Insights Type: Articles

Building a Commercial Glossary GMs Will Actually Use

Katie Davin, Associate Professor, Johnson & Wales University, Sales Advisory Board Member

Scott Muety, VP, Revenue & Distribution, Viceroy Hotels, Revenue Optimization Advisory Board Member

General managers and operations leaders are stepping deeper into commercial conversations, but often still don’t speak the language. That gap slows decisions, softens confidence, and keeps too many leaders quiet in rooms where they should be active.

These recommendations come from discussions during the Sales and Revenue Advisory Boards. In both we looked at how a shared glossary could help GMs better navigate conversations with revenue, sales, marketing, distribution, and even owners. 

The discussions surfaced what actually helps, including:  

  • Definitions tied to actions 
  • Persona‑specific subsets so ops leaders don’t wade through what they won’t use 
  • Confidence to participate in revenue conversations instead of deferring 
  • Onboarding that includes commercial orientation 

The revised version is broader and more actionable, making it much easier to link to, reference, and use. 

Some teams are already moving this way offering short commercial primers for new GMs and re‑emphasizing terms in revenue meetings. This glossary is meant to be an aide in these conversations, and a practical tool to support everyday decision-making and cross-team collaboration. By using the glossary, we hope it ensures everyone on your team is speaking the same language and can confidently participate in commercial conversations. 

Explore the Glossary

Team Discussion Questions 

  1. Which terms in the glossary matter most for our property’s daytoday decisions? 
  2. Where do communication breakdowns happen between ops and commercial teams? 
  3. How do we make the glossary easy to use, not another PDF lost in someone’s downloads folder? 
  4. What personaspecific terms should our team understand to collaborate better?

The Commercial Dilemma: Who Owns Growth When Everything Blends?

Holly Zoba, Owner, Scout Simply / Influencer Sales Training / HotelBSchool.com, Marketing Advisory Board Member

Is There Commercial Alignment?

This article comes from a recent discussion of a marketing advisory board, where the conversation moved quickly from structure to accountability because that is typically where we see things break.

Executive survey data show a sharp disconnect between belief and behavior.

91% of leaders agree strategic alignment matters, while fewer than one in seven believe their organization actually achieves it. Companies that align outperform financially, yet most commercial teams still struggle to decide who owns growth when disciplines blur.

The Promise and the Problem of the Commercial Model

The commercial model promised fewer silos and better decisions. On paper, it works.  Sales, marketing, revenue, and technology now share data, dashboards, and meeting time.

However, often ownership did not consolidate at the same pace. While growth became everyone’s job, it became no one’s responsibility. That gap shows up most clearly at the property level, where incentives, reporting lines, and short‑term pressure collide.  And that is really where alignment either becomes real, or falls apart.

Is the Real Issue Customer Ownership?

The consensus among the group was that customer ownership remains unresolved.

  • Marketing often controls demand generation and data.
  • Sales manage relationships and volume.
  • Revenue governs price, pattern, and displacement.
  • Technology feeds them all, then waits for someone to decide what matters.

The result is plenty of information, limited action, and frequent disagreement about what success looks like.

It’s Not a Tools Problem

What also became clear during our conversation was that tools aren’t really the issue. Most organizations have:

  • Business intelligence platforms
  • CRM systems
  • Revenue analytics
  • Marketing automation

The question raised repeatedly during the discussion was who decides what happens after the data appears. Without clear authority, insight becomes observation instead of action.

Where is the Break in Alignment?

Alignment appears to be working at the higher levels, but it tends to fracture as you move closer to the guest.

Accountability also breaks down through incentives. At higher levels, commercial leaders often share goals tied to top‑line performance, but closer to the property, bonuses and KPIs diverge.

  • Volume vs. rate
  • Channel contribution vs. profitability
  • Brand priorities vs. asset expectations.
  • Alignment weakens exactly where execution matters most.

Some teams are addressing top line growth through shared goals with different measurements, while others rotate leadership of commercial meetings so each discipline drives discussion and decision‑making. These approaches reduce tunnel vision, but they still rely on leadership clarity to hold.

The Shift in Commercial Leadership

The modern commercial leader does not need mastery of every system. The discussion emphasized respect, humility, and enough cross‑discipline understanding to ask better questions. Commercial leadership now depends less on functional depth and more on the ability to connect decisions to budgets, forecasts, and asset outcomes across the organization.

