DECA Hospitality Services Team Decision Making (HTDM) DECA HTDM is a two-person team event covering hospitality and tourism scenarios. 30 min prep + 15 min team presentation. No cluster exam.
DECA Hospitality Services Team Decision Making (HTDM) Practice 2026
HTDM pairs two competitors to analyze a hospitality business scenario and present a joint recommendation. The format rewards coordination, clear role division, and deep hospitality knowledge.
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Event overview
Top 5 performance indicators
1. Revenue Management
Dynamic pricing, yield management, RevPAR optimization, and demand forecasting for hotels and resorts.
2. Guest Experience
Service recovery, guest satisfaction metrics, loyalty programs, and experience design.
3. Operations Planning
Staffing models, vendor management, sustainability initiatives, and technology integration.
4. Financial Analysis
Operating ratios, GOPPAR, flow-through analysis, and capital budgeting for hospitality.
5. Marketing Strategy
Destination marketing, OTA management, direct booking strategies, and brand positioning.
Sample roleplay scenario
Company: Meridian Resorts International
Meridian Resorts has 3 properties totaling 800 rooms. OTA commissions (Expedia, Booking.com) consume 22% of online revenue. Direct bookings are only 35% of total. Guest satisfaction scores vary widely across properties (3.8, 4.2, 4.5 out of 5). Create a unified strategy.
Team member 1 covers revenue optimization: shift OTA ratio by implementing best-rate guarantee on direct site, adding exclusive perks for direct bookers (free upgrade, late checkout), and launching email remarketing to past guests. Target: 50% direct within 12 months, saving $440K in commissions. Team member 2 covers guest experience standardization: implement property-wide training standards based on the 4.5-rated property's practices, deploy guest feedback surveys at check-out, create a service recovery toolkit with empowered front-desk authority to resolve issues up to $100.
Judge's lens
HTDM judges evaluate both individual contributions and team coordination. Clear role division, smooth transitions, and building on your partner's points score well. Teams that talk over each other or repeat the same information lose points.
Common mistakes
- Not dividing the scenario clearly between team members before presenting.
- Both members addressing the same problem instead of complementary aspects.
- Rushing through 30 minutes of prep without a structured plan.
- Not practicing transitions between speakers.
Above and beyond strategy
Reference 'net promoter score' (NPS) as a guest loyalty predictor. Mention 'total revenue management' (beyond just rooms). Cite STR competitive set analysis as an industry benchmarking standard.
Frequently asked questions
What is DECA HTDM?
HTDM is a two-person team event where competitors analyze a hospitality scenario and present joint recommendations in 15 minutes after 30 minutes of prep.
How do teams prepare for HTDM?
Practice dividing scenarios into complementary sections, rehearse transitions, and build a framework for hospitality analysis that you can apply to any scenario.
Does CompeteAI have HTDM practice?
Yes. AI-scored HTDM scenarios with hospitality-specific content and team coordination feedback.
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