It's Not Your Marketing. It's Your Internal Communication (And How Tri Hita Karana Explains It)

Why the three pillars of sustainable hospitality fail at the same place: internal alignment.

Tri Hita Karana —'three causes of wellbeing' in Balinese— proposes that true prosperity arises from the balance between three fundamental relationships: with purpose, with people, and with nature. For your hospitality business, this isn't philosophy. It's strategy.

1. Purpose and Values (Parahyangan): The "Why"

I'm not talking about the mission statement hanging on the wall. It's the uncomfortable question: Why do we exist beyond generating profits? Businesses that connect with an authentic purpose —protecting an ecosystem, preserving a culinary tradition, revitalizing a community— create magnetic experiences - they can copy your posts, but not your essence. This is where your brand's soul resides.

2. Human Relationships (Pawongan): Your People, Your Asset

This includes employees, guests, suppliers, and crucially, the local community. Creating true partnerships. Hospitality stops being a service and becomes a genuine exchange. If you don't take care of your people, the guest will feel it. If your people aren't committed, so will they.

3. Harmony with Nature (Palemahan): Designing to Regenerate

This goes far beyond changing LED bulbs or reducing paper. It means designing operations that regenerate, not just minimize harm. Think about architecture that respects the environment or supply chains that turn sustainable local agriculture into a differentiator. I've been on projects where Zero Waste, so important for hotels with 200 rooms that generate daily amounts of food waste and garbage, betting on this means caring for the environment: people and nature in harmony.

On paper, this sounds logical. Even inspiring. But here's the problem: I know dozens of hotels and resorts that have these values printed in their mission statements, on their walls, even in their welcome dossiers. And still, they fail. Why? Because the three pillars don't collapse from lack of intention. They collapse from lack of alignment.

These three pillars always fail at the same place, and it's not a marketing problem.

When I arrive at a new consultancy, I dedicate 2 to 3 intense days conducting 1-on-1 interviews with each stakeholder. I ask them what they see, what frustrates them, but above all, what's the most valuable thing they know that nobody has asked them about. They have the best information about your business, but they're too busy putting out fires to use it. And there's problem number one: when you do a thousand things, you lose focus and what's important gets diluted.

When internal communication crumbles, everything else cascades down.

• Purpose becomes an empty poster.

• The relationship with guests becomes mechanical.

• Sustainability initiatives remain good intentions.

Tri Hita Karana shows us that you can't have harmony with your guests or with the environment if harmony doesn't exist internally first. The three relationships are inseparably intertwined.

The True Starting Point: Leadership and Communication

If there's one thing I know with certainty after years in this business, it's: Communication, Communication, Communication. So, before thinking about the marketing campaign or the green certification, ask your leadership strategy:

Does your team know and feel the company's purpose?

A year ago I worked with a boutique hotel that had a beautiful purpose: 'Reconnect people with authentic local culture.' When I interviewed the chef, he told me that none of his team knew what that meant in their day-to-day. Zero. But when I asked them what was the most special thing about working there, the chef told me: 'Here I go to the market every morning and choose the fresh ingredients. Guests ask me what each thing is and I tell them the stories the vendors tell me.' That was the purpose. He was living it without knowing it. The problem wasn't the mission. It was that nobody had made the connection.

If your purpose only lives on the website, it doesn't exist.

The other questions that matter

• Are there REAL communication channels where they feel heard, or just compliance meetings?

• Do you celebrate and elevate those who shine so they serve as examples and inspire the rest?

• And if someone isn't engaged: why? Sometimes you need the courage to let go of a rotten apple so the rest of the tree can flourish.

Real sustainability doesn't begin with a report. It begins with an honest conversation among your people.

So if any of this resonates, start here: this week, book 30 minutes with someone on your team you don't normally listen to. Not to solve anything. Just to ask: What's the most valuable thing you know that nobody has asked you?

You'll be surprised.

f you're running a hospitality business and this disconnect between mission and reality sounds familiar, that's exactly the gap I help bridge. I work with hotels, resorts, and wellness brands as their Chief Marketing Officer—building strategies that don't just look good on paper, they work because they're aligned from the inside out.

Want to talk about what that might look like for your business?
www.mariangomez.com

Summer: Trampoline or Trap for Your Tourism & Wellness Brand? Avoid These 3 Crucial Strategic Mistakes

Summer, with its vibrant energy and influx of visitors, often sweeps us up in the whirlwind of daily operations. For many tourism and wellness brands, and especially for the hospitality sector, it's a season of peak activity. However, behind the apparent calm of the sun and holidays, lies a common trap that CMOs and marketing teams should not overlook: the tendency to push strategic planning for the future to the back burner. If you're looking to move beyond daily operations, discover how our strategic consulting can boost your brand.

While it's easy to get caught up in the "here and now" of the high season, now is precisely the ideal time to plant the seeds for next season's success. How we manage summer can determine not only our immediate results, but also the resilience and revenue growth of our brand in the coming months, whether we operate in APAC or EMEA.

Avoiding the following three common mistakes can be the difference between thriving and watching valuable opportunities slip away. Is your tourism and wellness strategy ready for the challenge?

The 3 Profit Killers Your Hospitality Brand Must Avoid:

1. Forgetting Your Local Audience When International Season Slows Down

When the international high season begins to slow, it's tempting to focus exclusively on attracting the few remaining travelers. However, many hospitality brands make the mistake of neglecting their local audience. This is a lost golden opportunity. Your local community is a base of loyal customers, a driver of word-of-mouth, and a constant source of business throughout the year, especially during low seasons for international tourism.

