Latest news with #BarryRobinson
Skift
14 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
How Gen Z and Millennials Are Forcing a $19 Billion Timeshare Market to Reinvent Itself
As younger generations continue to shape how and why we travel, vacation ownership is no longer about locking into one resort anymore. It's about choice, access, and ease, things modern travelers care about most. The global market for vacation ownership, or timeshare, is expected to cross $19 billion this year and projected to reach over $26 billion in 2029. Travel and Leisure (earlier known as Wyndham Destinations), said membership in its Club Wyndham Asia program has more than doubled since mid-2023, and 60% of these members are Gen Z or millennials. 'Earlier, we'd probably be saving and buying our house. Today (millennials and Gen Z) would rather focus on experiences,' Barry Robinson, president and MD international operations at Travel and Leisure, told Skift. This change in priorities is also driving a growing interest in fractional ownership, where people can enjoy luxury items — like holiday homes, yachts, or even private jets — without having to own them outright. Travel and Leisure is seeing this shift play out most clearly in Asia. As the region's middle class grows, so does demand for smart, flexible ways to travel without the responsibilities or high costs of traditional ownership. Barry Robinson, president and MD international operations at Travel and Leisure. Flexible Travel for a New Generation The modern model of vacation ownership is typically points-based and has moved far beyond fixed weeks at a single resort. According to Robinson, it's a more fluid, practical way to 'own' a holiday. That adaptability is proving popular, especially with younger travelers, who may not necessarily want the biggest room, but would want the experience. At Skift Global Forum last year, Jason Gamel, president and CEO of ARDA, spoke about how the vacation ownership industry is evolving to align with modern traveler preferences. Talking about how Travel and Leisure has been faring in connecting with this group, Robinson calls it a 'work in progress.' What Changed for Vacation Rentals? Domestic Demand Asia's shared ownership market works differently from North America's, says Robinson. 'We've had to modify our product offering accordingly,' Robinson said. Travel and Leisure has adapted with upgraded amenities, curated local experiences, and a wider range of options — from basic stays to ultra-luxury villas with private chefs and pools. These changes also make the offering more attractive to Asian travelers, who are increasingly traveling within the region. 'In the past, we sold shared ownership to foreigners staying in Phuket, Koh Samui or Pattaya,' Robinson explained. 'Now, we want to be known as a great domestic product in each market.' That shift is now a core part of the company's long-term growth as the approach proved smart during Covid. 'If you don't have a focus on the domestic market, your business can dry up overnight,' Robinson said. The domestic focus also makes the business more resilient, when international travel becomes costly, as has happened recently with rising airfare and hotel prices, he said. The Big Prize: India and China India and China represent enormous growth opportunities for the company and while Travel and Leisure has already entered China and is seeing progress, India remains a complex landscape. 'India is a gold mine for us. We just haven't figured out how to mine it,' Robinson admitted. But he is confident about entering the market, 'India is definitely on our radar. It's definitely a market that we will enter.' And while he did mention the barriers to entering are both financial and legal, still, Robinson believes it's only a matter of time before India becomes a viable market. Accor Vacation Club: A Test Case in Expansion Travel and Leisure acquired Accor's vacation rental business – Accor Vacation Club – last year for $48.4 million. Almost 18 months after the acquisition, Travel and Leisure has started expanding it beyond its traditional South Pacific base. The product recently launched in Bali. 'We've been able to aggressively grow that business. We'll be launching in the Middle East before the end of the year,' Robinson said. 'Slowly, we'll migrate into other markets, such as Thailand.' The rollout has been smooth, according to Robinson, and the brand now gives the company access to Accor's vast loyalty base of over 100 million members. It also gives existing vacation ownership customers access to more destinations and brands. For the business, it means reaching different market segments through multiple brands, similar to how major hotel groups operate. The acquisition is also part of a broader strategy to diversify. With the company launching new vacation ownership experiences, like Sports Illustrated Resorts and Eddie Bauer Adventure Club, Travel and Leisure is mimicking hotel giants like Marriott by targeting different customer segments under different brand names. Technology and the Future Technology is also playing a role in shaping vacation ownership. Travel and Leisure is testing AI tools for handling customer queries, especially in promising markets like Japan where labor is expensive and hard to find. Mobile platforms are improving, and voice recognition is on the roadmap. 'Our platforms are pretty good, but we're still not as simple as we should be,' Robinson said. The integration with loyalty programs means members can convert points between vacation clubs and hotel stays. Robinson said vacation ownership is also evolving beyond beach or ski destinations. Capital cities are becoming more popular, and the company is building out its presence in urban centers. As more people work remotely, Travel and Leisure is also updating its facilities to include workspaces. The goal is to stay relevant to a younger generation that blurs the lines between work and travel, Robinson said.
