WANAKA, NEW ZEALAND (2, SEPTEMBER 2021) – Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary-Jane Moffat to the role of Resort Manager at Club Wyndham Wanaka, New Zealand.

Mary-Jane, who has already commenced in the role, has extensive experience in the hospitality industry and is very familiar with the Wanaka region, having worked for a number of THC/SPHC properties over the years, and previously owning and operating her own motel and holiday letting business in Te Anau.

Wyndham’s Senior Vice President of Hotel and Resort Operations, Warren Cullum, said Ms Moffat is an ideal choice to lead the team at Club Wyndham Wanaka.

“Mary-Jane has a wealth of experience, skills and local knowledge gained over her time spent in the region and the hospitality industry,” he said.

Club Wyndham Wanaka is located in a spectacular region on New Zealand’s South Island nearby to awe-inspiring natural wonders including Mount Aspiring National Park, Rob Roy Glacier and The Clutha River.

The resort offers a range of studio, one, two, three and a four-bedroom presidential apartment accommodation along with host of facilities including a café and bar, heated swimming pool with water slide, hot tub and sauna.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA (7 July, 2021) – Some wore onesies, others got snuggly in slippers and flannelette, but all wore their PJs for a day.

Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific staff, Club Wyndham resort staff, resort guests and Club Wyndham members collectively dressed in sleepwear recently holding their very own Pyjama Day to raise funds in support of The Pyjama Foundation, which holds its national Pyjama Day annually on July 23.

With close to 60,000 members, Club Wyndham South Pacific, is one of the region’s leading vacation clubs with 51 resorts across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand, Japan, Hawaii and Europe. Resorts such as Club Wyndham Surfers Paradise set up beds in their lobbies to help raise awareness and encourage pyjama-clad guests to take photos.

The Pyjama Foundation was founded in 2004 to give children in foster care the opportunity to change the direction of their lives with learning, life skills, and confidence. Alarmed at the statistics highlighting poor literacy and numeracy levels of children in care, and how this contributes to a lifetime of disadvantage, founder Bronwyn Sheehan started the Pyjama Foundation to offer hope and a more positive outlook for children in foster care.

Through a simple program known as the Love of Learning Program, volunteers called Pyjama Angels are matched with a child in care, and spend one hour a week focusing on learning based activities. Pyjama Angels read books aloud, play educational games, and help children with their homework. In that time, they demonstrate that this child is valued and loved.

Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Human Resources, Customer Experience and Brand Communications, Bruce Harkness said that staff, members and resort guests had been very generous with their fundraising and had reached their target of $5,000. Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific then matched these contributions to boost the total donation made to the Pyjama Foundation to $10,000.

“Wishes by Wyndham, our philanthropic program was created from the desire to support the communities in which we operate. We are thankful to our guests and members for helping us raise these much-needed funds. Wearing our PJs for a day was a fun way to give back, and we are proud to be able to hopefully make a difference to some 20 children’s lives through the support of this wonderful charity,” said Mr Harkness.

The Pyjama Foundation Founder and CEO Bronwyn Sheehan said money raised through the National Pyjama Day campaign is absolutely vital in supporting the sustainability and growth of the Foundation’s Love of Learning Program.

“The money raised by Wyndham will allow us to train another 20 committed Pyjama Angel volunteers to support 20 more children who are currently on our extensive waiting lists,” she said. “Nationally, there are more than 48,000 children in care and we are supporting just 1,300 children. There is a lot more work to be done and with the support of organisations like Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific we are one step closer in achieving our goal of supporting every child in care.”

GOLD COAST, NEW ZEALAND (2 July, 2021) – The Club Wyndham brand is set to grow across Australia and New Zealand with Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific announcing it will rebrand eight of its managed Ramada by Wyndham resorts to Club Wyndham on June 30, 2021.

Existing Name	New Name	Location
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Coffs Harbour	Club Wyndham Coffs Harbour	New South Wales
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Flynns Beach	Club Wyndham Flynns Beach	New South Wales
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Ballarat	Club Wyndham Ballarat	Victoria
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Dinner Plain	Club Wyndham Dinner Plain Mt Hotham	Victoria
Ramada by Wyndham Perth The Outram	Club Wyndham Perth	Western Australia
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Dunsborough	Club Wyndham Dunsborough	Western Australia
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Seven Mile Beach	Club Wyndham Seven Mile Beach	Tasmania
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Wanaka	Club Wyndham Wanaka	South Island, NZ

All these resorts are primarily utilised by members of Club Wyndham South Pacific and their guests.

