Industry Spotlight: Heena Patel of Travel + Leisure Co.’s Extra Holidays

Leads Rentals for over 500 timeshare properties in 120 locations

Just about every resort management professional understands the complexities of creating an efficient, income-producing rental program for their timeshare resort. Imagine, if you can, the obstacles and manpower required to orchestrate rentals for more than 550 resorts, with 130 of them in international locations.
Travel + Leisure Co. has successfully accomplished this challenge through its rental division, Extra Holidays, offering condo accommodations with resort amenities. A revenue-producing department, Extra Holidays monetizes the company’s unused inventory at Club Wyndham, WorldMark by Wyndham, Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham, and Shell Vacations Club properties. The platform also partners with select RCI-Affiliated Resorts, providing a solution to HOAs to monetize their own delinquent inventory, as well as timeshare owners to rent their inventory when they aren’t traveling. All of these are significant drivers of potential prospects to the company’s other business lines of subscriptions, timeshare, and exchange.

Heena: Over two decades of hospitality expertise.

As Senior Vice President, Global Rental Operations, Heena Patel leads the global rental strategy for Travel + Leisure Co. Her primary priorities include maximizing inventory utilization, contributing to new owner generation, and driving resort rental sales. The Windsor, Ontario native has held several previous positions with Wyndham Destinations and Travel + Leisure, including Senior VP of Travel + Leisure Clubs & Rentals, VP of Extra Holidays, and Director of Revenue Yield Management, as well as resort management roles, totaling 22 years in the hospitality arena. She is the daughter of immigrant parents from India, who owned and operated several hotels.

“Under Heena’s experienced and authentic leadership, the hardworking Extra Holidays team plays an important role in our company’s mission to put the world on vacation,” said Geoff Richards, Chief Operating Officer, Wyndham Destinations. “When it comes to our timeshare products, seeing is believing. Providing non-owners with the opportunity to rent unused inventory on Extra Holidays allows them to test-drive the timeshare lifestyle.”

Extra Holidays tight-knit team of 100.

Keeping the Extra Holidays engine running smoothly requires a team of 100, working cohesively in several departments, including call centers, marketing, accounting, and more. “The beauty of being a small division in a large organization,” says Heena, “is that we can remain a nimble, tight-knit unit, while also having access to an unending well of tools and knowledge at our disposal.”

Key Extra Holidays leaders and their responsibilities include:

• Amanda Cariotto, Sr. Director Revenue Yield Strategy leads a team of analysts in anticipating consumer behavior to maximize revenue.
• Sarah Faust, VP Marketing focuses on campaigns and strategies that drive exposure to target destinations and resorts.
• Melanie Perschka, Sr. Director Rental Accounting strives to ensure every dollar is collected.
• Desha Graham, Director of Integration and Project Management focuses on distribution platforms and the seamless integration of new products.
• Renee Cobb, Director of Operations leads the customer care strategy, as well as internal and external partnerships.

Related: Travel + Leisure Co. Offers New Ways to Vacation

Staff successes bring great joy.

Heena receives the greatest joy from her work by seeing her associates succeed. She takes pride in making a difference in people’s lives and helping them envision their vacation possibilities. She adds, “Creating an inclusive and diverse work environment is one of my driving passions. Having the opportunity to share who I am as a female, Asian, and American allows me to be my authentic self in and out of the office.”

This outgoing and well-loved leader admits she wears her passion outwardly so everyone can share in the dedication she feels about her work. She’s equally passionate about her family and resides in a generational household, including her parents and in-laws, which translates to being surrounded by love at every turn.
While vacations to exotic locations are an internet click away, Heena loves returning to her native west coast of Canada. “I might be biased, but it’s my favorite place to visit,” she says, “You can take in the beautiful scenery and comfort of rural communities – or explore larger cities and all they have to offer. The region has the best of everything in one place.”

Tips for Implementing a Rental Program.

Resort Trades asked Heena to provide some tips for smaller companies who desire to implement a new rental program. “First, Identify the consumer most likely to use your supply. Then, decide what commercial engine you will use to target those customers. Since developing a rental booking function of your own is a large undertaking, it is ideal to partner with a rental company–such as Extra Holidays–to achieve scale and have access to lower-cost distribution commissions. It’s also important to have distribution platforms, marketing, and revenue platforms all working together and best not to spread your resort too far. Invest in the creation of an asset gallery that accurately showcases your product through the interior and exterior resort photos and videos. From a potential partner perspective, taking these steps can help promote a mutually beneficial return—which is key.”

Marge Lennon has been writing about the timeshare industry and its resorts forever. She can be reached at Marge@LennonCommunications.com.