Last week, I met my newest connection, Kelly Salive, via a LinkedIn post where she shared a grassroots hotel recruiting initiative she spends her free time on. Kelly is fellow Task Force Hotelier, specializing in the Director of Sales & Marketing role, but has taken a passionate interest in growing the talent pipeline; a timely narrative, as Skift also launched its State of Talent in Travel 2025 Report last week. Kelly’s LinkedIn post prompted me to reach out to her immediately to learn more, and she graciously took the time to chat with me and answer a few questions.

Follow Kelly on LinkedIn, visit her website at Boutique Hoteliers, or explore the social media links at the end of this newsletter interview.

“Can you share a little about your career path in hotel sales and marketing, and what led you into task force leadership?”
Kelly: My career started with a phone call home after my first post-grad summer at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. I told my parents I wasn’t coming back to attend law school because I had fallen in love with hotels. I was a server in the Emerald Lounge, then moved into a regional sales role with Fairmont in the Rockies, and that path led me to Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. I later opened 1 Hotel Toronto as Director of Sales and Marketing.

I feel grateful for the leaders who shaped me. I worked with people who cared about standards, storytelling, and results, and I had mentors who pushed me to grow. The entrepreneurial spark showed up early in life. When I was 12, I taught myself to code so I could sell TY Beanie Babies online, which says a lot about how I think. I always wanted to build something of my own.

I launched Boutique Hoteliers in September 2024 to help hotels win at scale. Task force leadership fits me. I step in quickly, assess the revenue picture, reset sales strategy, re-energize the team, and build a simple system that holds after I leave. It is hands-on, collaborative, and we have fun along the way, which is why I love it.

“Your grassroots recruiting campaign is such a refreshing approach. What inspired you to start this initiative?”
Kelly: Thank you! It was the result of a few things. This year I kept hearing the same message in conversations with luxury hoteliers. Recruitment felt tough. Many new graduates believed hotel roles were just a first step with no long-term path. I want to help change that story and show real career paths in sales and marketing. The industry has given me a life I love, and sharing how this career works feels like the right contribution.

“What has the response been like from both potential recruits and current hoteliers?”
Kelly: The response has felt energizing. People message to say the guidance feels clear and helpful. Potential recruits send thoughtful questions via TikTok comments about how to start, there is genuine interest. My long-term goal is to mentor young women in luxury hotel careers and build a positive pipeline for the industry I care about. Current hoteliers have reached out with real support, offering to help in any way they can. It has meant a lot.

“You’ve chosen TikTok as a primary platform. Why TikTok, and what has worked well for you there that hotel teams might learn from?”
Kelly: TikTok fits the way I teach. My videos feel like FaceTime with a friend. I keep the tone casual and practical so the content feels like a safe space to learn. Gen Z lives on TikTok, so I meet them where they already are. No hard sell, just sharing my experience with specific advice for them. The biggest unlock has been same-day comment and video replies. I answer comments with detailed video responses, and that level of attention builds trust. People feel seen, which opens the door for stronger conversations about careers. 

“What advice would you give to hotel leaders who are struggling to recruit new sales and marketing talent right now?”
Kelly: Meet people where they already spend time. New graduates scroll fast, and they respond to clear education and real stories. Show the path. Spell out roles, growth steps, training, and examples of people who advanced. Share the upside that attracted many of us. Travel benefits, friendships that feel like family, and global career opportunities. Two friends from my first job in Jasper are standing in my wedding next month, which tells you how strong these connections can be.

I also talk openly about qualities that thrive in hotel sales and marketing. Resilience sits at the centre. To me, that looks like optimistic problem solving and staying kind under pressure. I’m posting a TikTok this week that breaks this down in detail so candidates can self-select with confidence.

“From your perspective, what role should hotel marketing teams play in attracting not just guests but also new employees?”
Kelly: Marketing teams hold a direct line to future talent. In a recent task force role, the hotel’s Instagram had a local audience of around twenty thousand people. That is a warm community. A single on-brand post can invite the right candidates in a way that still feels guest-facing. Keep the visuals and language consistent with the brand and feature real team members. Add a short story about a fun and captivating recent win or a guest moment that your sales team made possible. Seeing the work and the impact is what resonates. I’ve started a second series on Instagram on exactly this, as a supplement to grassroots recruitment – “luxury hotel guest requests” – and it’s presented in a currently viral format for reach.

