Timeshare News | Fractional News | Hospitality Headlines | The Timeshare Blog

In a move that is expected to change the high-end vacation experience in Asia, famed US hotelier Tom LaTour is bringing his five-star boutique concept to Thailand.

Thailand is no stranger to luxury, being home to a wealth of resorts and five-star hotels that have long attracted global jetsetters. But much like the rest of Asia, fractional ownership has been slow to take off in the country. LaTour is set to change that by introducing his well-known La Tour Signature Group brand, through partnerships with several boutique luxury projects.
Negotiations are still under discussion, however company executives have confirmed LaTour Signature Group is looking at several small, five-star resort properties.

Tom LaTour, former CEO and Chairman of the Kimpton Group, is a top player in North America’s hospitality industry and is even referred to as ‘The Hotel Guru’. Since partnering with Bill Kimpton in 1983, LaTour helped make Kimpton an industry leader in boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurant concepts, building one relationship at a time with a tireless desire to entertain people. He recently continued his passion for the hospitality business by launching his own company, LaTour Signature Group, in 2006. This year he earned a Platinum Circle lifetime achievement award from Hospitality Design Magazine – recognizing LaTour’s lustrous 20-year career with the hotel giant.

Much like he did with boutique properties around the U.S. and Canada, LaTour wants to revolutionize the burgeoning vacation home ownership industry in Thailand by serving up an exceptional five-star vacation resort “lifestyle” experience to the developers and owners of new and existing properties in popular and emerging golf, oceanfront and urban locations.

The group is already making a name for itself in North America by creating personalized vacation experiences for owners and attending to every detail of property development and operations. In fact, there are ‘Five Key Pillars’ that must be present in each LaTour Resort for a property to qualify for the brand. These are: culinary, which means operations are personally overseen by LaTour, who has created more than 20 popular and highly-rated restaurants in the United States and Canada; wine, which has long been a LaTour hallmark (LaTour himself produces a highly-regarded Chardonnay and Syrah on a 25-acre vineyard in Napa Valley); wellness/health, with programs that connect with guests on the most personal level; entertaining, which demands an array of skills that are LaTour strong points; and concierge, as the group pays particular attention to this area of service, which can favourably or unfavourably colour a guest’s perception of everything.

Although fractional ownership is a somewhat new concept in Asia, available at a few luxury properties in Thailand, it has been a popular option for luxury investors in the US and Europe for quite some time thanks to such well-known brands as The Ritz-Carlton Club, Interval International and Starwood Vacation Ownership and IFA Hotels and Resorts.

Unlike the well-known time share concept, fractional ownership is a legal entity through which any number of investors becomes co-owners (shareholders) of a property. The property is held by a private company created by the developer, which sells shares to investors, who receive share certificates. This allows shareholders a predefined period of holiday weeks per annum depending on the fractional share being offered by the development. These weeks are allocated to the owners of the shares on an equitable basis and rotate on an annual basis to ensure that more popular dates are accessible to all the owners. Unlike timeshares or vacation clubs (where people buy memberships and pay dues), shared ownership comes with an underlying structure making it a true asset that will appreciate at current market rates.

La Tour will be joining forces with Leisure Solutions, a boutique real estate consultancy based in Bangkok that specializes in luxury properties and the fractional ownership industry. With a network of local and international partners and clients, Leisure Solutions works with developers, investors, hotel operators and agents looking to develop operations and profit from the real estate and hospitality sectors, including fractional ownership.

“We’re delighted to team up with such a prestigious and dedicated global hospitality leader. Tom LaTour is renowned for his commitment to excellence and providing investors with properties that go beyond the realm of luxury,” says Darron Guy, General Manager of Leisure Solutions, adding that developers interested in learning more about the LaTour Signature Group should contact their firm.

Leisure Solutions announced it will be launching fractional ownership projects for Hua Hin’s ‘The Falls’ and Infinity Samui in mid-December, further proof the industry is growing in popularity in Thailand.

With LaTour’s dedication to finery and Leisure Solutions’ expertise in the Thai market, the pair is expected to lead the way as the luxury fractional vacation ownership industry grows in Thailand.

“We intend to become the ultimate brand for smaller fractional properties,” says LaTour, who has the proven experience and burning passion to lead the explosive growth in this niche market.

About Leisure Solutions

Leisure Solutions, a boutique real estate consultancy based in Bangkok that specializes in luxury properties and the fractional ownership industry. For more information, please contact:

Darron Guy, General Manager

Leisure Solutions

Address: Elite Serviced Offices 2 Ploenchit Center, G Floor,
Sukhumvit Rd, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 Thailand

Tel: +66 81655 1940

Email: info@leisure-solutions.net

Web: http://www.leisure-solutions.net

http://www.fractionalownershipmagazine.com/luxury-fractional-ownership-guru-sets-his-sights-on-thailand/

Christine Skidds is one of the approximately 17,000 people diagnosed with primary brain cancer in the US each year (another 100,000 are diagnosed with secondary brain cancer). In her online journal (www.caringbridge.org/visit/ christineskidds), Christine writes about living with cancer. She explains, “I used to be worried about not being pretty enough, skinny enough, not having a big enough house… but I have become closer to God… I now wake up and think to myself: You’re living, not dying.”

In Dover, NH, Christine is not seen as a statistic; she is a beloved wife, mother, friend, sister, and member of the community. On November 15, nearly 300 people came together for a gala and fundraising auction to support Christine and her family. Donations to the auction included a tandem sky dive, spa treatments, tickets for Boston Red Sox and for New England Patriots games; 140 items in all, that ranged from as practical as an oil change to as unique as a fire truck ride.

Jason Tremblay, CEO of the Dover based timeshare company, Sell My Timeshare NOW, says, “Christine has shown remarkable courage and is an inspiration to everyone who hears her story. Many caring people have come forward to assist Christine’s Crusade. I encourage others to help in any way they can.”

Tremblay’s company is the nation’s leading advertising and marketing company for timeshare resales and timeshare rentals. Their donation of the use of a Wyndham timeshare raised $700 for the auction, while providing the winning bidder with one week at a Wyndham Florida timeshare resort.

Donating timeshare to charitable causes like Christine’s Crusade or not-for-profit foundations is one way timeshare owners can dispense with timeshare they no longer wish to own. Sell My Timeshare NOW processes donations of qualifying timeshares (not all timeshares qualify) through a partnership with Southern New Hampshire University, charging the donor no fees. To learn more about timeshare donation, contact Robin Snow at 877-815-4227 or click here for timeshare donation.

About Sell My Timeshare NOW, LLC:
Sell My Timeshare NOW provides advertising and marketing for timeshare owners who want to rent or sell timeshare. In 2008, Sell My Timeshare Now has generated over $368 million in offers from prospective buyers and renters. For media interviews contact (603) 516-0649 or email steveluba@sellmytimesharenow.com

The Geo Group recently installed the TimeShareWare Enterprise 2008 software solution to manage its sales, marketing, and reservations. The Geo Group is one of the largest vacation clubs in Canada with locations throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. 

Geo was one of the first organizations in the world to start a “vacation club” points system and is widely recognized as one of the leaders in the global vacation ownership industry. Strong affiliations with other leading vacation clubs have enabled Geo’s owners to travel virtually anywhere. Geo and its marketing partners have successfully introduced over 10,000 member families to its program and now facilitate over 50,000 vacations per year.

Chris Ashton, IT Manager for The Geo Group, remarked, “The strength and flexibility of TimeShareWare’s Enterprise 2008 platform has allowed us to host our multi-club environment within a single integrated application. TimeShareWare has become the exclusive software solution that nearly 100 of our staff members depend on every day. All facets of our business, including sales, marketing, central reservations, and accounting utilize TimeShareWare as their primary tool. We are pleased to be a recognized partner with TimeShareWare and look forward to our future endeavors together.”

Timo Jones, CEO and President of TimeShareWare commented, “We are always gratified to see our software platform enabling clients such as Geo to perform with excellence. TimeShareWare is extremely flexible and was created to service all types and sizes of resorts in the market.”

For more information about The Geo Group, visit their website at: www.geoholiday.com.

About TimeShareWare & CondotelWare:
TimeShareWare is the industry standard software platform for shared-ownership, mixed use resorts. Since 1993, TimeShareWare serves all sizes and types of vacation ownership associations, fractional ownership properties, and timeshare resorts including multi-site, single-site, and points-based clubs. The TimeShareWare software platform includes solutions for lead management, contract processing, sales and marketing, owner accounting, loan servicing, property management, reservations, and web-based owner servicing.

CondotelWare is the first full-service software solution designed specifically for condominium hotels. The software helps owners and operators master all aspects of condo-hotel management and administration, including owner accounting, billing, rental rotation, inventory management, reservations, owner relations, reporting, and more.

Starwood is Partnering with Alhokair Group to Open Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia, Jeddah; Four Points by Sheraton Dhahran; and Aloft Riyadh

Powering ahead in key markets across the globe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces plans to open three new hotels in Saudi Arabia. Starwood has signed a long-term management agreement with the Alhokair Group to open Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, Four Points by Sheraton Dhahran and Aloft Riyadh. The addition of these three new properties increases Starwood’s portfolio to 13 hotels in Saudi Arabia.

The Middle East continues to be one of the strongest components of Starwood’s rapidly growing global portfolio, as the company continues to expand in the region at record rates. Currently, Starwood operates 50 hotels and resorts in the Middle East under five of its nine distinct and compelling brands, including Sheraton, Le Méridien, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and the Luxury Collection. Starwood expects to double its portfolio in the broader Europe, Africa and the Middle East region to approximately 500 properties by 2013.

“The signing of these three new properties in the Middle East underscores Starwood’s commitment to expanding its footprint in this fast-growing market. We are proud of the trust bestowed upon Starwood’s brands by the Fawaz Alhokair Group and we are looking forward to exploring future possibilities to expand our partnership,” said Roeland Vos, President of the Starwood Europe, Africa and Middle East division. “We invite global travelers to experience our premium lifestyle brands in three dynamic destinations within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is a major cultural point of reference and a vital international market.”

“Partnering with Starwood Hotels & Resorts provides us a great opportunity to further extend our business offering and move into the hotel segment with two truly world-class brands. We foresee a long-term benefit for both parties as existing facilities do not meet demand in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia,” said Mr. Fawaz A. Alhokair, chairman of the Fawaz Alhokair Group. “Continued economic and business growth will drive even more travel into this region, and this will maintain demand and profitability for the hotel business. By partnering with us, Starwood Hotels & Resorts is in the best position to tap into this opportunity.”

Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia
Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia is scheduled to open in early 2010 in a prime location in Jeddah, less than three miles from the King Abdul Aziz International Airport and just five miles from the old city. The new-build hotel will provide direct access to the Mall of Arabia, Jeddah’s premier shopping complex, which is home to numerous retail stores, restaurants, an office complex, a gold Souk and an entertainment area with an ice rink.

Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia will offer 300 spacious rooms, a lively social atmosphere, and popular extras such as complimentary bottled water and free high-speed Internet. Facilities will two restaurants, a lobby lounge, swimming pool, poolside snack bar, fitness center, business center and more than 3,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space for events and conferences.

Four Points by Sheraton Dhahran
Four Points by Sheraton Dhahran is expected to open in early 2011 at the prominent intersection of Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Road and King Saud Road in Dhahran, a major administrative center for Saudi Arabia’s oil industry. The hotel’s ideal location adjacent to the state-of-the-art Mall of Dhahran will provide guests with easy access to dining, shopping and entertainment. The newly constructed hotel will be 24 miles from the King Fahd International Airport and 20 miles from the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Four Points by Sheraton Dhahran will feature 236 comfortable rooms and suites ranging from deluxe room to Executive Suites, as well as two restaurants and a cozy lobby lounge where guests can relax with friends and colleagues while sipping their favorite beverages. The hotel will also offer a swimming pool, fitness center, gift shop and more than 3,700 square feet of meeting space for meetings and conferences of various sizes.

Aloft Riyadh
Scheduled to open in early 2011, Aloft Riyadh will be the second Aloft in the Middle East, following the opening of Aloft Abu Dhabi in 2009. Aloft Riyadh will be ideally situated in the Olaya district at the intersection of Olaya Street and Mecca Road, which links Riyadh to Jeddah and Saudi Arabia’s eastern province. The new-build hotel will offer 225 spacious, loft-like rooms, tech-savvy touches, a hip, social atmosphere and easy access to Riyadh’s commercial and shopping hubs. Additional facilities include the re:mixSM communal lobby area, bar w xyzSM, the re:chargeSM fitness center, the splash pool and re:fuel by aloftSM – a one-stop food and beverage area.

Designed in conjunction with world-renowned David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, Aloft offers atmospheric public spaces where guests can mix and mingle, read the paper, work on laptops, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends. Guest rooms will feature the Aloft brand’s signature nine-foot ceilings, oversized windows and the ultra-comfortable bed, as well as oversized walk-in showers and amenities created by Bliss® Spa. Each room at Aloft Riyadah will be a combination high-tech office and entertainment center equipped with wireless internet access and a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic gadgetry all linked to a 42” flat-panel television.

About Aloft
Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, Aloft is a new destination sensation featuring loft-inspired design, accessible technology and a stylish urban attitude. Starwood opened its first Aloft hotels in 2008, with plans to open more than 500 in the next five years.

About Four Points by Sheraton
Four Points by Sheraton, with 130 properties in 22 countries, offers the self-sufficient traveler a new kind of style and comfort combined with a spirited “can-do” service — all at an honest value. Four Points by Sheraton hotels are located in easy-to-reach areas – close to major airports, suburban centers, urban hot spots and resort and vacation destinations. Four Points’ Simple PleasuresSM program celebrates the little things in life that make a big difference in guests’ travel such as a great beer, a complimentary bottle of water, and a tasty treat at the end of a long day. It’s those little extras that score big points with Four Points by Sheraton customers.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Worldwide Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, AloftSM and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About Al Hokair Group
In just over 18 years Fawaz Alhokair Group has transformed the retail landscape of Saudi Arabia through successfully pioneering international retail franchising. Starting with just two menswear stores in 1990, today they are a well diversified corporation with core businesses in retail and real estate, as well as investment interests in six lines of emerging business. It is through diversification that they see their 06/07 turnover of SAR 5 Bn tripling in the next five years. The exponential growth of their business is reflected in a significant expansion of their current 9,000-strong human capital base, 18 million satisfied customers, five million square feet of prime retail real estate, a current network of 11 operational malls in major cities across the KSA and 5000 international branded hotels rooms under construction in major cities across the KSA. The Group also boasts nine international food brands with 111 food outlets and more than 40 international fashion brands at more than 700 fashion stores.

Condo Express, Inc. announces their breakthrough web service for use by timeshare industry professionals. Timeshare-Information-Exchange.com (TIE) is a business-to-business timeshare sales, rental or exchange vehicle that is user-friendly and operates similarly to that of the traditional real estate multi-list system concept; however, it is dedicated solely to timeshare and has plenty of extra capabilities.

All industry professionals can join now and will have instant, easy and convenient browser access 24/7 to timeshare inventory available for resale, rental or exchange from around the world, and they also have access to those who want to purchase, rent or exchange a particular timeshare property. There are currently thousands of units for sale or rent (haves) in the system and thousands of buyer and renter profiles (wants) will be loaded by members before the end of the year.

TIE was developed to serve brokers, developers, wholesalers, resellers, trading companies, rental agencies, vacation clubs, HOA’s, exchangers and any other businesses that are active in the timeshare resale, rental or exchange market.

The basis of forming TIE was to create a reserve of “haves or deposits” and “wants or requests” that addresses timeshare requirements on both sides of the resale, rental or exchange equation – having instant access to either the needed property or timeshare buyer, seller, renter or exchanger. In essence, its usefulness becomes apparent when either (1) the member is seeking timeshares to fulfill the inventory needs of buyer clients or (2) the member is looking for timeshare buyers, renters or exchangers to satisfy the needs of clients who are selling or renting their timeshares.

One of the biggest problems in the timeshare industry today is having a ready, willing and able buyer or user for a timeshare but not having the property available.

As stated above, this is a B2B timeshare resale, rental or exchange forum that serves as a means to an end for all who are in the market of providing their clients with quality vacation accommodations which is an asset not only to the timeshare members themselves but to the timesharing community as a whole.
           
For more information or to join, call 1-800-817-5814 or click on one of the links above or
Contact: TIE@Timeshare-Property.com

44 new Gold Coast apartments purchased by Club for members’ use

Accor Vacation Club has purchased forty-four (44) one and two bedroom apartments at the 4.5 star Freshwater Point Broadbeach, QLD which will be made available for Club Members use as growth in the Club continues.

 
The in-demand destination, offering high quality, self-contained resort style accommodation boasts a heated pool, spa, steam room and sauna, fully quipped gymnasium, games rooms, on-site café, poolside barbecue, tour desk, and secure undercover parking. All of the air-conditioned apartments feature full kitchen facilities, private balcony, security intercom, and have wireless broadband available.

The nine level resort is directly opposite the Casino and Convention Centre, and a stone’s throw from Broadbeach’s trendy café and restaurant scene and the glorious patrolled surf beaches that the Gold Coast is famous for.

Seen as a vote of confidence in the Queensland tourism industry, it shows that despite a global downturn in mainstream hotel business the holiday ownership industry is still strong, mainly due to Member’s having future-proofed their holidays and costs by buying into the flexible points-based system.

Data collected from the Australian timeshare industry confirms that holiday owners are bucking the trend, as the appeal of regular holidays and the need to utilise their pre-paid annual points motivates them to book a getaway.

Holiday ownership continues to be a strong and stable component of the region’s tourism economy and is highlighted by findings from The Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) who this week released occupancy figures provided by timeshare operators for the second quarter of 2008. These statistics show that timeshare consistently achieved occupancy rates above 94.6%.

Accor Vacation Club reported that the following Member properties consistently reported occupancies of 90% or above throughout the year during 2008, defying downward market trends domestically – Grand Mercure Apartments Flinders Lane, Melbourne; Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort, Snowy Mountains; Novotel Coffs Harbour Pacific Bay Resort; Novotel Rockford Palm Cove Resort; Grand Mercure Apartments Pinnacle Apartments, Darling Harbour; Hotel St Moritz, Queenstown; and Twin Waters Beach Houses, Sunshine Coast.
 
According to John Osborne, CEO of Accor Vacation Club, “Ownership is the highest form of loyalty. It is clear our owners are using their scheduled holiday time because they have already paid for their accommodation. When the expense of their stay is pre-paid, it’s easier for them to cover today’s higher airline ticket costs or fuel surcharges and overcome other economic concerns that are currently impeding travel.”

The reliable, high timeshare occupancy rates, year-round, essentially alleviate seasonal fluctuations in employment which is a huge benefit to the workforce, and ensures hotels and Resorts can plan confidently into the future for refurbishments and growth.

http://www.ownersperspective.co.uk/accor-vacation-club-confidently-steps-up-inventory/

New Property Additions Strengthen the Brand’s Collection of World-Class Fractional Products

Fairmont Heritage Place, the private residence club offering from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, today announced that it has assumed management of two North American-based private residence clubs formerly operated by Storied Places®, an Intrawest company. Joining Fairmont Heritage Place’s exclusive collection are the Fairmont Heritage Place at Nature’s Door, Whistler and Fairmont Heritage Place Inspiration, Miramar Beach in Sandestin, Florida. These additions enhance and extend the Fairmont Heritage Place portfolio, which now consists of five locations, over 200 luxury homes and more than 2,000 homeowners worldwide.

“The addition of these leading resort destinations, combined with recently announced private residence projects in places like the Kingdom of Sheba development on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Zimbali in South Africa and Vail, Colorado, supports our residential growth strategy of adding developments that are of the highest quality, situated in the world’s most spectacular locations, and offer a unique mix of lifestyle and leisure offerings,” said Thomas W. Storey, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “New homeowners will have the opportunity to enjoy the exclusive benefits and privileges of Fairmont Heritage Place, such as club-to-hotel exchanges, and we look forward to providing them with the personalized and thoughtful service that has made Fairmont famous throughout the world.”

Providing ski-in, ski-out access next to the Dave Murray Downhill Olympic Ski run, Fairmont Heritage Place at Nature’s Door, Whistler features 22 well-appointed and fully furnished vacation homes. Reflecting the rustic charm of the Pacific Northwest, these luxury homes range in size from three to four-bedrooms and offer mountain inspired amenities like private outdoor hot tubs, customary wood-burning fireplaces, and wrap-around decks providing unparalleled views of Whistler Blackcomb. Original artwork by local British Columbian artisans adorn each home and all feature private media centers equipped with large flat panel televisions and DVD players.

