Martha Austin recognized for leading Hyatt group sales across the Americas

Martha Austin, director of group sales for Hyatt Inclusive Collection Americas, leads sales strategy for 18 properties across the region and has more than 38 years of hospitality experience. The recognition highlights her role in driving revenue growth, mentoring teams and advancing women into senior hospitality leadership.

Why it matters: - Group sales are a major revenue driver for hotels and resorts, especially for meetings, incentives, conferences and events. - Martha Austin’s role spans 18 properties across multiple countries, giving her outsized influence on revenue growth and commercial performance in the Americas. - Her recognition also underscores the ongoing need for more women to reach senior executive roles in hospitality.

What happened: - Martha Austin, director of group sales for Hyatt Inclusive Collection Americas, was recognized by Influential Women. - Austin leads sales strategy and operations for 18 properties across the region. - She has more than 38 years of experience in hospitality sales leadership, multi-property strategy and revenue growth. - Her work covers MICE and social group sales teams across multiple countries.

The details: - Austin’s current responsibilities include strategic direction, mentorship and operational leadership aimed at maximizing revenue and strengthening commercial performance. - Her earlier career included director of sales roles at multiple properties and work with Crestline Hotels and Resorts. - Austin also served as an adjunct professor at Kendall College. - She spent more than 14 years with Playa Hotels and Resorts in senior leadership roles, including corporate director of sales and director of meeting and incentive sales. - In that role, she worked across an international resort portfolio and partnered with revenue management, marketing and operations on sales strategies, budgets, forecasts and promotional campaigns. - She also strengthened relationships with franchisor partners and property owners. - Austin is known for building high-performing sales organizations, driving revenue and creating collaborative team cultures. - She cites one of her proudest achievements as turning around a struggling social group and tour operator sales team into a high-performing organization. - Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management with a minor in business from Southwest Minnesota State University. - She later earned an MBA with an emphasis in organizational leadership from North Central College. - She is a member of SITE and Women Leading Travel. - Outside work, Austin serves as president of the local Blue Star Mothers of the Upstate, supporting military families in her community. - A profile on Influential Women is available here.

Between the lines: - Austin’s career reflects the rising importance of leaders who can connect sales, revenue management, marketing and operations across multiple markets. - Her comments point to a broader industry challenge: women remain underrepresented in senior hospitality leadership, even as many hold middle-management roles. - Her emphasis on resilience, authenticity and team-building suggests a leadership style built on culture as much as commercial results.

What’s next: - Austin says the industry has more room to create clearer pathways for women to move into vice president, senior regional director and other executive roles. - She continues to focus on developing talent and strengthening sales performance across Hyatt’s Americas portfolio. - Influential Women says its platform is designed to amplify women’s voices through storytelling, thought leadership and creative expression.