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Buoyed by the demand from an increasingly affluent customer
base in the region seeking a variety of accommodation options,
Marriott Vacations Worldwide is eyeing the Asia/Pacific region to bol-
ster its portfolio of more than 50 resorts throughout the world.
“There was a period of time [during the recent recession] when no
one in the industry was doing any developing,” says Ed Kinney, global
vice president of corporate affairs and communications for Marriott
Vacations Worldwide. “But now we have our feet planted in the region
and are looking to leverage our success.”
Proven Concept
Since entering the industry as part of Marriott International Inc. with the
1984 acquisition of American Resorts and its 184 villas on Hilton Head
Island, the company has cemented its position as a leader and innova-
tor in vacation ownership products, with brands including Marriott
Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, and Grand
Residences by Marriott. Formerly known as Marriott Vacation Club
International, the company expanded to
Europe in 1996 with Marriott’s Marbella
Beach Resort in Marbella, Spain, and added
the Caribbean to its portfolio one year later
with Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club in Palm
Beach, Aruba.
Marriott Vacations Worldwide became
an independent, publicly traded company in
2011. The entity first established a physical
presence in Asia with Marriott’s Phuket
Beach Club in Phuket, Thailand, in 2001.
Located on Thailand’s largest island, Phuket Beach Club offers
unique views of the Andaman Sea from its swimming pools. Owners
staying there also gain privileged access to the amenities at the JW
Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, including six restaurants and lounges,
and a tropical spa specializing in traditional Thai treatments.
The company has since added Marriott’s Mai Khao Beach, a five-
star resort in Phuket, and Marriott Vacation Club at The Empire Place©
in Bangkok to its Thailand portfolio.
Beyond Beachfront
While beachfront property remains desirable, customer demographic
trends are changing, and the types of accommodations vacationers pre-
fer are evolving. With that in mind, Marriott Vacations Worldwide is look-
ing to add a variety of properties to round out its portfolio.
Beyond the beach, the company is seeking opportunities in high-
energy urban environments, as well as other experiential destinations
such as ski- and golf-oriented resorts.
This approach is supported by regional
consumer preferences, as indicated in
Interval International’s first-ever Asia/Pacific
membership survey, released in 2014. In the
survey, members expressed significant
interest in traveling to urban and mountain
destinations. When asked which geographi-
cal characteristics were most enticing for
their next vacation, 39 percent of survey
respondents selected city/urban areas and
26.7 percent chose mountains.
Kinney cites Macau, a gambling hub
that has been dubbed the “Las Vegas of Asia,” as an example of a
potential urban opportunity if the laws governing vacation ownership
on the Chinese peninsula become more favorable.
Golfing destinations are also being considered, Kinney adds. While
golf’s stateside popularity is waning, interest from Asia in the sport
continues to rise. A Ken research study released in July 2014 predicted
that the Asia/Pacific market would emerge as the fastest-growing golf
equipment and apparel market in the world from 2014 to 2018, with a
projected growth rate of 4.7 percent for that time period.
Kinney also mentions that destinations such as Bali “have tremen-
dous customer appeal.” The Indonesian island, known for stunning
forested volcanic mountains and rice paddies, is popular with water
sports and yoga enthusiasts and is home to several resort towns,
including Nusa Dua, Sanur, and Seminyak.
Shifting Customer Base
As the pool of qualified buyers in the Asia/Pacific region expands, the
vacation ownership industry is dealing with wealthier individuals with an
affinity for luxury goods. In the 2014 Interval Asia/Pacific membership
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SANYA MARRIOTT YALONG BAY RESORT & SPA, HAINAN, CHINA MARRIOTT'S MAI KHAO BEACH, PHUKET, THAILAND
EMPIRE PLACE
SANYA MARRIOTT YALONG BAY RESORT & SPA