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Strategic and Commercial Hotel Management

Code: 103733
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Hotel Management OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Nestor Salcedo Zuta
Email :
nestor.salcedo@uab.cat

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

There are no requirements.

Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Analyse the strategic position of a hotel company by integrating its purpose, objectives, external and internal analysis, and SWOT matrix.
  2. Evaluate the hotel's strategic alternatives by distinguishing among competitive, corporate, and commercial strategies, according to the key actors in governance and decision-making.
  3. Understand operating, ownership, control, growth, diversification, vertical integration, and internationalisation models in the hotel sector.
  4. Apply criteria for strategic implementation, organisation, and control through resources, structure, change management, KPIs, sustainability, and innovation.
  5. Design hotel commercial management decisions by integrating segments, distribution, revenue management, profitability, e-commerce, CRM, data, technology, and artificial intelligence.

Learning outcomes

  1. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  2. Manage communication techniques at all levels.
  3. Manage and organise time.
  4. Work in teams.
  5. Plan and manage activities based on quality and sustainability.
  6. Be able to search efficiently for the necessary information.
  7. Analyse, summarise and evaluate information.
  8. Distinguish, identify and apply the concepts of commercialisation in the hotel and catering industry.
  9. Distinguish and identify the different forms and channels of commercialisation in the hotel and catering industry, both on a local and an international scale.
  10. Interpret and apply general company or organisation plans and turn them into actions of information and commercialisation.
  11. Know how to coordinate operative and strategic commercial objectives and policies.
  12. Understand the relationship between information systems and commercialisation in the hotel sector.
  13. Be capable of carrying out corrective actions in the commercialisation of the service in accordance with existing relations.
  14. Identify tools related to communication of strategic action and market on an internal and external level in the specific environment of the hotel and catering industry.
  15. Apply tools for research and obtaining commercial information in the specific area of the hotel and catering industry.
  16. Analyse and implement a marketing system appropriate to the need of the hotel and catering sector.
  17. Detect areas for improvement in current commercialisation processes by showing new hotel management techniques, with special emphasis on revenue management (yield ), client management and distribution channel management.
  18. Adapt and apply commercialisation techniques to the different business subsystems in the sector.
  19. Adapt and apply commercialisation techniques to the different local and international environments.
  20. Take decision in situations of uncertainty, solve problems and be able to evaluate and forecast the consequences of them in the short-, medium- and long term, especially the most immediate ones.
  21. Demonstrate an orientation and culture of customer service.
  22. Demonstrate a business vision, identify clients' needs and progress towards possible changes in environment.

Contents

Strategic management in hospitality

1. Strategic position, formulation, and hotel governance

1.1. Purpose, values, and strategic objectives.

1.2. External analysis, internal analysis, and SWOT matrix applied to hospitality.

1.3. From competitive strategy to hotel corporate strategy.

1.4. Evaluation and selection of hotel strategies according to the key actors in governance and decision-making: owners, board of directors, executive committee, general management, hotel operator, and asset manager.

1.5. Hotel operating and control models: ownership structures, management, franchising, leasing, asset-light models, and management contracts.

2. Corporate growth strategies and strategic configuration of the hotel portfolio

2.1. Organic growth: hotel openings, brand expansion, repositioning, and asset renovation.

2.2. Inorganic growth: horizontal integration of chains, mergers, and acquisitions of hotel assets.

2.3. Related diversification: urban hotels, resorts, lifestyle, luxury, extended stay, serviced apartments, and branded residences.

2.4. Strategic alliances: airlines, OTAs, destinations, brands, restaurants, wellness, events, and technology.

2.5. Unrelated diversification and vertical integration: expansion into non-hotel businesses and strategic control of key activities in the tourism value chain.

2.6. Hotel internationalisation: market selection, institutional distance, country risk, and local adaptation.

3. Strategic implementation, organisation, and control

3.1. Strategic execution and change management: priorities, responsibilities, resources, timetable, culture, talent, and organisational learning.

3.2. Organisational design in hotel chains: corporate centre, business units, hotels, territorial structures, and shared services.

3.3. Strategic control: KPIs, OKRs, hotel balanced scorecard, and performance review.

3.4. Sustainability, innovation, and territorial value creation: reporting, hotel technologies, intrapreneurship, and strategic experimentation.


Hotel commercial management

4. Hotel commercial management, distribution, and revenue management

4.1. Commercial function in hotel management: sales, marketing, distribution, revenue management, e-commerce, and CRM.

4.2. Commercial organisation oriented towards strategic segments: centralised commercial teams, key account management, corporate, leisure, MICE, luxury, direct, and intermediated.

