Travel + Leisure Co. is pointing to consumer research showing Australians increasingly favour paid loyalty programs, arguing its vacation ownership clubs, including Club Wyndham South Pacific and Accor Vacation Club, represent a long-running version of the trend.
Research and member data underpin the argument
The company cited the 2026 Point of Loyalty “For Love or Money” report, which found consumers increasingly prefer paid loyalty models over free ones, valuing consistency, transparency and rewards that hold their value over time. Travel + Leisure Co. said its club structure, where members purchase points upfront and receive an annual allocation without needing to requalify, reflects this preference.
The company reported that 53 per cent of Club Wyndham South Pacific members have upgraded their membership at least once, with 22 per cent upgrading twice and 13 per cent upgrading three times. It also said its highest tier, the 100 Club, makes up 4.3 per cent of the member base, and that more than 90 per cent of points issued annually across its clubs are used by members toward accommodation or other benefits.
Company positions ownership as multi-generational asset
Barry Robinson, president and managing director of international operations at Travel + Leisure Co., said the model differs from conventional loyalty programs because status is tied to upfront purchase rather than accumulated spend. “We don’t ask members to take time accumulating points before they see value; their membership level depends on how many points they purchase up front – and that fundamentally changes the relationship,” Robinson said.
Both Club Wyndham South Pacific and Accor Vacation Club run through to 2080, with membership transferable to family members under program terms. Long-term members Ian Mackie and Jules Baumann, both 100 Club members, said their memberships have supported family holiday use across multiple generations.
Relevant context for advisors discussing vacation ownership
Travel + Leisure Co. operates four vacation clubs across Asia Pacific, serving more than 100,000 members across more than 100 properties in the region, including 58 in Australia. For agents and advisors fielding client questions about vacation ownership versus traditional hotel loyalty programs, the company’s positioning offers a counterpoint to standard earn-and-burn loyalty structures, though as with any single-company research citation, agents should treat comparative claims about program value as one operator’s perspective rather than independently verified across the wider loyalty market. Club Wyndham South Pacific and Accor Vacation Club are both registered managed investment schemes, and full product disclosure statements should be reviewed before any client considers the product.
