Then & Now: Why Remote Sales Is No Longer Optional for Hotels in Secondary Markets

In the past, the success of a hotel sales strategy was measured by the strength of the local team, boots on the ground, handshakes at chamber events, and quarterly visits to top accounts. But the past decade has reshaped the hospitality industry in ways few could have predicted.

Today, especially in secondary and tertiary markets, the traditional sales model has become both costly and misaligned with how business is actually done. The time has come to rethink how we deploy sales resources and why remote sales teams may not just be an alternative, but “the” new standard.

Then: On-Property Sales Was the Gold Standard

In the 2010s, it was rare to see a branded hotel without an on-property Director of Sales and Sales Coordinator(s). These people knew every local contact, every chamber of commerce event, and every social event worth sponsoring.

·         Typical cost per FTE: $70K–$100K (fully loaded)

·         Ramp-up time: 6–9 months

·         Average turnover in some markets: 30–50%

This worked because:

·         Corporate buyers were local.

·         Relationships were forged in person.

·         Group business was predictable and long-cycle.

Now: The Landscape Has Changed

·         In 2025, hotel sales look fundamentally different, especially outside of major metros:

·         Corporate buyers are remote and often centralized in national hubs.

·         Group leads are smaller, faster moving, and sourced online.

·         Turnover remains high, and hiring/retraining is slow.

·         Sales success depends more on digital outreach, response time, and tech integration than in-person charm.

·         What once worked now comes with diminishing returns and rising costs.

Why Remote Sales Makes Sense Today

The case for a third-party or remote sales structure is no longer about disruption; it’s about alignment. Here’s why hotels in non-primary markets are embracing this shift:

·         Continuity of Relationships

·         Remote teams use shared CRMs and centralized knowledge bases to protect client history, reducing the risk of revenue loss when staff changes.

·         Lower Overhead, Higher ROI

·         No benefits packages, PTO, or backfill costs. Most remote sales programs operate on a flat or performance-based structure, reducing labor spend by up to 60%.

·         Technology-Enabled Prospecting

·         Access to digital tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Knowland, and Cvent allows for national lead generation regardless of where your property is located.

·         Weekly KPIs and Accountability

·         Modern remote teams track performance metrics like:

·         Leads generated

·         Proposals sent

·         Booking conversion rate

·         Room revenue by segment

·         This creates a culture of measurable impact, not just busywork.

Cost Benefits

Looking Ahead: Smarter, Not Smaller

Remote sales isn’t about replacing human connection. It’s about modernizing efficiencies around it. The sales strategies that win today are agile, data-informed, and scalable, especially in leaner markets where every RevPAR % matters.

The hotels that adopt this model early will protect their most asset and the trust of owners and investors.