Wyndham Hotels and Resorts today announced the appointment of David Martin, a 22-year industry veteran who most recently headed hotel operations for Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group, as senior vice president of operations.

Martin, who reports to Peter Strebel, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts president, will be responsible for developing programs aimed at enhancing market share, productivity and revenue growth for all managed and franchised Wyndham® hotels in the United States, Caribbean and Mexico. 

He will work closely with owners, managers and franchisees of Wyndham hotels to ensure that they have the tools and services needed to maximize performance in the areas of operations, sales, finance and human resources. 

“David’s vast industry experience and history of successful hotel operations make him a great asset to our brand,” said Strebel.  “His winning attitude and eagerness to deliver results are sure to enhance the overall experience and operating effectiveness of Wyndham owners, managers and franchisees alike.”

Martin was vice president, hotel operations, for Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group LLC in San Francisco and Washington.  From 1985 to 1998, he worked as general manager for several hotel companies, including the Red Lion in Bellevue, Wash.; Hotel Systems International in San Diego; Bayview Hotels in Monterey, Calif.; R&R Hospitality International in Long Beach, Calif.; and Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group.

Martin was the past president and a member of the San Francisco Hotel Council board of directors.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), offers upscale hotel and resort accommodations throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean.  All hotels are either franchised or managed by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts or an affiliate.  For more information, visit www.wyndham.com.

Governor of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo Sr. Felix Gonzalez Canto has declared Yellow Alert for the entire northern part of the state, including Cancun, Cozumel, Holbox, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Puerto Morelos.  He has also requested that all commercial services and tourism sectors resume all services and reestablish normal business operations.

The Cancun International Airport reports that it has maintained normal operations throughout last night without interruptions.  Beginning today, the airport has started receiving tourists with the arrivals of the first flights from Mexicana Air, Continental and USA 3000 arriving at 9:00am local time carrying 600 passengers, most of them tourists from the USA and Mexico City. 
All Highways are open to the regular vehicular traffic, providing uninterrupted access to the Riviera Maya and main city Playa del Carmen.

Bus Stations are back to normal operations with service between Merida and Playa del Carmen as of this morning. 

Xcaret announces that it has not incurred damage from the storm and will open to the public with all the services tomorrow morning, Wednesday August 22.
 
Xel-Ha announces that it will open and resume normal operation of its services, activities and attractions on Thursday August 23. 

For the most current news and information regarding the status of Riviera Maya following the passage of Hurricane Dean early this morning, please visit www.rivieramaya.com/blog/.

Easily accessible from many cities throughout the U.S., the eighty-one mile stretch known as the Riviera Maya is situated in the Mexican Caribbean on the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Beginning eleven miles south of the Cancun International Airport in Puerto Morelos, the Riviera Maya extends to Felipe Carrillo Puerto, a small town near the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. The region features the tranquility of uncrowded beaches, a vast network of underground rivers, over 100 cenotes, the action of eco-adventure sports including kayaking, mountain biking, scuba diving, snorkeling, trekking, bird watching and deep sea fishing, proximity to many of Mexico’s most significant Mayan archeological sites, the varied activities of the eco-archeological parks, plus golf courses, Spas, shopping, gourmet dining and a range of accommodations to suit every lifestyle and budget. The Riviera Maya has been named a Top Destination in Mexico for three consecutive years by Travel Weekly (2004, 2005 and 2006) and was also featured in the January 2006 issue of Travel + Leisure as “The Next Riviera.”

For more information on the Riviera Maya call 1-877-7GO MAYA, e-mail info@rivieramaya.com or visit www.rivieramaya.com.

Note to editors:  For high resolution .JPG images of the Riviera Maya, please call 212-956-5900 or e-mail marie@adams-pr.com.