By the end of our discussion, it was clear that growth ownership does not require more structure, it requires visible accountability, aligned incentives, and permission to prioritize long‑term performance over individual wins.

This role is less about expertise in one lane…
and more about connecting the lanes in a way that drives profit, not just performance.

I look forward to continuing this conversation in June at HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference!

Recommended Reading

What Leaders Get Wrong About Strategic Alignment

Tapping into the full power of CMOs | McKinsey

Avoiding pitfalls in operating model transformation | McKinsey

Commercial Strategy Accelerates | HSMAI Americas

Questions for Teams

  • If growth is everyone’s job, is it anyone’s responsibility?
  • Who ultimately owns growth at the property level: GM, commercial leader, brand, asset management?
  • Where does accountability actually sit today, and is that working?
  • Are we integrating strategy or just adding more tools?
  • Who decides what action gets taken from all this information?
  • Where does commercial tension show up most: sales vs revenue, marketing vs sales, brand vs property, technology vs usability?
  • Does your organization reward collaboration or performance within a silo?
  • If incentives changed but structure didn’t, would behavior change?

Evaluating the Impact of Financial Institutions on Distribution

HSMAI Global Distribution Advisory Board*

This article comes from a recent discussion of the HSMAI global distribution advisory board, where the group spent real time on how financial institutions are quietly amassing power and reshaping hotel distribution mechanics. The conversation was about the commercial and operational aspects of partnerships. The takeaway was that these platforms are disruptors. They have the ability to influence demand before the guest ever searches.

The power does not come from a prettier booking path or better rates on the surface. It comes from closed ecosystems, embedded payments, and visibility into customer behavior long before travel intent is declared. Participants described how these partners control the transaction, the currency, the timing of payment, and the incentives layered onto the booking. That combination creates leverage that exceeds traditional OTAs, even when the booking volume still feels manageable.

Several leaders pointed out that many organizations still categorize these relationships incorrectly. When treated as accounts instead of distribution, concessions follow quickly, often without a full understanding of cumulative cost. Benefits stack quietly: rate expectations, credits, rebates tied to consumed revenue, virtual card fees, and loyalty recognition that mirrors internal programs. The same customer appears in multiple places, while teams negotiate as if each instance represents incremental demand.

One quote from the discussion captured how many of us were feeling, “I caution us as hoteliers to really make sure we’re getting our arms around what it costs to partner with them.”

Operational maturity remains uneven among the new partners. The group shared examples of messy onboarding, unclear content workflows, limited connectivity, and contract language tilted heavily toward the financial institution. Progress exists, but training wheels are still visible, especially compared to legacy travel intermediaries who have refined these processes for decades. That gap slows launches and strains already thin distribution resources.

One topic that came up repeatedly was data advantage that the banks have. These platforms see spend patterns daily and can surface travel offers before a guest has articulated intent anywhere else. That pre‑demand visibility was described as the most disruptive element discussed, placing them ahead of search, ahead of traditional intermediaries, and difficult to counter with existing hotel tools.

The conversation closed where it began…with cost transparency. Without a shared, disciplined method for calculating true acquisition cost, decisions default to volume and brand pressure. Several participants noted ongoing work within the industry to build practical calculators and frameworks that reflect real commercial economics, not just headline commissions.

Recommended actions:

Questions for commercial teams

  • Are these partners being evaluated as distribution, accounts, or something else entirely?
  • What costs tied to consumed bookings sit outside standard channel reporting today?
  • How are loyalty benefits, credits, sponsorships and rebates reflected in total acquisition cost calculations?
  • Where does customer ownership shift when booking behavior is locked inside external ecosystems?

HSMAI’s Global Distribution Advisory Board monitors the landscape of hotel distribution and identifies ways that HSMAI can better serve the discipline.