Overlooking the protected wetlands of Choctawhatchee Bay and nestled amongst the lush fairways and manicured greens of the award-winning Burnt Pine Golf Club rests the 20 luxury homes of Fairmont Heritage Place Inspiration, Miramar Beach. Here homeowners enjoy the comfort of three-bedroom residences that showcase vaulted ceilings, wrought-iron canopy beds, and kitchenettes featuring White Carrera Bianco marble and stainless steel countertops. Within the resort development itself, homeowners also have convenient access to the new Village of Baytowne Wharf, four-championship golf courses, the Sandestin Golf Academy, a 98 slip-marina, 15 tennis courts, and 17 restaurants including waterfront dining.

“These exquisite private residence clubs are extremely successful and consistently receive some of the highest guest satisfaction ratings in the lodging industry,” said Brian Collins, President at Intrawest ULC. “There is tremendous compatibility with our Storied Places fractional ownership concept and Fairmont’s private residence club. This new ownership model will introduce the Fairmont brand to Sandestin and deepen their brand presence at Whistler Blackcomb which will maximize the benefits for owners. As we look toward the future, Intrawest will continue to seek opportunities to partner with Fairmont to design, build, manage and operate new and innovative real estate projects.”

Fairmont Heritage Place is a leading operator of private residence clubs throughout the world. Featuring luxury home developments in world-class destinations like San Francisco, Telluride and Acapulco, Fairmont Heritage Place combines the impressive amenities and attentive service of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts with the luxurious comforts of an elegant private retreat. Fairmont Heritage Place owners, as well as being able to enjoy their own homes, can utilize their allotted time at other Fairmont Heritage Place locations around the world. They also have the unique opportunity to enjoy exchange privileges at Fairmont’s collection of distinctive hotels and resorts, including landmark properties like the century-old Savoy hotel in London and The Fairmont Banff Springs in the Canadian Rockies.

About Fairmont Heritage Place
Fairmont Heritage Place is an exclusive private residence club collection offering vacation home ownership in some of the world’s most sought after locations. Fairmont Heritage Place Acapulco, its first residence club, opened in September 2004 and is now sold out. Fairmont Heritage Place also manages the Fairmont Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge in Telluride, Colorado and San Francisco’s Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square, which officially opened in August 2008. Sales are currently underway for Fairmont Heritage Place, Kingdom of Sheba, on the Crescent of The Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, and Fairmont Heritage Place, Zimbali, South Africa. Future development is being planned at select Fairmont resort locations including Vail, Colorado; Rock Ki, Dominican Republic; Oman; and Palm Desert, California. For additional information, please visit: www.fairmontheritageplace.com.

About Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
A leader in the global hospitality industry, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is an extraordinary collection of luxury hotels, which includes iconic landmarks like Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Fairmont The Norfolk, Nairobi and London’s The Savoy, reopening in 2009. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travelers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership program. Fairmont’s portfolio includes 56 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 25 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Shanghai, Morocco and Anguilla.

Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with 91 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissotel brands. The company also manages Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties. For more information or reservations, please call 1-800-441-1414 or visit www.fairmont.com.

About Intrawest
Intrawest is a world leader in experiential destination resorts. The company has interests in ten resorts at North America’s most popular mountain destinations including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Intrawest network also includes Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida and Club Intrawest-a private resort club with locations throughout North America. In addition, Intrawest develops, markets and sells real estate at its resorts and at other locations across North America and in Europe. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.intrawest.com.

http://www.fractionalownershipmagazine.com/fairmont-heritage-place-increases-portfolio-with-new-sun-and-ski-destinations/

New Transformational processes are evolving in the lucrative Dubai real estate market. Developers need to adapt and innovate new consumer friendly schemes to survive the global economic meltdown.

Charles Darwin’s theories may also soon apply to the trillion dollar industry that is represented by the Dubai real estate market. In a recent real estate seminar, sponsored by World Class Group in Dubai, the keynote speaker said that the future of the real estate market will be based on Darwin’s law of natural selection.
 
Michael J. Tolan, CEO of World Class Group was addressing representatives from over 30  real estate related companies attending the forum, ‘Beating the Economic Meltdown, Wrestling Alligators in Dubai’. 
 
“The trends of the market will follow Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection,and the entire model of the market will transform.” he said. There will be market deselection of smaller companies avoiding transitional  change and market demand adaptation.

“Developers will take lessons from the past recessions  and will innovate new packaging and offerings to comply to investor demand, he added. More rent to own schemes, attractive  and flexible in -house finance, and real estate investment trusts will emerge to lure investors back into the stormy and uncertain waters of the real estate market.” he said.

The seminar which was attended by a variety of related service companies from hedge fund managers, property developers and real estate agents.

He  also highlighted the advent of fractional ownership and timeshare schemes which will evolve in the Dubai UAE markets to offset the oversupply of unsold inventory and attract a new class of investors and speculators.

“In the past, the lucrative Dubai real estate market has succeeded on the heals of market euphoria and innuendo, which has created an  artificial hype. Vanity selling has been the main culprit,” he said.The market value today exceeds 4 trillion dollars of existing or pipeline projects, including the world tallest building and projects like the Palm Islands which feature Trump Towers, Atlantis and the new World Islands.

“Developers and agents in the future must address the fear factor that may prevent investors to plunge into the market, and good solid regulations that Dubai has now adopted will go far to overcome consumer protection issues often absent in the past.”

“However, he said that Developers who will continue to use the models of the past 18 months in the market could be in for a severe correction in their performance numbers”.

“Innovation  and creativity which delivers real value to the end users will be the road to any success in the coming 18 month cycle”, said Tolan.

“Companies that will outperform their peers will make substantial investments in creating new platforms, re-engineering their models and upgrading skill sets of their human resources.
The market will see a host of new services in this transformational period, and it will eventually be an upgrade of the whole market. The strong and innovative companies  will pioneer  the future road ahead”, he said.

“Real estate consumers will respond when they have a big enough incentive to do so, therefore the more flexible  and innovative the offering, combined with stringent measures of safety and protection,the better the outcome for the future of prosperity in the Dubai  market arena” he added. “The  Dubai market  is experiencing a slow down,  however is dynamic, amazing and full of promise” , he added.

About World Class Group:
A multi-disciplined consultancy practice based in Beirut with representative offices Europe and the UAE. World Class focus on corporate training, designing innovative Marketing strategies and act as a mentoring solution for boardrooms. The group also offers real estate consulting services and shared ownership solutions.

For More Information contact Mr. Bassam Nakad or Michael Tolan
email: Info(at)worldclass-uae.com / http://worldclass-uae.com

Company expands resort offering in the popular mountain destination

Wyndham Vacation Ownership adds to its portfolio of resorts in Colorado with the opening of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Steamboat Springs and the expansion of its established WorldMark Steamboat Springs property. These additions to the company’s FairShare Plus by Wyndham and WorldMark, The Club portfolios add 142 units to the popular resort complex. Located in Ski Town, U.S.A.®, the company’s Steamboat complex is within minutes of the area’s numerous ski slopes, trails and hot springs.

“Steamboat Springs is one of only a few destinations where we have established resorts under both our WorldMark by Wyndham and Wyndham Vacation Resorts brands, which demonstrates the popularity of this destination among our more than 800,000 owner families,” said Gary Byrd, executive vice president, Hospitality Services, Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “We’re thrilled to expand our presence in one of the most renowned ski areas for families in the country.”

The new Wyndham Vacation Resorts Steamboat Springs’ design reflects the character of the area by incorporating rustic wood elements and deep earth tones throughout the interiors of the mountain-themed resort. The resort includes a mix of 71 spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom units in addition to two- and three-bedroom Presidential units. The WorldMark Steamboat Springs expansion features its own unique design and also includes 71 one-, two- and three-bedroom traditional units as well as two- and three-bedroom Penthouse and Presidential units. The beautifully appointed units at both resorts include such amenities as a full kitchen, living room, entertainment center and gas fireplace.

The complex includes a number of amenities for owners to share. After a day of skiing the surrounding slopes, mountain biking on nearby trails or rafting the Yampa River, owners and their guests can relax in the resort complex’s lounge area, game room, steam room, sauna, outdoor spas and indoor and outdoor pools. For those looking for even more active adventures on site, the complex has an arcade, sports court and playground to enjoy.

Situated in the heart of skiing country, Steamboat Springs is a year-round destination with the tradition of the Western United States matched with beautiful scenery and numerous outdoor activities. Recently named the “#1 Family Ski Resort in the West” by SKI Magazine, Steamboat Springs is an ideal destination for skiing, tubing, snowmobiling and snowboarding as well as hiking, mountain biking and fly fishing. Visitors can explore several natural hot springs throughout the area or, for a change of pace, visit the town’s charming shops and restaurants.  

Including both resorts in Steamboat Springs, Wyndham Vacation Ownership now has five resorts located across Colorado. The Steamboat Springs properties join resorts in Durango, Estes Park and Pagosa Springs.

About Wyndham Vacation Ownership
Wyndham Vacation Ownership, a member of Wyndham Worldwide’s (NYSE: WYN) family of companies, is the world’s largest vacation ownership business, as measured by the number of vacation ownership resorts, individual vacation ownership units and owners of vacation ownership interests.  Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its three primary consumer brands, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, WorldMark by Wyndham and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific.  As of December 31, 2007, Wyndham Vacation Ownership had developed or acquired approximately 145 vacation ownership resorts throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and the South Pacific that represent more than 17,500 individual vacation ownership units and more than 800,000 owners of vacation ownership interests. Wyndham Vacation Ownership is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and is supported by more than 17,700 employees globally.

Travel Advantage Network (TAN), a nationwide leader in wholesale vacation accommodations, has reached out to The MISS Foundation in support of families who have lost a child from any cause such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or a congenital heart defect.  The MISS Foundation is an international, non-profit organization which provides immediate and ongoing support to grieving families, empowerment through community volunteerism opportunities, public policy and legislative education, and programs to reduce infant and toddler death through research and education.  TAN held raffles and received contributions from company employees, raising $750, despite difficult economic times.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our TAN family and how month after month they reach out to support causes such as The MISS Foundation,” said TAN President Brad Callahan.  “Each month one of TAN’s employees chooses a charity and leads employee efforts to raise money, donate time and participate in events in support of worthy causes.”

