Insights

For years, online travel agencies (OTAs) dominated the perception game, widely regarded by travelers as the go-to source for scoring the best hotel deals.

What’s next for hospitality? Between generational shifts in the workforce, skyrocketing guest expectations, and new pressures on boutique hotels, uncertainty abounds.

The relationship between sales and revenue management is complex and necessitates collaboration and communication. In The Hotel Sales Playbook, the study guide for HSMAI’s Certified Hotel Sales Leader certification, we offer a comprehensive guide for sales leaders to optimize revenue and drive business success.  
Here, we share excerpts from Chapter 11: A Sales Leader’s Guide to Revenue Management contributed by Dan Skodol, CRME. 

HSMAI staff had a chance to sit down with Hein and chat about her upcoming session. Hein will introduce the concept of tactical empathy, a trust-based approach to influence that prioritizes deep listening, psychological awareness, and authentic connection. “This isn’t about manipulation,” she says. “It’s about building rapport and influencing with integrity.”

Amir Eylon, the President and CEO of Longwoods International, discusses the latest update on American travel sentiment. This is the 95th wave of Longwoods International’s ongoing study and highlights that travel intent and demand remain strong.

The HSMAI Foundation recently published a report, The State of Generative AI in Talent Management for Hotel Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management, exploring the impact of generative AI on various facets of talent management, particularly focusing on the domains of hotel sales, marketing, and revenue management.

Understanding the true cost of a hotel booking isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. Between marketing investments, agency fees, and labor costs, even a “direct” booking isn’t always the most profitable. 

Sales. Marketing. Revenue Management. Distribution. When these functions operate in silos, the result isn’t just internal frustration, it’s missed revenue, slower decision-making, and inconsistent guest experiences.  

As generational preferences shift, hotel revenue managers must stay attuned to how different age groups impact pricing, booking behaviors, and overall guest expectations.