What to do? Keep the connection with your local audience alive through special offers, exclusive events, loyalty programs, and continuous communication. They are your ambassadors and your vital support when tourist flows decrease, and a key for hospitality customer loyalty.

2. Failing to Analyze Summer Data: Your Goldmine for Off-Season Planning

Summer generates an immense amount of data: which services were most popular, where your customers come from, which promotions worked best, demand peaks, operational pain points, etc. Not thoroughly analyzing this information is like leaving a goldmine untapped. This data is key to understanding your customers' behavior and optimizing your off-season strategies or post-season planning, as highlighted by recent UNWTO reports on tourism resilience. Hotel operations optimization directly depends on this analysis.

What to do? Dedicate time to review sales metrics, customer preferences, the effectiveness of digital marketing campaigns for hotels, and feedback. Identify patterns, what worked well, and what needs improvement. Use this information to refine your services, adapt your messages, and plan your promotions for the slower months, thus boosting hotel performance and wellness revenue growth.

3. Pausing Content Creation During Summer, Just When Your Audience Is Most Receptive to Stimuli

With daily activity at its peak, content creation is often perceived as a secondary task that can be postponed. Big mistake! During summer, many people have more free time, are more relaxed, and are therefore more receptive to consuming inspiring, educational, or entertaining content. It's the perfect time to capture their attention and keep your brand on their radar. This is vital for your tourism branding and positioning.

What to do? Plan your content strategy in advance. Even if you're busy, you can schedule posts, repurpose existing content, or create light, seasonal content that resonates with your holiday audience. Maintain consistency across your social media, blog, and newsletters. Remember, the engagement you build now can translate into future bookings and visits, contributing to tourism digital transformation and effective hotel management.

Is Your Strategy Ready for Success in APAC and EMEA?

Summer is not just a season for working hard, but also for working smart. By being aware of these common tourism strategy mistakes and taking proactive measures, you can transform this season into a springboard for continued success. Don't let opportunities slip away while you're busy; instead, use them to strengthen your brand and secure a prosperous future. If you need support with APAC tourism strategic planning or EMEA hotel marketing consulting, do not hesitate to contact a specialized hospitality consultant like us.

Why Leading Tourism Brands Are Already Implementing These Strategies

The tourism and hospitality sector is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades. While some brands struggle to adapt, others are already capitalizing on the trends defining the industry's future. The difference lies not in budget, but in strategy.

As a specialized marketing strategy consultant in hospitality, tourism, and wellness at Marian Gomez Consulting, I've identified four key trends that leading brands are implementing now to stay competitive and build deeper connections with their clients.

Immersive Integration: Travel and Wellness in Unison

According to the Global Wellness Institute, 76% of global travelers seek experiences that combine tourism and wellness. It's no longer just about a separate hotel or wellness center. Successful brands are creating integrated ecosystems where every touchpoint contributes to the guest's well-being.

Hotels like Six Senses, resorts like COMO Hotels, and the exclusive Aman chain have revolutionized their offerings by combining yoga retreats, functional gastronomy, outdoor adventures, and personalized therapies. The result: guests willing to pay up to 40% more for transformative experiences.

How you can leverage this: My strategic consulting helps hotels, resorts, and tour operators design and communicate these integrated experiences, creating value propositions that justify premium pricing and generate long-term loyalty.

Personalization Driven by Data and Artificial Intelligence

Industry studies show that AI-powered personalization programs increase customer satisfaction by up to 23% and direct sales by up to 15%. Personalization is no longer optional; it's the basic expectation of the modern consumer.

Leading brands use data to anticipate needs, from recommending travel experiences based on previous behaviors to adjusting room temperature before a guest's arrival. This technology allows for the creation of connections that feel human, even if they are driven by algorithms.

How you can leverage this: My expertise in brand auditing and digital marketing guides businesses to implement personalization solutions ethically and effectively, optimizing both the customer experience and the ROI of their technological investments.

Authentic Content and Human Storytelling

In a world where 92% of consumers trust peer recommendations more than traditional advertising, successful brands have pivoted towards authentic narratives. Airbnb built a $75 billion empire primarily through real stories from its hosts and guests.

User-generated content and emotionally connecting narratives are no longer supplementary tactics; they are the core strategy. Brands that master this space understand that they don't sell services; they sell transformations.

How you can leverage this: My expertise in helping brands discover their unique voice is key here. I develop content strategies that transform service experiences into powerful stories, building trust and emotional connection that translates into loyalty and organic recommendations.

Sustainability and Purpose: The New Competitive Standard

Booking.com reports that 83% of travelers consider it important to stay in sustainable accommodations, and 61% are willing to pay more for it. Brands leading the sector no longer view sustainability as a cost but as a competitive advantage.

Patagonia, while not a pure tourism brand, demonstrated that a clear purpose can generate unwavering loyalty. In tourism, brands like Intrepid Travel have built their differentiation entirely around responsible travel and have seen 300% growth in five years.

How you can leverage this: My expertise in brand repositioning helps integrate sustainability and purpose into the core of business strategy. Not as a cosmetic addition, but as a fundamental pillar that attracts today's conscious customer and builds brand value for tomorrow.

The Competitive Advantage Is in the Execution

These trends represent more than market shifts; they are opportunities to create sustainable competitive advantages. Brands that implement them now will be defining the standards that others will follow tomorrow.

Is your brand ready to lead instead of follow? At Marian Gomez Consulting, we transform these trends into concrete strategies and measurable results.

Schedule a free strategic consultation and discover how to apply these strategies to your specific business. Because the future of tourism is already here, and successful brands are already living it.

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Photo credit: Antonio Araujo @antonioaaaraujo