Tom Costello is a business owner, sales consultant, and author whose career encompasses more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and travel industries that includes startups, strategic business planning, P&L management, branding, sales, marketing, social media, e-reputation management, technology development, channel distribution, vendor and third-party relations.

As the Principal of Groups International, a meetings and events management company, Tom drives the strategic growth of the company in the areas of sales, marketing, brand image, social media, and vendor relations.

In addition to launching Groups International in 2006, Tom co-developed a patent pending web-based meetings and events solution, iGroupPlanner™ and introduced Hotelmine™, an online direct connect booking channel for hotels.

Tom recently expanded the company's services to include iGroupAdvisors, a performance improvement consulting firm, that enables hotel general managers and sales managers to effectively communicate their hotel's value proposition and generate more revenue through a variety of services that include new business development, the "Mapping the Course" workshop, social media sales mining, online reputation management strategies, and customer assurance programs.

Tom is a recognized thought leader and is the author of "Prepare for Liftoff - How to Launch a Career in Sales".

Tom has been quoted in USA Today, Center for Mentoring Excellence, Hotel Management Asia, TalkHotels, Franchise Times and Monscierge GEM Report Q2 2012 and his columns appear in American Hotel & Lodging Association, HospitalityNET, Hotel Interactive, HotelMarketing.com, eHotelier.com, Tnooz, HSMAI Foundation eConnect, Corporate Venues UK, Hospitality Maldives,Hotel Industry Magazine UK, Business 2 Community, Hospitality News, Hotel Online, World Hotel Magazine, SalesJournal.com, and Starwood Hsyndicate.

His blog, The Advisor Hotel Blog, is read in 103 countries.