The New Westin Offers Premier Conference Facilities, Superior dining, and Renewing Services, Just 20 Minutes from Downtown Chicago.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announces the grand opening of The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center, an upscale hotel located just outside of the city of Chicago in the rapidly growing suburb of Lombard, Illinois. Operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc, The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center is the 150th Westin hotel to open worldwide, a milestone that the brand will celebrate with the release of 150 butterflies at today’s ribbon cutting. Read the rest of this entry →

Teramedia announces that it has been acquired by V12 Group, headquartered in Red Bank, New Jersey. This follows V12’s recent acquisition of Direct Marketing Associates (DMA) based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Teramedia manages and brokers direct mail, e-mail, telemarketing, and multichannel lists. Our product offerings also include email append, eCOA, database hygiene, and data licensing—all of which will enhance V12 Group’s suite of existing data driven marketing solutions.

Teramedia’s CEO Steve Hardigree and other executives will remain with V12 Group and will continue to be a driving force in the evolution of V12 Group. Mr. Hardigree states, “This agreement will mean a great deal to our clients and help ensure the continuation of our tradition of providing the highest value multi-channel direct marketing solutions.”

V12 Group is a complete provider of multi-channel direct marketing solutions for a variety of industries. Further strengthening V12 Group’s core data business is a key driver to the acquisition strategy which will fortify the company’s growth. “This 2nd acquisition reinforces V12 Group’s growth strategy and we will continue to pursue complimentary business models that build on our core competency of data driven marketing solutions,” said V12 Group CEO Paul Chachko.

A Message from Teramedia’s CEO

This agreement will mean a great deal, to both our clients and our associates. Most significantly, our ability to create innovative solutions will be greater than ever. This will help ensure that our tradition of providing the highest value multi-channel direct marketing solutions continues.

This agreement signifies a change in ownership, not in leadership. Everyone at Teramedia — from our executives to fulfillment staff — will continue to dedicate themselves completely to the success of your business today and in the future.

If you have any questions about this exciting news, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at steveh@teramedia.com, or the Teramedia representative that you depend on to help you achieve your direct marketing goals.

Sincerely,

Steve Hardigree

Orlando-based Sol Meliá Vacation Club (SMVC) reports that its three member resorts and four sales office locations in Cancun, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya suffered very minimal wind and water damage to buildings and landscaping from Hurricane Dean’s arrival to the Yucatan Peninsula.  All sites are fully operational today and in clean-up mode.  No interruption in service is expected throughout this week.  A well-organized and proactive hurricane preparedness plan was enacted several days prior to accommodate and assure safety of employees, members and their families.  SMVC member resorts in the area are located at the Gran Meliá Cancun, ME Cancun and Meliá Cozumel. Read the rest of this entry →

Wyndham Hotel Group, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), of Parsippany, N.J., today announced that Aetos Capital, LP  has committed to invest up to $50 million in Tian Rui Hotel Corporation, master franchisor of the Super 8®  brand in China, to accelerate its hotel development efforts.

Wyndham Hotel Group’s Super 8 brand, one of the largest economy hotel chains in the world, was introduced to China in 2004.  Tian Rui Hotel Corporation has opened 49 Super 8 hotels in China, representing more than 4,700 rooms, and has signed agreements to develop an additional 67 hotels.  The Super 8 brand already is among the largest economy chains in China. Read the rest of this entry →

Interval International, a leading provider of vacation services and an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq:IACI), announced the promotion of Neil Kolton to region manager for the Caribbean in the resort sales and service department. In his new position, Kolton will provide sales, marketing and operations support to Interval’s existing member resorts, as well as build Interval’s developer client base in the region. He will remain based in Miami, Florida. Read the rest of this entry →

Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced it has begun construction of the new 98-unit WorldMark Long Beach resort in Washington. It is anticipated the scenic oceanfront resort will welcome its first guests in the fall of 2008. 

