Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer at Newport Hospitality Group, Whitney Altizer, joins the Suite Spot within the newest episode of TMG Hospitality Trailblazers to offer audiences a detailed have a look at what makes the Newport portfolio and model distinctive within the hospitality trade and why social media is important to a lodge’s success within the digital age.
Ryan Embree:Welcome to Suite Spot, the place hoteliers examine in, and we try what’s trending in lodge advertising and marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Howdy everybody. Welcome to a different episode of The Suite Spot. That is your host, Ryan Embree. Welcome to a different version of our TMG Hospitality Trailblazers sequence. I acquired a incredible visitor. We really had a chance to satisfy with somebody from the, the Newport Hospitality Group only a couple weeks in the past on the Hospitality Present, however we acquired a model new visitor right here with us immediately, senior Vice President, Chief Business Officer, Whitney Altizer. Whitney, thanks a lot for becoming a member of the Suite Spot immediately with me.
Whitney Altizer:Hey, Ryan, thanks a lot for having me. Recognize it.
Ryan Embree:We’re gonna have a enjoyable dialog immediately. Loads of thrilling stuff and information about Newport Hospitality, however as custom right here on the Suite Spot, hospitality, as we all know, is a kind of issues the place folks can come from all completely different locations, manufacturers, administration firms, and distinctive journeys that led you to the place you’re. So let’s hear about yours, Whitney. Speak to us a bit of bit about your hospitality journey and what led you to Chief Business Officer at Newport Hospitality Group.
Whitney Altizer:Yeah. Properly, I all the time joke that Newport raised me. You realize, I went to Virginia Tech for enterprise and hospitality, after which I moved to Atlanta and labored with Darden eating places for a stint. You realize, and I like the expertise, however I simply determined I wanted a brand new perspective on meals and beverage and the trade basically. So I ended up again in Blacksburg at a full service Vacation Inn that Newport really owned and managed on the time. So 22 years in the past, I walked into that Vacation Inn as a director of catering and gross sales, labored there on property, after which, moved as much as the company director of gross sales, a company income supervisor. Then I used to be the director of Income and Digital. Then got here alongside the Vice President of Comms Stratt, which catapulted me to the place I’m immediately which is the Chief Business Officer.
Ryan Embree:Your story is a real reflection of our trade, of what number of aspects there are to hospitality, from all the pieces from meals and beverage to gross sales, to all of the positions that you simply, that you simply held in, in between. You realize, it’s one of many causes lots of people love hospitality is as a result of you’ll be able to actually do something inside it, proper? It’s nearly its personal ecosystem inside our trade, and it’s actually cool to see, and I’m positive that was, you had some unimaginable expertise, which lends you to the place you’re proper now and understanding completely different folks’s positions. That’s what we hear is usually essentially the most profitable hospitality persons are those that acquired publicity to these completely different points of hospitality and type of use that of their expertise immediately. A few of these, hospitality professionals perhaps even needed to, , throughout that, that 2020 period needed to get into a few of these departments that they hadn’t carried out in a minute, and positively shared some expertise there. However, we gained’t discuss that point, however doing a little analysis for this episode, I wanna discuss Newport Hospitality and their story. Proper? I all the time discover it so fascinating once we discuss to those administration firms and types about how they first acquired into hospitality and enjoyable little details. That the origin story actually dates again all the way in which to the 1850s. It goes again method, method far. May you give a bit of background on the early days, perhaps not take us that far, however a bit of bit early days of Newport Hospitality and the way it’s led to the superb progress that you simply guys are experiencing proper now in 2025?
Whitney Altizer:Yeah. Newport, for my part, was constructed on exhausting work, dedication, and two households. So in 1990, we had been formally based by Invoice Carey and Mike Pinger, and however as you famous, the story dates again a lot additional than that. Invoice got here from a ranching and entrepreneurial background and was the good grandson of a person that had constructed a big land in cattle enterprise in West Texas within the 1850s. And that cattle enterprise is what went on to assist fund the beginning of Newport, after which as effectively buy quite a lot of the motels that we at the moment personal.