A vacation ownership brand of Wyndham Destinations, Club Wyndham South Pacific has close to 60,000 members and 51 resort locations in its collection, with 27 resorts across Australia and New Zealand. The resorts offer a range of quality accommodation ranging from studio to one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments. Club Wyndham resorts are unique in that they offer fun-filled onsite experiences coupled with exceptional customer service.

Inner city properties typically offer e-bikes or scooters for guests and members, while coastal and rural properties offer a host of leisure equipment such as surfboards, paddleboards and boogie boards. There is a hobby farm at Club Wyndham Seven Mile Beach in Hobart while there is a gold mining sluice at Club Wyndham Ballarat.

“These resorts are located in iconic holiday destinations across Australia and New Zealand, and have been long-term favourites of our Club Wyndham South Pacific members. We believe that rebranding to the globally renowned Club Wyndham brand is a great opportunity to create more recognition and continue to raise the profile of our award-winning club resorts,” said Warren Cullum, Senior Vice President Resort Operations, Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA (27 May 2021) – Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific senior leaders will sleep rough to shed light on homelessness in this year’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

The annual event, which takes place on 17 June in Queensland, is held over one night on one of the longest and coldest nights of the year. Hundreds of CEOs, business owners and community and government leaders sleep outdoors to support the many Australians who are experiencing homelessness and people at risk of homelessness. 

Vinnies Queensland Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mercer said it was great to see the Wyndham Destinations team taking on the Vinnies CEO Sleepout challenge for 2021.

“The current rental shortage across the Gold Coast has made working together to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness more important than ever and it’s wonderful to see leaders at Wyndham stepping up to do their part,” he said.

Research shows that by the end of the fiscal year 2021, housing stress on the Gold Coast will increase by an expected 32 per cent and homelessness by 13 per cent, requiring a massive investment in housing and support.

“COVID-19 has certainly been a factor in rising homelessness, leading many people from southern states to move up to the coast and put added pressure on an already competitive market. To help address these confronting statistics, Vinnies Queensland aims to raise $1.3 million through its Gold Coast, Brisbane and virtual CEO Sleepout events,” said Mr Mercer.

From Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific, Liz Collinson, Senior Vice President Legal and Compliance; Liam Crawley, Chief Financial Officer; Kieran McKenna, Senior Vice President Sales and Field Marketing; Bruce Harkness, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Customer Experience and Brand Communications; and Tanya Byrne, Executive Assistant to the President & Managing Director, will participate in this year’s Vinnies CEO Sleepout on the Gold Coast.

“It’s heartbreaking that we have families and individuals living on the streets night after night, and almost incomprehensible during the cold nights of winter,” said Liz Collinson.

“I am proud of our team’s participation in this important campaign, which is aligned with our company’s core values of being socially responsible and supporting the communities in which we operate. We hope to do our part raising much needed funds and awareness to help alleviate homelessness experienced by Australian women, men and children,” she added.

The Gold Coast-based Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) Foundation, has helped kick off the team’s fundraising campaign with a donation of $500. These funds will go a long way to providing emergency accommodation for families in crisis.

In 2020, Vinnies supported Queenslanders through more than 279,000 requests for assistance, providing housing and crisis accommodation for more than 181,000 nights, and supplying $3.7 million in food support for those experiencing financial stress.

On the Gold Coast, Vinnies Queensland is aiming to develop more housing this year to put a roof over the heads of people at risk of homelessness and will expand its support programs to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable locals.

Since 2016, funds raised through the Vinnies CEO Sleepout have helped people in need on the Gold Coast through a number of initiatives and developments, including the development of Rendu House at Arundel, the Hub in Southport, and the launch of Vinnies Queensland’s Cornerstone program – a service that transitions vulnerable Gold Coast locals from homelessness into immediate stable housing solutions.

Donations and registration to the event can be made online at ceosleepout.org.au

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA (20 May 2021) – Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific is recruiting close to a hundred workers, as pent-up travel demand delivers a significant boost for the company’s managed Club Wyndham, Wyndham and Ramada by Wyndham hotels and resorts.

“Our 25 Australian resorts are currently operating at over 80 percent occupancy. We are looking for both entry level roles, and people who are skilled and passionate about providing excellent experiences to our valued resort guests and Club Wyndham South Pacific members. We have roles to fill across Australia in both city and regional destinations,” said Bruce Harkness, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Customer Experience and Brand Communications.

After last year’s nationwide lockdowns, restrictions have lifted and travellers are regaining the confidence to travel once more. Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific, having lost and shed some roles during lockdowns itself, is now offering positions across resort operations, including: food and beverage attendants, front desk staff, maintenance managers, housekeepers and sales professionals.