“We are extremely pleased to solidify our commitment to the Long Beach community through the development of this resort and also further expand our portfolio in this highly sought after destination,” said Franz Hanning, president and chief executive officer, Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “The area continues to be popular with our more than 250,000 WorldMark owners and we are confident they will find this new oceanfront resort a wonderful addition to their world-class accommodation options in the Pacific Northwest.” Read the rest of this entry →

Offers Tips for Traveling Green without Making it a Chore

Rock stars notoriously trash their hotel rooms, but you don’t have to be Sid Vicious to leave your room in disarray. In fact, it’s your everyday traveler’s etiquette that one would find most surprising — and more specifically, their lack of “eco-etiquette,” according to Randal Savage, responsible for housekeeping at ELEMENT Hotels as Corporate Director, Rooms at Starwood Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:HOT). The average hotel guest might not invite 30 of his closet friends over for a 4 AM fiesta, but from leaving lights on all day to air-conditioning the outdoors, hotel guests often leave their “eco-etiquette” at home. Read the rest of this entry →

New Brand for Former La Cabana Villas and Royal Cabana Casino in Aruba

KL Holding Company, N.V., a closely held international resort and casino development company, today announced a new name for its recently acquired timeshare resort and casino — The Aruban Resort & Casino at Eagle Beach. Read the rest of this entry →

Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a new stock repurchase program that enables the Company to purchase up to $200 million of its common stock. The amount and timing of specific repurchases are subject to market conditions, applicable legal requirements and other factors. Repurchases may be conducted in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions.
 
“We strongly believe Wyndham Worldwide stock has been an attractive value since last August as demonstrated through our purchase of approximately 25 million shares, valued at over $800 million, since that time,” said Stephen P. Holmes, Wyndham Worldwide chairman and chief executive officer. “We have a great deal of confidence in our business, and are committed to maintaining a prudent capital structure and the flexibility to continue executing on our strategic objectives while creating shareholder value.” Read the rest of this entry →

Scheduled to open in 2009, the Conrad Koh Samui will be the latest luxury villa development on the tranquil Thai island, setting new standards for prestige accommodation on Koh Samui.

Conrad Koh Samui will be located on a secluded hill, overlooking Aow Thai Beach at the southwest tip of the island. Spread over 25 acres, this distinct development will offer panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand, the outlying islands and surrounding coconut plantations, not to mention a perfect vantage point for the stunning Koh Samui sunsets. Read the rest of this entry →

Shell Vacations’ Las Vegas resort is nearing completion of a $17,000,000 renovation that saw its transformation from a budget suite motel into a high quality vacation ownership property, receiving an industry award for its design and high marks for customer service during the nearly four year construction process.

Known as the Hawthorne Suites when Shell Vacations – in partnership with Pat Nesbitt – acquired the hotel in 2004, the three-story property contained 284 hotel rooms in four buildings. In January 2005, Shell Vacations Hospitality took over the management and renovations to the first building were finished in June. Each of the succeeding three phases with about 72 units required six to seven months to complete. By September of this year, the fourth and final building is expected to be done resulting in 284 one- and two-bedroom luxury suites with full kitchens, plus  a total lobby renovation, the entire pool area with barbeque sections, and a new state-of-the-art fitness center. If Elvis were in the building, he’d surely be singing “Viva Desert Rose!” Read the rest of this entry →

International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (I.C.E.), founders John Rowley and Marcia Rowley, have selected Concord Servicing Corporation to provide billing and collections for their “Registry Vacations” product.

According to John, “Not only does Concord have the ability to manage loan-servicing products like this one, they also treat our customers with the respect and appreciation they deserve.”
Marcia adds, “They’re a great business partner for us.  Going forward, we’re planning to expand Concord’s involvement in additional loan-servicing programs we’ll be launching.” Read the rest of this entry →

As Tamarack Resort strategically reassesses its organizational structure; the resort is transitioning all External Affairs responsibilities – externally. Vice President of External Affairs and Communications Scott Turlington is embracing the entrepreneurial spirit of Tamarack by starting his own strategic consulting and advisory agency – Turlington and Associates, LLC.