4.3. Hotel distribution and channel management: direct channels, OTAs, GDS, tour operators, bedbanks, metasearch engines, rate parity, and channel conflict.

4.4. Revenue management and commercial profitability: forecasting, dynamic pricing, inventory, overbooking, channel mix, acquisition cost, and performance indicators.

5. Digital commercial management, data, and hotel technology

5.1. Digital commercial management and direct channel: acquisition, conversion, loyalty, recommendation, website, booking engine, and loyalty programme.

5.2. Commercial technology architecture: CRM, CDP, PMS, RMS, CRS, channel manager, booking engine, and business intelligence.

5.3. Digital commercial performance: CAC, ROAS, bounce rate, booking window, attribution, pickup, pace, cancellations, and scenarios.

5.4. Artificial intelligence and commercial data governance: automation, personalisation, decision-making support, privacy, data quality, technological dependence, and algorithmic biases.

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Tutorials 6 0.24 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 16
Analysis of teaching cases and current news 18 0.72 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 22
Discussion of teaching cases and presentation of current news 9 0.36 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 22
Presentation of the strategic and commercial management case 9 0.36 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22
Lectures with participation tests 24 0.96 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 21
Development of a strategic and commercial management case 21 0.84 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22
Self-learning by reading and studying materials 21 0.84 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 21

Language of instruction: Spanish

The teaching methodology is both theoretical and practical, using methods such as presentations on theories and experiences, case studies, individual and group discussions, and tutorials. The aim is to encourage student participation and to stimulate their intellectual and personal engagement through directed, autonomous, and supervised activities. These activities will be developed and assessed both individually and in teams, and the lecturer will provide tutorials to the teams.

In addition, the course adopts a “Learning by doing” methodology through the analysis of a real case, or “Live Project”, with the aim of bringing students closer to the current needs of companies in the sector. During the sessions, students work in teams to analyse the strategic and commercial management of a company in the hotel sector. They research the company, its key decision-makers, and its corporate strategic decisions, according to the course content. The report and presentation are usually developed in at least two stages: mid-term and final, although this may vary depending on the cohort's level of involvement.

The proper follow-up of the course generally involves the following activities:

1. Directed activities

1.1. Attendance at the lecturer’s presentations and participation through individual in-class tests.

1.2. Presentation and discussion of teaching cases and recent news related to the course content in class.

1.3. In-class presentation of the case of a company in the Spanish hotel sector.

2. Autonomous activities

2.1. Self-learning through the textbook, slides, video links, and other resources available on the virtual campus.

2.2. Development of teaching cases and recent news: reading, theory-based analysis, report, and presentation on the virtual campus.

2.3. Development of a complete case on the strategic and commercial management of a company in the Spanish hotel sector on the virtual campus.

3. Supervised activities

3.1. Tutorial for solving case studies and current news related to the course content.

3.2. Tutorial for developing the case on the strategic and commercial management of a company in the Spanish hotel sector.

Teaching methodological plan:


Week Content Method Normative Bibliography

Hotel strategic management

1, 2 1. Strategic position, formulation, and hotel governance Attendance and participation through in-class tests Evans (2024), caps. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9; Puranam & Vanneste (2016), caps. 1–3
3, 4, 5, 6 2. Corporate growth strategies and strategic configuration of the hotel portfolio Attendance, participation through in-class tests, and presentations of current news Puranam & Vanneste (2016), caps. 4, 5, 6 y 9; Evans (2024), caps. 10, 11, 12 y 14
7, 8 3. Strategic implementation, organisation, and control Attendance and participation in class, and partial group presentation of the hotel case Evans (2024), caps. 13 y 15; Puranam & Vanneste (2016), caps. 10, 11, 12

Hotel commercial management Mid-term exam
9, 10 1. Hotel commercial management, distribution, and revenue management Attendance and participation through in-class tests Kotler, et al. (2026), 15; Hayes, Hayes & Hayes (2022), caps. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 y 10; Fyall et al. (2019), caps. 17 y 20
11, 12, 13 2. Digital commercial management, data, and hotel technology Attendance, participation through in-class tests, and case study Kotler, et al. (2026), 16; Fyall et al. (2019), caps. 3, 5, 11, 19, 21 y 22
14 Final group presentation of the hotel case


Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Cases and current news: resolution, presentation, and discussion 30% 9 0.36 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 22
Class attendance and participation tests 30% 24 0.96 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 21
Development and group presentation of a strategic and commercial management case 40% 9 0.36 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22

The assessment of this course follows the system below:

A) CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

The overall course grade will be calculated as the arithmetic average of the two parts: 50% of the Strategic Management grade and 50% of the Commercial Management grade. To calculate this average, students must obtain at least a grade of 5 in both parts.