*Members include:

  • CHAIR: Sydney Goodwin, Distribution Leader
  • Renée Brouwer, Director of Distribution, Hyatt
  • Brij Bhushan Chachra, CRME, Vice President – Sales, Revenue Management and Distribution, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts
  • Daniel Conti, Sr. Director Distribution Strategy, Hilton
  • Andrea Daniels, Director, AMER Distribution & Intermediary Strategy, IHG
  • Beth Delci, Managing Director, Marketing Owner Relations & Strategic Partnerships, BWH Hotels
  • Greg Duff, Principal and Chair of Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Practice, Foster Garvey PC
  • Paolo Federico, Senior Vice President, Revenue Management & Distribution, Jumeirah Group
  • Sarah Fults, Vice President, Distribution, MGM Resorts International
  • Matthew Guglielmetti, Associate Principal, Travel & Hospitality, ZS
  • David Henry, SVP Distribution Business & Product Management-Digital, Accor
  • Michael Hucho, Owner & Founder, michaelhucho.de Management Consultant
  • Nathan Kellar, Senior Director Distribution US/CAN + Global Wholesale, Marriott International
  • Alexa Montgomery Krnjaic, Sr Director, Group Distribution Strategy, Choice Hotels International
  • Lauri Mussa, Corporate Director of Reservations & Distribution, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
  • Vikram Pradhan, Senior Vice President, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
  • Dave Roberts, Professor, Cornell University

How to Level-Up Your GEO

Published April 15, 2026

Luisa Laurelli, Account Director, Madden Media*, Rising Marketing Leader Council Member

From a recent discussion of HSMAI’s Marketing Rising Leader Council, the message around hotel visibility was unmistakable and urgent. Search behavior is shifting toward conversational queries, AI summaries, and hyper‑local answers that surface immediately. Guests want fast certainty and digital platforms are rewarding clarity over volume.

The conversation reinforced that GEO reframes long‑standing optimization work without discarding it. SEO historically prioritized ranking positions across results pages and keyword performance. GEO prioritizes being selected, cited, and surfaced as the single answer. That shift changes how content must be structured and evaluated. As one rising leader put it, “SEO was meant to rank your content, whereas GEO, it’s about visibility.”

Visibility now depends on whether content mirrors real guest questions and delivers direct responses. AI tools increasingly pull one answer rather than offering multiple options. High‑quality and relevant content still matters, but structure and intent matter more.

Auditing existing content emerged as the most immediate and practical starting point. Inaccurate details, outdated FAQs, and conflicting third‑party information were flagged repeatedly. When AI learns from incorrect data, those errors compound quickly and persist.

Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust (EEAT) provided a shared framework for organizing GEO priorities across teams.

  • Experience is demonstrated through guest reviews, testimonials, and visible feedback.
  • Expertise comes from credible citations, partnerships, and destination relevance.
  • Authority is strengthened through clear authorship and human attribution.
  • Trust is reinforced through privacy policies, contact information, and consistent review responses.

Front desk questions were identified as one of the most overlooked content sources. Guests already explain what they need when they arrive on property. If those answers are missing online, AI will source them elsewhere. FAQs remain one of the most consistently surfaced content formats across search and AI platforms.

Brand structure influences speed, but it does not eliminate opportunity. Independent properties have flexibility, while branded hotels work within defined constraints. Hyper‑local and property‑specific content still performs best in both cases. AI systems prioritize specificity over brand promise language.

The discussion emphasized that progress does not require perfection or reinvention. Teams can start with audits, corrections, and clearer structure. Visibility increasingly favors the most accurate source, not the loudest voice.

 

Recommended readings

Recommended questions for teams

  • Has your property or corporate started to follow GEO Guidelines? If yes, what are some of the changes done to your digital presence recently?
  • In your current role, what part of GEO optimization feels achievable for you, and what feels out of your hands?
  • If someone asked AI: ‘Why should I stay at your hotel instead of the one next door?’ What answers do you think would immediately pop‑up?
  • What customer questions do guests ask your front desk most often? And are those answers published online?
  • Do you feel that your website is capable of being the “true source” for AI answers?

**This article reflects the collective views of the individual HSMAI Rising Leader Council members, and not the views of the author alone or Madden Media. 

Can Hotel Marketing Stay Authentic in the AI Era?

Published 4/15/26

Craig Carbonniere Jr., CHDM, AVP Sales – Hospitality, Milestone*, Marketing Advisory Board Member 

Hotel marketers are wrestling with a familiar tension: AI makes everything faster, but it also makes everything feel the same. This came up in a recent discussion with HSMAI’s  Marketing Advisory Board about how teams can keep a real, human sounding voice even when they rely on tools to produce content. 

One participant put it simply: “AI won’t erase your voice, but it will expose if you never had one.” 

The Sameness Problem 

Recent industry literature cites the concern about AI pushing brands toward a single, indistinguishable tone. If teams feed the same prompts into the same tools, the output becomes predictable and flat. For hotels, losing character is losing value. 

