Madrid hosted the first edition of the Global Revenue Forum held in Spain on Wednesday, June 4th. The event, organized by Torres Hospitality Consulting and Open Revenue Consulting, was held in parallel with two other major events in Paris and Amsterdam and brought together more than 250 industry professionals around a common goal: to rethink the future of revenue management from a comprehensive perspective that encompasses technology, distribution, marketing, and sustainability.
The forum offered a packed agenda of presentations and multi-session roundtables, with simultaneous content covering everything from artificial intelligence to loyalty, total profit management, the impact of sustainability, and the evolving role of the revenue manager.
Although the event featured a packed program of high-value sessions, TecnoHotel focused its coverage on two key roundtable discussions on digital marketing and distribution, held on the main stage. As is typical at this type of event, we spent the rest of the time meeting with hoteliers, technology partners, and industry professionals to share impressions, ideas, and collaboration opportunities. This event, without a doubt, featured a strong component of high-quality networking.
Optimizing hotel distribution: profitability, strategy and control
One of the most interesting sessions was the roundtable "Optimal Distribution Mix: The Path to Maximizing Net TrevPAR," moderated by José Ignacio Sánchez Butragueño, partner at Andersen Consulting. Participants included Pedro Barranco (Sani Ikos Group), Antonia Valero (TRH Hotels), Martín Aleixandre (Fuerte Group Hotels), and Francisco Quintero (Landmar Hotels).
Direct Channel: Profitable or Overrated?
One of the main themes was a realistic analysis of the direct channel. While everyone agreed on its strategic importance, they also recognized that it often involves undervalued or misattributed costs.
Pedro Barranco explained that, although the direct channel allows for better customer insight, marketing expenditures can distort profitability if not accurately measured. Along the same lines, Francisco Quintero warned that "direct sales can become a bottomless pit if not managed properly."
For his part, Martín Aleixandre shared that his group conducts a profitability analysis by channel every quarter, accounting for and allocating all costs, from rebates to maintenance. The goal, he emphasized, is to have real visibility in order to make informed decisions. The speakers also agreed that an effective distribution strategy should not be rigid, but adaptable to each context, segment, and moment.
Simplify to control
Regarding the number of intermediaries, Antonia Valero argued that working with fewer partners allows for greater control over distribution, disparities, and margins. "Less is more," she noted. This strategy was also supported by Pedro Barranco, who advocated for more selective partner management and greater capacity for tactical activation based on demand.
The group also agreed that direct sales will only be sustainable if supported by solid loyalty strategies. Martín Aleixandre highlighted the importance of loyalty clubs, while Quintero emphasized the role of the human call center as a differentiator against automation: "Personalization is still a powerful weapon."
And while everyone recognized the potential of artificial intelligence, they also warned of the risks of applying it without a solid data foundation. "First, you have to have well-organized data sources. Otherwise, the technology just creates noise," they concluded.
Digital marketing and profitability: from data to action
The other panel we covered was "Mastering Digital Marketing: How to Navigate the Digital Landscape for Enhanced Profitability," a session in English that brought together professionals with a strong strategic vision. It was moderated by Piergiorgio Schirru (Blastness), with the participation of Elga Castro (Minor Hotels), Marta Varela (Brown Hotels Greece), and Yogesh Ram (The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences).
The discussion started from a clear premise: without a real connection between revenue, sales, and marketing, there is no profitable strategy. Schirru explained the importance of implementing a centralized data platform, allowing the entire sales team to work with the same KPIs, dashboards, and objectives. Marta Varela, for her part, emphasized that this integration is not only technical but also cultural: "Revenue no longer just manages demand. It also designs how to capture it."
For her part, Elga Castro emphasized that revenue managers must go far beyond RevPAR or occupancy. "Today, we have to understand the real acquisition cost of each customer and optimize it to achieve net profit," she stated. Her vision pointed to a more transversal role, capable of coordinating distribution, operational data, and marketing strategy.
Digital advertising with AI
Next, Yogesh Ram presented the case study of his hotel using Google Performance Max for Travel Goals, an AI solution that allows for the creation of highly targeted advertising campaigns based on real customer data. "In some periods, we've achieved return ratios of 25:1," he stated. The key, he explained, is connecting CRM data with the algorithm to fine-tune audiences and optimize bids in real time.
Elga Castro also proposed considering the direct channel not just as another sales channel, but as a strategic unit within the organization. "It should have its own objectives, investment, content, and metrics," she argued. She added that added value—more than the lowest price—should be the cornerstone of its positioning: exclusive benefits, flexible terms, benefits from the first click...
One of the most practical moments of the panel came at the end with the analysis of payment methods. Schirru pointed out that the biggest friction point in the direct channel—especially on mobile—is payment, and proposed solutions such as asynchronous or tiered payments. Elga Castro and Yogesh Ram agreed that providing more flexible and market-adapted methods is essential to reducing dropouts in the booking process.
Conclusion
The Global Revenue Forum arrived in Madrid with an ambitious and cross-cutting vision of hotel revenue. Beyond pricing and inventory, the debate focused on the convergence of data, technology, distribution, and marketing. The two panels we attended showed us that the path to profitability lies in integrating teams, optimizing every point of the guest journey, and turning information into strategic business decisions.
An unmissable event that, in addition to quality content, offered the opportunity to reconnect with many industry professionals. Because sometimes, between one roundtable discussion and another, the best insights come over coffee, a quick chat, or an impromptu meeting.