Ryan Embree:Completely unimaginable. Simply such a singular story. So completely happy that it’s on the web site the place I’m positive staff and and visitors may even examine that out and share that. And led to the place you’re immediately. And I wish to discuss quick forwarding immediately, ’trigger you bought some thrilling information, a brand new web site on the horizon. Speak to us a bit of bit about this challenge and this new chapter, for Newport Hospitality Group.
Whitney Altizer:Web site debut coming quickly. We’re past excited. This has been a labor of affection. There’s been pleasure, there’s been ardour, there’s been divine intervention. We’re simply so completely happy to see it come full circle. Actually the design intention was to talk to our companions, our shoppers, our staff members, however do all of it on the similar time in the identical platform, proper? So we’ve tailor-made this web site in order that it doesn’t matter who you’re or what you’re searching for, you will see that the flexibility to get the data that you’re searching for and the right particular person to work together with , on this present local weather of digital modifications. Its been very fascinating to stroll by this course of. It’s so much completely different than, , 10 years in the past when, once we began on WordPress, proper? Now it’s the AI integration, it’s massive language fashions, it’s search engine optimization. We’re considering all of these issues, however attempting to nonetheless maintain the web site intuitive and fascinating for anybody that will go to it and be searching for data.
Ryan Embree:Properly, it’s, it’s type of, it’s precisely what you stated, Whitney. It’s very fortuitous timing so far as, , ’trigger I’m positive even the way in which that web sites are being designed and type of strategically, , constructed immediately, it, you stated 10 years in the past, I might even argue only a couple years in the past, may be very completely different within the panorama, even with the way in which that persons are attempting to search for data, whether or not that’s, younger hospitality professionals looking for out some background, in regards to the lodge or the tradition that, which we’re gonna contact on right here in a minute, to possession teams and builders which can be, , attempting to search for data. So, nice timing, can’t wait to see it. However on that, that new web site is, is gonna be that various, unimaginable portfolio that Newport holds proper now. And as advertising and marketing folks, we all the time love to speak about what’s subsequent, proper? What’s within the pipeline, what thrilling challenge, what are you, what’s getting you excited proper now about both initiatives or, or stuff within the pipeline proper now at Newport Hospitality?
Whitney Altizer:Yeah, so the largest factor proper now could be that we’re gonna be opening a brand new Resort in Q1 2026. So it’s at the moment below construct proper now. It’s with a associate that we already work with, Andre Hickman and Sanford, Florida. And that is his second lodge with us. We constructed his first lodge. Now we’re getting to construct his second lodge with him. And we’re simply past excited to see that every one come to fruition and have two motels in the identical market with the identical nice associate, . After which after all, our Chief Improvement Officer, Sean, is all the time transferring and shaking. He’s all the time acquired one thing on the horizon. And proper now we’re three potential acquisitions in Virginia, two in Ohio, after which a big enlargement into the Northern Territory. We’re primarily east coast proper now. These usually are not over the end line but, so I can’t fairly say way more than that. However we’ve been very considerate about who we wanna develop with, how we wanna develop, and ensuring that we’re aligned with these companions in order that we’re all strolling collectively on the identical path.
Ryan Embree:Thats incredible. And, , Sanford, proper right here in our yard Journey Media Group’s yard, proper down the highway, proper down I-4 which, which might take a bit of little time relying on, on whenever you’re going. However, uh, however, , so thrilling to see. It appears such as you’ve already may already want some new modifications for that, up to date web site right here quickly with some new properties. So we’ll proceed to regulate that. One other facet that basically stood out to me, , doing a little analysis for, for this episode, in addition to speaking to Brendan on the Hospitality present was the dedication to worker tradition. And I noticed proper now on social media, which you bought an enormous presence on. You’re operating this voice of 35 marketing campaign. I wanna speak a bit of bit about that marketing campaign, however you had been really featured on there, Whitney, and also you shared, we not solely spend money on our folks, however the relationships with our proprietor in addition to the neighborhood. So once more, perhaps discuss that, that voice of 35 marketing campaign, what you’re attempting to perform there, after which increase a bit of bit extra on that, investing in folks, relationships, and neighborhood.
