Her Story
About Martha
Martha Austin is a highly accomplished hospitality executive with more than 38 years of experience in the hotel industry, specializing in sales leadership, commercial strategy, and team development. She currently serves as Director of Group Sales for Hyatt Inclusive Collection Americas, where she leads sales strategies and operations for 18 properties across the region. In this role, she oversees diverse MICE and Social Group Sales teams spanning multiple countries, providing strategic direction, mentorship, and operational leadership to maximize revenue growth and strengthen commercial performance. Throughout her career, Austin has built a reputation for developing high-performing sales organizations, driving top-line revenue, and fostering collaborative cultures that empower individuals and teams to excel.
Before joining Hyatt Inclusive Collection, Austin spent more than 14 years with Playa Hotels & Resorts, where she held senior leadership roles including Corporate Director of Sales (Above Property) and Director of Meeting and Incentive Sales. She directed sales initiatives across an international portfolio of resorts, partnering with revenue management, marketing, and operational teams to develop annual sales strategies, budgets, forecasts, and promotional campaigns while strengthening relationships with franchisor partners and property owners. Earlier in her career, she served as Director of Sales for Crestline Hotels & Resorts, founded ML Hospitality Consulting to provide hospitality sales training and operational consulting, and shared her industry expertise as an adjunct professor at Kendall College. She earned a bachelor's degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management with a minor in Business from Southwest Minnesota State University and later completed a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership at North Central College.
Austin's expertise encompasses hospitality sales, strategic planning, revenue optimization, multi-property sales leadership, contract negotiations, business development, forecasting, marketing strategy, organizational leadership, and talent development. She is especially passionate about mentoring and empowering professionals to achieve both personal and career growth. Her determination was shaped by early personal challenges that inspired her to build a career defined by independence, resilience, authenticity, and transparency. Among her proudest accomplishments is transforming a struggling sales team focused on social groups and tour operators into a high-performing organization through strong leadership and cultural change. An active industry leader, Austin is a member of SITE and Women Leading Travel and serves as president of the local Blue Star Mothers of the Upstate organization. She encourages emerging professionals to embrace challenging opportunities, viewing them as the foundation for long-term growth and leadership success.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Martha
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to resilience, determination, and the decision early in my life to never allow someone else to define my potential. During college, I experienced a controlling and abusive relationship in which I was repeatedly told that I would never succeed on my own. Rather than accepting those limitations, I used those words as motivation to prove that I was capable of building a successful career and an independent life. That experience instilled in me a strong work ethic, perseverance, and the confidence to embrace challenges, and it continues to inspire me every day to lead with strength, authenticity, and purpose.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received was that effective leaders don’t need to have all the answers. As you advance into leadership, it’s impossible to be an expert in every discipline. Instead, surround yourself with talented people who are specialists in their respective areas, trust their expertise, and empower them to succeed. Building a strong team and leveraging the strengths of others creates better decisions, stronger organizations, and ultimately leads to greater success.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the hospitality industry is to say yes to opportunities, especially the ones that challenge or intimidate you. Growth often comes from stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing experiences that stretch your abilities. Don't let fear of the unknown hold you back—take the leap, trust in your potential, and be willing to learn along the way. Every new opportunity has the potential to build your confidence, expand your skills, and open doors you never imagined possible.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges facing the hospitality industry is the continued underrepresentation of women in senior executive leadership. While women hold many middle management positions, advancing into vice president, senior regional director, and other executive-level roles remains significantly more challenging in what continues to be a predominantly male-led industry. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity. As organizations place greater emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and leadership development, there is an increasing opportunity to create clearer pathways for talented women to advance into executive positions and help shape the future of the industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me, both professionally and personally, are authenticity and transparency. I believe in being honest, direct, and upfront in every interaction, ensuring that clients, colleagues, and team members know they can trust what I say. Rather than sugarcoating difficult situations, I believe in communicating openly while working collaboratively to find the best solutions. Building relationships on honesty, integrity, and mutual respect creates stronger partnerships, fosters credibility, and lays the foundation for long-term success.
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