The hospitality industry is more data-driven than ever, yet marketing and revenue teams are still dancing to different tunes – and that digital disconnect is costing real-life revenue.
In a sector where hotel marketing budgets often account for just two to three percent of overall revenue1, there is precious little margin for error. Yet many marketing campaigns are still created and launched without liaising with the very teams holding the clearest insights into booking pace, demand forecasts, and price sensitivity. When accessed through a sophisticated RMS, this data helps marketers target the right segments, time their campaigns to periods of genuine need, and avoid unnecessary discounts.
When the alignment is missing, the consequences are both predictable and costly. Campaigns may run during periods of high demand when rooms would have filled regardless, or include unnecessary discounts that erode margins. We regularly see this misalignment across properties and portfolios of all sizes.
When marketing and revenue teams collaborate, the commercial impact can be significant. Marketing drives demand. Revenue management ensures that demand is monetised effectively. Working together, these teams can identify periods of genuine need, deploy targeted campaigns, and evaluate success using metrics that reflect actual revenue outcomes.
Marketing decisions should be made using the same demand intelligence insight that revenue teams have to optimise pricing and availability.
A recent IDeaS panel, which included leaders from StayCity and Maybourne, highlighted the urgency of this alignment. Participants emphasised the need for data transparency, shared KPIs, and coordinated campaign timing. Marketing decisions should be made using the same demand intelligence insight that revenue teams have to optimise pricing and availability. As marketing budgets come under increasing scrutiny, access to forward-looking data that – until now – was traditionally reserved for revenue managers is becoming essential.
Technology is helping to bridge the gap. Cutting-edge tools are enabling marketers to spot high-potential periods in real-time, tailor tactics and messaging to shifting demand, and evaluate campaign performance using commercial metrics such as occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR. Using the same forecasting models relied upon by revenue teams allows marketing to act with greater speed and accuracy.
This shift reflects broader industry pressures. Research from the CMO Council shows that 86 percent of CMOs believe capability gaps have led to missed revenue and growth opportunities, and more than half are under pressure to improve efficiency and reduce costs2. Our own clients echo these concerns, seeking integrated solutions that connect performance outcomes to marketing actions and reduce reliance on manual data analysis. As guest expectations rise and market conditions shift rapidly, successful hotels will be those whose commercial teams operate from a unified, data-informed strategy. This is no longer just a matter of internal alignment, it’s a strategic necessity. Collaboration between marketing and revenue management doesn’t just safeguard performance. It strengthens the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth.
1 Hotelmarketingworks.com
2 CMO Council Marketing Vitality Index