Todd Burbage of Blue Water On How To Create A Travel Experience That Keeps People Coming Back For More
An Interview With Savio P. Clemente
Being involved in the community and in touch with nature. No matter where you vacation and what you do, the heart of it is the nature. Blue Water is committed to care of the land and communities we are a part of. We take sustainable action and work with regulatory agencies in every step of development and operations to ensure that we are creating and maintaining extraordinary destinations with minimal environmental impact. We love nature, and we want our guests, and our children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy the beauty of the natural world for years to come.
As part of my series about “How To Create A Travel Experience That Keeps People Coming Back For More”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Todd Burbage.
Blue Water is a leading hospitality development management group for hotels, campgrounds, and resort attractions. As CEO, Todd Burbage grows and expands the company’s diverse portfolio of properties and is forging the future of Blue Water. Todd leads Blue Water with an infectious sense of energy and passion, and continuously inspires his team to strive for the future.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
My specific career path was the result of the 2008 financial crisis. We were in the residential housing business, and we had purchased a waterfront campground called Castaways RV Resort & Campground in Berlin, MD. We had purchased this property because it was a magnificent piece of waterfront real estate. At that time, we weren’t in the outdoor hospitality business at all. We were more focused on residential housing and had purchased the property because you could put houses there, and that was our plan. It was in rough shape when we bought it. But we got in there and fixed it up, and ran it for a while, and discovered it was a profitable business. As a result of the financial crisis, the resort transitioned from partially residential to fully recreational, and so we switched gears and found ourselves in the camping and outdoor hospitality industry.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I’ve had so many in my career path, from mentors in college to colleagues and friends in the business world. In the business world, my father Jack gave me all the opportunities in the world. Not necessarily making the decisions, but giving us the opportunity to do whatever we could dream up, whether it was in business or life in general. He always goes out of the way to give opportunities to others. Jack played a big role and gave me the opportunities to grow into who I am today, and it’s been an honor to be able to do that for others.
Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?
The secret sauce to our magic is threefold. The very first thing is that every single property we have, no matter where it is, functions as an all-inclusive resort. So by way of example, Ocean City has 115 hotels, and we’re competing with 115 other properties. We make our properties extra special in the sense that we develop them into resorts where people can get concierge services, free access to beach chairs and umbrellas, provide free transportation, and access to all the greatest amenities, not just at our resort, but within the community that the guest is staying in. We bring the all-encompassing resort experience to any property we have, whether it’s a five-star waterfront hotel, or one of our campgrounds in the mountains of Tennessee. We always bring that level of service to our guests. The second innovation that has become a massive initiative for us has been providing a pristine, cheerful environment to our guests. We can’t control a lot of things in this world. We can’t control if a guest is happy when they walk through the front door, whether or not their children behaved during a 4 hour drive, or whatever the circumstances may be. While we can’t control the initial attitudes of our guests when they arrive, what we can control is the environment we are bringing them into. Whether it’s the state of the accommodations, amenities, or the property grounds, we keep those environments clean and beautiful. We go above and beyond to remove any stress and discomfort so that our guests can relax and truly enjoy their getaway at our resort. The third is our people, our staff, and their happiness. You’ll know you’re staying at a Blue Water property by our staff. One of our core values is happiness, and we do everything to make sure that our staff is happy and engaged in their workplace so that they can pass that spirit of joy and fun onto our guests. If we cultivate a culture of happiness and make sure the resort is clean and comfortable, even if you come to us with a frown, you’ll be leaving with a smile.
Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation and how do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?
Our innovations serve the purpose of creating destinations that guests will want to return to year after year. We add new elements to our properties every year. When guests arrive at a destination, they automatically want to see what’s new and different and engage with that. So we’re always bringing something new and fun to the table, whether it’s weekly bonfires on the beach, free transportation, all-inclusive water amenities, or whatever it may be. We are always trying to up our game. To become better and provide a happier resort climate, the best climate we can provide for our guests. We are always innovating and elevating, while showing a stellar, reliable quality of service.
As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share a few examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?
COVID turned the entire hospitality industry on its head. A lot of it was bad, but there were some positive changes that were able to come out of it. A positive outcome has been that we, as an industry, are all more in tune to the importance of cleanliness. Blue Water has enhanced our policies and procedures to reflect that moving forward, which is a positive and beneficial change. On the downside, we’ve seen a steep decline in international travel, and it is going to take some time to see that recover, as well as with visits to air travel destinations. What we have found is an influx to all of our drive-to destinations where people can get in their car and go down a familiar road and go back to a beach, or a resort or mountain where they used to go as kids that’s familiar. That’s going to be the preferred travel experience for a while. While people aren’t in a rush to jump on a plane and go to Miami or Las Vegas, they are more inclined to get back to basics and travel the way we used to when we were kids, back when we were all stuffed in the back of a station wagon going down Rt. 50 or I-95 for a couple hours, which is why we are seeing such a boom in RV travel right now, and we look forward to seeing more new and familiar faces at our RV resorts in the near future.
You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?
