Denise Wolf: From snack bar employee to manager of regional accounts
Meet Denise Wolf, Manager of Regional Accounts at H World International, responsible for the Dutch market. Denise's journey in the hospitality industry began at the award-winning Alida’s Smulpaleis, where she developed a passion for hospitality and business innovation. Her career has taken her from fast service in Groningen to international trade shows and the German headquarters of H World International. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Denise honed her skills in sales and account strategies, driven by a constant desire for improvement and innovation.
Her start in hospitality: From snack bar to hotel school
She lived in a small village near Groningen, where she began working at Alida’s Smulpaleis, a unique snack bar named one of the best in the Netherlands in 2017. This snack bar was different from others; it resembled more of a restaurant with a focus on local and organic products and sustainability, similar to Kwalitaria. It was always bustling on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The owners had a hard-working mentality, with hospitality being paramount, which inspired her greatly. They were always innovating and improving. She felt a sense of responsibility, as if the business belonged to all of them. They were a close-knit and loyal team.
This experience motivated her to continue working in hospitality and start her higher education at Stenden University in Leeuwarden. After two years of practical training and her third year with minors in Event Management 1 & 2 in Bali and Thailand, she began her final year. She started with an internship at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam, a brand she still works for.
Practical experience during the pandemic
During her hospitality studies, she gained extensive practical experience, ranging from managing the kitchen to organizing large events like weddings. Her internship at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam coincided with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the hotel was nearly empty, and business activities, including the sales team, came to a halt. Despite this challenging period, she successfully completed her internship and finished her education.
During her internship, she gained valuable experience in market research, providing insight into their competitors and their Unique Selling Points (USPs). She also learned the importance of developing customer relationship management strategies and keeping up with the latest trends affecting their clients.
The role of a manager of regional accounts
At H World International, her official role is Manager of Regional Accounts. She is responsible for the sales of all H World International hotels in the Netherlands. She represents all H World International hotels in the global hotel portfolio, managing the Dutch accounts. She also travels regularly for her job, mainly to trade shows and Germany, where the headquarters are located. In 2020, their company was acquired by the H World Group from China. As a result, they are now one of the five largest hotel groups in the world, with a total of 9,000 hotels. Since February, they have been called H World International, formerly known as Deutsche Hospitality.
Meeting customer needs
Recently, they opened the Intercity Hotel in Breda and plan to open the Intercity Hotel in Leiden on June 20. Within three months, they will launch two important new locations, with another new opening, IntercityHotel Rotterdam – Schiedam, planned for 2026/2027.
They personalize their sales strategies for each individual brand by focusing on the unique desires and needs of their customers.
H World International includes a total of 9 brands: Steigenberger Icons, Steigenberger Porsche Design Hotels, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, House of Beats, Jaz in the City, MAXX, IntercityHotel, Zleep Hotels, and Ji Hotel. With a large hotel portfolio ranging from economy to five-star-plus hotels, they have suitable options for every budget and can serve every customer.
The future of sales in the hotel industry
According to Denise, the future of sales in the hotel industry will be heavily influenced by technological developments, especially through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI will play a larger role in sales, from panels within GDS to automating lead generation and customer interactions. Outdated systems in the hospitality industry urgently need modernization. With AI, certain tasks can be taken over, allowing them to focus on strengthening customer relationships and deploying their sales team more efficiently.
Inspiration and mentorship
Maria Hänsel played a crucial role in Denise's career development. Her first experience in the hotel industry was during her final internship with Maria. This internship marked the beginning of her career. Unfortunately, she had to leave due to the impact of the pandemic. Maria later offered her a job within Deutsche Hospitality, not only for Steigenberger but for the entire chain. Under her guidance, she was able to further develop, reaching her previous position as senior expert. After a restructuring, Maria moved to another team within H World International. Denise remained with the team in the Netherlands and faced a new challenge, working independently for an extended period.
It was a challenging time, especially as hotels were recovering from the pandemic. She learned a lot by working independently, with support from colleagues and managers remotely. Working without a direct supervisor nearby was quite an experience, especially since her manager was in Germany, and communication was mainly through digital channels.
Finally, her advice to others pursuing a similar career is to be creative, enjoy every role within a company and the steps you take, and always stay curious. What drives her is the constant need for innovation and improvement, both in guest experience and team collaboration.
Are you interested in a challenging career at H World International?