“Where do you see the greatest opportunities for hotel sales and marketing talent over the next 5 years?”
Kelly: Flexibility in sales and marketing teams is the future. Hotels operate in a traditional space, and the need for skilled talent grows every year. Task force and fractional roles unlock speed. Properties bring in a Director of Sales and Marketing for a defined mandate, and they get focus with a clear finish line. I see strong demand for pre-opening lifts, repositionings, sales audits and corresponding strategy implementation, and short strategic sprints for direct booking growth.

This model also serves the talent side. You choose your clients and your calendar. You build work around your strengths. I work longer hours now, and I feel more energized because I love this lifestyle and I set the standard for my work. The hotels win, and I get to run my own business on my terms – a lifelong dream. 

“What is your advice to current hoteliers who are interested in exploring the task force route?”
Kelly: Start with a plan that covers your finances, pipeline, and positioning. Build case studies, gather references, and define an offer suite that a GM can read in five minutes. Line up two warm conversations before you give notice.

I’ve started a community on Instagram to support new task forcers, at @freelancehoteliers. I’ll be sharing the blueprint with exact steps to launch and scale a freelance or task force sales and marketing business in hotels. It includes templates, pricing guidance, outreach ideas, and a referral network so people can grow together. The goal is a supportive place to learn the business side with clarity and kindness.

You can find me at @boutiquehoteliers on TikTok and Instagram, and @freelancehoteliers on Instagram for the task force community.

Thanks for reading.

If this newsletter was useful, consider forwarding it to a hotel friend or team member.

⚡️ Nominations Open for HSMAI 2025 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization, and Distribution // Hospitality Net

“Every year, HSMAI spearheads an effort to identify the HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization, and Distribution as picked by their peers. Chosen for their creativity, ingenuity, drive, and impressive successes, they are individuals who excel in their field and are at the top of their game.”

⚡️ What is marketing attribution? Models and best practices // MarTech

A nice refresher into the world of marketing attribution, the practice of assigning credit to channels and touchpoints that influence conversions, which helps marketers prove ROI and optimize spend.

Trending news, marketing news, and reports:

▶️ Marriott checks out AI agents amid technology transformation // Hotel Dive

▶️ Booking.com for Business Adds Meeting Booking Integration via Bizly // Skift Meetings

▶️ Apple’s iOS 26 will push most brand SMS into an “Unknown Sender” filter, making quick personalization the only way to avoid being invisible. // MarTech

▶️ Remapping travel with agentic AI // McKinsey

▶️ 2025 Social Media Trends Report // J/PR

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I usually share remote hospitality marketing job postings, but I also include a few other roles to highlight which companies and locations are actively hiring. I find it interesting to see what titles are in demand and where. In hospitality, there’s often a domino effect when someone takes a new role; it opens their previous position and can trigger additional turnover across teams.

Remote:

🌎 Email Marketing Manager | Remote | AFAR

🌎 Social Media Manager | Remote | Hyatt Regency Aruba

🌎 Sales Director, Travel Category | Remote | Yahoo

🌎 Social Lead, Brand & Culture | Remote | Airbnb

In-Person:

🌎 VP Digital Marketing | Hybrid - Dallas, TX | Remington Hospitality

🌎 Senior Director of eCommerce | Plano, TX | Aimbridge Corporate

🌎 Senior Manager AND Senior Social Media Marketig Specialist | West Hollywood, CA | Expedia Group

🌎 Director of Marketing | New York, NY | Park Hyatt

🌎 Director, Client Partnerships (Travel) | New York, NY | Vox Media (NY Post, The Verge, Eater, and more)

🌎 Director of Sales & Marketing | Houston, TX | Blossom Hotel Houston

🌎 Digital Marketing Manager | Dallas, TX | Omni Dallas Hotel

🌎 Digital Marketing Manager | Santa Monica, CA | Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

💼 The State of Talent in Travel 2025 // Skift (subscribers only)

💼 Psychology Says ‘Skillcations’ Are the Most Refreshing Vacations // Inc

💼 Who Feels in Control of Their Career Right Now? // LinkedIn

Tracking the agencies shaping the hospitality industry’s biggest moments while building an ever-growing resource list for hotel marketers. Did your agency land a new client, or are you working with a new hospitality-focused agency at your hotel that you want to highlight? Reply directly to this newsletter.

