Planning for 2027: Is Your Hotel Marketing Budget Working Hard Enough?

As hotels begin preparing their 2027 marketing plans and budgets, it is worth asking an important question: Are we planning for meaningful commercial growth, or simply repeating last year’s activities?

Having worked across hospitality sales, marketing and commercial strategy for more than two decades, I have seen how annual planning can become a familiar exercise: reviewing previous spending, adjusting allocations and identifying new campaigns.

But the hospitality landscape is evolving. Rising guest acquisition costs, changing traveler expectations, artificial intelligence and increasingly complex distribution channels require a more integrated approach.

Start with business objectives, not activities

Before allocating resources, hotel owners and commercial teams should consider what they are trying to achieve. Is the priority improving profitability, strengthening direct bookings, developing new source markets, increasing repeat business or generating demand during softer periods? Each objective requires different investments and measures of success.

For independent and boutique hotels in particular, strategic planning should recognize the value of authentic experiences, meaningful guest relationships and strong destination positioning.

Connect marketing to commercial performance

Technology will continue to influence how travelers discover and book accommodation, but successful performance still depends on aligning marketing, sales, revenue management, distribution and operations.

As we approach 2027, I encourage hospitality businesses to challenge familiar budget allocations, evaluate the true cost of acquiring guests and ensure that every investment has a clear strategic purpose.

The objective is not necessarily to spend more. It is to invest more intelligently.

A strong marketing plan should tell a clear commercial story: where the business wants to go, how it intends to get there and how success will be measured.