From boutique resorts and eco-lodges to high-volume hostels and luxury spas—hoteliers are under increasing pressure to do more with less. Balancing operational efficiency with top-tier guest experiences, while managing fluctuating demand and seasonal swings, requires a strategic approach to staffing, technology, and marketing. At the heart of this decision lies a critical operational dilemma: Insourcing vs Outsourcing.
While insourcing—handling all aspects of your operations in-house—might appear to offer more control, outsourcing has become the preferred strategy for forward-thinking hospitality businesses. And for good reason.
This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, with a strong bias toward outsourcing as the more flexible, cost-effective, and scalable solution—particularly when partnering with experienced providers like The Percentage Company, Thailand’s leading digital marketing and hospitality technology agency.
Firstly, let’s define Insourcing & outsourcing in the Hospitality industry
Insourcing refers to managing all business functions internally. This means hiring dedicated teams for digital marketing, web development, SEO, OTA management, revenue optimization, social media, content creation, payment processing, and more. While this may seem like the most integrated approach, it requires significant investment in time, staff training, and infrastructure.
Outsourcing, on the other hand, involves partnering with specialized external providers to handle these responsibilities. This model provides instant access to expertise, tools, and systems without the burden of recruitment, training, or fixed overhead costs. In the fast-paced world of hospitality, where guest expectations and market dynamics shift quickly, agility is everything—and outsourcing provides just that.
The Unique Challenges Facing Hospitality Businesses in Thailand
Thailand is one of the world’s top tourist destinations, but its hospitality sector is not without challenges. The market is highly seasonal and impacted by international travel trends, geopolitical factors, and global economic fluctuations. Some of the most pressing challenges include:
- High Staff Turnover: Many hotels struggle with retaining skilled personnel, especially in marketing and technology roles, leading to inconsistent quality and rising recruitment costs.
- Limited Budgets: Smaller or independent properties often cannot afford full-time digital teams, analytics experts, or in-house developers.
- Rapid Digital Transformation: Managing OTAs, direct bookings, online payments, channel managers, and digital marketing strategies requires specialized technical skills and tools.
- Changing Guest Expectations: Travelers today expect seamless, digital-first experiences. Poor websites, outdated booking engines, or slow response times can lead to lost revenue.
- Need for Flexibility: With unpredictable seasonal peaks, fixed overhead costs can become a liability. Hotels need to remain nimble and adaptable.
In this context, outsourcing offers a reliable and scalable way to stay competitive while keeping operational costs manageable.
6 of the best reasons why outsourcing is the Smart Move
1. Cost Efficiency and Zero Overhead
Building and managing an in-house team involves fixed costs—salaries, benefits, hardware, software subscriptions, training, and turnover-related costs. With The Percentage Company’s commission-only model, you only pay when we deliver results. This pricing structure is particularly beneficial in seasonal destinations like Phuket, Chiang Mai, Samui, and Krabi.
2. Access to a Full Stack of Experts
The Percentage Company has over 20 years of experience and has worked with more than 600 clients across multiple verticals. Instead of hiring one or two generalists, you get access to:
- SEO & Content Specialists
- Revenue & Distribution Managers
- Web Developers & UI/UX Designers
- OTA & Channel Managers
- Social Media & Paid Ads Experts
- Email & CRM Automation Professionals
- Cloud PMS, POS & Booking Engine Developers
3. Cutting-Edge Hospitality Technology
We don’t just market your hotel—we equip it with tools designed for high performance. Our custom hospitality technology stack includes:
- Advanced Booking Engines with Google Hotel Center integration, online payments, long-stay support, and member portals.
- Channel Manager & PMS Integration (Cloudbeds, Staah, Siteminder, and more).
- POS and Payment Solutions (Stripe, Omise, QR code payments).
- Real-time Analytics Dashboards for visibility into web traffic, booking conversions, guest behavior, and more.
- Enterprise Hosting on AWS to ensure reliability and fast loading speeds.