TAN’s efforts to support The MISS Foundation were led by employee Teresa Jeffrey.  “Since I’ve had my daughter, The MISS Foundation has become dear to my heart,” said Jeffrey.  “It is important for people to understand how they can become involved and build awareness for causes of death among children, as well as how they can support research to prevent it.”

In addition to TAN’s support of The MISS Foundation, in 2008 TAN employees have raised and donated thousands of dollars to help in the fight against juvenile alopecia areata, muscular dystrophy, congenital heart defects, autism, arthritis and child hunger.

ABOUT TRAVEL ADVANTAGE NETWORK (TAN)
Since 1992, TAN, a wholesale priced vacation accommodations program, has helped families and individuals create lifelong vacation memories. TAN is the proud recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Maryland’s prestigious Torch Award for exemplifying high business standards and professional integrity and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s Philanthropy in Business Award for outstanding and innovative commitment to local and national charities. TAN is a recipient of Baltimore CEO Magazine’s 2008 Future 50 Award, recognizing the fastest growing companies in the greater Baltimore area. TAN was the only travel company to make this year’s Future 50 list.  To learn more visit www.planwithtan.com.

Resort Real Estate Event for the Fractional Interest Industry To Focus on Improving Business Performance in a Down Economy

Registration is now open for the 2009 Ragatz Associates Ninth Annual Fractional Interest Conference, a highly anticipated annual forum which will discuss recent and anticipated influences affecting this unique resort real estate industry. The conference is scheduled for March 9-11 at The Fairmont San Francisco.
 
 “While the recent financial crisis has affected every element of the real estate market, in the long term, shared-ownership products such as fractional interests are likely to be the first to rebound,” says consulting veteran Richard Ragatz, Ph.D. and event host. “The key is for the development community to be prepared and properly positioned for the turnaround, which is certain to come.”

Like many experts in the resort real estate industry, Ragatz believes that today’s affluent consumer is becoming increasingly in sync with “green” influences – purchasing only the amount of vacation time they can personally use and financially afford.

Attending this year’s conference is critical to companies currently in the fractional interest industry along with those considering entering this highly specialized field. Conference attendees will learn how some companies continue to make sales in a down economy, as well as about innovative marketing and sales strategies.  With many troubled whole-ownership resort real estate projects throughout the U.S. today, it is critical for developers of these projects to understand whether their project is appropriate for fractional interests. Ragatz says that his conference will respond to such concerns.

The 2009 conference will emphasize conducting business in the fractional interest industry in today’s economy. 

Critical topics of discussion will include:
• Are troubled whole-ownership resort developments appropriate for fractional interests?
• The search for financing
• Innovative marketing and sales strategies in a down economy
• How affluent consumers make decisions in times of economic uncertainty
• Insights and advice from industry experts   

The conference should be of major interest to companies already in the fractional interest industry (including private residence clubs and destination clubs), as well as to companies considering entering the industry.  As in the past eight conferences, included will be formal presentations, panel discussions, and a series of small group break-out sessions. Last year’s conference attracted 750 participants from 41 states and 17 countries with rooms at the hotel sold out far in advance of the event.

The March 2009 conference will feature presentations from over 60 speakers, including representatives from the land development, hotel, finance, legal, internet and public media industries.  Early confirmations have been received from representatives of Hyatt, Fairmont, Timbers Resorts, Preferred Residences, The Registry Collection, The Robb Report, Luxury Institute, The Harrison Group, The Little Nell, East West Partners, CapitalSource, the American Resort Development Association, etc. 

Results from the 2009 Edition of Ragatz Associates State of the Fractional Interest Industry will be presented, describing current conditions of the industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Current research on affluent consumers also will be presented.

Almost 25 companies are again supporting the conference at various sponsorship levels. Platinum sponsors include Ballard Spahr, Baker Hostetler, DCP International, Preferred Residences and The Registry Collection. Gold level  sponsors include ARDA, LaTour Signature Group, Star Resort Group, Weinstock & Scavo, Greenberg Traurig, Sirkin Paul Associates and Fractional Homes International. 

Registration for the conference is $950. For registrations prior to January 12, the rate drops $100 to a discounted price of $850. The regular registration fee for groups of three or more is $800 and the Early Bird registration fee for groups of three or more is $725. The hotel room reservation deadline is Feb. 6, 2009. To make reservations by phone, call 1-800-441-1414, and mention that you are attending the Ragatz Associates Fractional Interest Conference to receive the discounted rate.

For questions and registration information, visit ragatzassociates.com or contact Sarah Winter at 541-686-9335 or info@ragatzassociates.com.

About Ragatz Associates
Ragatz Associates is internationally recognized as the leading consulting and market research firm in the resort real estate industry. The firm has conducted more than 2,500 studies in over 70 countries since its formation in 1974. It specializes in feasibility analysis and consumer research.

Perspective Magazine, the award winning and “most read” independent B2B publication for the timeshare and fractional ownership industry globally has confirmed that the Fractional Interest Conference by Ragatz Associates will join no less than 15 other conventions to be promoted and reviewed in 2009.

“Ragatz Associates is pleased that Perspective Magazine will be covering our 9th Annual Conference on Fractional Interests to be held in San Francisco on March 9 to 11, 2009.” Said Dr. Richard L. Ragatz, Ph.D.

“We are equally pleased to add this long running event to our convention circuit and look forward to attending the conference in March” said Paul Mattimoe, CEO, Perspective International Ltd, “We will be promoting the event through our various channels, holding an exclusive interview with Dr. Richard L. Ragatz, Ph.D. and of course reviewing the conference itself.”

For more information on the conference visit ragatzassociates.com

Perspective Magazine so far have confirmed distribution of their publication to all delegates at no less than 15 major industry conventions around the globe for 2009 and still remains free of charge for industry professionals – visit www.theperspectivemagazine.com for more details and to order your copy.

For advertising information visit www.perspectiverates.com

ABACO, Bahamas, Nov 18, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Managed Club announces the opening of its initial phase of Ritz-Carlton Club fractional ownership residences. This secluded residential development and sporting retreat known for golf, beach and boating pursuits, now offers five newly-renovated cabanas to fractional ownership Members.

“The opening of The Ritz-Carlton Club, Abaco is a great achievement for us,” said Scott Bragg, managing director of The Abaco Club. “As we work to fulfill the vision of The Abaco Club, this is a significant milestone for the property.”

Situated on the opening holes of the 7,183 yard / par 72, Scottish-style links golf course designed by Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie, the cabanas are adorned in the vibrant colors of blue, turquoise, orange, coral and soft neutrals – a color palette inspired by Abaco’s surrounding seas, sunsets and white, sandy beaches. Bamboo flooring throughout the cabana leads Members through French doors to a screened-in and furnished porch which boasts views of the golf course.

Each cabana provides a master bedroom with a king bed and a walk-in cedar closet. Additionally, a sitting area with sleeper sofa and lounge chairs, 42-inch plasma television, Bose sound system with DVD and CD players, desk and chair, marble-topped wet bar and under-the-counter sub-zero refrigerator/ice maker, and complimentary Wi-Fi access complete the experience. The cabanas provide approximately 570 square feet of living space.

As a points-based membership approach, Members receive points annually for use toward their vacations in Abaco. This approach provides increased flexibility as each Member can select the travel dates and residence floor plan best suited for their stay.

With pricing starting at $110,000, there are three membership options:
    –  Select Membership – 500 points
    –  Preferred Membership – 1,000 points
    –  Premium Membership – 1,500 points

A second phase of fractional residences is scheduled to open in February, ultimately offering 16 homes in the program.

About The Ritz-Carlton Club
The Ritz-Carlton Club is a deeded, fractional ownership real estate offering combining the benefits of vacation home ownership with personalized Ritz-Carlton services and amenities. For information, visit www.ritzcarltonclub.com.

SOURCE The Ritz-Carlton Club
 http://www.ritzcarltonclub.com

http://www.fractionalownershipmagazine.com/the-abaco-club-on-winding-bay-opens-new-fractional-ownership-residences/

Tempus Resorts International today presented the American Cancer Society with a donation of $30,805 as a result of the company’s recent “Pink Ribbon” fundraising events in support of the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” annual campaign.

Tempus Resorts’ month-long fundraising efforts included a variety of employee activities to raise money and awareness about the need for continued support of breast cancer research. Fundraising activities included bake sales, themed lunches, commemorative pink ribbon sales, “pink and blue jeans days”, and other events.

The campaign culminated in the company’s fourth annual “Pink Ribbon Golf Classic” on October 17, 2008 at Mystic Dunes Golf Club, part of the Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club which is owned and operated by Tempus Resorts. Sponsored by Winter Park Construction and with the generous support of many of the company’s business partners and vendors, the tournament provided participants a great day of golf followed by a reception and silent auction.
“We are proud of our company’s commitment to community service, and we look forward to continuing our support of the American Cancer Society and other causes that touch the lives of so many here in the Central Florida community”, said Roger Farwell, President & CEO of Tempus Resorts International.

Tempus Resorts’ “Pink Ribbon” campaign has become one of the company’s signature annual community service initiatives, with over $100,000 donated to the American Cancer Society since the inaugural campaign in 2005.

About Tempus Resorts International, Ltd.
Established in December 1997, Tempus Resorts International, Ltd. is a customer-focused vacation ownership development and management company based in Orlando, Florida. Tempus is a multi-faceted enterprise comprised of ten distinct companies which support its resort and golf development, hospitality operations, and marketing, financial and technology services. Built on a solid foundation of strong and experienced management, industry-leading
systems and technology, compelling products, and a diverse team of talented, committed employees, Tempus has delivered memorable vacation experiences to over 650,000 owners and guests. Tempus is an active member of the American Resort Development Association and the Interval International exchange service network, which has designated Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club, Tempus’ flagship Orlando resort, as a “Premier Resort”, its highest level of recognition.
www.tempusresorts.com www.mystic-dunes-resort.com www.mysticdunesgolf.com www.backstageresorts.com

Defender Resorts, Inc. announced on November 1st, 2008, that they have been awarded the management contract for Ocean High Resort, Ocean City, Maryland

“We are very excited to be working with such a fine Board of Directors and we are looking forward to a long relationship, said Mr. Frank Baker, Defender’s Executive Vice President for Development.

Ocean High was developed in 1982 in Ocean City and is ideally located on the bayside with some of the units over looking the water.  The resort offers spacious two and three bedroom accommodations.

