Pacific owners. The purpose of the magazine is to enrich club owner experiences, keep owners informed about the latest news from their club, and help them get more out of their ownership. Promotions about add-ons created by the club Developer show what can be achieved with club ownership and greatly assist in encouraging owners to upgrade, particularly by purchasing from the Developer (as this is how they can access those benefits).
Over its years of publication, Club Wyndham has changed to improve its presence online and achieve a greater focus on sustainability. Once, there were four issues annually of Club Wyndham, which were mailed out; now, there are two. One issue is strictly online-only, while the other is an online and print magazine. Club Wyndham South Pacific owners are asked to “opt-in” to receive the print magazine, which is sent with the resort directory, in order to ensure there are no excess copies of the magazine printed and mailed, making the process more sustainable.
Online magazines are built using a platform called Shorthand, which enables owners to read in any order they choose – giving them a more bespoke journey. Video content and hyperlinks can be utilised in Shorthand, meaning owners can watch video content and visit relevant website pages as they read – making a reservation, researching a resort, or booking a Club Education session. From a design perspective, stories can feature video, rotating backgrounds and interactive maps. The magazine also conforms automatically to any size desktop, tablet or phone. While the system is not designed or owned by Club Wyndham, it is much more cost effective than building a platform from scratch.
Stories in Club Wyndham fall into categories including:
• Travel inspiration – in recent editions, stories on resorts for different types of holiday personality, destination suggestions based on holiday purpose, and a road trip along the Queensland coast
• New resort purchases – in recent editions, new properties at Mission Beach in Queensland and Daylesford in Victoria
• Celebration of significant events – in recent editions, the club’s 25th anniversary
• Club news, for example, refurbishments and redevelopments
• Club room tallies
• General Manager Spotlights, where owners can get to know their GMs
• Owner stories – where owners can get tips from current owners
• Social media round-ups – where owners can keep up with what other owners have been doing
• Latest travel specials and club tours offered by the company’s travel club
• Promotions for using the website or club app
• Promotions for Lifestyle, a program of benefits offered by the Developer
• Promotions for the company’s philanthropic arm, Wishes
From time to time, content can also include quizzes and special offers. Some previous stories have included a list of top gourmet restaurants near club destinations, best walks near club properties, a guide to facilities and equipment available for use at club resorts, pieces on Associate Resorts that the club has an agreement with, options for White Christmas, and a piece on e-bike safety. All stories are designed to inform owners, to help them use their ownership better, and to enrich their holidays in some way.
The magazine is developed by a team of four writers and two designers. The editing process is thorough; the magazine goes through in-depth analysis from subject matter experts within the business, three editorial checks by the copywriting team, and a check by the company’s in-house legal and compliance team. The checks must be painstaking to ensure accuracy and compliance to strict laws governing vacation ownership.
Club Wyndham is designed for close to 60,000 owners who are part of Club Wyndham South Pacific. It is also posted on the Club Wyndham South Pacific website and on social media, where it can be read by non-owners. Copies of the printed edition are placed into vacation ownership rooms where club owners stay and are made available at sales sites.
The magazine is developed by the company’s in-house Brand Communications team, so it has no hard labour cost. The editorial and design team spend an estimated 156 hours scheduling, writing, designing, editing and proofreading the publication. It is estimated that developing the magazine through a professional studio would cost approximately US$10,736 – but this cost is absorbed by the business.
The club’s marketing team estimates that, over the year, the publication is a source of inspiration behind about 26% of bookings, or 180,500 room nights.