“Tamarack was privileged to have Scott join our senior management team when he left Governor Kempthorne’s office in 2004. His ability to work with state and federal  officials and agencies, has played a key role in the success of Tamarack and will continue to be integral in his new capacity moving forward,” said Jean-Pierre Boespflug, Tamarack CEO. “We applaud and support his decision to move to the next stage of his career with the successful formation of Turlington and Associates, LLC.” Read the rest of this entry →

Sol Meliá Vacation Club is an internationally-branded membership club that focuses on providing leisure lifestyle experiences that include exotic destinations, designer-appointed luxury accommodations, exclusive services and unforgettable amenities. The leisure lifestyle concept is designed to provide members with an entire lifetime of leisure experiences to meet their ever changing needs.  Membership provides several options: the first – vacation club membership – provides a more traditional vacation time period (1 to 3 weeks) to accommodate a stage in life when there are larger families and children traveling together and require larger accommodations, more space, and fabulous facilities.  This concept provides a guarantee of prices of today through membership which makes this type of vacationing affordable year after year.  The second membership option offers longer-termed leisure time periods (4-8 weeks) that is focused more for those who have more leisure time available to them to travel, as well as more established finances, and who still desire a variety of destinations and luxury accommodations.  The final phase progresses to full ownership opportunities for those who wish to live in paradise all year long. Read the rest of this entry →

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Even though summer has returned to the UK, many of the 500,000 British timeshare owners will be packing their bags and heading off to the Mediterranean to enjoy some guaranteed sunshine. Whist on holidays it is not wasps or mosquitoes that travellers need to watch out for, they may well get stung by fraudulent Discount Travel Membership Clubs more commonly known as ‘Holiday Clubs’.

The Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE) is launching its ‘Don’t get Stung this Summer’ campaign to ensure travellers are aware of fraudulent practices used by Holiday Clubs and to raise awareness of the work OTE is doing to stamp out these activities. Read the rest of this entry →

Island is Open and Ready to Receive Guests

The Dominica Tourist Board is pleased to announce that the island has escaped Hurricane Dean with only minimal impact to its tourism infrastructure.  This statement follows a thorough assessment of the island’s hotels, tour operators and major tourist attractions that was conducted over the weekend and earlier today.

Overall, Dominica’s hotels have suffered minimal to no damage, are operational and are ready to welcome guests.  Infrastructure at all hotels remains fully intact with only a handful of properties reporting minor damage and the need for clean-up from instances of fallen trees, downed fences, shingles blown away, water damage or broken windows or light bulbs.  Electricity and running water have been restored to most hotels with service to the rest to be restored shortly.  No tourist evacuations were necessary. Read the rest of this entry →

Holiday Resales has concluded its third webinar, “Using Your Timeshare to the Max.” The virtual seminar featured timeshare expert Lisa Ann Schreier. The webinar was followed by an extensive question and answer session.

Holiday Resales, a division of Holiday Group, just concluded its third webinar, “Using Your Timeshare to the Max.” The virtual seminar featured timeshare expert Lisa Ann Schreier, author of “Timeshare Vacations for Dummies,” who discussed how timeshare owners can get maximum use from their timeshares. Read the rest of this entry →

Dial An Exchange, LLC (DAE) announced that it has signed an agreement with RedWeek.com to power their new RedWeek Exchange service (www.redweek.com).

The relationship allows Dial An Exchange to increase exchange transactions and RedWeek.com to add a solid exchange service to their product offering. “We are in the business of executing exchange transactions and we do it well,” says Dial An Exchange VP of North American Operations Fermin Cruz. “RedWeek has built an excellent online community of timeshare owners and travelers while establishing a great brand. This new agreement will support that brand and community.” Read the rest of this entry →

New Region Manager Named to Head Territory

Interval International, a leading provider of vacation services and an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq:IACI), recently opened its new Northeast regional resort sales and service office in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The location of the office is strategically positioned in the territory and is home to a large and important client base. Read the rest of this entry →

Wyndham Worldwide Donates $50,000 to CampThe Victory Junction Gang Camp has been selected as the Official Charity of the Wyndham Championship. Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN), the tournament’s title sponsor, presented a check for $50,000 to the camp as the first contribution of a multi-year commitment that will run for the duration of the company’s sponsorship of the PGA TOUR event in nearby Greensboro.