Defender, established in 1979, is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, SC and manages 17 resorts including resorts in Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina, Florida and the Grand Cayman Islands.  They have established themselves over the years as a leader in vacation ownership management, resales and rentals.  Defender is large enough to provide a multitude of services, but small enough to respond to a resort’s needs quickly.  For more information on Defender Resorts contact Frank Baker at 1-800-799-0798 or log on to www.defenderresorts.com.

While timeshare and fractional developers across America complain about the lack of available financing, a wobbly economy and general financial uncertainty heading into 2009, one of the travel industry’s better-kept secrets is that the timeshare and fractional side actually sees things looking up.  The launch of ICE — a revolutionary in-room concierge and back-end monitoring system is the vehicle needed to drive guest experience, service, and personalization in the timeshare and fractional space. ICE creates a way to connect with guests during their entire stay, and this real-time capture equates to incremental timeshare sales at a reduced marketing cost.

The total timeshare market, heading into 2009 is estimated at more than $12 billion. But, like the housing market, the timeshare industry is going through a hard reset. The key to standing out in this growing field is competitive differentiation and giving potential buyers what they want, when they want it. And, what do timeshare members want? According to the Travel Monitor(sm) for Interval International’s report titled, “Future Timeshare Buyers: 2008 Market Profile,” timeshare buyers are desiring, “personalization and customization … and more consumer choices overall so they can select what best fits their needs.”

The timing is perfect for Intelity, an interactive hospitality technologies company, to unveil the ideal product to maximize all guest activity with the simple touch of a button? ICE allows timeshare management to tailor a guest’s experience to their desires without even being at the facility. Timeshares now more than ever must cater to the needs of the members.  ICE provides an easy, seamless interface for timeshare members to arrange services outside the unit and take the decision making challenge out of the vacation experience, allowing the member a more enjoyable experience with quick and complete service.

Developed by a team of technology pioneers, led by hospitality industry expert David Adelson, ICE was tested and developed for more than three years and readied for release just as hoteliers and timeshare management were facing the struggles of an economic downturn.   “Timeshare developers are most sensitive now to the necessity for them to develop more cash-producing products and services to lessen the financial pressures of this financing-dependant industry,” notes Joe Cervasio of Bluegreen Corporation, a 36 year resort development industry veteran with time spent at Boise Cascade Recreation Communities, Dunes Marketing Group of Hilton Head, the Rank Group of London and Marriott Vacation Club International, “Now ICE has arrived as their first opportunity to continue to lift their services to their guests and prospects, while increasing cash flow and market penetration to future sales.” To provide this needed boost ICE can generate increases in cash revenues through room service upgrades, vendor referral fees and added tours.”

ICE’s setup and upfront cost is minimal and can be easily built into the timeshare’s point of sale system. In a matter of weeks, ICE can provide timeshare staffers with up-to-the-minute information for more cost-effective operations. By including a 19-to-22-inch touch screen in every guest room — customized to the specific timeshare brand — amenities are front and center for guest exposure from the second they enter the room.  From the timeshare operator perspective, the organizing and tracking of customer service and sales interface that ICE provides is essential to lifting efficiencies such as tour penetration and volume of sale per guest.  Current timeshare operators try to connect with guests via the in-room phone and generally connect only 20% of the time. Through ICE, interaction is increased by guaranteeing that a guest is in-room for a call, allowing operators to increase guest participation in timeshare tours. This incremental tour increase is hugely significant to timeshare management. In addition, ICE can sort and target guest messaging along with tour offers by rate code and length of stay. Guests can even book tours directly in the system. Because of all these benefits, Intelity predicts a 5% increase in total timeshare tour conversions with the use of ICE.

Guests also input a text number which allows strategic mobile messaging to ensure tour confirmation and show rate. The system can send timeshare-wide messages in a second and help streamline operations to a point where management can increase revenue and efficiency at the same time, allowing concierges to intercept guest requests and cross-promote (offering tours, etc.) when appropriate and relevant.

Finally, the back-end Quality Assurance Solution portion of ICE may be the most significant feature to timeshare owners. Through careful examination of daily data, the timeshare manager can reduce or completely eliminate unnecessary expenses. Also integrated into the property’s point of sale system, the Quality Assurance program can track all activity and measure it with three-dimensional charts, graphs and spreadsheets. Budgetary decisions have never been so clear-cut before.

The benefits and ROI that ICE can provide to a timeshare are astonishing. With ICE, hotels and timeshares can market directly to guests in multiple ways with trackable return. This will lead to better allocation of marketing dollars, additional psychographic data and higher guest interaction.

For an on-screen demo and more information, visit www.intelityICE.com. Interested hoteliers and timeshare managers can call toll free 1-888-REV PAR 1 to speak with an ICE hospitality expert for more information on sales, prices, and exciting upcoming ventures.

About Intelity Corp:
Intelity, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is a hospitality software solution company focused on the self-service marketplace. Founded in 2006, Intelity is establishing itself as the leader of in-room guest service technology, quality assurance feedback, and direct consumer marketing within the hotel and resort segments. The Company’s current and future success is driven by four fundamental values: Be creative and innovate; aim for product excellence; elevate the image of our brands with passion; and be an entrepreneurial organization. Intelity is moving toward realizing the strategic goal of brand and product diversification by leveraging business relationships and opportunities with global hotel brands and management companies.

http://www.timeshareperspective.com/intelitys-ice-the-edge-a-timeshare-needs-to-score-sales-conversions/

SPI’s Resort Management Software Suite was recently purchased by New England Vacation Management (NEVM) for two of their projects, Sandcastle Resort and Southcape Resort & Club. SPI’s timeshare reservations, maintenance dues billing and other property management functionality is deployed over the Internet and costs a fraction of the Enterprise software system.

“We strictly needed resort management tools for these projects and didn’t require other parts of a full-service system, such as sales and marketing,” says NEVM President Cliff Hagberg. “SPI’s Resort Management Suite gives us powerful management tools we need that are really easy to use and with an extremely affordable price tag. It’s truly an elegant solution for us, since there is no need to take our resorts down for a massive conversion effort. Plus, we don’t need to worry about additional programs absorbing bandwidth, purchasing additional servers, etc.”
 “Now that our team has completed development of this release, which provides low-cost management software for smaller resorts via the Internet in a live, real-time environment, we are happy to see it is being enthusiastically accepted by the marketplace,” says SPI Director of Sales Matt Brosious. “It is the perfect, low-cost solution for the resort operator who wants robust software to handle the full range of management solutions.”

About New England Vacation Management
New England Vacation Management, based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, provides full-service resort management services, principally for timeshare projects no longer in active sales. These services include human resources, centralized reservations and on-site management, including HOA and owner services such as rentals and resales. NEVM’s two properties mentioned above, located in Massachusetts, are Sandcastle Condominiums in Provincetown and Southcape Resort & Club in Mashpee.
 
About SPI
SPI provides major developers of vacation ownership (timeshare, fractional, private residence club and others) with its .NET-based software as either an enterprise suite of software called Orange Systems, or in specific modules to handle marketing, sales, property management, finance, maintenance fee and receivables servicing, centralized reservations or Website access operations. Founded in 1978 and based in Miami, FL, SPI can be reached at 305-858-9505, sales@spiinc.com or www.spiinc.com.

The luxury fractional segment of the vacation home (www.dcp-international.com) market will be the first to rebound from the current real estate morass, according to Dr. Richard Ragatz, well-known real estate researcher.

“The fundamentals of the vacation home market have changed,” Ragatz stated. “The days of buying a three-million-dollar house on the beach or at a ski resort with the expectation of 20% annual appreciation are gone for the foreseeable future.”

Ragatz noted that most luxury vacation homes sit empty for the majority of the year. “In the past, owners could justify the high cost and low utilization based on a significantly higher re-sale price,” he said. “Based on recent events, it’s difficult to imagine that scenario continuing in the next few years.”

The top-tier fractional products are known as residence clubs (www.dcp-international.com). These clubs typically are expensive resort developments in which six to ten households share ownership of each residence. A club staff cares for the property and provides hotel-like services. Club reservation policies dictate use — which is unlimited, subject to use by other owners — much like tee time privileges at golf country clubs.

Dr. Ragatz and his Eugene, Oregon-based company, Ragatz Associates, have tracked the resort real estate market for many years, especially the fractional ownership (www.dcp-international.com) segment. He noted that fractional sales have increased dramatically during the past five years and grew in 2007 despite the real estate downturn. However, he expects these sales to be off in 2008.

“The financial crisis has affected every part of the real estate market,” Ragatz said. “But I believe, in the long term, recent events will enhance the attractiveness of the high-end fractional products as compared to whole ownership.”

Ragatz’s statements are echoed by Steve Dering, a pioneer of the residence club industry.

Dering is a partner in Chicago-based DCP International, a firm that has assisted real estate (www.dcp-international.com) developers in bringing more than 20 residence clubs to market in the U.S., Mexico, Bermuda, Italy and Scotland. Locations include ski, beach and golf resorts as well U.S. and European urban locations. DCP’s first project, the Deer Valley Club in Park City, Utah, opened in 1992 and has served as the prototype for the industry.

“There’s no question that our sales have slowed during this downturn,” Dering said. “However, we are now in conversations with developers, banks, and buyers of distressed properties who are positioning themselves for the turnaround.”

Dering believes there are multiple reasons why his specialized product will be the first to rebound.

“Affluent households will always want a vacation home,” Dering said. “Research shows it’s second only to college educations for their children as the most desired, big-ticket discretionary expenditure.”

“Our clubs, on average, have eight owners per residence and are designed to provide the amount of vacation time that is typical for a homeowner in the same location,” he stated. “Therefore, the use is the same as whole ownership but the purchase price is far lower. Additionally, the shared annual ownership cost is significantly less than the cost of renting a comparable luxury home multiple times a year. When you factor in the abundant amenities and a private staff that takes care everything, it’s more for less without the headaches.”

“The game changer for us as compared to whole ownership is that our buyers do not have to sell other real estate to purchase at a residence club,” Dering said. “And many do not have to finance, although financing is still available.”

Dering said the increasingly influential “green” movement is also pushing buyers his way.

“Residence club owners buy only what they need,” Dering noted. “We build one residence and satisfy eight families rather than building eight residences that would sit empty 70% of the year. We eliminate waste and have owners who feel they made the right financial and environmental decision.”