“Hospitality is a wonderful career offering incredible progression opportunities that we believe more people should seriously consider. We have seen so many professionals grow in our organisation to establish manager, director and even executive level careers, which have, in many cases, taken them all over the world. We are confident lockdowns will become a thing of the past as the vaccine deployment continues and we encourage jobseekers to consider a rewarding career in hospitality,” said Mr Harkness.

Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific offers extensive employee benefits, from paid parental leave to discounted resort stays.  Locations with positons on offer include: The Gold Coast, The Sunshine Coast, Port Douglas and Airlie Beach in Queensland; Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales; Dunsborough in Western Australia: Melbourne, Phillip Island, Ballarat and Dinner Plain, Mt Hotham in Victoria.

“Our resorts are located in some of the most beautiful and exciting destinations on earth and across our network we have stringent hygiene protocols in place to provide our teams with safer, healthier workplaces. Employees can work with complete peace of mind, engaged in fulfilling work, while helping guests create memories to last a lifetime,”
said Mr Harkness.  Interested applicants should visit: https://careers.wyndhamdestinations.com

With widespread job losses and budgets tight, vacation club travel is coming out on top. Club members, having largely pre-paid for their resort stays, are able to holiday freely, and can take loved ones away even during harder times.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA (5 May 2021) – Chaos created by the pandemic has forced travellers to rethink their approach to travel.  There’s a strong pent-up desire to holiday, but latest trends reveal that uncertain times are making the assurance and flexibility of member-based travel more attractive than ever before.

“The best thing about our membership is the fact that we can always travel and family can come with us. Regardless of their financial position, we can go on holiday together because we have the option to book one, two, or even three and four-bedroom club apartments,” said Margit Kilpi, Club Wyndham South Pacific member since 2002.

“We have taken family to Airlie Beach, the Sunshine Coast, Victoria, New Zealand and more. The best thing about our membership is being able to share holidays with loved ones,” said Kilpi.

The purchase of holiday credits with Australian based, Club Wyndham South Pacific has increased mid-pandemic with revenue up nearly five percent for upgrade sales in 2020 compared to 2019.

Barry Robinson, President and Managing Director International Operations, Wyndham Destinations – which supports the development of three vacation clubs across Asia Pacific – says member-based travel is becoming increasingly more appealing to travellers. 

“The concept of member-based travel is growing in popularity right now and has created a very unique position for us. Travellers want to guarantee their holidays in the future so they can enjoy them no matter what financial circumstances may befall them. They want flexible booking policies and choice when it comes to planning, and spaces that are conducive to social distancing, but feature the stringent standards offered by a trusted resort brand. Think multi-bedroom suites, fully-equipped kitchens, relaxed living spaces and an abundance of free activities: that’s what our clubs offer,” said Mr Robinson.

Laura Younger, General Manager, Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council, says that with Australians now emerging from frequent lockdowns, the industry is seeing a huge appetite for travel and a rise in family reunions across Australian club resorts.

“As access to vaccinations improve and consumer confidence levels increase, families are reuniting and missed milestones are being celebrated. Anniversary trips and special occasion trips are also very popular. Vacation club apartments provide families the space to holiday together and create those treasured memories and that’s the beauty of vacation club membership,” said Younger.

Club Wyndham South Pacific has close to 60,000 members and 51 resort locations in its collection, with 27 resorts across Australia and New Zealand.

Smartech’s Thermal Body Temperature Detectors have been deployed at over 32 Club Wyndham Resorts and Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific corporate offices

GOLD COAST, Australia, 8 March 2021 – Over 32 Club Wyndham South Pacific resorts across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Fiji now have body temperature scanners installed throughout their common areas to improve COVID-19 safety measures.

“The health and safety of our guests, Club Wyndham members and staff is of the utmost importance to us. As we navigate life through a pandemic, we want guests to feel confident while on holiday. The installation of these scanners forms part of our comprehensive and stringent hygiene protocols, which are in place across all Club Wyndham South Pacific resorts,” said Warren Cullum, Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Operations.

All Club Wyndham South Pacific resorts and corporate offices across Australia now use the state of the art system which instantly detects abnormal body temperature scanning using precision integrated Omron instrumentation measuring 16 points of upper body temperature inside 1-2 seconds.

Resorts with the technology installed include: Ramada by Wyndham Golden Beach and Ramada by Wyndham Marcoola Beach on the Sunshine Coast, Ramada by Wyndham Port Douglas, Club Wyndham Airlie Beach, Wyndham Surfers Paradise, Club Wyndham Kirra Beach, Club Wyndham Sydney, Wyndham Hotel Melbourne, Ramada by Wyndham Phillip Island, Club Wyndham Wanaka in New Zealand, Club Wyndham Denarau Island in Fiji and Wyndham Corporate Office in Philippines.

