You're seeing this page as if you were . The main menu is still yours, though. Exit from immersion
Maria ShulaevaMS

Maria Shulaeva

Hospitality Marketing | Brand & Growth

€495/day
Barcelona, ES
15+ years

Average response time: 1 hour

Freelancer profile translated to English.
Back to original language

About Maria

I help hotels, boutique accommodations, and hospitality brands tostreamline their marketing, improve their direct sales, and convert brand, experience, and digital channels into real growth.I am a marketing consultant specializing in hospitality, travel, and lifestyle projects.

My entry-level service is the Hospitality Marketing Check-Up: an express audit ofwebsite, booking funnel, digital channels, Google Business Profile, OTAs, online reputation, and value proposition,with a clear and prioritized action plan.

I haveover 15 years of international experienceinbrand strategy, growth marketing, customer experience, CRM, online reputation, and community activation.I have worked within the sector, leading the marketing for a hospitality portfolio in Barcelona with urban hotels, lifestyle hostels, and international residences.

Among my recent results:+40% in booking intention, +20% in qualified traffic, and -30% in costs.
I also create experiential projects like Room9, a cultural space within a lifestyle hostel with over 80 events, 2,000 attendees, and 40 collaborating artists: proof of how experience and community become a real lever for differentiation and growth.

I can help you with:
  • Hospitality Marketing Check-Up: express audit with action plan
  • Fractional marketing management for hotels and hospitality projects
  • Rebranding, positioning, and brand strategy
  • Optimization of website, direct booking funnel, and customer journey
  • CRM, email marketing, online reputation, and reporting
  • Brand activations, events, and community
  • Strategy for international/CIS market (native Russian + travel experience)
I work best with independent hotels, boutique accommodations, small groups, and travel and lifestyle projects that want to grow with more clarity, structure, and business focus.
  • Russian

    Native or bilingual

  • Spanish

    Fluent

  • English

    Conversational

Can work on-site
Barcelona (up to 50km)

Experience

  • ONIX HOTELS
    Head of Marketing / Marketing Director
    HOSPITALITY
    January 2025 - March 2026 (1 year and 2 months)
    Barcelona, Spain
    Led the global marketing and brand strategy for a multi-brand portfolio of three units with completely different audiences, channels, and business logics. Transformed the marketing department from a reactive tactical function into a structured system for direct acquisition, customer journey optimization, and sustainable revenue growth.

    +40% booking intention
    +20% qualified traffic
    −30% marketing costs

    Room9 — cultural and experiential project. Conceived and launched from scratch a cultural space within Unite Hostel Barcelona, unprecedented in the portfolio. 80 annual events, 2,000+ attendees, 40+ collaborating artists. Direct impact on direct bookings, online reputation, and competitive differentiation against OTAs with minimal investment.

    Digital Transformation and MarTech. Designed and built an integrated ecosystem of CRM, marketing automation, performance marketing, paid media, and analytics to optimize the customer journey and maximize direct acquisition. Led the launch of the new corporate website — complete UX/UI redesign, content architecture, and conversion optimization.

    Brand Strategy and Rebranding. Directed the integral rebranding of the portfolio, enhancing brand consistency, differentiation, and perceived value across all digital and physical touchpoints.

    Community Building. Designed a community activation program for international residences: gamification with internal currency (Beats), own events, collegiate cup, and integration programs. Key tool for loyalty and product positioning.

    Team and Agency Management. Led the internal team and coordinated 3 agencies specialized in branding, SEO, performance marketing, and technology — budget management, KPIs, and reporting.
    Growth Marketing Hospitality Marketing Community Building Marketing & Brand Strategy Marketing Strategy
  • ABLE HUMAN MOTION
    Digital Marketing Specialist
    TECH
    November 2021 - July 2024 (2 years and 8 months)
    Barcelona, Spain
    Built the complete digital marketing ecosystem for a B2B health-tech startup in its growth phase from scratch, with no prior channels. Designed and executed the content, social media, email marketing, and website strategy, focusing on brand positioning, demand generation, and clinical and international audiences.

    Key Results:
    • Social: LinkedIn from 2,000 to 6,000 followers with B2B and thought leadership content; Instagram from 500 to 2,500 with brand storytelling.
    • Email: newsletter created from scratch, 40% open rate (2x industry average) and +18% conversion through segmentation and A/B testing.
    • Website and rebranding: complete renovation in WordPress focusing on UX and SEO, and visual rebranding aligned with the new positioning.
    • International events: brand presence at MWC and Rehab Week fairs.
    Growth Marketing Marketing Strategy Digital Marketing Demand Generation Email Marketing
  • LETO TRAVEL Moscú,
    Founder & CEO
    TRAVEL AND TOURISM
    May 2013 - September 2019 (6 years and 4 months)
    Russia
    Founded, positioned, and scaled a travel agency from scratch for over 6 years, taking full strategic, commercial, and marketing responsibility. Built the brand, digital channel, SEO strategy, online sales system, operational processes, and team, in a highly competitive market.

    Key Results:
    • Revenue growth: from €1,000/month in the first year to €25,000/month in 2019. Over 300 travel packages sold.
    • Team and operations: recruitment and leadership of a team of 5 people. Scaled client base from 0 to 20 recurring per year.
    • This stage gave me a business mindset that I apply to every project today: marketing as a revenue driver, not an expense.
    Digital Marketing Marketing Strategy Growth Marketing Business Management Tourism Marketing

Recommendations

Be the first to recommend Maria

Help this freelancer shine by sharing your experience working together.

These freelancer profiles also match your criteria

AgathaA

Agatha Frydrych

Backend Java Software Engineer

4.7

(3)

2

BaptisteB

Baptiste Duhen

Fullstack developer

4.6

(4)

5

AmedA

Amed Hamou

Senior Lead Developer

4

(2)

7

AudreyA

Audrey Champion

Web developer

4.3

(3)

4

Education

  • Higher Vocational Training Cycle
    Vladimir State Humanitarian University (RGGU)
    2009
    Ciclo Formativo de Grado Superior

Categories