Newsweek
30-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Millennial Finds Dad's 1981 Work Pass—Jaws Drop as She Realizes What It Is
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman's touching tribute to her late father—a pioneering early employee at Apple—has gone viral, sparking nostalgia and admiration from Redditors. Ashley Rogers, 40, who lives in the greater Detroit area and posts on Reddit as u/ApolloBollo, shared a photo of her father Barry Robinson's Apple ID card from 1981 in the subreddit r/mildlyinteresting, where it quickly gained traction, racking up 97,000 upvotes. Rogers told Newsweek that she was born in 1984, during the time her father worked for Apple. She explained that her parents met in Charlotte, North Carolina, in February 1981—just one month after the ID photo was taken. "My Momma worked for Apple as an 'area associate'—a receptionist who did it all. My Dad was the first salesman in Florida—the only Florida employee of Apple Computer. He had a lot to do with educational sales—he would visit schools and encourage them to purchase Apple and the corresponding software," she said. Rogers said she was prompted to share the post after her mother, while cleaning out her wallet, found several old ID cards—including the now-viral Apple badge. Her parents' love story began with a bold move: while on a business trip to Charlotte, Barry walked up to Rogers' mother's desk, took a sip from her half-coffee, half-hot-chocolate drink, and smiled. "Momma said he was the absolute most handsome man she had ever met," Rogers said. The office buzzed about "Barry from Florida" all week. "She said he had on a light grey suit and the seams on the sides of his pants overlapped—the girls in the office that day talked about how they hoped the seams hid zippers. Easy access (barf!!)," Rogers quipped. Her mother moved to Boca Raton to be with him in January 1982. Person thumbs through wallet filled with cards. Person thumbs through wallet filled with a child, Rogers misunderstood her dad's job, believing he "sold literal apples" and was also Lionel Richie—thanks to the big hair and mustache resemblance. Their home always had a computer, starting with the Apple IIe, and she recalls playing the game Deja Vu, though never quite grasping its mystery-laden storyline. A gamepad for children's software was also a favorite for her and her brother. Barry Robinson worked for Apple until 1989. During that time, he traveled extensively, attending conferences, meeting Steve Jobs in Hawaii and Robin Williams in Cupertino. "When Apple threw parties—they threw parties, man. It was the 80s in south Florida. Let your imagination go wild," Rogers recalled. Celebrating new births with lavish baskets and $1,500 congratulatory checks, Apple's perks back then were legendary. The east coast sales division also took annual cruises to places like San Juan and Martinique. Barry Robinson's old Apple ID card. Barry Robinson's old Apple ID card. Ashley Rogers/Ashley Rogers After leaving Apple, Robinson continued his trailblazing streak. The family moved to Charlotte, NC, to be closer to Rogers' maternal relatives. He went on to create an early version of DoorDash called "WeShop," delivering groceries to busy families and seniors. He later partnered with his son and his friends to sell kit skateboard ramps in the early '90s, before returning to sales in the automotive finance sector. In 2014, Robinson underwent triple bypass surgery in Georgia. He had long suffered from a rheumatic heart, stemming from childhood rheumatic fever. During that hospital stay, Rogers met her future husband, who worked at the same hospital. "He took GREAT pleasure every year reminding us that if it wasn't for good old dad, we never would have met," she said. That same year, Rogers moved to Michigan—soon followed by her parents and brother. Her brother later married the family's next-door neighbor, another connection she credited to her father's influence.. "He was the absolute funniest person I've ever met and this whole to-do about his goofy Apple ID badge, it would have cracked him up," Rogers said. She added that while the photo has gone viral, no former Apple employees have yet come forward to say they personally knew him. Robinson passed away on August 24, 2020. He and his wife were just weeks away from celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary. "Up to the day my father died—he had his moustache. I never witnessed him without it," Rogers added. "He would push his moustache up sometimes and I would be in hysterics." Life at Apple in the Early Days Robinson was among the vanguard who shaped Apple's future in its golden age. According to PCMag, the early 1980s were a defining era for the company, which had launched the Apple II in 1977—one of the first mass-produced personal computers. By 1981, when Robinson joined, Apple had grown to 2,500 employees and was on the cusp of launching the Lisa and Macintosh, which would revolutionize user interfaces. Reddit Reacts The story resonated with thousands of Redditors, many of whom expressed a mix of admiration and regret. "Did he hold on to his stock? Are you posting this from your private island? Super cool btw," joked one commenter. "My first proper job was with Apple in the summer of '98... stock was around 30 cents. I bought absolutely none of it and drank every penny," another lamented. Others empathized: "1998 Apple didn't really look like a sure bet. The iMac had made a splash, but OSX and iPods were still a long way out. I wouldn't have bet on them then," someone noted. One user recalled how working in a university mail room in 2001 gave them an early glimpse of Amazon's growing footprint. "My laziness cost me a headstart on early retirement," they added. Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@ and they could appear on our site.
