The changing role of hotels operators
Introducing the Hospitality Engineer
Once again, this week, I’ve been struck by the parallels between marketing and hospitality. In marketing, the buzz right now is all about Go-To-Market (GTM) Engineering, a term coined by Clay.
The idea is simple but powerful: to succeed in today’s landscape, you need to be a master of systems and data—not just a marketer, but an engineer.
A similar shift is also occurring in the hospitality industry.
I remember overhearing a conversation at ITB where a hotelier said, “It’s no longer enough to be a good host—today you need to be a manager of data and systems.” That sentiment couldn’t be more accurate. The role of the hospitality operator has evolved dramatically.
Today, running a hotel efficiently means mastering technology, integrating systems, and managing data and workflows.
From host to hospitality engineer
Traditionally, hospitality operators needed to know their property, their staff, and their guests. They created schedules, ensured smooth operations, and managed reporting and tax responsibilities, amongst a million other jobs. But broadly speaking, if you could run your property, manage your staff and welcome your guests, you were on the money.
But now, the job description has expanded.
Here are four areas that require time and investment:
- Revenue Management
Operators must understand rate strategies, seasonal demand, and how to optimise pricing. Whether through in-house expertise or PMS-integrated tools, revenue management is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Hoteliers would often have a dedicated revenue management software or staff and the level of integration to the PMS matter more than ever. - CRM and guest data
Where does your guest data live? Is it in your PMS, CRM, or somewhere else? Operators must know how to activate and leverage this data across campaigns and guest interactions. Personalization—before, during, and after the stay—relies on clean, accessible data. How is it populated? How is it surfaced to your front desk team? These are questions every operator must answer.
Once again you may have a dedicated CRM, or use the CRM capabilities within your PMS. - Marketing and Direct Booking
Today’s operator is also a web manager and digital marketer. To drive direct bookings and retain more revenue, you need to understand your direct and indirect channels, effectively manage your website, and strike a balance with your OTA strategy. Throw in a few social posts and content creation and you’ve almost become a full-time marketer.
But like all things, marketing is good; knowing how it impacts your bottom line is best, so make sure you can track, measure, and optimize. - AI and Automation
AI is already reshaping guest and staff experiences. But every AI system relies on quality data. Feeding large language models or GPTs with fragmented or siloed data won’t deliver the promised results or the time savings.
Operators must understand how to prepare and manage data for AI tools—skills that weren’t even on the radar five years ago.
The GTM Engineer meets the Hospitality Engineer.
Just as the GTM Engineer redefined what it means to be a marketer—someone who builds systems, automates workflows, and connects data—the Hospitality Engineer is redefining what it means to run a hotel. It’s no longer about intuition alone. It’s about integration.
Operators must now:
- Understand how PMS, CRM, and RMS systems interact
- Solve for data fragmentation across platforms
- Build workflows that connect guest data to operational actions
- Use automation to scale personalisation and efficiency
These are not easy tasks. Many systems only do part of the job. Some PMS platforms might handle bookings, but not guest communications (RMS does it all, though!) CRMs might manage campaigns but not check-in data. Connecting these systems and syncing data properly is one of the biggest challenges operators face.
Why this matters more right now
- Staffing shortages mean lean teams must do more with less.
- Tech-native guests raise overall expectations.
- Revenue pressure demands smarter, data-driven decisions.
- System fragmentation requires operators to be integration-savvy.
The future of hospitality is hybrid.
The Hospitality Engineer isn’t a phase, it is the direction of travel for hotels and park operators. By mastering systems, operators can spend less time troubleshooting and more time delighting guests. They can anticipate needs, personalise experiences, and optimise operations—all while keeping the heart of hospitality alive.
This is a conversation we’ll be diving deeper into. Because beyond hotel operations, these are skills that define the future of hospitality. And the operators who embrace this shift will be the ones who lead it.