For me, it’s a little bit different than most. My preference is to go to a place where there aren’t a lot of people where I can enjoy solitude and immerse myself in the beauty of nature. I’m an avid outdoorsman and fisherman. I like to go to destinations that are secluded nature escapes with ease of access and a lot of opportunities for nature-based activities.
Travel is not always about escaping, but about connecting. Have you made efforts to cultivate a more wellness driven experience? We’d love to hear about it.
At all of our resorts, we aspire to really integrate the destination with the community it calls home. We love sharing with our guests the local vineyards, museums, rich heritage, and opportunities for eco tours to enjoy the beauty of the local environment as it was meant to be experienced. We provide them easy access to the tools they need to make memories that will last a lifetime, whether that be access to canoes and kayaks for water adventures, fishing gear, you name it. Here at Blue Water, we know that people are naturally drawn to the water, love the water. It’s that refreshing, renewing, revitalizing element that covers most of the world and sustains all life. We provide opportunities for guests to immerse themselves with the healing that comes from the water and help them get back to nature. We love the communities that we are a part of, so we put those communities first, from philanthropic efforts to bringing industry and prosperity to these communities, from our awesome team at the resorts to the fisherman we hire to transport guests on our water taxi. We want everyone around us to experience that joy and sense of wellbeing that comes from knowing you are valued and cared for.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to create a travel experience that keeps bringing people back for more? Please share a story or an example for each.
1. Providing guests with the opportunity to explore wherever they want to go. We offer properties all the way down the Atlantic Coast and as far west as Texas. Blue Water is expanding exponentially and with that expansion comes even more fantastic destinations to offer guests. Whether guests are looking for a seaside adventure or breathtaking views on the side of a mountain, we make those experiences possible.
2. Providing an exceptional level of service. You have to differentiate yourself from the rest by offering a higher standard of service and access to amenities and adventures that guests can’t get at any other destination. We are constantly elevating our properties and maintaining the Blue Water standard of exceptional service. We treat our guests with the same care and respect as we would family.
3. Creating experiences. We are committed to providing experiences for guests to make memories that last a lifetime. We are creating the photo that makes the family Christmas card, that moment of peace that a guest recalls during a stressful day, the laughter and joy that can be heard over the crackle of the campfire, that great adventure that you just can’t wait to tell the grandparents about when you get home. Our guests work so hard to have the opportunity to get away, and we go above and beyond to supply them with everything they need to create that truly remarkable experience for them.
4. Changes that make people want to come back year after year. Bringing new and exciting amenities and experiences while maintaining the spirit of these campgrounds that families have enjoyed year after year. We aren’t interested in change just for the sake of it, we listen to our guests and provide them with what they want and need so that we keep them coming back to provide them with memorable experiences year after year.
5. Being involved in the community and in touch with nature. No matter where you vacation and what you do, the heart of it is the nature. Blue Water is committed to care of the land and communities we are a part of. We take sustainable action and work with regulatory agencies in every step of development and operations to ensure that we are creating and maintaining extraordinary destinations with minimal environmental impact. We love nature, and we want our guests, and our children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy the beauty of the natural world for years to come.
Can you share with our readers how you have used your success to bring goodness to the world?
This isn’t just an accolade to me, but to the entire team that makes it all possible. The success that we have generated has been because everyone on the team is giving their all. Here at Blue Water, we have a tradition of giving back through our Blue Water Gives Back philanthropic initiatives. That’s just a small hint of what we have been able to achieve and give back to our communities. Just recently, we donated to YMCA of Northampton County in the Eastern Shore of Virginia, an organization that’s doing a lot of good for the underserved in that community, and to Diakonia of Ocean City, MD to help the unhoused of our hometown. Just this past Sunday, I took my kids to the shelter to adopt a family for Christmas, and the kids and I went and picked out toys for them. They had more fun doing that than they would picking out toys for themselves. I want my kids to learn the value of giving back and pass that on. We also hold fundraisers at our properties to help out any non-profits in the area where there is a need. Whether it’s in our home state of Maryland, Key West, or anywhere in between. We are working to touch the lives of the communities that bring us and our guests so much joy. Help starts at home, and we do whatever we can in our Blue Water ecosystem, going above and beyond to lift up our employees and our neighbors. We’ve also heavily prioritized the happiness and wellness of our employees at Blue Water, striving to ensure that each team member feels valued with comprehensive benefits and rewards. We look after our own and make sure that our team members have all the tools they need to thrive. We do it because we recognize that the most valuable thing we have is our employees, they’re more valuable to us than our most sought-after oceanfront hotel. So when you start with that basis, you can do some pretty magical things.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Success in life is all about access, right? If I can provide people closer access to nature, more access to education, if I can provide people access to see the good in the world, that makes the world a better place. That’s what my father did for me, and that’s what I want to do for others. I try to help everywhere we go and provide everyone with the access they need to succeed and thrive. That’s what it’s all about, getting people to go wherever their imagination or heart wants to take them. We support that at Blue Water. You’ll see me outside the office picking up trash, because if I’m not willing to do it, why should I expect anyone else to? It’s all about giving back, about leadership from the bottom up rather than top down. It’s about leading by example and believing in the best in people so they can believe in the best of themselves and go on to do extraordinary things.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Readers can follow Blue Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or visit our website.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