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces the introduction of the Hotel Des Indes, a Luxury Collection Hotel, The Hague to The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, a glittering ensemble of more than 65 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 26 countries in bustling cities and spectacular destinations around the world. The 92-room hotel, recently renovated by world-renowned architect Jacques Garcia, is located in The Hague, the Netherlands, overlooking the city’s main square, the Lange Voorhout. Originally built as a town palace, Hotel Des Indes opened its doors as a luxury hotel in 1881 and has played host to kings, heads of state, aristocrats and celebrities.

“The Luxury Collection is a portal to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations, offering guests unique, authentic and enriching experiences at spectacular destinations around the world,” said Paul James, Vice President, Brand Management, The Luxury Collection & St. Regis, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “Celebrated for its rich heritage, stunning design and impeccable service, the Hotel Des Indes adds another jewel to The Luxury Collection brand’s glittering portfolio.”

“This landmark hotel is the perfect addition to the Luxury Collection portfolio in The Netherlands,” said Roeland Vos, President, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Starwood Hotels and Resorts. The Hague is an exceptional destination for a luxury property and the landmark hotel fits perfectly in one of the world’s most refined collections of premium hotels and resorts. Global travellers can expect to explore The Hague in its indigenous spirit and experience service in an exceptionally personal manner.

The historical grandeur and understated elegance of the property, together with the exceptional signature The Luxury Collection services and discrete modern technology, makes Hotel Des Indes a favourite destination in The Hague for sophisticated global explorers. The hotel underwent an extensive EUR 35 million renovation by world-renowned architect Jacques Garcia in 2006 to restore the original splendour of the 92 guest rooms, suites and public areas. Garcia’s other work includes the design of Hotel Costes in Paris, and the Hotel des Beaux-Arts, and Le Rivoli-Notre Dame in the same city. In the United States, his projects include the Hotel Victor in South Beach and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s highly touted Spice Market.

State-of-the-art meeting facilities meet old-world grandeur at Hotel Des Indes. The hotel features ten elegant salons, boasting refined amenities for events, social functions, meetings or seminars, and can seat up to 80 guests.

The Hotel Des Indes also offers its global guests access to a luxurious 315 square metre Health Club, where personal trainers provide guidance and advice upon request. A swim can be enjoyed in the indoor heated swimming pool, followed by a steam bath, sauna, or time in the solarium. In addition spa treatments and massages, using luxury Payot products, are available to enhance well-being and relaxation.

Since 1881, the exquisite Restaurant-Lounge-Bar Des InDes has welcomed royalty, world leaders and artists from all four corners of the globe. Today, that tradition lives on in Executive Chef Ben Hardeman’s delectable epicurean creations. Hardeman trained in the three Michelin starred “Im Schiffchen” in Dusseldorf and collaborated with Parisian Chef Michel Rostang to create the innovative menu offered in the hotel’s restaurant, lounge and bar.

The award-winning hotels that make up The Luxury Collection are some of the world’s most iconic properties, including The Grande Bretagne, Athens; Hotel Marques de Riscal, Elciego; Mystique, Santorni; Hotel Danieli, Venice; The U.S. Grant, San Diego and The Phoenician, Scottsdale.

For more information on The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, visit www.luxurycollection.com.

WorldMark Santa Fe becomes company’s third resort in the state

Wyndham Vacation Ownership is now welcoming guests to WorldMark Santa Fe, the company’s newest resort property in the Southwest. Operating within the company’s WorldMark, The Club portfolio, the 32-unit, boutique-style resort offers owners a quiet retreat in the center of the city. WorldMark Santa Fe marks the company’s third property in New Mexico, complementing WorldMark Taos and WorldMark Red River in Taos and Red River respectively.

“WorldMark Santa Fe is a newly designed style for our company, as it is an intimate boutique property with an authentic Southwestern ambiance that is different from any other resort in our network,” Dave Herrick, senior vice president, Hospitality Division, WorldMark by Wyndham. “Santa Fe itself is a distinctive destination and through the characteristics of the resort, which include adobe structures, Kiva fireplaces and log ceilings, the property, both inside and out, remains true to the city’s unique style.”

The property, acquired in November 2007, opens following an extensive eight-month renovation to transform the former Casa Pueblo Inn into a modern vacation ownership property yet it retains the charm of the original structures.

WorldMark Santa Fe’s distinct design offers owners an intimate setting to retire to after exploring picturesque Santa Fe. Featuring upscale furnishings, stained concrete floors, pine cabinetry and multi-colored granite throughout the property, WorldMark Santa Fe truly embodies the feel and energy of the American Southwest. The property’s 32 hotel, studio and one-bedroom well-appointed units include a variety of layouts, each with a pueblo-inspired design that reflects the colors and vibrancy of the surrounding desert. In keeping with the Southwestern feel, most units include a Kiva fireplace, which is native to the area as well as partial kitchens.

The property is located in the heart of Santa Fe, a popular destination rich with culture, tradition, beautiful scenery and outdoor adventures. WorldMark Santa Fe is conveniently located within walking distance of the city’s center as well as a number of unique art galleries and shops. Visitors can take in Santa Fe’s numerous historical sites including San Miguel Mission – the oldest active church in the United States, the local Indian pueblos and the nearby foothills of the Sangre de Christo Mountains. The city and surrounding area also lend themselves to a number of year-round, outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking, golf, whitewater rafting, skiing and snowshoeing. Santa Fe’s charm, mixed with its many activities and attractions, make it a truly desirable destination for many travelers.

Timeshares Lead Again, Airlines and Car Rental Sectors Improve; Market Metrix Announces Third Quarter YTD 2008 Hospitality Index Results

Despite economic pressures to reduce staff and services, hotel customer satisfaction for the third quarter remained flat (-0.1), maintaining near record levels for the industry according to the most recent results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index(TM) (MMHI). Contrary to severe budget cuts and steep declines in satisfaction following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, hotel satisfaction has been nearly immune from the current financial crisis. Hotels have been able to maintain service and reduce expenses without impacting the guest experience.

Comparing Performance Across the Hospitality Industry
In the third quarter, economy, timeshare and casino segments showed the most improvement. Economy brands showing the biggest gains include Budget Host (+4.2), America’s Best Inns & Suites (+1.5), and Jameson Inns (+1.4). Timeshare brands continue to get rave customer reviews and have outscored all other hotel segments, including luxury hotels, since the first quarter of 2007. Disney Vacation Club extends its dominance in the segment with Marriott Vacation Club showing the most improvement (+1). Casinos were up slightly (+.2 to 83.1) with Borgata taking top honors and showing the most improvement (+2.5 to 88.9).

Car Rental satisfaction scores increased to their highest levels in two years (+1.3 to 81.0). Advantage (82.3) was the winning car rental brand, finishing just ahead of the perennial leader Enterprise (82.1). In 2007 Advantage ranked only 7th among all car rental brands with a score of 79.1.

Satisfaction among airlines also improved (+0.7 to 74.5). However, these scores are still at historically low levels for the industry. Airlines continue to struggle with customer satisfaction and have made matters worse with the expanding suite of fees charged for services such as in-flight meals and baggage. Midwest Airlines (85.6) was the high scoring airline, outpacing JetBlue (83.7) for the third consecutive quarter.

Top Scoring Hotel Brand
The top hotel score went to Sandals Resorts, a collection of twelve “all-inclusive” resorts in the Caribbean. Sandals guests rave about the service, “Wow, we had a butler… what a treat! A great idea!” and are enthralled by the facilities, “I loved the European decor mixed with tropical landscaping… nothing short of amazing!” According to Mr. Gordon “Butch” Stewart, chairman and founder of Sandals Resorts, “We work very hard to ensure that our guests are experiencing a top luxury product and are humbled and flattered that our ongoing efforts to modernize and improve have been recognized.”

Market Metrix Hospitality Index 2008 3rd Quarter YTD Winners

WINNER                                          SEGMENT
Hotels
Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts         92.8       Luxury
Riu Hotels                           91.0       Upper Upscale
Sandals                              93.1       Upscale
Red Lion Hotels                      82.6       Midscale w/ F&B
Drury Inns                           91.7       Midscale w/o F&B
Jameson Inns                         87.0       Economy
Casinos
Wynn Las Vegas                       92.1       Upscale casino
Borgata                              88.9       Casino
Web Sites
Walt Disney World Resorts            88.3       Hotel Brand Web Site
Hotwire.com                          79.4       Hotel Travel Web Site
Airline
Midwest Airlines                     85.6       Airline
Car Rental
Advantage                            82.3       Car Rental
Timeshare
Disney Vacation Club                 90.6       Timeshare Accommodations
About MMHI
Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today. These benchmarks, delivered through our flagship product Customer Metrix(TM), enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to competitors by STAR segment, AAA classification, Brand, SMSA, industry averages, performers in the top 10% and other classifications. The MMHI is also available by subscription.

About Market Metrix
Market Metrix helps hospitality companies around the world foster loyal customers and engaged employees. Based on award-winning research and breakthrough concepts, our SaaS-based products deliver instant survey results, analysis and management tools for increasing revenue and reducing staff turnover. Our benchmarking database, MMHI, is the most comprehensive, independent comparison of consumer brand satisfaction in the industry. Our annual MMHI Awards are coveted by lodging and travel enterprises around the world. With clients that include more than 120 brands across 70 countries, Market Metrix has been helping leading hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996. For more information, visit www.marketmetrix.com.

