With the announcement of new deals across its hotel and timeshare exchange portfolios, Wyndham Worldwide continues expanding its presence throughout the Indian subcontinent. With 10 new hotel properties joining Wyndham Hotel Group and three new vacation ownership resorts joining the RCI vacation exchange network, Wyndham is aiming to meet the diverse needs of India’s owners and guests.
“With a renewed focus on travel and a growing middle class, India is becoming one of the fastest growing travel markets in the world,” said Stephen P. Holmes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wyndham Worldwide, who joined the team in New Delhi for today’s announcement. “Our global portfolio encompasses virtually every type of travel accommodation — from hotels to timeshare to vacation rentals and more — making Wyndham Worldwide uniquely positioned to deliver great results for our hospitality partners and great travel experiences for guests.”
Wyndham Hotel Group currently operates 25 hotels in the region with another 28 in the pipeline representing more than 3,300 rooms. The company has experienced nearly 200% growth in India over the past five years. Today’s announcement of 10 new deal signings includes two conversions under the company’s Howard Johnson and Ramada Plaza brands with the Unique Mercantile Group and also signifies expansion for the first time beyond India under the Ramada and Days Inn brands with Intraco Limited based out of Bangladesh.
Offering its 3.8 million members the ability to exchange their timeshare interval within its network of more than 4,500 affiliated resorts in over 100 countries, RCI is one of the world’s largest timeshare exchange business. The company has experienced approximately 40% growth in India since the beginning of 2012 and is affiliated with more than 130 properties representing approximately 80% of all vacation ownership resorts in India.
RCI continues to grow in the country offering vacation options in 60 unique destinations with resorts providing a range of experiences from traditional beach holiday to cultural, historical and wildlife retreats whereby catering to ever changing consumer patterns. Recent RCI expansion includes the addition of Treat Resort in Silvassa, Mirasol Water Park & Resort in Daman, and Ananta Spa & Resorts in Udaipur. RCI has also expanded its footprint in recent years in markets such as Kerala, Assam, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh and has future plans to enter popular destinations such as Sri Lanka and Maldives.
“We are excited to see that Indian travelers are embracing timeshare,” said Holmes. “The vacation ownership segment is a powerful and growing driver of tourism in India and thanks to the continued efforts of RCI, our affiliated resorts, and our industry partners, timeshare providers today are delivering great experiences for guests and creating memorable vacation experiences for owners who keep coming back year after year.”
While in India, Holmes and the Wyndham Worldwide team will also visit Christel House India -Bangalore, a charter school run by Christel House International. Founded by RCI co-founder Christel DeHaan in 1998, Christel House International opened its first school in Bangalore, India in 2001. With more than 1,000 students enrolled, Christel House India – Bangalore has had a 96% student retention rate and a 94% graduation rate. By comparison less than 10% of students graduate high school in India. Additionally, 93% of Christel House India – Bangalore graduates are in college, working, or both, compared to 25% of all Indian youth pursuing college degrees. Wyndham Worldwide has been a longtime, dedicated supporter of Christel House International through its Wishes by Wyndham Foundation.
“I am inspired every time I walk through the doors of a Christel House school, and we are incredibly proud to play a small role in supporting these remarkable students, as well as their dedicated teachers and staff,” said Holmes. “We are a values-based company that aims to deliver results for our business in a responsible way, creating positive change for the people and communities around us.”
