Social Responsibility in Summer: A Moment to Rethink Tourism and Wellness with a Regenerative Purpose

More Than Marketing: The Authenticity Your Brand Needs

Corporate social responsibility cannot be just a pretty slogan or a simple checklist. For hotels, resorts, and wellness centers—industries intimately tied to nature and human well-being—CSR must be embedded in the very DNA of strategy and decision-making.

How many times have you seen ecological promises that seem superficial? Greenwashing not only damages reputation but also erodes trust among clients, investors, and teams. That’s why coherence and courage to align words with actions are the true differentiators.

From Mitigation to Regeneration: The New Horizon for the Industry

Today, merely avoiding harm or consuming less is no longer enough. The standard has changed and challenges us to go beyond: to regenerate. To restore ecosystems, strengthen local communities, and innovate to close loops, making sure every action gives more than it takes.

What if instead of only caring, we sought to leave our destinations better than we found them? That is regeneration: an active commitment to positive transformation.

What Does Regeneration Mean in Practice?

Regenerative strategies in tourism can be summarized in five inspiring and actionable focus areas:

1. Rehabilitation and restoration of terrestrial habitats

2. Marine regeneration and ocean protection

3. Partnerships with local communities and authentic cultural respect

4. Zero Waste and responsible food management

5. Circular operations and holistic well-being (employees and community)

Leading the Way

Bambu Indah (Bali): Holistic Regeneration and Living Architecture.
This innovative project uses local bamboo and reclaimed wood to build sustainable structures, integrates permaculture that provides food for onsite consumption, and employs natural water filtration systems. It also trains staff and guests in sustainability with initiatives like “trash walks,” fostering a direct connection to an authentic regenerative living experience.

Radisson Net Zero (Manchester & Oslo): Certified Zero Emissions Hotels
Both hotels operate 100% on renewable energy and are independently certified Net Zero for scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. They stand out for responsible supply chains using regenerative agriculture products and digital, efficient waste management, all without compromising comfort or premium guest experiences.

The Brando (French Polynesia): A Restored and Self-Sufficient Ecosystem
A pioneer in energy self-sufficiency (70% solar plus generators powered by locally produced coconut oil) and deep seawater air conditioning (SWAC) systems drastically reducing energy consumption. They recycle 100% of wastewater, protect island biodiversity, offer educational experiences on conservation and sustainability, and hold LEED Platinum certification.

Singapore: Marine Regeneration and Civic Awareness
Beyond hotels, regeneration encompasses oceans. Singapore is a stellar example, not only for urban green integration but also for ambitious coral reef restoration projects. Through initiatives restoring reefs, educating residents and visitors right on its beaches, and supported by corporate partners, Singapore shows how marine regeneration can engage and inspire an entire metropolitan community.

Zero Waste in Hotels: Innovation in Food Management
Chains like Six Senses and many leading independent hotels implement Zero Waste policies in food management. From precise demand forecasting to reduce surplus, transforming leftovers into compost, and donating edible excess, these programs minimize waste, optimize costs, and enhance reputation. Offering creative, seasonal menus based on locally sourced products, alongside staff and guest training, reinforces the commitment to conscious and circular hospitality.

These initiatives demonstrate that luxury hospitality and advanced sustainability can go hand in hand, combining terrestrial and marine regeneration, radical waste reduction, and genuine well-being where every action counts, and each project can leave a real positive impact.

The opportunity to leave a positive legacy is here with passion, strategy, and action. Let’s talk and make your project an inspiring, transformative example.

Marian Gomez


Marian Gomez Consulting
Fractional Chief Marketing Officer & Strategy Consultant
Boutique Agency | Hospitality, Tourism & Wellness Industry
www.mariangomez.com

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.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


Photo credit: Antonio Araujo @antonioaaaraujo

How to Work with Mr and Ms AI: Your Smart Assistant to Boost Your Productivity

AI has become a handy helper for businesses and professionals alike. However, there’s a lot of confusion about what AI can do, what it shouldn’t, and how to really partner with it in your daily routine.