Contact:
Mike Pharis
1-800-239-7515

SOURCE: Market Metrix

NetJets Middle East, the largest operator of business jets in the region, is introducing a range of firsts with its debut participation at the Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA) 2008 exhibition and the introduction of its Hawker 750 aircraft, the first in the region’s aviation industry.
“NetJets Middle East is the first company in this part of the world that has this top-of-the-line aircraft in its fleet and it will be made available to our growing number of aircraft owners in the region,” said Chadi Saade Managing Director, Sales and Marketing NetJets Middle East.
The Hawker 750 is an aircraft considered as the best in its class and designed to make business travel faster, safer and luxuriously convenient at a relatively low cost. The midsize jet offer range and comfort ideal for business use and is commonly referred to as a spacious conference room in the sky, making it one of the most popular midsize business jets. NetJets Middle East Hawker 750 fleet offers stand-up headroom along the entire cabin length. It also features a full refreshment centre.
While the presence of the Hawker 750 will be the visible highlight of NetJets Middle East participation, what is equally gaining popularity among corporate and individual business travelers is the concept of fractional aircraft ownership program.
“It certainly makes travelling a lot more flexible and convenient, given the guarantee we provide to our customers to have their aircraft available within 12 hours notice. This means that the client is assured of travelling safely, globally and comfortably at very short notice, using NetJets worldwide fleet of aircraft” added Chadi.
The NetJets Middle East fleet includes 16 light, midsize and large cabin aircraft accommodating from 8 to14 passengers with flight range of up to 4,300 nautical miles. The fleet includes the world’s finest jet aircraft such as Hawker, Falcon and Gulfstream. NetJets Middle East fleet is expected to grow by 60 new aircraft, on order now, with projected delivery of one aircraft per month starting this month.
MEBA announced that the Middle East is now the world’s fastest expanding market for private jets Industry experts forecast that the region will account for $720 million of the private jet market this year. In such a highly competitive industry, the only way companies can hope to succeed is to differentiate their offers.
“What we offer is not only the largest fleet of aircraft and a team of the best trained and highly experience pilots and flight crew, but also an idea – fractional aircraft ownership – whose time has come,” added Chadi.
Corporate and individual business travelers who wish to find out more about the NJME fleet of advanced and premium aircrafts and fractional ownership can visit the company at chalet # 35 at MEBA 2008, from 16-18 November, at the Dubai Airport Expo.
NetJets Middle East is a division of National Air ServicesNational Air Services and is headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All flights are operated by NASNAS. The NetJets Middle East fractional aircraft ownership program is affiliated with NetJets Inc. and is operated under the principles of the NetJets U.S. program created in 1986 by NetJets Inc. Chairman and CEO Richard Santulli.

For more information visit www.njme.com

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), one of the world’s largest hotel and leisure companies, announced today the appointment of Clayton C. Daley, Jr. to the Company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Daley, 57, is currently Vice Chair and Chief Financial Officer for Procter & Gamble.

“With more than a decade of experience in the top financial position at P&G, Clayt is one of the most highly regarded CFOs in the world,” said Frits van Paasschen, Starwood’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Coupled with his impressive background in corporate strategy and planning at arguably the biggest brand powerhouse in the world, Clayt will be a tremendous asset as Starwood continues to aggressively grow our global footprint and extend the depth and breadth of our nine distinctive and compelling brands.”

Mr. Daley has spent his entire professional career with Procter & Gamble, joining the company in 1974, and has held a number of key Accounting and Finance positions including Comptroller, U.S. Operations for Procter & Gamble USA; Vice President and Comptroller of Procter & Gamble International and Vice President and Treasurer. Mr. Daley was appointed to his current position as Chief Financial Officer, Procter & Gamble in 1998 and was elected Vice Chair in 2007.

Mr. Daley’s active involvement in professional organizations and charities include the Financial Executives Institute; the Rotary Club of Cincinnati; the Board of Directors for the Boys Scouts of America, Dan Beard Council; Board of Directors for Cancer Family Care; Member, Officers Conference Group; and Member, Council of Financial Executives.

Mr. Daley, who also serves on the Board of Directors of Nucor Corporation, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Davidson College and received his Masters of Business Administration from The Ohio State University.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.(R)
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Meridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(SM), and Element(SM). Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com

InnSeason Resorts®, creators of the Northeast Experience® and leading providers of resort vacation and ownership opportunities, recently announced the promotion of Chip Rogan to Vice President of Sales.

Rogan started with one of InnSeason’s predecessor companies in 1994 as a part-time telemarketer during his high school years. After graduating cum laude in 2000 from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, College of Business, he joined the company (at that time Curran Management Services) full-time and immediately took over the management of a 350-person telemarketing center. He relocated to InnSeason’s Pembroke office as General Manager, working first as brand standards manager and then in 2005 creating the Vacation Experience Tours. As Vice President of Sales, he will be in charge of implementing sales strategies and processes throughout company’s several Northeast sales centers.

Rogan notes, “This is a real opportunity for me. I have watched this company grow and have grown with it. Now I can make a difference strategically, directly impacting our corporate mission by implementing effective sales methods across our range of markets.”

InnSeason Resorts®, creators of the Northeast Experience®, a leading provider of resort vacation and ownership opportunities in the Northeast U.S., delivers “best-in-class” management, advisory and marketing services to resorts and developers nation-wide. For more information, visit www.InnSeason.com.

Left To Right: Jonathan Hitchens, Erika Garcia, Orlando Arroyo, Annie Arroyo, Alma Lopez and Sigfrido Pazparedes

At this year’s World Travel Market, The Global Event for the Travel Industry, the World Responsible Tourism Day sponsor Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, Spa & Nature Park held a seminar on How To Build A Green Hotel and Perspective Magazine was in attendence.

Orlando Arroyo, CEO of Tres Rios and a leader in the Mexican travel industry for more than two years, presented to a packed room of attendees and described the lengths his company have gone to in building this eco-friendly luxury resort on a 326 acre eco-park in the heart of the Riviera Maya. More than 150 acres of the land is being retained as a reserve, with environmentally friendly building pracices and planning for the resort to guard the surrounding beauty.

After the presentation, Orlando joined Annie Arroyo, Alma Lopez and Sigfrido Pazparedes who are all involved in the project to form a panel for the attendees to fire questions at. From here, questions such as contributing to the local community was raised, at which point it was explained that as one of the few Mexican owned family developments in the area, they employed local workers and used local materials to create the resort and for those indigenous people who live in remote villages, the resort will feature their crafts in the on-site spa and gift shop, as well as offering cultural tours and educational programs that will help preserve local cultures and encourage sustainable employment.

Hacienda Tres Rios, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Both Perspective Magazine & Owners Perspective Magazine will be running special features on this development in the New Year so watch out for them, but in the meantime if you would like to know more about Hacienda Tres Rios visit http://www.haciendatresrios.com

The Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE) welcomes the recent verdict in a libel case against Alexander (Sandy) Grey, Chairman of the self-styled “Timeshare Consumers Association, which has been consistently critical of the reputable timeshare industry.”

The High Court found that it was Sandy Grey himself who was behind the so-called “Crimeshare – Timeshare Frauds and Scams” and related Websites. The Website not only included personal attacks against employees and directors of timeshare companies and OTE, but also produced so-called “black lists” falsely incriminating reputable timeshare companies.

Even though Grey denied his involvement; the Judge – Mr Justice Eady, found that Mr Grey had published the Crimeshare website on all five of the domain names which formed the basis of the High Court claim. Grey was ordered to pay the substantial costs involved in proving his responsibility for publication.    Over a number of years Grey had denied that he was behind these sites and had even signed court documents to verify his false denials. Despite this, he continued to portray himself as an independent advisor on timeshare issues to consumers, the media and government. It is believed that up to 1.5 million individuals may have relied on his “advice” over the years.

More than 200 companies were “blacklisted” by Grey including publicly traded companies such as RCI – the timeshare vacation exchange company, the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE), to which most European developers belong and ARDA – the American Resort Developers Association.

Peter van der Mark, Secretary General of OTE said of the judgement:

“OTE is very concerned about the legitimacy of a number of private organisations set up around Europe to purportedly provide “consumer advice”. These companies have absolutely no link to the industry or to any government authority. We would advise consumers to exercise caution in dealing with any organisation that refers to the so-called Crimeshare blacklist, Mr Grey or the TCA.” 

OTE provides guidance and advice on timeshare through its website www.ote-info.com and offers a free of charge arbitration service for timeshare owners who own at OTE member resorts. Consumers may also contact TATOC – The Timeshare Association – on 0845 2302430 for further advice.

Over the past few years OTE has worked successfully with a number of different European consumer organisations, including European Consumer Centres, ConSeur in Brussels and with TATOC, to name just a few. OTE has valued and continues to value constructive comment and criticism of the timeshare industry by consumer organisations as it contributes to the maintenance of a high level of best practice for the timeshare industry. This has for example resulted in all European Consumer Centres having input into OTE’s 2005 Code of Conduct through a meeting organised by the European Commission and OTE.

OTE tried to establish cooperation with the TCA in 1999 but its Chairman Mr. Grey personally refused any cooperation. It now appears, from the judgement of the High Court on 28 October 2008, that for the past five years Mr Grey has been responsible for publishing serious and false allegations about many of the leading brands in the timeshare industry in Europe.

Club La Costa is also involved in High Court proceedings against a company over unfounded and serious allegations. It is believed that the defendant company had worked closely with Sandy Grey. High Court proceedings continue.

More about OTE:
OTE is the pan-European trade association representing the timeshare industry throughout Europe. It promotes best practice in the industry for the benefit of both consumers and the industry.  All members are bound by a code of ethics that ensures the protection of consumers’ rights.  OTE provides information and advice to consumers and offers a free conciliation service to consumers dealing with its members.

OTE represents the majority of timeshare companies in Europe which are responsible for some 65-70% of all timeshare sales. These include major hospitality groups such as De Vere, Hilton, Sol Melia, and large independent timeshare developers, namely the Petchey Leisure Group, Club La Costa, Hapimag and Seasons Holidays.

Margit Whitlock, AIA, Principal of Architectural Concepts, Inc. (ACI) a San Diego firm regarded as one of the top hospitality-oriented architectural and interior design firms, has been selected to chair the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Design and Construction Committee.  The new committee will hold its first meeting the second week in November at the trade association’s fall conference in Washington D.C.

ACI has been honored with numerous awards including the ARDY for Resort Design for Cibola Vista Resort and Spa (Peoria, Arizona) and Club Regina Resorts (Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) for Resort Design — Refurbishment. The ARDY is one of the trade association’s top awards. Last year the firm was also the recipient of the prestigious ARDA ACE Community Service Award for its benefit for San Diego’s Habitat for Humanity.

Margit Whitlock, AIA principal of the architectural firm, said “we’ve been talking about forming this specialty committee within ARDA for a few years now. I am honored to spearhead the cause and excited about the possibilities of the impact we can make on the resort development industry as well as many legislative parameters which affect our developers.   We are currently recruiting members who come from the architecture and design community within ARDA and are looking forward to our kick off event on November 13.”

