top. One important aspect of this is to educate ourselves on the latest economic predictions to best prepare. Insights from the HSMAI Sales Advisory Board about how sales leadership, in particular, is preparing teams and resources during these uncertain times.

Leading communication expert and confidence cultivator, Karen Laos, sat down with HSMAI staff to offer a preview of her keynote at HSMAI’s Sales Leader Forum October 20.  

HSMAI recently honored the 2021 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments in the preceding 18 months, including Mercedes Blanco, vice president of strategic partnerships, The Hotels Network.

The evolution within the hospitality industry to break down silos between commercial disciplines – especially sales, marketing, revenue management, and distribution – continues to accelerate. While many hotel companies are testing new organizational models, there are few concrete answers at the moment. 

HSMAI recently honored the 2021 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments in the preceding 18 months, including Kevin Barosso, director of sales at Mohegan Sun.

The world that customers are living in has changed. How can we talk to and educate them about issues that affect them because they are directly affecting hotels? The HSMAI Sales Advisory Board offers some advice.

How can you position your organization for success when it comes to bringing in the best talent? Consider these three ideas, discussed in the HSMAI Curate Presents: Commercial Talent Recruitment & Retention During Recovery on-demand video series, when developing your strategy to attract and retain team members.