As the vacation ownership industry enters 2026, recent developments at Hilton Grand Vacations and Travel + Leisure Co. reflect both the sector’s leadership continuity and its continued investment in innovation and community.
Earlier this month, Mark Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Hilton Grand Vacations, shared a personal reflection marking 27 years with the company. Since joining in 1999 as Managing Director in Hawaii, Wang’s career has spanned senior leadership roles across sales, marketing, and operations, including oversight of the Asia-Pacific region and the company’s move to Orlando in 2008.
A pivotal moment came in 2017, when Hilton Grand Vacations became an independent public company. Since then, the organization has significantly expanded its global footprint, including the acquisitions of Diamond Resorts and Bluegreen Vacations—moves that doubled both its resort portfolio and member base. The company has also broadened its experiential offerings, providing members with access to curated travel opportunities designed to go beyond traditional vacation stays.
Wang emphasized that the company’s growth has been driven by its team members, noting their role in sustaining a culture of hospitality while navigating change, expansion, and evolving owner expectations.
In a separate milestone this week, Travel + Leisure Co. celebrated the grand opening of its new Downtown Orlando office, which will serve as the home of RCI and a growing hub for membership-based travel innovation. The event welcomed city leaders, community partners, and industry stakeholders, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
RCI associates hosted an interactive experience inviting guests to pin their next vacation destination, highlighting the exchange brand’s mission to connect members to travel opportunities around the world. As the world’s largest vacation exchange network, RCI currently serves more than three million members and thousands of affiliated resorts globally, offering flexibility and choice within the vacation ownership ecosystem.
Together, these moments underscore Orlando’s continued role as a center for vacation ownership leadership and innovation, while reinforcing the industry’s focus on long-term growth, member experience, and community engagement.
Resort Trades Media Group is a 30-plus-year-old B2B media company serving the vacation ownership, resort development, and hospitality industries. Through its monthly print and digital magazine, weekly eMagazine, daily website updates, video programming, and social media channels, Resort Trades delivers practical insight on leadership, operations, finance, technology, and guest experience for resort professionals and industry suppliers.
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