At the centre of Mallorca’s thriving travel tech industry, Ricardo, CEO of Open Room for the past 17 years, has quietly built one of the island’s most respected hotel strategy and marketing agencies behind the scenes. Seventeen years since taking over the business, his purpose remains unchanged: to empower hotels and regain control of their business through excellence, innovation, and people.

Sitting in his sunny Palma office, Ricardo looks back on the early years, the adversity that forged his leadership and why keeping “human” is the key to Open Room’s success.

A Vision That Began Before Its Time

When Ricardo joined Open Room in 2007, the hotel sector was poised on the cusp of embracing digital technology. People were beginning to make online bookings for hotels and flights directly and conventional tour operators were losing market share.

Ricardo saw this as an opportunity and a challenge.

He understood resort hotels weren’t ready for this new method of selling because he remembers.

“City hotels had already been selling their rooms online, but resort hotels were behind. We wanted to enable them to have their own direct customer relationship.”

And that’s when Open Room was established. An organisation formed to bridge the gap. Between technology and hospitality, enabling hotels to succeed in the digital age.

Developing a Business of Excellence

Ricardo wanted Open Room to stand for more than just advertising from the start. He says,

Being the cheapest was never our goal; our aim was to become the most dependable partner. We are excellence-driven, not cost-driven.

That way of thinking became the foundation of Open Room. Quality and trust are at the heart of every project, client, and concept. For Ricardo, doing things correctly the first time is a long-term success strategy rather than merely a principle.
That philosophy has endured, even during times of crisis.
He recalls,

We were truthful with our team when the pandemic hit. We promised to face it together even though we had no idea what would happen. Even greater loyalty resulted from that honesty.

A Culture Based on Relationship and Trust

Anyone who works at Open Room will tell you that Ricardo is a transparent, calm, and approachable leader. He believes that listening and being approachable are the foundations of effective leadership. Monthly progress reports, quarterly updates, and weekly department meetings ensure that everyone is aware of successes, setbacks and plans. He smiles and adds,

“If I don’t trust my team, then either they shouldn’t be here or I shouldn’t.”

Ricardo insists on preserving human connections despite the company’s expansion and the prevalence of hybrid work.

“You lose the soul of the company if you lose the human touch,” he says.

It is necessary to look people in the eye to resolve specific issues that cannot be resolved via email.

Developing Through Ingenuity

Establishing Open Room Tourist Technology, an internal software division that gave the business complete control over its tools and features, was one of Ricardo’s best decisions.
He says,

“We became independent when we built our own tech. It would be invaluable if we couldn’t guarantee our clients exactly what we deliver.”

Due to its independence, Open Room has been able to innovate, adapt, and move swiftly without relying on outside parties. To help hotels increase revenue and enhance guest engagement, the team continually improves its systems and tactics.
According to Ricardo,

“Innovation isn’t about doing something flashy. It’s about making the experience better for our clients and their customers.”

Leadership and Balance Lessons

With almost two decades in the business, Ricardo’s view of leadership has gone from perfectionism to balance.

He confesses,

“When I was younger, I never stopped working. Now I realise that balance is important. When I’m working, I’m fully focused on my work. When I’m with my family or friends, I’m completely focused on them. The key is to live in the moment.”

He gets his staff to adopt the same philosophy. Flexible hours are encouraged at Open Room, as most employees start at 8 and finish at 4, allowing them to experience life beyond work as well.

He says,

“People are more creative and loyal when they’re happy. Success means nothing if your team is exhausted.”

For Ricardo, perhaps the most rewarding experience as a leader is seeing workers develop even when they leave.

He says,

“When someone leaves Open Room for a better job, I’m proud, it means we helped them get there.”

Competing from the Island

Mallorca is not only a holiday paradise, but also a hub for travel technology. Major global brands, such as Melia, Iberostar, and Barceló, have their headquarters here, and it is a highly competitive marketplace.

Mallorca is like Silicon Valley for travel tech,” Ricardo states. “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.

That competition keeps Open Room competitive, but it also makes talent acquisition and retention more difficult. Developers and designers are highly sought after, so Ricardo looks for more than just technical skills.

According to Ricardo,

”You can train technology, but you can’t train attitude and attitude is everything.”

The Future: Humanity and Adapting with AI

Ricardo sees great potential as artificial intelligence starts to change the industry, but he also sees a distinct boundary.
According to him,

“AI will make us faster and more efficient, but it won’t replace people. When technology and people collaborate, the real change will occur.”

He thinks that in addition to innovation, leaders now need to prioritise mental health and personal development.
He goes on to say,

“The next transformation will be human, not just technological; real progress occurs there.”

The Conclusion

His narrative demonstrates that excellence is a method of doing things rather than a destination.
He advises,

“Be in the present at all times and never forget that one wise choice at a time is the foundation of success.”

Leading with purpose is exemplified by Ricardo’s experience with Open Room. He has now established a business based on principles, trust and human connection in a field that is fixated on speed and scale, demonstrating that integrity always prevails in both business and life.