Whitney Altizer:Yeah, completely. Properly, voices of 35 is one thing that we really feel like captures the guts of Newport. It places into phrases why I’ve been right here for 22 years. So the intention was to rejoice the entire 35 yr journey, the those who made it potential internally, externally, after which to mirror on these staff members and their progress. So we’re actually fortunate that on the company stage, we’ve acquired over 10 staff which were with us for 20 to 30 years, so do the maths on that. They beautiful a lot been round because the, the inception. After which simply even inside my division, , quite a lot of the business technique folks have the identical story that I do. Certainly one of my income managers, him and I began on property collectively 20 years in the past doing banquets and catering, and I’ve gotten to look at his journey beside my journey. And that’s simply actually what Newport is, proper? We spend money on the particular person after which we assist them work out what is going to fill their tank what’s their subsequent huge step? What do they wanna study? After which provide the educational, the help, and finally the positions to assist them have a path that’s what they’re desirous about.
Ryan Embree:Love to listen to it. I feel it’s a real testomony to what you stated, Whitney. I imply, having these tales inside your group of individuals there which were there a decade, , 20 years plus is one thing that, , we had a separate sequence ’trigger the hospitality campus crawl, the place we’d communicate to hospitality faculties and educators and speaking about this subsequent technology of younger professionals. And one of many challenges was simply exhibiting that this doesn’t should be one thing that you simply fall into. It doesn’t have to be a profession that you’ve got a summer season job and now subsequent factor , you search for and also you’re 30 years into it, you’ll be able to really pursue this as a 30 yr, 40 yr profession. And having these tales inside your group, once more, simply big testomony and testimonials to the worker type of tradition and growth that you simply’re doing over there at Newport. And it’s, it’s actually paid some dividends. ’trigger clearly you hear that, that time period on a regular basis of completely happy staff equal completely happy visitors. You’ve got a whole web page devoted proper now to a few of the accolades and achievements. I wanna ensure that I get all these cowl all these Marriott Partnership Circle Awards, Hilton Awards of Excellence. Whenever you see that listing, Whitney, in your place, what does that imply to you and the way are you utilizing it over at Newport to type of earn extra enterprise, each on the traveler facet, demand facet, in addition to ownerships and partnerships?
Whitney Altizer:Properly, clearly we’re extremely pleased with these awards. It offers our homeowners the popularity that they deserve. They’ve trusted us with their funding and it affirms that belief. It retains our identify lively and revered within the market. You realize, it, it offers us one thing to placed on the brand new web site. Properly, finally it’s simply as essential to our staff members. It reveals them that their exhausting work actually does repay. These aren’t company stage trophies. These trophies had been gained within the foyer on the entrance desk, within the laundry room on the assemble name. They usually symbolize the regal folks which can be doing that distinctive work. You realize, from a enterprise standpoint, it demonstrates to our perspective homeowners and companions that we don’t simply handle the property, we spend money on it and we spend money on the success. You realize, as a income particular person, clearly sturdy efficiency interprets into even stronger income, which permits us to reward our staff after which additionally present homeowners with larger returns. After I see that listing, I feel satisfaction, validation and proof that what our we’re doing for our method really works.
Ryan Embree:Unbelievable and hope to hope to see extra of these come by and hope for extra updates on that web sites transferring ahead as you open these new properties and have them within the pipeline. However talking of alongside the traces of on-line repute, particularly we type of talked, touched on a bit of bit in regards to the digital panorama of immediately the place, on-line repute just a few years in the past, perhaps a decade in the past, used to simply be, listed below are the remark playing cards and evaluations that I’m getting on my TripAdvisor now. It encapsulates a lot greater than that in terms of repute and a kind of being social media. And I’ve seen you guys have a very, actually prioritize a robust social media presence throughout your portfolio. What position, Whitney, do you’re feeling that social media is enjoying proper now in that traveler’s reserving journey?