Think of AI as your trusty sidekick, not a replacement

First off, dear lovers of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any AI, it’s crucial to see AI as a smart assistant, not a boss, coach, or your free employee. Picture it as a virtual secretary that can help you organize ideas, write rough drafts, and handle repetitive tasks. It can make your work faster and help generate ideas or content. But it’s not a replacement for your judgment or oversight.

The real limits of AI’s knowledge

AI has a limited understanding of your world. Even if you give it an ultra-detailed briefing, it will still miss plenty:

• Casual conversations or unspoken nuances that only humans catch.

• The inner workings and relationships within your team.

• Events shaping your industry, both big and small.

• The specific history or context of your company and clients, which isn’t in the data it was trained on.

That’s why AI is an assistant, not an executive. It needs a human to keep an eye on things, review, and correct and basically, to make sure it’s doing what you want and that it’s right.

What can Mr and Ms AI actually do for you?

• Brainstorming and structuring ideas: Helping you organize your thoughts, outline projects, or draft initial text.

• Writing and editing content: Generating emails, reports, organizing ideas, among others. But here’s the catch: if you just hand it over and step back, you’ll notice many outputs start sounding very familiar—“Where X meets X,” “In these days,” or overusing the dash “-” to fill space. That’s your cue to review, tweak, and add your personal touch. Also, don’t rely on AI to solve personal or emotional issues; that’s a shortcut to trouble. There are memes and jokes about this, and Meta even launched AI personas like “Mom,” “Astrologer,” or “Psychologist.” But beware: those third-party AI tools are not part of Meta, and what they offer or advise can sometimes be risky or misleading.

• Data analysis and summaries: Processing tons of info and giving you quick insights or reports.

• Automating routine tasks: Managing FAQs or standard responses so you don’t have to do it manually.

What AI just can’t do

• Fully understand or interpret the nuances of your environment.

• Know internal details that aren't documented or in its training data.

• Make strategic decisions or handle relationships with emotional intelligence.

• Create creative and on-brand social media posts. Don't cry when your copy meets the exact copy from other brands (note the irony).

• And overall, repeat as a mantra: never ask for something that you don't know how to evaluate. You will never know if you are making a silly (expensive and embarrassing) decision.

The secret sauce: human supervision

The magic happens when you review, verify, and adjust what AI produces. Without your oversight, it can spit out incorrect or incomplete info, which can be a costly mistake. Think of AI as your collaborative tool, not your autonomous boss. For example, if you give it a briefing, you need to review and tweak its output to make sure it’s aligned with your reality and goals.

AI doesn’t act on its own—only on your commands

It’s not proactive. AI only works when you tell it what to do. Someone needs to be there to check that its results are accurate and useful. If you step away on vacation and leave the AI running, it will keep waiting but won’t manage anything by itself or adapt to unexpected changes. It’s an assistant (a very lazy one), not a manager.

To wrap it up

Mr and Ms AI can be your powerful helpers, making you more productive. But remember: they have a limited awareness of your actual world. They need your supervision to get things right. The best success comes when humans and AI work side by side, your judgment, creativity, and emotional intelligence in control, while AI speeds up routines and scales your efforts.

Looking for strategic insights to grow your business in tourism, hospitality, and wellness?

Connect with us on LinkedIn and discover how we can help you transform your brand and accelerate your growth.

______________________________________________________________

Marian Gómez

CMO & Strategic Consultant for Hospitality, Tourism & Wellness

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Interested in luxury hospitality and tourism solutions? Follow us at Company LinkedIn

www.mariangomez.com

Creative Tools for Tourism Marketing: A Practical Guide

In the competitive tourism industry, the right digital tools can make all the difference in how effectively you communicate with potential guests. Selecting appropriate creative platforms isn't just about following trends—it's about finding solutions that truly enhance your brand's visual storytelling.

This guide presents practical digital tools that can strengthen your brand storytelling and maximize visual impact without requiring extensive resources. Created specifically for tourism and hospitality professionals, we focus on accessible solutions that deliver professional results even without a dedicated design team.

Intuitive Visual Editors

Tools like Canva and Adobe Express have made design more accessible to everyone, allowing teams without formal design training to create professional-looking materials. While these platforms are powerful and user-friendly, it's important to recognize their limitations—they can't fully replace the strategic thinking and creative expertise of professional designers.