How Teams Use AI Now 

Most teams rely on generative tools for web copy, social posts, review responses, and similar needs. Where things get messy is ownership. More than one person may be writing for the same property. Add turnover, and it’s easy for the tone to drift. 

Keeping Brand Voice Consistent 

Participants shared what helps them stay aligned: 

  • Clear brand voice documentation supported by real examples 
  • Guidelines for prompts to feed to AI tools, not just final content 
  • A dedicated reviewer or editor to catch brand tone shifts 
  • Onboarding that actually teaches how the brand sounds 

 The takeaway: AI isn’t the cause of the inconsistency problem. It magnifies whatever is already happening. Without clear brand guidelines, it’s easy to produce off-brand content, even for humans. 

Best Practices for Using Voice With AI 

Several challenges and practical solutions were discussed: 

Problem: AI tools can lead to content sounding robotic and generic.
Solution: By feeding the AI tool with a well-defined brand voice, real content examples, and target audience data, marketers can ensure AI-generated content stays true to the hotel’s unique brand identity, even at scale. 

Problem: AI can create content without context or a clear direction.
Solution: Require writers to paste an approved example before generating new content, ensuring consistency with existing materials. 

Problem: AI-generated content may not always match the desired tone or style.
Solution: Let humans set the first lines or outline so that the tool mirrors the existing tone, ensuring a smooth integration with the brand’s voice. 

Problem: AI can produce content that lacks polish or nuance.
Solution: Treat AI like a junior writer who always needs editing, allowing human oversight to refine the final output. Keep humans in the loop. 

A Simple Process for Hotel Teams 

A lightweight process was offered: 

  1. Define
    Pull brand and tone guidelines, voice and style rules, and samples into one place. 
  1. Input
    Feed content samples, guidelines, and style rules into the tool before generating. 
  1. Generate
    Ask the tool for a few variations to avoid relying on a single draft. 
  1. Human Edit
    A person shapes the final tone and checks accuracy against the guidelines. 

I’ll continue this conversation at a session this June during HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Conference.   

Recommended Reading 

Questions to Take Back to Your Team 

  • How many people on your team are using generative tools for marketing content? 
  • If multiple people manage one property account, how do you maintain tone alignment? 
  • How do you train new marketing talent to adopt your voice? 
  • What brand‑voice rules or samples do you provide to AI before generating content? 
  • What steps in your workflow ensure a human gives the final approval? 

*This article reflects the collective views of the individual HSMAI Advisory Board members, and not the views of the author alone or Milestone. 

5 of This Year’s Top 25 Profiles

Published on April 2, 2026

This year’s Top 25 were recognized in NYC last month for leadership, innovation, and measurable commercial impact. As HSMAI CEO Brian Hicks said, “Their success stories showcase the importance of cultivating commercial talent and reflect the very best of hospitality’s ability to adapt, evolve, and thrive.”

We’ll be profiling the full Top 25 over the next month — here are the next five.

 

Abhijit Patel, Vice President, Revenue Management, Distribution & Commercial Strategy — Choice Hotels International

Abhijit Patel is a senior commercial strategist who leads enterprise‑wide revenue, distribution, and commercial initiatives for Choice Hotels International. With more than a decade at Choice and prior experience spanning hospitality, consumer packaged goods, and financial services, he blends commercial rigor with deep martech expertise. Abhijit led the successful effort to secure Choice Hotels International’s AAA preferred partnership, and colleagues admire his sharp strategic mind, self‑awareness as a leader, and commitment to continual growth.

 

Amanda Moore, Vice President, Digital Strategy & Innovation — Preferred Travel Group

Amanda Moore is a globally experienced marketing executive who has spent more than 15 years driving digital transformation, loyalty, and customer engagement for some of hospitality’s most recognized brands. At Preferred Travel Group, she revitalized the organization’s digital ecosystem — modernizing brand.com, email, content, and media — and elevating the company’s digital marketing capabilities. Known for blending storytelling, data‑driven strategy, and emerging platforms, Amanda is a transformation leader who instills confidence and expands what others believe is possible. She is inspired by her daughter’s curiosity, which fuels her own sense of possibility and purpose.

