OUR GOAL WAS SIMPLE:
Set the stage for HSMAI’s second annual event dedicated to bringing together hospitality’s commercial disciplines. The premise was built around three myths that continue to circulate around commercial strategy. Each panelist brought one to the table, and together we broke them down, explored today’s challenges, and looked ahead at opportunities.
Myth #1: Artificial Intelligence Is Coming for All Our Jobs
Artificial intelligence (AI) dominates nearly every business conversation right now, and hospitality is no exception. The fear is that AI will replace sales, marketing, revenue, and distribution roles outright.
The reality is more nuanced. “AI is ubiquitous and as an industry it’s our opportunity to capture lightning in a bottle moment. We must get better at accelerating what will happen anyway,” as Randev said. “Some jobs will disappear; many new opportunities will be created. Most importantly, every role will evolve.”
The panel was clear: Leaders shouldn’t fear replacement but should embrace the relief AI can bring from repetitive, manual work. Instead of spending hours pulling reports or adjusting rates, AI can give us more time to think strategically, focus on profitability, and return to the heart of hospitality — human connection.
“AI will relieve us of the burden of drudgery, making our hours at the desk more enjoyable,” Goshow said. That optimism came with responsibility. Commercial professionals need to engage now — learn from those already experimenting, automate small tasks in your day, and explore how to apply AI to your own role. Those who lean in will thrive; those who ignore it risk being left behind.
Myth #2: Marketing Can’t Be Measured
The second myth is one many marketers have battled for years: the idea that marketing is too “soft” or too hard to measure.
Despite the availability of sophisticated analytics, executives often remain skeptical. Some of that blame falls on commercial leaders — we haven’t always translated marketing outcomes into language business leaders understand.
Marketing, at its core, is about selling. If your product isn’t on the shelf, doesn’t resonate with your audience, or fails to meet customer needs — in other words, if it isn’t selling — your marketing isn’t working. But just when marketing is working, too often the response from executives is: “Great, now we can cut back on marketing.” “We [Marketing] are in the business of storytelling, but we haven’t got this part of the story right yet,” Goshow said.
That’s why the idea of reverse KPIs struck such a chord. Instead of highlighting what worked, call out what was lost. How many sales fell through because the brand didn’t resonate? How much pace slipped because of negative reviews? Losses speak loudly.
Another truth: Hospitality has over-commoditized itself. As Goshow noted, we still think the guests want to buy “a premier deluxe king, non-refundable,” when in reality they have a need, a problem to be solved, and we should be marketing to that. We need to get back to the fundamentals of understanding our customer.
Data will help, but data alone is not the answer. The “how” is everywhere — dashboards, profiles, transaction records. But the “why” is harder to grasp, and more valuable. During the pandemic, hotels that succeeded did so by asking guests directly why they were traveling, then building offers around that.
As we’ve returned to normal, too many have fallen back to separating corporate marketing from on-property insights from those closest to the guest. The lesson is clear: The strongest strategies come when the two work hand in hand with the goal of understanding the “why” of consumer behavior.
Myth #3: Distribution Isn’t Strategic.
It’s an Administrative Function Best Left to the Brands. The third myth is that distribution is something best left to the brands — a back-office task with little strategic value.
In truth, distribution is everyone’s responsibility. It determines where your hotel shows up, how guests discover you, why they choose you, and what it costs you to acquire them. It’s not just a channel-management exercise — it’s a profitability engine.
Brands are critical partners, of course, but hotels still own their distribution strategy. Handy summed it up with this powerful metaphor: “Brands fill the refrigerator with food, but you decide what to make, and you might be cooking for two or a dinner party of 12.”
Distribution is no longer a back-office task — it’s the connective tissue between sales, marketing, and revenue management. Because it sits at the intersection of all three, keeping up with its growing complexity requires a unified commercial strategy. We’ve moved from a world where consumers searched for hotels to one where AI algorithms recommend them, and new players and platforms emerge every year. No single function can manage that on its own.
The only way to stay ahead is to bring all the disciplines — sales, marketing, revenue, and distribution — together at the same table. Each perspective strengthens the others. Sales insights highlight customer behavior, marketing shapes demand, revenue keeps the profitability lens sharp, and distribution ensures the product is accessible in the right channels at the right time.
For leaders, the real opportunity lies in learning from this mix.
You won’t always be the expert in the room, and that’s the point. Strong commercial leaders lean into collaboration, admit what they don’t know, and use the combined expertise of the team to drive strategy forward.
The Leadership Thread
While the myths each sparked good debate, one theme tied them all together: leadership. Our panelists came from different disciplines — sales, marketing, and revenue management — but when asked what skills carried into their leadership roles, none of them mentioned technical expertise. They didn’t talk about pricing algorithms, account management tactics, or campaign strategies.
Instead, they emphasized curiosity, listening, hiring great people, observing before acting, and knowing when to admit they didn’t have the answer. “There will come a time when you aren’t the smartest in the room, and that’s the point.
The real skill is knowing how to ask the right questions,” Handy said. Tomorrow’s leaders won’t be defined by functional mastery. They’ll be the ones who can connect disciplines, build teams that work together, and keep everyone focused on profitable growth.
The Three Takeaways
Looking back at the conversation, three big lessons stand out:
- DON’T BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND. Change is coming — through AI, through evolving distribution, through shifting guest expectations. Avoiding it won’t stop it. Be the one who experiments, learns, and adapts.
- STAY GROUNDED IN THE FUNDAMENTALS. Even with new technology, hospitality still boils down to understanding guests. Build strong data foundations, ask “why” as often as “how.” Make sure corporate marketing stays connected to property-level insights.
- FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP, NOT FUNCTIONAL EXPERTISE. The strongest commercial leaders won’t be the best at spreadsheets, campaigns, or account plans. They’ll be the ones who bring the disciplines together, hire smart people, and lead with curiosity.
Closing Thoughts
Commercial strategy in hospitality is no longer about excelling in one discipline. It’s about weaving sales, market- ing, revenue, and distribution together into a coherent approach that maximizes profit and creates memorable guest experiences.
The myths we explored — AI taking our jobs, marketing being unmeasurable, distribution being “just admin” — all reflect outdated thinking. The truth is that each represents an opportunity: to embrace technology, to prove value, and to elevate strategy.
As I watched Goshow, Randev, and Handy share perspectives, it struck me how exciting and demanding this future will be. The leaders who succeed won’t be those with the sharpest technical skills, but those who stay curious, collaborative, and focused on the guest.