These tools work best as practical resources for day-to-day marketing needs, complementing the more sophisticated work that might occasionally require professional design assistance. For hospitality businesses with limited resources, platforms like Canva and Adobe Express offer an excellent balance of quality and accessibility.

Professional Creative Suites

For tourism and hospitality brands seeking to create truly distinctive visual content, professional design suites offer advanced capabilities—but typically require design expertise to use effectively. These powerful tools are best utilized by trained designers or marketing team members with design experience.

Adobe Creative Cloud remains the industry standard for professional designers, with its comprehensive suite of specialized applications for everything from photo editing to layout design. For businesses working with freelance designers or agencies, this is likely what your design partners are using. Affinity Suite offers a more cost-effective alternative with similar professional capabilities and a one-time purchase model instead of subscriptions.

Unlike intuitive editors like Canva, these professional tools generally aren't suitable for team members without design training. If your business doesn't have in-house design expertise, you'll typically need to partner with professional designers or agencies to leverage these powerful tools effectively. Dynamic Narrative Platforms

Videographic content has transcended its optional status to become a fundamental language of contemporary communication. The ability to articulate experiences through dynamic sequences determines perceptual relevance in saturated markets. Premiere Pro offers unmatched technical depth, while CapCut provides extraordinary accessibility for teams with no prior experience in dynamic visual narratives.

Keep in Mind

Choosing the right digital tools isn't about using everything available—it's about selecting what truly works for your specific hospitality business and team capabilities. Start by honestly evaluating your resources, both financial and in terms of team skills.

Many tourism businesses make the mistake of copying competitors' marketing approaches without considering their own unique situation. What works for a large resort chain may not work for your boutique hotel or local tour company.

The best approach is to start small with tools your team can actually master, focusing on consistency rather than trying to create occasional high-end content that's difficult to maintain. In hospitality marketing, regular, authentic content that accurately reflects your brand will always outperform sporadic, sophisticated pieces in building lasting connections with potential guests.

Choose tools that match both your marketing goals and your team's realistic capabilities—this balance will lead to sustainable, effective visual communication that genuinely represents your hospitality brand.

Connect via email or LinkedIn . The journey toward more authentic engagement begins with a moment of strategic clarity, and I welcome the opportunity to contribute to yours without any investment beyond your time and perspective.

7 Essential User Journey Tips to Boost Your Hotel's Direct Bookings (¡Vamos!)

Did you know that 75% of users abandon hotel websites before making a reservation? Let us dive into how to optimize your hotel's user journey to turn those visits into bookings.

1. Your Website is Not for You

It is for your clients. Stop showcasing that enormous hotel façade in your header and show what your guests really want to see: that Instagram-worthy infinity pool with sunset views.

2. The Booking Button is Your Best Friend

Why hide it? Make it visible, make it big, put it where everyone can see it. Do not be shy!

3. Mobile First, or Game Over

If your mobile site works worse than free airport WiFi, Houston, we have a problem. 60% of hotel bookings start on mobile. Do you really want to lose those reservations?

4. Seconds = Money

5 seconds of loading time = 5 opportunities for your potential guest to leave and watch cat videos on YouTube. Make your website fly!

5. Stop Playing Hide and Seek

• Pricing ✓

• Availability ✓

• Real photos ✓

• Cancellation policy ✓

Everything clear, visible, and easy. Do not make your clients feel like detectives searching for basic information.

6. The Check-out Should Flow

If your booking process has more steps than a dance tutorial, something is wrong. Keep it simple:

1. Dates

2. Room

3. Details

4. Boom ¡Reservado!

7. Credibility that Converts

Reviews, certificates, awards... Display them proudly. When you have got something good, show it off!

Bonus Track: What is Next?

Your website needs to be like that amazing concierge we all love: efficient, direct, and making everything seem effortless. No more magic tricks needed - you need a user journey that works.

The secret? Think less "hotel website" and more "booking experience." Because at the end of the day, nobody has ever complained about something being too easy to use. Add this to your 2025 New Year's resolutions list - your future guests will thank you for it!

Ready to optimize your user journey? Let us make it happen! 🚀

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas!

