Barry has more than 30 years’ experience in hospitality, including more than 13 years at the very highest levels of the industry. He first became a hotel general manager at the age of 27, before he started working for some of the world’s largest hospitality companies. These included Swissotel Worldwide Partner Hotels and Choice Hotels International, where he pioneered the chain’s entry into China and its first joint venture projects in India and Japan.

His career achievements include Indonesia’s Businessman of the Year (1998), CEO Magazine’s Tourism and Hospitality Executive of the Year award, and the Industry Leader Award from the international Perspective Awards.

How did you get into the hotels industry?

My parents bought a property in New Zealand when I was only seven years old. I worked in all areas of the hotel: gardening, washing dishes, making beds, cleaning rooms and waitering. I started behind the bar at 13 years old – the youngest age legally allowable for an owner’s child back then.

What are some of your career highlights from your time in the industry?

I was appointed CEO and Managing Director of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific in 2003, then became President and Managing Director of Wyndham Hotel Group South East Asia and Pacific Rim as well in 2009. It has been exciting to lead our expansion into South East Asia and enter countries like Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

During that time, we acquired our first mixed-use timeshare and hotel property, Wyndham Vacation Resorts Sydney in 2007. We were the first to develop hybrid properties that offer both vacation ownership accommodation and hotel rooms. The model is successful because it creates multiple revenue streams and vacation club inventory keeps occupancy rates high. We have since opened mixed-use properties like this across South East Asia.

The biggest highlight for me has been building a customer-centric service culture at Wyndham. With size comes the temptation to standardise but, at Wyndham, we are very focussed on empowering staff to deliver personalised and memorable experiences.

What are the biggest issues facing the hotel industry at the moment?

Airbnb and other peer-to-peer online marketplaces offer greater competition and more diverse products, and their popularity highlights today’s travellers’ appetite for authentic experiences. To stay competitive, hoteliers need to continually reinvent themselves to offer unique experiences before they become travel trends.

Safety and security are becoming more important, especially as hotel companies enter emerging markets. It is vital to prepare staff and have procedures in place in case of emergencies.

The sector sees a huge opportunity in growing direct bookings, instead of using OTAs. Interacting directly with guests gives us better intelligence about their desires, meaning we can create more personalised experiences for them.

How has the industry changed in the time you have been involved with it?

Everything a hotel does – everything a guest experiences – is now shared online. Through the internet and social media, our brand is constantly on show and evolving. While this can be daunting, these channels provide rich feedback that can help us improve our customers’ experiences.

Accommodation providers now utilise the space and assets of their developments to maintain multiple sources of revenue. Hotel rooms, vacation ownership units, strata investment, retail – even theme parks – can exist alongside each other in the same property.

Travellers’ needs are more diverse. The rising middle class in emerging markets has brought new demands. Customers are bolder about demanding tailored experiences and the greater competition in the marketplace, the more articulate the guests. Hotels have to earn loyalty from customers.  Wyndham has responded by introducing the world’s most generous loyalty program that allows guests to redeem nights easily across the entire Wyndham Hotel Group portfolio, not just a select few properties. 

Boutique hotels are rising in popularity. Their smaller size means they can concentrate on truly appealing to specific market segments by providing more personalised service, strong local knowledge and an authentic local flavour.

What changes would you like to see over the next two to five years in the industry?

Infrastructure development is required to help tourism reach its true potential. Governments must consider how people can affordably get in and out of markets – and there must be a holistic approach that analyses everything from the price of landing costs to the road infrastructure to attractions. Relaxing visa rules can also drive demand. Infrastructure is a key part of the overall experience tourists have.

Rewards schemes are a way to improve customer loyalty, and I would expect to see these become more flexible so members can use points the way they want. Improving Wyndham Rewards has been a focus for us; the program recently underwent wholesale changes to make redemptions more simple than ever and to be available at more properties.

Customers want unique experiences and it would be refreshing to see acknowledgement of this across the industry. Mobile groups like the Millennials expect so much more than a room and a bed – they want flexibility, access to local experiences and genuine service, regardless of price point.

What is your favourite hotel and holiday destination?

My favourite summer destination is Fiji, and we have had some great holidays at Wyndham Resort Denarau Island. It is beachfront and has three and four-bedroom apartments that are perfect for us. Fiji also has one of the friendliest cultures in the world – the people make you feel as if you’re coming home.

My favourite winter destination is Beaver Creek in Colorado. We stay at Wyndham Resort at Avon, because of its fantastic amenities, with a gondola just across the road which connects you to Beaver Creek ski slopes. 

See also:

Get to know Naumi Hotels CEO Gaurang Jhunjhnuwala

Get to know Michael Moret-Lalli of Mantra Group

Get to know Dean Humphries of Colliers International