Whitney Altizer:Yeah, effectively, I’ll begin with an enormous shout out to Journey media group. We partnered again in the summertime, and, , you’ve simply allowed us to take what we wished to see and translate it. And that has been simply phenomenal for us. You realize, to us, social media is a big position in a traveler’s journey, proper? It’s the primary method that they work together along with your property. So we type of give it some thought in three buckets. So methods to promote, tales to share, after which stars to rejoice. So methods to promote. It lets the visitors see the worth in selecting us. You realize, it highlights the affords or the packages or one thing distinctive about that lodge. Tales to share lets us convey that have to life. So that they get a style of what it appears like to really be on property to the purpose the place they have already got a connection earlier than they step foot inside that constructing. After which, after all, none of that is potential with out stars to rejoice, proper? So that’s the skill to highlight our staff and our, um, our particular visitors and present that engagement and responsiveness in actual time. So to us, social media is, it’s the tangible, interactive method that we permit a visitor to expertise us and wish to come and be a part of us.
Ryan Embree:Properly, thanks. And , it’s a privilege to work with companions like Newport Hospitality Group Whitney, that basically get it. And also you encapsulated it, and articulated it completely with proper now what’s occurring with social media, particularly with the youthful technology that may even use it as the primary place that they do seek for a lodge or a property. And it’s way more now than does one thing look fairly on social media. It’s that feeling that you simply get, proper? And we’re craving that feeling, particularly in a time which we’re gonna contact on in a minute, the place the one factor that AI continues to be will battle with hopefully is emotions, proper? And sentiment. And , what it’s prefer to stroll in by a foyer on a busy, after a enterprise journey the place you’ve had perhaps a delay as a result of the airways and also you’re greeted simply so warmly on the entrance desk and all the pieces is seamless and good. So, , these are the kind of emotions that we, and sentiments that we attempt to seize in social media, as a result of it may create that belief and authenticity, which, which we create. We’re craving a lot proper now. However talking of AI, don’t assume it’d be a podcast in 2025 if we don’t contact on some type of AI and know-how. So how are you and your staff at Newport Hospitality viewing AI and and are you utilizing it to extra to empower your staff, which is a method that I’m listening to lots of people are doing that, or is it to enhance the visitor expertise?
Whitney Altizer:Yeah. Can I say the entire above?
Ryan Embree:Completely can.
Whitney Altizer:AI is just not a buzzword to us, and we’ve woven it into every single day. So it feels prefer it’s regular, prefer it’s a part of what we do and the way we execute issues. We use it in all aspects. So we work with Lighthouse Analytics and that helps us with all of our income administration stuff. And the place there are huge modifications, I are available in each morning and I’ve acquired a bullet level for every lodge from an AI instrument saying, this occurred, you must do that. After which after all, we permit the income managers then to make choices primarily based on all the data. However we use Collibra’s Hummingbird for all of our gross sales information mining. We use Core to speak throughout the lodge to all of the completely different departments. We use visitor going through apps to welcome them and resolve issues whereas they’re there on property. So we’ve simply tried to make it one thing that’s a part of day by day life in order that it feels extra private and continues to be one thing that’s simply an extension of the folks not machine led.
Ryan Embree:Yeah, completely. Properly, and that’s what I used to be speaking about empowering, staff and giving them the suitable information. I feel that’s, there tends to be this development proper now in hospitality the place persons are identical to having this FOMO impact of like, I’m not using know-how and AI to the diploma that I ought to, and my rivals are doing this, or they’re seeing these robots at these, at these reveals which can be doing this and that, they usually have an expectation of the place they need to be. However actually all of these use instances you gave me proper there, Whitney, that’s creating an ecosystem and embracing know-how and AI, and I feel I really feel like might be essentially the most far ahead. You realize, you will be proper now as a result of we’re seeing generally that these robots may fall flat at a lodge. It, it’s a giant splash, nevertheless it’s not serving to the day by day efficiencies of all the pieces we talked about how intricate hospitality is, what number of components there are to it. So there’s quite a lot of use instances in there. And discovering these little methods I feel is gonna be extra impactful than going after the shiny huge AI and know-how that that, that appears so futuristic on the market. And perhaps your visitors don’t reply to that in addition to probably. So I talked about on the high of the episode, assembly up with SVP and COO, Brenda McCoy on the 2025 Hospitality Present in Denver, Whitney, quite a lot of panels centered round challenges to profitability proper now, margins are tighter than ever, particularly in immediately’s local weather. The vacationers feeling it of their pocketbooks or wallets. The place do you assume there’s alternative proper now, Whitney, whenever you see our trade, particularly for hoteliers and homeowners who’re beginning to actually really feel the load of that financial uncertainty proper now?