STOP WASTING MONEY ON TECH: WHY YOUR HOSPITALITY BRAND NEEDS A SMARTER APPROACH

"We need a new app!" "Let us implement AI!" Sound familiar? While luxury properties rush to digitalize everything, they are missing a crucial truth: technology alone will not save your customer service. After witnessing countless failed digital transformations across three continents, I have learned that success lies in a counterintuitive approach.

The Million-Dollar Mistake

Recently, a luxury resort spent $2 million on the latest tech stack. Their guest satisfaction? Dropped 20%. Meanwhile, a boutique hotel investing just $50,000 in strategic customer service tools saw their repeat bookings soar. The difference was not in the size of investment – it was in understanding a simple truth: technology should help people, not replace them.

The "Luxury" Trap

Let us talk about the elephant in the luxury hospitality sector: repeatedly calling yourself "luxury" does not make you luxury. I have seen this firsthand while recently developing brand identities for a luxury hospitality holding in Southeast Asia that was obsessed with the term "luxury hotel, luxury resort." Their reasoning? Beautiful architecture. And while memorable and distinguished design should align with luxury brand identity, it is merely the stage, not the performance in today's luxury or premium hospitality market.

During my tenure as Marketing Director at one of the major hospitality corporations, this was a constant topic in our executive meetings. We all took detailed notes about technological innovations and design upgrades, yet time and again, the human factor proved to be our most valuable asset. I vividly remember witnessing a simple yet powerful moment: our restaurant manager greeting a returning guest, mentioning she had missed seeing them lately and asking about their wellbeing. The way the guest's face lit up with genuine joy - that moment of pure human connection - is something no a nice design or technology could ever replicate.

When Simple Creates Extraordinary

Just today, I received a personal note from a delivery driver. Without realizing the impact of his gesture, his natural customer service created an exceptional customer experience. These authentic moments of human connection are not the result of complex systems or expensive training programs - they come from empowering people to be genuinely themselves while delivering exceptional experiences others.

This is why the most innovative hotels and wellness brands are not just implementing systems to track guest preferences - they are creating unique experiences where human connection is everything. From personalized wellness journeys guided by dedicated healers to curated cultural experiences led by local experts, these properties understand that technology should enhance, not replace, these meaningful human interactions. While a smart system might remember a guest's preferred massage pressure, it is the therapist's intuitive understanding and genuine care that transforms a simple treatment into a memorable wellness journey.

A stunning luxury property without exceptional service is nothing more than an expensive photo opportunity - essentially a museum where guests capture content for social media. True luxury hospitality in 2024 is not defined by your Instagram-worthy infinity pool or your Michelin-star restaurant (though these elements should be part of your premium brand promise). Real luxury manifests when your front desk manager remembers a guest's daughter is allergic to strawberries six months after their last stay. It is about creating those "how did they know?" moments in luxury service that no AI or technology can replicate.

What is Really Happening in Luxury Hospitality?

Guests are not choosing your property for your fancy chatbot. A recent client learned this the hard way after investing in an AI-powered guest experience platform. Their most common guest feedback? "Can we just talk to a real person?"

• Let your staff be human. Use tech to handle mundane tasks, freeing them to create real connections
• Stop forcing guests to download another app. Instead, empower your team with guest insights
• Forget robot butlers. Focus on tools that enhance human interaction
• Simple systems that track guest preferences


Real Talk: A Tale of Two Properties

A luxury resort installed a state-of-the-art digital concierge system. Cost? $300,000. Usage rate? 10%. Meanwhile, their competitor invested in training staff to use a simple guest preference tracking system. Result? 40% increase in repeat bookings and glowing reviews about "personalized service."

1. Audit your current tech stack. How much is actually enhancing guest experience vs. complicating it?
2. Ask your staff what tools would actually help them connect with guests
3. Look for friction points in guest service – solve these with human-centric solutions first
4. Invest in training before technology

Your guests are not impressed by your chatbot's AI capabilities. They are impressed by the staff member who remembered their coffee preference from their last stay six months ago. That is not rocket science – it is smart hospitality.

What is Next?