Based in Randleman, North Carolina, Victory Junction Gang Camp enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically sound environment. The camp was established in 2004 by NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie in honor of their son, Adam. Read the rest of this entry →

Wayport, Inc., an international leader in the design and integration of applications and software over wired and wireless carrier grade networks, announced today that it has installed Wi-Fi Internet access at the Carriage Ridge and Carriage Hills Resorts, two Shell Vacations Hospitality owned and operated properties located in Central Ontario, Canada.

Richard Cassara, regional vice-president of Shell Vacations Hospitality says, “Carriage Hills and Carriage Ridge Resorts are a signature brand that serves the future of family travel perfectly, and we intend to be on the leading edge of the important and growing market for affordable luxury. Wayport’s dedication to providing a premium high-speed Internet solution make them a perfect match to support our upscale vacation ownership resorts.” Read the rest of this entry →

Brand Tango, a Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based marketing and advertising firm, has named Jason Kozma as director of applications development. In his new position, Kozma will provide Brand Tango clients with strategic technology solutions, including access to the agency’s new proprietary “Tango” software, an advanced lead-management system.

“We’re delighted to welcome Jason to our team,” says Joe Russoniello, Brand Tango’s president. “The growing demand for technology development created the need to expand the resources we can offer our clients. Jason will provide immense creative and technological skills to our clients.” Read the rest of this entry →

Experts to Present Potential Profit Models from Shared and Whole Ownership Investments

Group RCI, the global leader in non-hotel leisure accommodations, today announced they would be hosting their first Leisure Real Estate Symposium in India. As reported by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), India is expected to be the third fastest growing country in the world in travel and tourism demand over the next ten years. That growth potential, coupled with the 19.8% increase in the number of Indians living in India with financial assets of more than US$1 million, vs. 6.5% growth worldwide*, are important factors that lead to the selection of India as the venue for the Group 2007 Leisure Real Estate Symposium: India, Riding the Wave of Growth. Read the rest of this entry →

The World’s Fastest Growing Luxury Hotel Brand Signs Deal to Open

Fourth Property in China; W Macao-Studio City to open in 2009

In its continued demand to select only world class destinations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced plans for a new W Hotel in Macao, further solidifying the brand’s extensive and rapidly growing global footprint. Scheduled to open in early 2009, this new-build W hotel will be located within the Macao Studio City complex, situated on Cotai, an area earmarked by the Macao government to become one of the main gaming, entertainment and resort developments in the Special Administrative Region. W Macao Studio City will make its debut in 2009, offering 563 guest rooms, in addition to the innovative design and full-range of branded amenities guests have come to expect of W Hotels. Read the rest of this entry →

Owners Can Now Choose Among Six Select Wyndham Hotel Properties -

 Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced that owners of FairShare Plus, its points-based vacation ownership exchange program, may now use their points to stay at the luxurious Wyndham Rio Mar – A Wyndham Grand Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The addition of the Wyndham Rio Mar brings the number of Wyndham hotels participating in the FairShare Plus program to six. Read the rest of this entry →

Today millions of Americans were driving or flying home from vacation having the following conversations: “Wouldn’t it be great to buy a cottage there?” “When we retire, wouldn’t it be great to spend more time there.” “The Johnson Family owns a second home there, how can they afford one too?”Vacation Finance’s team, and our guest blog writers have the answers to these questions and we are posting them daily on our blog, along with stories of American’s who have found a way to own a second home today. How they afford it, and how they have managed to spend more time on vacation. Read the rest of this entry →