ARDA Members interested in being on the committee may contact Margit Whitlock at margit@4designs.com or call 619-531-0110.  For more information they may also refer to www.arda.org

Millions of AT&T Customers to Get Free Wi-Fi Access at Nearly 20,000 U.S. Hotspots

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) announced today that it has agreed, through one of its subsidiaries, to acquire privately-held Wayport, Inc., a leading provider of managed Wi-Fi services in the United States, for approximately $275 million in cash. The deal adds Wayport’s focused capabilities and enterprise customer portfolio with AT&T’s leading Internet Protocol (IP) and 3G networks, and broad consumer and business customer bases, to deliver enhanced broadband connectivity at home, in the office, on the road, and virtually anywhere in between.

The acquisition expands the AT&T Wi-FiSM footprint to nearly 20,000 domestic hotspots, takes the company’s global Wi-Fi presence to more than 80,000 locations*, and creates thousands of new ways for customers worldwide to stay in touch. Millions of AT&T customers – plus millions of other consumers needing to connect on the go – will benefit from access to new hotspot locations served by Wayport. Wayport hotspots are in key locations, including select Wyndham, Marriott Vacation Club and Four Seasons hotels; HealthSouth and Sun Healthcare locations; plus McDonald’s restaurants. 

AT&T’s global brand, marketing leadership and extensive enterprise sales force will complement Wayport’s expertise in enabling and managing applications over an integrated network. Wayport will also extend AT&T’s reach in the hospitality, health care, education and retail sectors.

“We’re seeing exponential growth of Wi-Fi-enabled devices — such as smartphones — combined with a continued dependency on 24/7, anytime, anywhere Internet access across business and consumer market segments,” said John Stankey, president and CEO, AT&T Operations. “Now is the right time for AT&T to affirm our commitment to Wi-Fi leadership. By acquiring Wayport, we’re giving consumers more ways to stay in touch and building a more robust network management solution for businesses. We’re bringing ready access to the nation’s leading Wi-Fi, wireless and IP networks — on a global scale.”

Delivering Greater Value to Consumers
More than ever before, customers worldwide are using AT&T’s expansive network to serve today’s growing demand for more connectivity in more places – which is driven by the proliferation of Wi-Fi-enabled devices. 

This acquisition enhances AT&T’s Wi-Fi presence in the United States, and it delivers a seamless, consistent communications experience to customers at home or on the go — from one company.

• Nearly 300 million Wi-Fi-enabled devices were shipped in 2007. Nearly 1 billion are predicted by 2012.* *
• With the surge of Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, portable computers, gaming devices and cameras, more consumers can enjoy the benefits of anytime, anywhere access from the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network.
• A broader and deeper AT&T Wi-Fi network means more free connectivity for millions of AT&T customers, including select AT&T smartphone customers, AT&T LaptopConnect customers and AT&T High Speed Internet (including U-verseSM) subscribers.

Providing Solutions for Enterprise Customers

The acquisition complements AT&T’s ability to deliver a complete end-to-end solution for businesses worldwide with Wayport’s experience in facilitating business applications and managing public access to the Internet over a single network. As Wayport currently provides back-office management for AT&T’s Wi-Fi Hot Spots, the acquisition expands such capabilities and brings management of Wi-Fi infrastructure completely under AT&T management.

The combined company will be able to deliver a more cost-effective and streamlined solution for enterprises – and their customers – by providing more anytime, anywhere access to end-user applications. Plus, with both the back-office infrastructure and end-user content application managed by one company, businesses can reduce operating costs, enhance and customize their customers’ experience and reach more customers in new innovative ways.

• AT&T will provide a comprehensive solution for businesses seeking converged and managed network capabilities – on one network – with global reach, while also bringing ready access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi, wireless and leading global IP network.
• Enterprise customers will be able to better utilize private-side applications – effectively managing costs and increasing productivity levels – including inventory management, remote employee learning, point-of-sale applications and remote security monitoring.
• A unified solution will drive new business partnerships, leveraging AT&T’s unique, innovative services and applications available to enterprise customers.
• Enterprise customers will benefit from new, revenue-generating opportunities with AT&T’s ability to bring customized, location-based messaging and advertising to more touch points – via a streamlined Wi-Fi solution – reaching more end-users. 

“AT&T’s premier capabilities in both the enterprise and consumer industries will take Wayport’s strength in delivering Wi-Fi solutions over converged networks to an entirely new level,” said Dave Vucina, chairman and chief executive officer of Wayport.
“AT&T’s ability to reach and service tens of millions of customers will greatly expand the value we currently bring to our customers.  As part of AT&T, we’ll bring new and better solutions to our customers on a global scale, with greater reach and more innovative services.”

The transaction is expected to close as early as the fourth quarter of 2008.
* Including roaming locations
** In-Stat, 2008. 

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation’s leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America’s Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

© 2008 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

About Wayport, Inc.
Founded in 1996, Wayport enables breakthrough public and private applications over an integrated network platform which creates new business opportunities and operational efficiencies. Wayport serves notable brands in a variety of vertical markets, including AT&T customers through a managed service agreement. Wayport helps clients create new business capabilities and improve operational efficiencies at premier venues including major hotels, hospitals, McDonald’s and Hertz locations, and other retail brands worldwide. Wayport’s investors include Sevin Rosen Funds, INVESCO Private Capital, New Enterprise Associates, Scale Venture Partners, Trellis Partners, Advanced Equities, Inc., Lucent Venture Partners, GC Technology Fund, Sanders Morris Harris, Star Ventures and GIC.

Sicilian Resort Joins Quality Exchange Network

Interval International, a leading provider of vacation services, has announced the affiliation of Villaggio Cala La Luna situated on the small island of Favignana just off the west coast of Sicily, Italy. 

The development which was completed in May 2008 comprises of 70 units, with a mix of studios, one- and two- bedroom units out of which 58 are allocated to timeshare. The resort features an outdoor pool, restaurant and live entertainment. It is also within walking distance of the lively harbour where fresh lobster and octopus can be bought every morning.

“Good quality resorts such as this are in popular demand with our members and we are delighted to welcome this resort to our network,” says Darren Ettridge, Interval International’s vice president resort sales and service (Europe). “This is our fifth affiliation in Italy since July 2007 and it is continued evidence of Interval’s success in the region.”

Villaggio Cala La Luna is situated in the fishing village of Favignana which is admired for its beauty and crystal clear waters. The island offers a wide range of leisure activities including diving, deep-sea fishing, shopping, nightlife and good food. Sailing is also a major attraction and Favignana hosted the America’s Cup in 2008.

Capella Pedregal, Cabo’ss hottest new resort and residential community, just got a little hotter. In a new, unprecedented alliance with luxury destination club Ultimate Escapes’s174;, owners at Capella Pedregal now have access to residences at 23 fabulous resort and metropolitan destinations around the globe.

We are proud and excited to be the first private residence club to partner with a destination club, said Juan Diaz Rivera, marketing director, Capella Pedregal. This unprecedented partnership is offering owners at Capella Pedregal an opportunity to build equity by owning real estate in Cabo, while providing them with access to Ultimate Escape’ss global portfolio of properties through Ultimate Escapes Developer Affiliate Program – it’ss the best of both worlds.

Amenities at Capella Pedregal include fractional ownership in a luxury Viking yacht at the Capella Yacht Club, access to all of the amenities of the Capella Resort and Spa to open on-site in March 2009 and a prime location on 24 acres of pristine beach. The Ultimate Escapes Developer Affiliate Program is another unique amenity that gives current and prospective owners the opportunity to enjoy vacations at Ultimate Escapes destinations worldwide including luxurious mountain and ski spots such as Deer Valley and Beaver Creek, major metropolitan cities including New York, Paris and London, golf destinations like Tuscany and Scottsdale and beach resorts from Belize to the British Virgin Islands.

Cabo San Lucas is the most sought after vacation destination for our members, said Gregg Amonette, senior vice president, Business Development for Ultimate Escapes. We’sre thrilled to align ourselves with a property of this caliber and are confident that Capella Pedregal will become a highly desired destination for our members.

Set to debut in March 2009, Capella Pedregal is Capella Hotels and Resorts’s preeminent beachfront resort and residential community. Accessed via a private mountainside tunnel, Capella Pedregal will be comprised of a 66-room Capella Resort and Spa, 38 shared-ownership Capella Residences and 11 private, full-ownership Casonas. The only luxury hotel and residence resort with immediate proximity to the world-class Cabo Marina, Capella Pedregal offers its owners and guests unprecedented access to a fleet of luxury Viking sport fishers and cruisers at the Capella Yacht Club. Resort guests and residents will enjoy amenities including a 10,000-square-foot Sylvia Sepielli-designed signature Auriga spa and wellness center; their own personal majordomo; and attendance by Capella’ss signature Personal Assistants who are on hand to arrange anything from dining reservations to yacht excursions and access to Cabo’ss many attractions.

For more information on Capella Pedregal, please call (866) 956-7222 or visit www.capellacabo.com.
About Ultimate Escapes’s174;:
Ultimate Escapes’s174; is the combination of two powerful brands: Ultimate Resort’s174; and Private Escapes’s174;. Members enjoy access to more than 140 private residences and over 130 affiliated properties in more than 150 locations worldwide. Locations range from chic urban residences to charming beach villas, spacious five-bedroom homes to an 80-foot private yacht. The Ultimate Escapes’s174; brand is about delivering memorable, luxury travel experiences to Members who place great value on spending quality time with their family and friends. Additional information can be found at www.ultimateescapes.com.

Capella Hotels and Resorts serves today’ss top-tier travelers and residential property owners and is setting a new standard in the hospitality industry. Capella promises the unique benefits of the finest boutique hotels, including superb architecture and interior design, privacy, individualized service and attention to detail – combined with the amenities and activities of the world’ss great luxury hotels and resorts. Capella, led by founder Horst Schulze, is a brand focused on customer choice, and offers choices that no other hotel company in the world can match. Capella is opening world-class properties in gateway cities and high-profile resort destinations around the world, including: Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel (D’s252;sseldorf, Germany); Capella Bahia Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico); Capella Dunboy Castle (Castletownbere, Ireland); Capella Ixtapa (Ixtapa, Mexico); Capella Niseko (Niseko, Japan); Capella Pedregal (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico); Capella Singapore (Sentosa Island, Singapore); Capella Telluride (Telluride, Colorado); and Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel (Velden, Austria). Learn more at www.capellahotels.com.

Source: http://www.fractionalownershipmagazine.com/an-unprecedented-partnership-capella-pedregal-aligns-with-ultimate-escapes-offering-owners-exclusive-access-to-resort-destina/