Ready to stop wasting money on flashy tech and start investing in what actually works? Let us talk about creating a customer service strategy that combines the right technology with the irreplaceable power of human connection.

The real digital transformation is not about having the latest tech – it is about using the right tools to let your people shine. And the best part? It probably costs less than that app you were thinking about developing.

Ready for a reality check on your hospitality strategy? Let us have a conversation about what your property really needs.

Schedule a Consultation

Building a Global Marketing Team: The Art of Flexible Expertise in Modern Marketing

Decades ago, marketing teams were confined by geographical boundaries. Today, as a consultant who has transformed luxury brands across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific, I know the secret lies not in location, but in strategic expertise and team structure. Having structured marketing teams across Asia-Pacific's leading wellness destinations and luxury resorts, one truth stands out: no two marketing departments should look the same. After 16 years in the industry, I have seen both startups and established brands make the same costly mistake – copying organizational structures without considering their unique market position.

The Right Structure Drives Results

You would not run a wellness centre in Bali with the same marketing structure as a luxury hotel chain in Maldives, Australia or Dubai. Your team's architecture should reflect your brand's unique needs, budget reality, and growth stage. A lean, agile team often outperforms a larger, traditional department.

A resort recently hired a sales and marketing director with impressive credentials from the tech sector. Six months later, they were searching again. Why? Because understanding marketing fundamentals is not enough – you need leaders who speak the language of wellness tourism, understand seasonal dynamics, and know the industry's unwritten rules.

Marketing leadership in tourism and wellness cannot be learned from social media or business books. It comes from years of handling real challenges:

• Navigating post-pandemic market shifts

• Managing resort rebranding campaigns

• Launching concepts in new markets

• Building teams that understand luxury travel psychology

Transforming Marketing Teams Globally

Marketing excellence demands a shift in perspective. While traditional models emphasized permanent in-house teams, modern success stems from combining core talent with specialized expertise. In luxury hospitality and wellness markets worldwide, this flexible approach consistently delivers superior results.

The richness of working across the Americas, Europe, and Asia reveals how diverse perspectives strengthen marketing strategies. Each region contributes unique insights - American innovation, European sophistication, and Asian market dynamics come together to create comprehensive approaches that resonate globally.

Strategic Advantage Through Flexibility

Marketing needs fluctuate throughout the year. Holiday campaigns, seasonal promotions, and market expansions each require different skill sets. A flexible team structure allows brands to access specialized talent precisely when needed, ensuring maximum impact without unnecessary overhead.

External marketing specialists bring more than additional support. They offer fresh perspectives, cross-industry insights, and proven methodologies from various markets. This broader vision helps brands stay ahead of trends while maintaining local relevance.

The Strategic Value of Diverse Leadership

Marketing and sales teams benefit immensely from directors and external advisors who bring multi-market experience. These leaders understand how marketing teams should operate differently across regions - from the fast-paced digital environment of Singapore to the relationship-driven markets of Tulum, from the wellness-focused Goa to the luxury-oriented European destinations.

This expertise shapes:

• Team structure and dynamics

• Resource allocation

• Campaign development processes

• Performance metrics and goals

• Talent acquisition and development

When leaders understand multiple markets, they build more effective teams. They know when to maintain core in-house talent and when to bring in specialized expertise. They understand which skills are universal and which need local adaptation. Most importantly, they can guide teams in creating strategies that resonate across cultures while maintaining local relevance.

Building Your Optimal Structure

The most effective marketing teams balance internal knowledge with external expertise. Your core team maintains brand consistency and daily operations, while specialized consultants and experts provide strategic input and execution support for specific initiatives. Whether your organization is restructuring marketing departments, hiring senior marketing executives, balancing in-house and agency resources, or training existing teams, I provide strategic consultation to ensure your marketing leadership drives measurable results.

Take Action

Is your marketing team ready for evolution? Let us explore how to build and optimize your marketing structure for maximum impact. Whether you need:

• Marketing team assessment

• Structure optimization

• External expertise integration

• Performance enhancement strategies

Contact me to discuss how we can strengthen your marketing capabilities through flexible, expertise-driven team structures, and schedule a consultation to discover how the right team structure can transform your marketing performance.

Schedule a Consultation