Episode #43 Inside the Broken Sales Systems of Hospitality with Cory Falter

In this episode of The Queen of Automation, host Megan dives into an energetic, no-holds-barred conversation with Cory Falter, partner at Lure Agency and president of HSMAI San Diego. Cory shares how he and his team are shaking up the stagnant hospitality industry by helping independent hotels and hospitality vendors move away from a broken, reactive sales culture and into a more proactive, profitable approach.

The discussion highlights how Lure Agency specializes in B2B marketing for independent hotels, steering them away from overreliance on third-party platforms like Booking.com and Expedia that siphon off up to 30% of revenue per booking. Cory breaks down how the hospitality sector, battered by the COVID shutdowns but still largely stuck in old-school habits,  needs to stop depending on external lead sources and start driving direct business. He stresses that the industry’s addiction to intermediaries not only eats away at profitability but also directly lowers property valuations when hotels go to sell.

Megan and Cory also unpack the severe consequences of poor digital customer experiences, using personal anecdotes to illustrate how big brands have allowed user frustration to become the norm. Cory points out that while revenge travel temporarily masked systemic problems, the hospitality space is about to get blindsided by generative AI,  and those who don't adapt will lose out fast.

Boutique and independent hotels are positioned to win because they can act quickly and build personalized, human-first experiences both online and offline, something bureaucratic giants like Marriott and Hilton can’t keep up with. Cory emphasizes that hotels must stop commoditizing themselves through faceless RFP processes and impersonal booking funnels and instead craft emotional, meaningful connections from the very first touchpoint.

He offers Parker Palm Springs as a rare success story: a boutique hotel whose online experience fully aligns with its in-person brand, creating a cohesive and magnetic guest journey. Finally, Cory introduces Lure Agency’s new “Breakouts” program, designed to teach hotel sales teams and vendors how to build direct, relationship-driven revenue pipelines that put them back in control of their growth.

This episode is a masterclass in why standing still is no longer an option in hospitality, and how the ones who embrace digital transformation, automation, and brand experience will own the future.

Connect with Cory on LinkedIn to learn more about how you can drive direct revenue, reclaim your brand experience, and future-proof your hospitality business.