 

 

Leslie Kaminski, Vice President, Global Sales — CoralTree Hospitality

Leslie Kaminski is a senior global sales leader who oversees global sales strategy for CoralTree’s portfolio of distinctive hotels and resorts across luxury, leisure, meetings, and lifestyle segments. With more than 25 years across luxury, entertainment, events, and lifestyle sales, she is known for building high‑impact sales organizations that drive strong commercial performance. Leslie treats relationships as a true competitive advantage, pairing entrepreneurial drive with a storyteller’s instinct — turning loyalty into long‑term growth.

 

 

John Jimenez, Vice President, E‑Commerce & Revenue — Noble Investment Group

John Jimenez is a digital commerce and revenue executive leading enterprise‑wide eCommerce, digital marketing, and revenue optimization at Noble Investment Group. With more than 15 years of experience, he has built scalable digital commerce platforms, advanced data‑driven marketing, and integrated emerging technologies — including AI — into hotel commercial workflows. John reshaped Noble’s commercial engine through human‑centered AI automation and advanced analytics, and he is deeply committed to mentoring future leaders through university partnerships and development programs. He believes learning drives understanding — and understanding enables transformation.

 

Amy Huff, Vice President of Sales — The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (MGM Resorts International)

Amy Huff is a senior sales executive known for driving strategic sales performance at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, one of the Strip’s most iconic luxury lifestyle resorts. With more than two decades in Las Vegas hospitality, she has built a distinguished career leading high‑performing teams, driving revenue growth, and setting the standard for luxury group experiences. Amy is known for culture‑first leadership that inspires courage, creativity, and compassion — especially during times of change.

Advice to younger self: Trust the process and savor the journey. Don’t rush the hard days — they teach you the most. Celebrate wins, laugh through challenges, and never underestimate the power of relationships.
What keeps you inspired: Seeing young professionals realize their strength. Supporting their growth reminds her that leadership is ultimately about empowering others to succeed.

▶︎ Read the first five 

▶︎ Read the next five

▶︎ Read the full list of Top 25 honorees 

Five Takeaways from Rising Leaders on Turnover

Published on April 2, 2026

Jillian Zemba, Cater and Service Manager at Desert Hospitality Management, Rising Sales Leader Council

I have been in hospitality for ten years, working everything from front desk and housekeeping to sales. While my roles have changes, one constant has been staff turnover. It is visible in every department, yet it often feels like a topic people don’t want to discuss openly. That is why I wanted to bring it forward. My goal was to have an honest conversation about why turnover continues to be such a challenge and what practical steps we can take as leaders to make it better.

  1. The Demands of a 24/7 Industry

Hotels never close, and managers are often pulled in at all hours. That pace takes a toll and makes retention difficult without strong systems to support balance and recovery.

  1. Training for All, Not Just New Hires

Turnover isn’t only about onboarding. Seasoned employees need development too, and when they are overlooked, it sends a message that their growth is no longer a priority. Ongoing training helps everyone feel valued and keeps skills sharp.

  1. Recognition That Connects to Results

Small acts of recognition matter. Sharing client feedback, thanking housekeeping after a major booking, or explaining how a comp leads to new business connects daily work to outcomes. When people see their impact, pride grows and turnover falls.

  1. Incentives That Balance Collaboration and Accountability

Compensation structures shape culture. Individual goals can push results, while team incentives foster cooperation. A blend of both, along with creative bonuses tied to hiring or retention, helps balance performance with teamwork.

  1. Clear Paths for Growth

Employees stay when they see a future for themselves. Succession planning, cross-training, and opportunities to stretch into new roles all show that advancement is possible without leaving the company.

For me, the strongest lesson is that turnover will not solve itself. Leadership plays the central role. When we provide support in a demanding industry, offer consistent training, recognize contributions, structure fair incentives, and make career growth visible, we give people reasons to stay.

Read More

Questions to Take Back to Your Team

  • Is poor training the main driver of turnover at our hotel?
  • What other factors on our property contribute to turnover?
  • Would succession planning, bonus structures, business transparency, and steady training help us keep people?

Profiling This Year’s Top 25: The Next Five

Published March 20, 2026

This year’s Top 25 were recognized in NYC last month for leadership, innovation, and measurable commercial impact. As HSMAI CEO Brian Hicks said, “Their success stories showcase the importance of cultivating commercial talent and reflect the very best of hospitality’s ability to adapt, evolve, and thrive.”

We’ll be profiling the full Top 25 over the next month — here are the next five.