“Club Wyndham South Pacific resorts are the first major hotel company to have deployed this level of technology across their APAC hotels and we applaud them for their proactive approach in taking care of the safety of their incoming guests and staff,” said Vincent Nair, President and CEO, SMARTECH Business Systems.

Smartech (formerly Quadient)Thermal Detectors provide contactless body temperature measurements using an anti-glare display with integrated HD camera, utilising both thermal and distance sensors, plus an environmental thermometer to deliver an accurate and consistent reading every time, thus eliminating human error with absolute privacy. “Having a system that is less invasive than hand held thermometers was important to us. We chose this solution because it offered a non-invasive, friendly approach, and we felt it provides the most accurate temperature reading. These scanners work to assist guests as they walk through our resorts. Families can check their temperature at any time in our resort lobby without any contact,” said Mr Cullum.

GOLD COAST, QUEENSLAND (23 March 2021) – Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria Salazar as Resort Manager of its 192-room upscale hotel, Wyndham Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.

With more than a decade of working in the hospitality industry, Ms Salazar has held various leadership positions at mid-scale to five-star properties across Brisbane, including Hotel Manager at the boutique Hotel China, Residential Property Manager at the 645-room FV Peppers Residences and, most recently, at Cavcorp as Building Manager of the award-winning Lucent Gasworks.

Warren Cullum, Senior Vice President Operations at Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific said,

“Ms Salazar is a highly skilled individual with an extensive background in managing properties, making her the perfect addition to our hotel and resort leadership team.

Maria’s extensive experience overseeing mixed-use properties and her understanding of body corporate management is a big advantage to help us further improve the services and facilities we offer at the popular Wyndham Surfers Paradise.”

“Along with her commendable track record developing strong teams, Maria is very passionate about delivering wonderful holiday experiences for our guests. We are confident in Maria’s ability to lead the team in delivering enhanced customer experiences, which our guests value highly,” he added.

Wyndham Surfers Paradise, which is centrally located on Surfers Paradise Boulevard is available to hotel guests and vacation club members of Club Wyndham South Pacific. It offers one and two-bedroom ocean and hinterland view apartments, which each have a spacious balcony, fully-equipped kitchen and laundry. The property features a heated swimming pool, spa, gym, barbeque and alfresco recreation area, lobby lounge, café and restaurant.

In response to ongoing travel restrictions, a host of ‘socially distanced’ resort activities have been rolled out to resort guests and Club Wyndham South Pacific members.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA (23 February 2020) – Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific has rolled out more than 100 free experiences across 22 Club Wyndham South Pacific resorts in Australia, New Zealand and across Asia Pacific.

“When theme parks and attractions temporarily closed or introduced restrictions due to COVID-19, we decided to introduce more family-friendly activities to resorts for guests and club members to enjoy while holidaying with us. We utilised the wide open spaces that many of our properties have, and carefully planned each activity to reflect the regions’ unique charm and personality,” said Warren Cullum, Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Operations.

From mountain bikes and fire pits to stand-up paddleboards and boogie boards, activities are free for Club Wyndham members and available at a small fee to resort guests.

“Our team focussed on creating holiday experiences so our guests could make even more memories with their families and friends while staying at our resorts.”

Some of these new activities include a gold panning sluice at Club Wyndham Ballarat – a nod to Ballarat’s rich history as a famous gold rush town, and jumping castles and an outdoor movie theatre at Ramada Resort by Wyndham Phillip Island, a resort surrounded by stunning natural bushland.

A hobby farm with alpacas, miniature goats and chickens was built at Club Wyndham Seven Mile Beach in Hobart, Australia.  Fishing rods and mountain bikes are available at Ramada Resort by Wyndham Rotorua Marama in New Zealand, while foam surfboards and boogie boards are offered at Club Wyndham Kirra Beach and Club Wyndham Surfers Paradise on Australia’s Gold Coast. Free activities were also rolled out to the company’s properties in Indonesia, Thailand and Fiji to boost the resorts’ offerings to domestic markets. From cooking classes in Phuket to yoga sessions in Bali – activities have been designed to channel personalities of the locations where the resorts are positioned.

In line with stringent hygiene practices in place at every Club Wyndham South Pacific resort, all equipment associated with activities is sanitised after each use while regular maintenance checks ensure all equipment is in excellent working condition.

The resorts are located in iconic holiday destinations ideal for families, couples or groups of travellers with a range of accommodation options from studio apartments to self-contained one, two and three-bedroom apartments with large kitchens and open living spaces, right through to opulent four-bedroom presidential suites.

Club Wyndham South Pacific, a vacation ownership brand of Wyndham Destinations, is a credits-based program with 51 resorts in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Bali, Thailand, Hawaii, Japan, Germany, France and Italy.