Sales • Aug 1, 2025
When Marketing Is the Frontline: How Leading Brands Are Using Immersive to Stay Competitive
By Chelsea Mullin, VP of Marketing & Communications, Visiting Media
As hotel brands and management companies begin the annual exercise of corporate budget planning, we’re seeing a familiar tension rise to the surface: Where do we invest, and where do we cut?
About 93% of hoteliers have seen significant improvements in efficiency with technology adoption Embracing Hotel Automation in 2025.[1]
In years of economic flux, marketing is often one of the first departments asked to “trim the fat.” But in reality, marketing—particularly immersive, conversion-ready content—isn’t a luxury. It’s the frontline. It’s where buying decisions are made, where brands show up (or don’t), and where revenue paths either expand or evaporate.
I’ve been in hospitality marketing for over a decade, and I’ve never seen a moment like this. My peers in the industry are saying the same. Leading hotel brands are changing their approach. Here’s how.
They’re Protecting Revenue Infrastructure, Not Just Reducing Expenses
More corporate teams are starting to recognize that immersive content isn’t decorative. It’s strategic infrastructure.
From virtual site tours that close $500K group bookings without an in-person visit, to immersive website experiences that drive ADR and convert direct bookings—marketing is often the deciding factor between winning the guest or losing them.
And in many cases, it’s the one part of the tech stack that shows measurable lift across multiple revenue streams:
- Group sales
- Leisure bookings
- Wedding and event revenue
- Upsells at the front desk and driving ancillary revenue
- Pre-opening sales and marketing visuals
They’re Budgeting for Tools That Scale With Lean Teams
In an era of reduced headcount and high turnover, efficiency matters just as much as impact.
Most hotel sales teams spend just 30% of their time selling [2], meaning 70% is spent on non-selling activities.
Corporate teams are investing in platforms that don’t just help hotels look better—but sell smarter. Immersive platforms like Visiting Media are replacing dozens of repetitive in-person tours, providing centralized brand control, and shortening the time to “yes” across multiple channels.
The goal isn’t just to keep budgets flat—it’s to make them work harder.
They’re Enabling Properties to Sell Like Corporate Wants Them To
It’s not just about allocating the budget. It’s about enabling execution.
Corporate leaders are baking immersive selling tools into their 2026 budget guidance because they know that without consistent visual assets and efficient ways to streamline their team’s workflows, local properties are left scrambling. And the result? Inconsistent guest experiences, slower sales cycles, and missed revenue.
The smartest brands are asking:
How do we give every GM, every DOSM, every revenue leader the tools to sell on day one—and do it on brand?
They’re Using Budget Season as a Strategic Moment to Explore, Not Commit
Here’s the shift I hope more teams embrace this year: Budget season doesn’t need to be a final decision point—it’s a discovery moment.
Whether or not a platform like Visiting Media is an immediate “yes,” this is the time to explore, understand pricing, and know which of your competitors are already using it. So when the budget review happens—you’ve already done the work.
Final Take:
This year, instead of asking “what can we cut?”, many leading brands are asking,
“What can we protect?” or “What do we need to stay competitive?”
And increasingly, the answer includes immersive content, virtual selling tools, and platforms that multiply your marketing impact.
If you’re looking for a starting point, our teams are here to help corporate leaders advocate for immersive selling tech in their 2026 guidance planning. It’s a smart first step—no commitment needed. Because we would love to share what options are out there to help your hotels stay ahead of their comp set.
Contact us. Let’s make this year’s budget season a moment of strategic clarity—not just subtraction.
Source
1. Advantages & Success Cases
2. Why Hotel Sales Teams Only Spend 30% of Their Time Selling – And How to Fix It
Sales • Aug 1, 2025
When Marketing Is the Frontline: How Leading Brands Are Using Immersive to Stay Competitive
By Chelsea Mullin, VP of Marketing & Communications, Visiting Media
As hotel brands and management companies begin the annual exercise of corporate budget planning, we’re seeing a familiar tension rise to the surface: Where do we invest, and where do we cut?
About 93% of hoteliers have seen significant improvements in efficiency with technology adoption Embracing Hotel Automation in 2025.[1]
In years of economic flux, marketing is often one of the first departments asked to “trim the fat.” But in reality, marketing—particularly immersive, conversion-ready content—isn’t a luxury. It’s the frontline. It’s where buying decisions are made, where brands show up (or don’t), and where revenue paths either expand or evaporate.
I’ve been in hospitality marketing for over a decade, and I’ve never seen a moment like this. My peers in the industry are saying the same. Leading hotel brands are changing their approach. Here’s how.
They’re Protecting Revenue Infrastructure, Not Just Reducing Expenses
More corporate teams are starting to recognize that immersive content isn’t decorative. It’s strategic infrastructure.
From virtual site tours that close $500K group bookings without an in-person visit, to immersive website experiences that drive ADR and convert direct bookings—marketing is often the deciding factor between winning the guest or losing them.
And in many cases, it’s the one part of the tech stack that shows measurable lift across multiple revenue streams:
- Group sales
- Leisure bookings
- Wedding and event revenue
- Upsells at the front desk and driving ancillary revenue
- Pre-opening sales and marketing visuals
They’re Budgeting for Tools That Scale With Lean Teams
In an era of reduced headcount and high turnover, efficiency matters just as much as impact.
Most hotel sales teams spend just 30% of their time selling [2], meaning 70% is spent on non-selling activities.
Corporate teams are investing in platforms that don’t just help hotels look better—but sell smarter. Immersive platforms like Visiting Media are replacing dozens of repetitive in-person tours, providing centralized brand control, and shortening the time to “yes” across multiple channels.
The goal isn’t just to keep budgets flat—it’s to make them work harder.
They’re Enabling Properties to Sell Like Corporate Wants Them To
It’s not just about allocating the budget. It’s about enabling execution.
Corporate leaders are baking immersive selling tools into their 2026 budget guidance because they know that without consistent visual assets and efficient ways to streamline their team’s workflows, local properties are left scrambling. And the result? Inconsistent guest experiences, slower sales cycles, and missed revenue.
The smartest brands are asking:
How do we give every GM, every DOSM, every revenue leader the tools to sell on day one—and do it on brand?
They’re Using Budget Season as a Strategic Moment to Explore, Not Commit
Here’s the shift I hope more teams embrace this year: Budget season doesn’t need to be a final decision point—it’s a discovery moment.
Whether or not a platform like Visiting Media is an immediate “yes,” this is the time to explore, understand pricing, and know which of your competitors are already using it. So when the budget review happens—you’ve already done the work.
Final Take:
This year, instead of asking “what can we cut?”, many leading brands are asking,
“What can we protect?” or “What do we need to stay competitive?”
And increasingly, the answer includes immersive content, virtual selling tools, and platforms that multiply your marketing impact.
If you’re looking for a starting point, our teams are here to help corporate leaders advocate for immersive selling tech in their 2026 guidance planning. It’s a smart first step—no commitment needed. Because we would love to share what options are out there to help your hotels stay ahead of their comp set.
Contact us. Let’s make this year’s budget season a moment of strategic clarity—not just subtraction.
Source
1. Advantages & Success Cases
2. Why Hotel Sales Teams Only Spend 30% of Their Time Selling – And How to Fix It