✅ The Soto Agency Relaunches Rooftop Bar For Hilton Motif Seattle

✅ Magrino Public Relations Named Social Media Agency of Record for Smyth Tribeca, part of Rebel Hotel Company and Lifestyle by Preferred Hotels & Resorts

✅ Orchestra Named US PR Agency of Record for Tourism New Zealand (via O’Dwyer’s)

✅ Orchestra Named North America PR Agency of Record for Baha Mar, which includes Grand Hyatt, SLS, and Rosewood, plus a planned opening of a fourth hotel in 2029 (via O’Dwyer’s)

✅ LDPR Named PR Agency of Record for The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach and The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami (via O’Dwyer’s)

A busy week of conferences last week, with recaps starting to roll in from:

Up Next:

Thank you to Wendy Song Dowling for this week’s Hotel Tactics subject. Wendy is co-founder of Evolusen, an influencer marketing system for hospitality and travel companies. Wendy’s company allows hotels to quickly identify vetted influencers, while also taking some of the heavy lifting of negotiating, planning itineraries, following up on requests, and following through with deliverables.

Not every hotel has a budget for influencer management outsourcing, so Wendy wrote a playbook on additional things to consider when hosting influencers.

A snippet below, with the full playbook available to view at:
The Ultimate Hotel Influencer Hosting Checklist

Phase 1: The Pre-Arrival Foundation

Phase 2: The Collaborative On-Property Experience

Phase 3: Maximizing the Value of Your Partnership

A weekly round-up of fresh inspiration and a closer look at experiential design, sensory branding, and the quiet details that define unforgettable spaces.

experience // Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica
Perched on the cliffs of Punta Cacique, Waldorf Astoria debuts in Guanacaste with 188 rooms, suites, and villas overlooking the Pacific. Blending modern refinement with Costa Rica’s biodiversity, the resort offers six culinary venues, a 17,000-square-foot spa, cascading pools, and family-friendly programming. Designed in harmony with its natural setting, it redefines Pura Vida for the luxury traveler, where sophistication, sustainability, and cultural authenticity meet.

design // Iconic Hotel Lobbies
From London to Dubai, New York to Singapore, the world’s most iconic hotel lobbies are more than entrances—they are cultural stages, social salons, and architectural landmarks. Whether it is Claridge’s Art Deco elegance, The Plaza’s cinematic grandeur, or Atlantis The Royal’s theatrical scale, these spaces embody the essence of hospitality. They set the tone the moment guests step inside, blending design, heritage, and atmosphere into lasting first impressions.

wellness // The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland
Carved into an 800-year-old lava field, The Retreat transforms Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon into a sanctuary of privacy, design, and sustainability. With suites framed by volcanic vistas, private geothermal lagoons, and a subterranean spa offering mineral-rich rituals, the resort reimagines geothermal wonder as refined wellness. Michelin-starred dining and a commitment to renewable energy deepen the experience, creating a place where elemental power and contemporary luxury coexist.

storytelling // Literary Hotels: A Novel Guest Experience
From New York to Portugal, hotels are reimagining hospitality through the written word. Whether it is the Library Hotel’s Dewey Decimal–themed rooms, The Literary Man’s 100,000-book collection in Óbidos, or The Betsy’s Writer’s Room in Miami, these properties transform lobbies and suites into libraries, salons, and creative sanctuaries.

activation // Home Alone at The Plaza
The Plaza invites guests to relive Kevin McCallister’s holiday adventure with a whimsical package that blends nostalgia and luxury. A private limousine tour stops at iconic New York filming locations, complete with a hot cheese pizza in the backseat. Back at the hotel, guests can settle into “one of those little refrigerators you have to open with a key,” order an over-the-top ice cream sundae in bed, and live out the magic of Home Alone in true Plaza style.

Based on a communication method by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the 5.15 is a weekly format designed to synthesize key insights in 15 minutes or less and be read in five. This newsletter applies the same principle to hotel marketing: concise, actionable trends and opportunities curated for industry professionals.

I’m Rachel Watroba, founder of ADCOTO Hospitality Marketing and publisher of The Hotel Marketing 5.15.