Janette Roush, Senior Vice President, Innovation & Chief AI Officer — Brand USA

Janette leads enterprise AI strategy and innovation designed to advance consumer marketing, trade engagement, and partner promotion for the United States as a premier travel destination. She is widely recognized for turning emerging technology into practical, scalable solutions that elevate destination marketing and traveler engagement. Janette launched Brand USA’s first AI‑powered trip‑planning tool.

Advice to younger self: The rooms you speak in change the opportunities you get — don’t wait for permission to build a platform or take the microphone.

What keeps you inspired: Hospitality professionals bringing incredible ideas to life with AI.

 

Travis Rank, Senior Director, Worldwide Sales — BWH Hotels

With more than 20 years of experience spanning property‑level, regional, and corporate sales leadership, Travis is recognized for building strong commercial partnerships, driving enterprise‑wide sales performance, and elevating the sales discipline across global hotel portfolios.

Travis is admired for being a hands-on leader, the kind that empowers his team and drives meaningful change at BWH and the industry at large.

 

Tanya Pratt, Global Vice President, Strategy & Product Management — Oracle Hospitality

Tanya is a globally recognized hospitality technology and product strategy executive, currently serving as Global Vice President, Strategy and Product Management at Oracle Hospitality. Based in Toronto, Canada, she leads global strategy and product management for OPERA Cloud, Oracle’s flagship hospitality platform, supporting hotels worldwide through digital transformation and cloud‑based innovation.

With a career that bridges hotel operations, revenue management, and enterprise technology, Tanya is known for translating real‑world hospitality needs into scalable, future‑ready technology solutions.

 

Charles Pollard, CHDM, Director, Performance Analytics & Reporting — Marriott Digital Services

Charles is a senior hospitality analytics and digital performance leader. He spearheaded the redesign of Marriott’s Digital Dashboard to give thousands of hotels a clearer, deeper view of their performance and he developed training to give them the confidence to use it. But ask anyone he works with, and they’ll tell you they admire his approachability, positive attitude, and willingness to always help.

 

Crystal Pernici, Global Director, New Ventures — IDeaS

Crystal is a connector of ideas, teams, and clients. She’s inspired by curiosity, by solving meaningful problems, and by the people she gets to do it with. Crystal launched the world’s first cruise specific revenue management system, as well as a tool for hotels to connect revenue management and marketing efforts.

Advice to younger self: Your curiosity is not a problem to fix — it’s a gift to protect.

What keeps you inspired: Curiosity, solving meaningful problems, and watching ideas turn into impact.

 

▶︎ Read the first five 

▶︎ Read the full list of Top 25 honorees

Has Social Media Broken the Travel Funnel?

Published: March 11, 2026

Miyuki Sasada, Senior Account Manager, Booking.com*, Rising Revenue Optimization Leaders Council Member

 

Image of article author Miyuki Sasada, Caretaker Key Account Manager, Booking.com, Rising Revenue Optimization Leaders Council Member
Article author – Miyuki Sasada, Booking.com, Rising Revenue Optimization Leaders Council Member

During a Rising Revenue Optimization Leaders Council discussion, we talked about how social platforms have reworked the travel funnel. What used to be a progression of steps now acts more like a loop, with inspiration, planning, and booking happening in the same space. TikTok and Instagram accelerating in‑app hotel bookings only reinforces it.

Nearly two‑thirds of travelers who use social media for trip planning are making decisions based on content they’ve viewed. And what they’re searching for is peer‑level insight. As someone in the discussion said, “I don’t think I would book a hotel without looking at it on social media first. I want to see from a guest perspective and a traveler’s perspective, what does this outlet look like?”

That expectation changes how commercial teams think about the early side of the journey. The inspiration and planning phase has become more visual, more user‑driven, and more connected to actual purchase. It also raises the question of how hotels measure return when impressions and likes aren’t enough for owners.

What’s shifting

  • Social media now influences both planning and booking.
  • Platforms are positioning themselves as distribution points through partnerships.
  • Many hotels are not yet using social as part of their strategy, but want to.
  • Visibility needs differ across property types.
  • Current metrics (impressions, likes) don’t match owner expectations.

 What teams can prepare for

Hotels are navigating a new circular funnel that’s more dynamic and more public. Our conversations highlighted a few themes:

  • Treating social platforms as closed‑user‑group spaces for targeted offers.
  • Creating on‑property moments guests naturally share.
  • Using platform‑specific codes to measure revenue impact.
  • Accounting for how OTA‑platform partnerships may shift mix.
  • Rethinking how to align content strategy with revenue expectations.

