Wishes by Wyndham is the philanthropic arm of Travel + Leisure Co., the world’s largest membership and leisure travel company, in its International region (outside North America). Established in 2009, the registered charity has raised more than AU$800,000 (US$495,000) over its 15 years of operation.
Wishes by Wyndham currently supports one children’s charity per half-year. In 2024, these were:
• Dolly’s Dream, which aims to address the impact of bullying, anxiety, depression and youth suicide by providing education and support to young people in Australia
• The Humpty Dumpty Foundation, which provides medical equipment to hospitals around Australia where there are gaps between community needs and health funding, particularly in rural and remote areas of the country
The Wishes by Wyndham committee sends communication to enlist the support of both Travel + Leisure Co. staff and Club Wyndham South Pacific owners.
To raise funds for Dolly’s Dream in 2024, both staff and owners dressed in blue across corporate locations and resorts during the annual “Do It For Dolly Day”. Combined with a giant raffle which occurred toward the end of the six-month period, Wishes by Wyndham raised more than AU$35,000 for Dolly’s Dream. For a short period, Travel + Leisure Co. offered to match donations of up to AU$5,000.
For the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, Wishes by Wyndham organised a nationwide “egg and spoon race” which occurred across its Australian network of resorts and its corporate office on the Gold Coast. The biggest was the Gold Coast event, which occurred outside the City of Gold Coast council chambers and featured a record attempt by the current world record holder for the egg and spoon race, Olympic Gold Medallist Sally Pearson (who was also sports anchor for a local TV network). This day raised almost AU$5,000 by itself and achieved coverage in the nationwide morning show Sunrise and on Channel 7 local news in the evening. The end-of-year raffle also raised money for the Humpty Dumpty Foundation and all fundraising efforts combined to total more than AU$25,000.
Resort guests and club members have the option of donating AU$1 when checking out of stays around Australia, with the donations going to the chosen Wishes by Wyndham charity. The Wishes committee has placed donation boxes at resorts across Australia to collect unopened, non-perishable food items and consistently donates food items to local community outreach centres each year. The business also has a workplace giving program which employees can use to give every pay cycle.
Wishes also helps organise the annual Club Wyndham Corporate Surf Challenge, which raised over $30,000 for the FSHD Global Research Foundation in 2024. This day sees corporate leaders from across the Gold Coast swap their suits for wetsuits for a day and compete for a chance at glory, and to raise money to find a treatment and cure for Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy (FSHD). In 2024, professional surfer Liam O’Brien – currently rated 21st in the world on the men’s tour – took part, while in previous years, women’s pro Isabella Nicholls and former seven-time world title winner Layne Beachley have competed.
While Wishes by Wyndham is a charity incorporated in Australia, Travel + Leisure is a business in nine markets within the Asia Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China and the Philippines) and some of these other markets conduct their philanthropic activities under the Wishes name. These include:
• An initiative from the team based at Clark, Philippines, to donate much-needed supplies including baby and children’s clothes, toys, blankets, baby food, diapers, sugar, cooking oil, eggs and hygiene items to students at the Reception and Study Center for Children in Pampanga
• A refurbishment of the women’s ward at the Nadi Hospital, including the kitchen and purchase of modern appliances and, in the future, the bathrooms and general ward area. Locally, this is administrated by the Mai Yaloda committee.
Wishes is run by volunteer committee members from Travel + Leisure Co., meaning that all funds directly benefit partnered charities. Raffle prizes are sourced from loyal business partners and Travel + Leisure Co. itself so there is no cost to the charity.
