22 Sep 2025
Words Ian Crooks Informer

THEN. NOW. NEXT. ResortBrokers turns 40.

In July, we hosted a major ResortBrokers’ celebration: the occasion of our 40th anniversary, held in the sunny climes of Vietnam.

Why Vietnam? ResortBrokers’ style is to ‘go large’ for big occasions. We held our 30th in Bali (our second home). Our 35th was meant to be
in Queenstown but was cruelled by Covid. For our 40th, Danang beckoned. So off to Vietnam we went.

We hosted our brokers, office staff and industry associates at Sheraton Grand Danang Resort over four days/nights. Their loved ones too. We’re a family business, so we wanted everyone to bring their families. We capped off this grand adventure with a gala dinner and a speech by yours truly.

Great, great occasion. One I’ll never forget.

I started ResortBrokers in 1985 with just me working out of a small office, and quite often a car. Over time, the ‘me’ became ‘we’ as ResortBrokers grew. We’ve had great talent come through our door over the last four decades: brokers, staff and industry partners we’ve worked with. Some brokers and staff joined us with no industry experience at all, and it’s been great to see their careers and personal development flourish.

I would never have thought we would be where we are in 2025. But here we are at 40, just as passionate about our work and the great people we work with. Above all, our clients.

ResortBrokers’ success simply wouldn’t have happened without our great clients who’ve placed their trust in us to sell their properties and businesses over the years, in many instances several times over. We wouldn’t have survived one year let alone 40 without their faith in us.

ResortBrokers shares our clients’ entrepreneurial spirit. We’ve grown with the industry and helped grow the industry. We’ve never regarded ourselves as traditional salespeople. We’ve always seen ourselves in the wealth creation business. We think we provide a useful service that facilitates wealth creation: connecting buyers and sellers in the Australian accommodation property marketplace.

We’ve sold people their first business and we’ve sold people out of their last business to go into retirement. We’ve helped others develop sizeable portfolios by presenting them with opportunities we thought would interest them.

Connecting people with great opportunities in the accommodation property industry remains our life’s work. Not just mine, my children
too who I’m so proud of and who are taking ResortBrokers forward in ways their father just marvels at.

I started this business in the middle of the ‘80s. I was on the road so much it wasn’t long before I availed myself of the cutting-edge technology at the time: the mobile phone. The thing was as large as a brick and reception was patchy, but it was better than a payphone or waiting till I checked into wherever I was staying that night to use the landline.

Forty years on, the technology has shrunk but ResortBrokers is bigger. We’ve grown because we’ve stuck to the basics. Our fundamentals haven’t changed. Four decades on, I still believe the accommodation industry is one of the best — if not the best — ways to be your own boss and build lasting wealth for you and your family.

My heartfelt thanks to you and yours for being part of our journey to 40. We wouldn’t be here without you.

Here’s to the next 40. Forward we go. END

Catching Up

Great to catch up recently with two old mates, both trailblazers in our industry.

John McAvoy started Metro Hotels, the oldest 100% Australian owned and managed hotel chain, which in 2026 will celebrate 50 years in business.

Darryl Courtney-O’Connor AM founded Constellation Hotels in 1986 and rolled out popular brands like Chifley, Australis Resorts and Country Comfort before being acquired by SilverNeedle Hospitality.

I go back many decades with both gents, and none of us has aged one bit. Remarkable …