Wyndham Destination Network has positioned itself as the largest property management company in vacation rentals, and is now using its size to optimize performance by rolling out company-wide yield management and cross-selling abilities.
New year, new you — at least that's what a lot of us are telling ourselves this week now that the holidays are over, and so are our days of gluttony (or so we believe). And since we're all collectively tackling that perennial New Year's resolution to get healthier, now is as good a time as any to take a closer look at how hotel fitness and wellness is evolving.
Over the last 18 months Wyndham has been supplementing its vacation rental offering with acquisitions in what we would call the alternative accommodation market. The investments in Veeve and Wimdu are just the latest indications of how seriously it is taking this segment.
If the advent of artificial-intelligence-driven smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo is any indication, the Internet of Things is that much closer to becoming a reality, even when we check into our hotel rooms.
Wyndham Worldwide, like its peers, is betting big on loyalty, but unlike its peers, it plans on keeping its timeshare and vacation rental businesses all together, instead of spinning them off like others have.
This is a much smarter, more thought-out move on Wyndham Rewards' part, compared to its failed attempt to woo away Starwood Preferred Guest members a few weeks ago. Drawing on its parent company's strong portfolio of vacation rentals and timeshares gives Wyndham Rewards an edge in attracting travelers who desire a wider variety of accommodations when they travel.
It's not enough for a company to have it's heart set on building the latest “disruptive” form of technology — they must first create an organization-wide culture of innovation.
If Wyndham had succeeded in luring away SPG members who aren't necessarily elite or top-tier-level members, that would have been a big win for the company, whose portfolio skews more toward economy and midscale brands. But alas, this promotion was proof that even the best-laid plans may not always work--and it pays to pay more attention to how you set it all up.