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Mercedes Blanco – Image Credit Lighthouse
Industry veteran transitions to VP Enterprise Growth as part of strategic Lighthouse acquisition
Lighthouse, the leading commercial intelligence platform serving 85,000+ in 185 countries hotels globally, today announced the appointment of Mercedes Blanco as Vice President of Enterprise Growth, marking a significant milestone in the company’s strategic acquisition of The Hotels Network (THN).
Blanco, an accomplished corporate leader with nearly two decades of experience in Travel & Hospitality, brings a distinguished track record of driving growth and building strategic partnerships that create measurable value for hoteliers through innovative technology solutions.
Proven leadership in strategic growth
As VP Enterprise Growth at Lighthouse, Blanco is focused on leveraging the combined capabilities of Lighthouse’s market-leading commercial intelligence platform and THN’s AI-driven marketing personalization technology to drive impact at scale for enterprise clients.
In her previous role as Chief Partnerships Officer at THN, she was instrumental in cultivating relationships with major industry players and driving strategic partnerships that fueled company growth. Her leadership was key to launching and expanding products that empower hoteliers to drive direct bookings.
“Mercedes embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and strategic vision that drives our mission to transform complexity into confidence for hospitality professionals,” said Dave Collier, Chief Revenue Officer at Lighthouse “Her proven ability to build meaningful partnerships and drive enterprise growth makes her invaluable as we accelerate our combined platform’s impact across the industry.”
Distinguished career and industry impact
An influential speaker and relationship builder, Mercedes is a dedicated member of the travel industry at-large. She is an active member of the Sales Americas Advisory Board at HSMAI, member of Global Technology T-100 by AHLA-HTNG, and founding member of Women in Travel THRIVE.
Her significant contributions to the industry have been widely recognized with prestigious honors such as Top 50 Women in Travel by WINiT by GBTA, Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds by HSMAI, and most recently, Top 25 Hospitality Executives to Watch in 2025 by International Hospitality Institute.
A passionate advocate for leveraging technology to create value and a champion for women’s empowerment, Blanco has established herself as an influential voice in the hospitality industry.
Strategic timing amid rapid growth
This leadership transition comes as Lighthouse continues its rapid expansion following the April 2025 acquisition of The Hotels Network, which added AI-driven marketing personalization capabilities to Lighthouse’s comprehensive commercial intelligence platform. The combined organization now serves over 85,000 hotels across 185 countries with a team of 850+ employees.
“The hospitality industry is experiencing unprecedented technological transformation,” said Blanco. “I’m excited to help enterprise clients navigate this evolution by leveraging our combined platform capabilities to deliver solutions that drive real revenue impact and operational efficiency.”
About Lighthouse
Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. Trusted by over 70,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. Learn more at www.mylighthouse.com