Whitney Altizer:Brendan and I discuss this with our groups every single day. Clearly operations and business technique are strolling collectively, intertwined, the times of set it and neglect it, they don’t exist anymore. Each lodge, we’ve a really focused plan proper now to go after their enterprise and their particular markets, as a result of each market is completely different proper now. The Strat calls some markets, the philosophy is, okay, we’re gonna use actually aggressive charges. We’re gonna drive occupancy, after which when a DR begins to get well, we’re gonna push up. We’ve acquired some motels the place it’s all about that base enterprise and we’re having a tough time discovering it proper now. And so it’s, what are these new artistic non-typical items of enterprise that we must always go after? Are we okay with the completely different keep sample? Possibly we have to contemplate that L&R down the road that solely has 50 rooms to offer us proper now and, and develop with them. So we work from a income administration standpoint, however then after all, additionally on Brendan’s facet, it’s about payroll and bills and simply managing all of that stuff. Clearly you’ll be able to’t handle a lodge and a profitability, however you’ll be able to actually affect it. And so we’re simply proactive and strategic, and truthfully, we’ve to adapt each day. You realize, the plan at 9 o’clock on Monday morning might not be the identical plan at three o’clock on Tuesday. And we’ve acquired an excellent staff that helps us simply do what we have to do on the proper time.
Ryan Embree:I might argue, and we is likely to be a bit of biased right here, Whitney, however hospitality persons are, we love, we love an excellent problem and ingenuity and creativity comes out in these occasions of problem. And I feel that’s what’s occurring proper now. Can we prefer to clearly like stress about all of these things and perhaps not see the best information popping out? Completely not. However I do assume it’s throughout these occasions the place hoteliers begin to get actually, actually artistic. We increase the bar on our service as a result of we nearly should at that time, and we type of take it up a notch to say, okay, we’re gonna have to essentially combat for that occupancy proper now. We’re gonna have to point out {that a} DR has worth and is price it to our visitors. And we’re we’re gonna get loyalty and get these visitors to perhaps spend a bit of bit extra due to the service that we offer. So, , once more, in a difficult time like this, I’ve been to sufficient of the hospitality conferences to listen to the problems and, however I do assume that there’s going to be some good that comes out of this time, and it’s going to be the administration firms and types that come collectively, such as you had been speaking about Whitney, and provide you with a effectively designed plan and strategic type of cerebral plans to that that basically thrive. And I feel there’s nonetheless alternative on the market. It’s not, we’re not carried out rising as an trade. We’ve been down and out earlier than. This isn’t there, however simply to remain targeted. So, one factor we change subjects a bit of bit to what we talked about. On this podcast, I’ve the privilege of an honor of getting quite a lot of tenured hospitality professionals with ton of nice expertise. I’m positive you might have the chance to work together with quite a lot of youthful professionals. First moving into their, , profession. I’d like to attempt to get just a few nuggets of knowledge from leaders such as you, Whitney, of what you’ll share. What recommendation would you share to the youthful hospitality skilled, perhaps listening to this podcast early on, simply attempting to study in regards to the trade. What would you share with them immediately?
Whitney Altizer:It’s actually easy, Ryan. It’s dwell hospitality, be what our trade is, create a memorable expertise with each particular person you work together with, whether or not it’s a visitor, a associate, a vendor, your personal staff, somebody in your car parking zone. I feel for me, quite a lot of my success has come from having the ability to be a part of all these completely different groups. And so everybody sees I’m keen to do the exhausting issues. I’ll roll up my sleeves, I’ll pour the water within the banquet room. I’ll do something that we have to do to work collectively as a staff and achieve that purpose. And to me, that’s how the belief is constructed. Leaders all the way in which all the way down to the underside proper. And certainly one of my most favourite quotes from Simon Sinek is that management is just not about being in cost. It’s about caring for these in your cost. That’s the essence of hospitality. Care for folks, they’ll deal with the visitors, the proprietor, the enterprise, and in case you deal with one another, you may be profitable.
