In this article, we interview Pablo Torres, a hospitality management expert specializing in revenue optimization and guest experience. With over 20 years in the industry, Pablo develops innovative strategies that drive ancillary revenue and operational efficiency. He is also a consultant, educator, and LinkedIn Top Voice, recently launching his new book Mastering Hospitality Ancillary Revenue.
Pablo Torres Can you tell us a bit about yourself
Born and raised in Spain, I studied for a degree in tourism at the University of Salamanca. This got me straight into working in hotels while I was still finalizing my studies. I moved to Ireland after finishing university to improve my linguistic skills. That kick-started a period of five years abroad. I spent two of those years in Dublin, two in London, and one in Berlin. During that time I was gaining experience in hotels which include Mariott, Radisson, and Melia. I’d then return to Spain as a front office manager at a 5-star property. Once there, I began taking charge of the property’s revenue management.
My duties included a stint at their HQ’s Revenue Management office
During that period, I felt it was time to further my education with a Certificate in Revenue Management from Cornell University. That endeavor would lead me to complete an Executive MBA at IE Business School. That was the time when I moved from working in hotels full-time to training and consulting. I did so for twelve greece email list years straight, with most of it based in London. That job, helping hotels optimize their ancillary revenue, took me to 30 countries. I trained over 4,000 professionals in more than 300 hotels and projects globally during that period. In 2022 the family and I decided to move back to Spain while I also decided to change jobs. I set up my own consulting firm where I could support different companies and projects.
One of the main projects has been, over this period
Being in charge of TEDUKA training services. TEDUKA is where we run different online training programs such as revenue, coliving management, and onsite training for hotels. I’ve also been collaborating with different educational institutions since 2019. This has entailed lecturing, coordinating, and creating programs and content for them. All part of my aim to spread the word and educate people about all things revenue. What was your first job in the hospitality industry? Besides having worked as a bartender in my hometown when I was a teenager, my first formal job in hospitality was as a night receptionist.
I was starting my 3rd year at University when
I found out that a friend of a friend was leaving her job at the 4-star hotel where she was working. I heard about it and asked her to introduce me to her boss, as I wanted to apply for the job. And the rest is history. What led you to specialize in revenue management within the hospitality industry, and was there a particular moment ignore the invitation message or experience that sparked your interest in this area? I always had an interest in revenue management. However, as part of Gen X, I’ve worked in properties that didn’t even have dynamic pricing. For example, I was working as a front office manager at a 5-star property.
That property was in turn part
A company’s small collection of 5-star boutique properties. And all revenue management from their HQ was done by a single person. Since line data I was working at their largest property, it made sense that we run our own revenue management internally. Internal management would unburden the HQ of some pressure. And that is how it all started. Still working with that same hotel collection, I was asked to temporarily move to Barcelona in order to support their revenue management team’s expansion at their HQ.
