Hoteliers have mastered the art of direct bookings; sophisticated marketing automation, optimized booking engines, and data-driven website design have helped shift share away from OTAs and reclaim control over the guest relationship.
But while transient direct booking strategies have matured, one major revenue stream remains largely dependent on intermediaries and outdated processes: group rooms and meeting space sales.
Stuck in the Past
Hotels invested heavily to win back transient business—launching loyalty programs, seamless websites, personalized offers, and metasearch integrations that reduced OTA dependency. The results speak for themselves: higher profit margins, better customer data, and stronger brand control.
Yet, the group sales ecosystem still operates in a different era. Legacy third-party lead channels still dominate discovery. Manual RFP workflows slow down response times. And high commissions quietly eat into profit margins. For many hotels, it’s as if we’ve built a world-class e-commerce engine for half the business but left the other half stuck in the fax machine age.
The Tools Already Exist. We Just Haven’t Connected Them.
Much like the early days of transient direct booking, success in the group space isn’t about inventing new technology; it’s about connecting what already exists.
- Targeted digital advertising for meeting planners
- Audience-specific, design-led digital experiences for pre-sale and post-sale
- Connected, intelligent sales tools
For planners, this feels modern and frictionless. For sales teams, it’s empowerment—automation that handles the admin work while preserving the human touch.
The Commercial Impact
Hotels that adopt a direct group booking strategy stand to gain in three critical ways:
- Higher Margins: Reduced commission payouts and lower cost per acquisition.
- Faster Conversions: Automation and better digital UX mean fewer lost leads.
- Data Ownership: Hotels can finally capture first-party planner data and nurture relationships directly.
In a market where meetings and events revenue often makes or breaks budgets, even small shifts from third-party to direct channels can translate into significant bottom-line gains.
The New Playbook for Commercial Success
Just as the industry once rallied around “Book Direct” for transient business, it’s time to champion “Book Direct for Groups.” A unified commercial strategy powered by automation, storytelling, and integration can finally deliver the same direct booking success across all revenue streams.
The technology is ready. The buyers are ready. The only question is whether hotels are ready to rethink and take action on how group business is sourced, sold, and converted.