The opportunity is less about chasing trends and more about aligning commercial functions around where travelers already are.

Recommended Reading

 Questions for Teams

  1. Do you utilize TikTok, Instagram, or other social platforms to plan personal travel?
  2. Do you utilize this funnel for your hotel strategy?
  3. Do you want to or plan to use this funnel for your hotel?
  4. How do we feel about TikTok and Instagram becoming booking engines? Does that change your strategy?
  5. What revenue strategies could you implement to lean into social as a revenue-driving pathway?
  6. How should we rethink pricing in a world where social platforms influence funnel behavior?

*This article reflects the collective views of the individual HSMAI Rising Leader Council members, and not the views of the author alone or Booking.com. 

Profiling This Year’s Top 25: The First Five

This year’s Top 25 were recognized in NYC last month for leadership, innovation, and measurable commercial impact. As HSMAI CEO Brian Hicks said, “Their success stories showcase the importance of cultivating commercial talent and reflect the very best of hospitality’s ability to adapt, evolve, and thrive.”

We’ll be profiling the full Top 25 over the next month, here are the first five.

 

Jason Zvatora, Vice President, Commercial Strategy – APAC, OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group 

Jason is a senior hospitality commercial leader and hotelier with 20+ years of operational and commercial experience across the Asia Pacific region and led a major commercial transformation across OUTRIGGER’s APAC resorts that united teams and elevated performance. He believes the industry is built on trust, not just transactions. He is inspired by transforming strategy into operational excellence, full hotels, engaged teams, memorable guest experiences, change, new markets, technology, and family.

Advice to younger self: back your judgment, especially when data and instincts align; say yes to opportunities that feel slightly too big; invest early in relationships; choose brands that match your values; protect your wellbeing as fiercely as your P&L.

 

TJ Walz, Senior Vice President, Data Strategy & Analytics, MMGY Global

TJ is a senior data and analytics leader specializing in travel, tourism, and hospitality. He leads analytics, data strategy, and performance measurement initiatives that help destinations, hotel brands, and travel organizations drive measurable commercial impact through data‑driven decision‑making. TJ created some of MMGY’s most imaginative data tools that make complex data actionable, accessible, and impactful. Colleagues say he challenges the status quo, learns, and grows, bringing everyone along.

 

Jim Smith, Vice President, Revenue Strategy, Driftwood Hospitality Management

Jim is a senior hospitality commercial leader. He brings nearly two decades of experience spanning hotel operations, revenue management, and multi‑property commercial strategy across full‑service and select‑service portfolios. Jim built a commercial tool that simplified life for Driftwood’s teams by helping users assess and align strategies across multiple segments. He is inspired first by competitiveness and later by family.

Advice to younger self: fail often; take risks; start businesses that don’t work out and maybe a few that do; be curious; have real conversations; use those experiences to shape who you want to be; be decisive but don’t rush major decisions; buy and hold Bitcoin.

 

Sìne Scott, Director of Field Marketing, Omni Hotels & Resorts

Sìne is a senior hospitality and travel marketing executive with more than 20 years of experience driving digital, eCommerce, and field marketing strategies for global hotel brands and destination organizations. She combines data‑centric marketing, digital innovation, and empathetic leadership. She created Omni’s renovation and preopening marketing framework. She is inspired by destination stories, new marketing technologies, and seeing experiences create genuine joy for guests.

Advice to younger self: savor experiences; wander further before routines set in; appreciate destinations, cultures, organizations, and the people who share a passion for the industry.

 

Natasha Scott, Senior Vice President, Americas Commercial & Revenue Management, IHG Hotels & Resorts

Natasha is a senior hospitality commercial executive, she leads enterprise commercial strategy across the Americas, spanning sales, marketing, revenue management, distribution, and performance optimization. She is widely recognized for blending strategy, operations, and financial rigor to drive measurable results at scale across multi‑brand, multi‑market hotel portfolios. She is inspired by innovation, better ways to work, and helping others succeed through mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship.

Advice to younger self: be more courageous; take risks sooner; growth rarely happens in the comfort zone; if the next job doesn’t scare you, it may not be the right one; raise your hand; take stretch roles; fail forward; treat discomfort as learning.

 

Read the full list of Top 25 honorees.