Continuous assessment will be carried out in both parts:

1. Strategic Management

The grade for this part will be calculated as the arithmetic average of three activities:

a) Attendance and participation tests in the activities proposed by the lecturer or guest expert in class, accounting for 15% of the final grade.

b) Answers to questions formulated in teaching cases and during presentations and discussions on current news, accounting for 15% of the final grade.

c) Development, submission, and presentation of the partial group deliverable of the strategic and commercial management case of a company in the hotel sector, accounting for 20% of the final grade.

2. Commercial Management

The grade for this part will be calculated as the arithmetic average of three activities:

a) Attendance and participation tests in the activities proposed by the lecturer or guest expert in class, accounting for 15% of the final grade.

b) Answers to questions formulated in teaching cases and during presentations and discussions on current news, accounting for 15% of the final grade.

c) Development, submission, and presentation of the final group deliverable of the strategic and commercial management case of a company in the hotel sector, accounting for 20% of the final grade.

B) SINGLE/FINAL ASSESSMENT

This assessment consists of a final exam, with no distinction between students who have not successfully passed the continuous assessment and those who have directly requested this single assessment through the competent bodies. In these cases, students are entitled to a single assessment in accordance with UAB regulations.

The date and time are established by the Official Schedule in accordance with the academic calendar.

C) RE-ASSESSMENT

This is aimed at continuous assessment students who obtain a grade between 3.5 and 5 in the Single Assessment. This restriction does not apply to students who have directly opted for the single assessment. In these cases, students are entitled to re-assessment in accordance with UAB regulations. The maximum possible grade is 5 out of 10. The nature of the assessment is to be defined. The date and time are established by the Official Schedule in accordance with the academic calendar.


The final grade of the course will be NOT ASSESSABLE if the student has participated in fewer than 50% of the continuous assessment activities and/or does not sit the final exam.


Integrated Use of AI:

The use of AI as a working tool is permitted, provided that the final result reflects a significant personal contribution, critical thinking, and achievement of the course's learning outcomes. Likewise, it will be mandatory to identify the tasks or sections in which AI has been used, indicate the tools employed, and include a critical reflection on its impact on the process and on the final result. Lack of transparency in the use of AI will result in a grade of 0 for the activity.

Under no circumstances may AI replace the student’s academic responsibility regarding authorship, truthfulness, and the quality of the submitted work.

Irregularities in an Assessment Activity

Any irregularity in an assessment activity — academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of AI, unless such use is expressly authorized in the course guide — that may lead to a significant change in the grade shall result in that assessment activity being graded as 0. If the course guide establishes that achieving a minimum grade in a specific assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or if several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course shall be 0. In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against the student who commits any such irregularity.

Bibliography

Normative:

Evans, N. G. (2024). Strategic Management for Tourism, Hospitality and Events. 4th ed. Routledge.

Puranam, P., & Vanneste, B. (2016). Corporate Strategy: Tools for Analysis and Decision-Making. Cambridge University Press.

Hayes, D. K., Hayes, J. D., & Hayes, P. A. (2021). Revenue Management for the Hospitality Industry. 2nd ed. Wiley.

Fyall, A., Legohérel, P., Frochot, I., & Wang, Y. (2019). Marketing for Tourism and Hospitality: Collaboration, Technology and Experiences. 1st ed. Routledge.

Kotler, P., Bowen, J. T., Baloglu, S., & Morosan, C. (2026). Marketing for hospitality and tourism. 9th edition. Pearson.

PowerPoint Presentations, Case Studies, links to videos, and others on Campus Virtual.

Complementary:

Whittington, R., Regnér, P., Angwin, D., Johnson, G., Scholes, K., & Angwin, D. (2023). Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases. 13th ed. Pearson.

Noone, B. M., Enz, C. A., & Glassmire, J. (2017). Total Hotel Revenue Management: A Strategic Profit Perspective. Cornell Hospitality Report.

Furr, N., & Dyer, J. (2014). The Innovator’s Method: Bringing the Lean Start-up into Your Organization. Harvard Business Review Press.

Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. Wiley.

Del Valle, M. (2020). Liderazgo en la Dirección Comercial: Técnica más Talento igual a Triunfo. 2nd ed. T-TalenT.es.

The Boston Consulting Group. (2022). The Future of Sales and Marketing is Here. BCG Executive Perspectives.

The Boston Consulting Group & Google. (2016). The CMO Transformation Agenda: Winning in Digital Marketing. BCG Executive Perspectives.

Software

MS Office.

AI chatbot.

Campus Virtual UAB.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Spanish second semester morning-mixed