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TRAVEL & LEISURE: NEW HORIZONS
NEW HORIZONS
Travel + Leisure targets new horizons in 25th year.
When TrendWest purchased a handful of beachfront apartments for holidaymakers at Fiji’s Denarau Island in 2000, nobody considered it the beginning of an international leader in the hospitality industry.
Fast forward 25 years and the company, now Travel + Leisure Co., employs close to 6,000 associates in its international division and oversees 90 resorts in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Hawaii, and Europe.
Barry Robinson’s 2003 leadership appointment spearheaded a period of aggressive growth, establishing the business as the leading vacation ownership developer outside North America, with more than AU$1.8 billion in assets under management, through pioneering innovations like mixed-use and urban vacation ownership projects.
Robinson led the expansion into Asia, where Travel and Leisure Co. established offices in Singapore, China, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, alongside the Australian office. With sales and marketing sites across the region and a focus on local consumers, the business now has the depth and breadth to expand offerings and enter new markets.
The acquisition by Travel + Leisure Co. in 2024 of the rights to develop Accor Vacation Club strengthened its presence in Australia and New Zealand. The company promptly reignited sales in Australia, opening the door for new members and for existing members to expand their membership. The business also has the right to launch new Accor Vacation Club products in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Türkiye.
“We are poised for a successful 2025 as we expand Accor Vacation Club and Club Wyndham brands in both current and new markets,” said Barry Robinson, President and Managing Director, International Operations, Travel + Leisure Co. “Our dedicated team’s focus and commitment over the past 25 years has established our strong position in the South Pacific and Asia, enabling us to explore new opportunities.”
We are poised for a successful 2025 as we expand Accor Vacation Club and Club Wyndham brands.
Barry Robinson, Travel + Leisure Co.
Globally, Travel + Leisure Co. is fulfilling a strategic priority to become a multi-brand vacation ownership company, through its affiliations with Wyndham, Accor, Margaritaville and Sports Illustrated. “Our global platforms and expertise as the leader in vacation ownership enable us to accelerate growth of the vacation clubs of established brands,” explains Robinson.
After quarter of a century developing resorts in Asia Pacific, Travel + Leisure Co. is also riding high on surging interest in shared ownership. As more people prioritise experiences like travel over owning physical belongings, shared ownership has expanded to sectors like designer fashion, luxury cars and even artwork. Consumers are increasingly seeing the concept as a cost-effective way to try experiences without owning the entire asset, and enjoy professional management of obligations like maintenance, depreciation and storage.
Interest in vacation homes, where multiple buyers reduce their costs and ensure their asset is professionally managed, is rising in Asia. Travel + Leisure Co. vacation clubs provide this concept with greater flexibility: offering members a points-based system, a portfolio of properties, and the opportunity to choose their time – or even exchange their points for stays elsewhere.
“We’ve refined our offerings over 25 years as the market leader, and offer innovations which take shared ownership to ever-greater levels of flexibility,” says Robinson. “Our Asian club, Club Wyndham Asia, offers a shorter 20-year term, the potential to share in the net proceeds of property sales when the club term finishes, and an option for members to forgo use of their points and to have their annual levies waived when they plan not to holiday. The club grew close to 60% last year, indicating people appreciate the product’s flexibility.”
Robinson is confident that as Travel + Leisure Co. prepares for the future, growth will largely come from developers and property owners who see the advantages of vacation ownership in their developments.
“We purchase vacation ownership inventory upfront and this can provide developers a welcome cash injection to commence their projects. When vacation ownership is part of an operating hotel or resort, members contribute to the ongoing operating costs through levies, and a portion of levies are saved for regular renewal of common spaces.
“With occupancies averaging 90% across our club portfolios, vacation ownership helps maximise revenue streams for food and beverage outlets, shopping and other onsite businesses,” Robinson added.
“As we expand in new markets, we see vacation ownership as a key component of ambitious mixed-use developments, alongside hotel inventory and branded residences. Elsewhere in established markets, the benefits of vacation ownership are being fully realised.”
To discover how vacation ownership can suit a development, email development@travelandleisure.com
