CST462: Sales and Marketing InternAt — Dream Inn Santa Cruz
Dream Inn Santa Cruz offers a unique opportunity for a Sales & Marketing to gain hands-on hospitality experience at one of the Central Coast’s most recognized oceanfront hotels. Students will work alongside our Sales, Marketing, and Events teams and gain exposure to how we attract guests, promote the hotel, support group business, and build brand awareness.
Projects may include social media and email marketing, content development, photography coordination, sales initiatives, local partnerships, promotions, and event support. This project is designed to be both educational and practical, providing insight into how sales and marketing strategies connect to hotel revenue, guest experience, and community engagement.
At Dream Inn, we value creativity, teamwork, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. For a CSUMB student interested in hospitality, marketing, communications, events, tourism, or business, this internship provides meaningful real-world experience in a creative oceanfront environment.
By the end of this opportunity, the student will have gained hands-on experience in hospitality marketing, including social media, email marketing, website content, promotions, brand storytelling, photography and creative coordination, public relations, and local partnerships. They will learn how campaigns are planned, executed, and measured to support brand awareness, guest engagement, and revenue. The student will also gain exposure to hotel sales, including group business, client outreach, proposals, lead generation, and how Sales and Marketing work together to drive overall hotel performance.
Students will receive hands-on training from the DOSM, including an introduction to hotel operations, brand standards, sales processes, marketing platforms, social media, email marketing, website content, and campaign planning. Training will also include guidance on professional communication, client outreach, group sales, event support, reporting, and performance metrics. Students will work closely with team members, receive ongoing coaching and feedback, and have opportunities to observe cross-department collaboration and participate in real-world projects
As an existing Dream Inn employee, the student will already be familiar with hotel safety procedures, emergency protocols, workplace expectations, and guest service standards. At the start of the internship, they will receive additional guidance specific to Sales & Marketing responsibilities, including office procedures, event support, client interactions, and appropriate use of hotel systems and equipment. Ongoing supervision will be provided, and the student will not be assigned hazardous tasks outside the scope of the internship.
Hayden has already requested this opportunity and I have approved it.