4. Scalability and Seasonality Management
Thailand’s tourism industry experiences high seasonality. Whether you’re operating at full capacity during December–March or running limited operations during the green season, outsourcing gives you the flexibility to ramp up or scale down without financial strain.
5. Focus on What You Do Best
By outsourcing marketing, technology, and revenue functions to experts, your internal team can focus entirely on hospitality and operations. This leads to better service quality, happier guests, and improved reviews.
6. Data-Driven Strategy and Transparency
At The Percentage Company, every action is backed by analytics. We provide transparent reporting, regular strategy updates, and actionable insights. Our data-first approach ensures that decisions are always guided by performance metrics and guest behavior trends.
Proven Results: Success Stories from Across Thailand
We’ve helped hundreds of properties—from boutique hotels and family-run villas to large hotel chains and wellness spas—boost their revenue and digital presence. Some highlights include:
- Puripunn Hideaway Chiang Mai – Hotel relaunch, full tech stack setup, SEO, web redesign, and revenue management.
- Friendship Beach Resort & Atmanjai Wellness Spa – Full digital marketing package & tech stack implementation, SEO, web design and revenue management.
- The Beach Samui – Full digital marketing, revenue management and tech stack setup and management.
- Aspira Hotels & Resorts – Website development, multi-property booking engine solution, SEO, digital ads & online marketing.
- Astor Hostels Group – Fully integrated online hostel booking engine for multiproperty.
- And many more!
We Work With All Segments of Hospitality, Real Estate & Tourism
Our broad experience across the hospitality industry means we understand the nuances of each vertical:
- Hotels & Hostels: Tech + marketing + revenue = more direct bookings.
- Resorts & Villas: Positioning luxury brands to attract high-value guests.
- F&B and Spa Businesses: Drive foot traffic and increase digital bookings.
- Tour Operators & Attractions: Sell experiences through strategic ticketing and digital reach.
- Event Venues & Wellness Retreats: Targeted digital strategies to fill events and boost participation.
- Real Estate Developers: Marketing fully serviced villas or hotel-branded condos with booking capabilities.
Why Choose The Percentage Company?
- Commission-Only Model: Only pay when we deliver—ideal for seasonal businesses.
- Thailand-Based, Globally Experienced: We know the market, the tools, and what drives bookings.
- Custom Web & Booking Solutions: Fast-loading, mobile-optimized, and conversion-focused.
- Multi-Channel Expertise: We manage your Google Ads, Meta campaigns, SEO, OTAs, and direct channels.
- Tech-Driven + Human-Led: Marrying automation with personalization for real business results.
When is Insourcing the Right Fit?
Insourcing might work if you are:
- A global hotel chain with extensive internal capabilities, scale and budgets.
- Operating in a market with low staff turnover and affordable talent.
- Willing to invest heavily in training, infrastructure, and recruitment.
- Prioritizing full control over digital and tech functions regardless of cost.
Even then, many hotel brands (even very large hotel chains) still outsource components to external agencies for specialized campaigns or technical work.
Final Thoughts: Outsource for Agility, Efficiency, and Growth
The hospitality industry is very dynamic and agility is key. The ability to adapt quickly, optimize resources, and scale marketing efforts is what separates thriving properties from those struggling to keep up.
Outsourcing with The Percentage Company means:
- Faster time-to-market
- Lower operating costs
- Improved digital performance
- Smarter tech integration
- Measurable return on investment
If you’re ready to increase direct bookings, elevate your guest experience, and future-proof your hospitality business in Thailand, reach out to us today for your free proposal.
Written By: Edward Kennedy
Co-Founder & Director at The Percentage Company. I started working on websites in 1997 and have been a full-time techie since 2001. I’m committed to leveraging the latest technologies and digital marketing techniques to drive efficiency & improve online sales for our hotel clients. I have a 20+ year track record of success in growing independent hospitality & real estate brands.