Ryan Embree:Yeah, I like it. I imply, hospitality together with, once more, being artistic and, and in our drawback fixing, it’s additionally the last word staff sport. Everybody has to kinda work collectively inside that group, inside that lodge and ecosystem to make the very best day. Your a tribute to that, to that story of be open to any alternatives too. Be taught all the pieces, you is usually a sponge in hospitality since you by no means know what your subsequent place is and the abilities are so transferrable, proper? Hospitality, it is likely to be a unique market such as you talked about in Sanford than up north proper now, however the hospitality is identical, it’s nonetheless internet hosting visitors, serving folks, precisely what you had been speaking about, caring for folks. So, love that. Thanks for that, Whitney, in case you can consider it, we’re arising on the top of 2025 and we’re headed straight to 2026. I imply, this appears like one of many, one of many quickest years as we mirror. That is all the time, I like this time of yr, Whitney, ’trigger it’s a good time to mirror on, on this previous yr and we like to look ahead in hospitality, but in addition reflecting again, what would you say your greatest takeaway for 2025 is, after which wanting forward, , what are you most enthusiastic about for Newport Hospitality Group as we go into 2026?
Whitney Altizer:So for 2025, I’d say engagement, proper? Engagement, which means understanding how journey’s advanced and continues to evolve. You realize, we’re sitting in the course of a authorities shutdown and quite a lot of journey delay proper now. So it’s understanding what visitors want, reserving behaviors, their use of know-how, and once more, having the ability to shift, to assist these folks in that second. However it’s additionally engagement in platforms. Newport’s been fortunate sufficient to place quite a lot of new know-how and platforms within the final 18 months. So quite a lot of 2025 was constructed on nice. We acquired the platform. Now that we perceive the best way to use it the very best we probably can, are we getting all the pieces out of it? And, we’ve introduced, introduced in quite a lot of audio system about every a kind of items of know-how to assist us do trainings to make it possible for the final supervisor will get out of it what they want. And the director of gross sales will get what they want and housekeeping will get what they want to make sure that these had been {dollars} effectively spent they usually’re gonna catapult us ahead.
Ryan Embree:Yeah, we had a hospitality skilled on the podcast a pair episodes in the past that simply stated there’s no method you could mentally be an professional in each facet of hospitality, proper? Like from the pH ranges to your pool, to the way you’re sourcing your meals. We now have quite a lot of unbelievable folks and sensible folks in hospitality, however so that you can be a savant with all of that stuff, it’s so difficult proper now and it continues to get more difficult, particularly with AI and know-how that feels prefer it’s altering each single day. So to have these audio system have these professionals to lean on in our trade, so essential. Love to listen to that, that you simply guys are doing that. Want you nothing however success for 2026. We’ll proceed to look at that with all the brand new openings and, and pipeline growth that you’ve got occurring. As we wrap up immediately, we coated so much, recommendation for the younger technology, AI and know-how, social media, repute, all of the above. Any closing ideas earlier than we wrap up immediately?
Whitney Altizer:No, I simply actually respect the time to have the ability to chat with you and we count on to see you with that Consolation Inn Sanford Grand opening.
Ryan Embree:Let’s do it. Let’s, yeah, I might like to be there. Can’t wait to see it. And like I stated, Whitney, thanks a lot for becoming a member of me on the Suite Spot, sharing a few of your insights and experience, with myself and our Suite Spot, hotelier viewers on the market. Excited to proceed to look at Newport Hospitality Group develop and such privilege to be partnered with you as effectively. So thanks Whitney. And thanks for listening. We’ll speak to you subsequent time on The Suite Spot. To hitch our loyalty program. Make sure to subscribe and provides us a 5 star ranking on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Journey Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell with Cowl Artwork by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree, and we hope you loved your keep.
