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Celebrity Equinox, the only cruise ship to launch in the UK this year, has been officially named and christened by Godmother and Walk the Walk breast cancer charity founder Nina Barough CBE in a ceremony onboard the new ship in Southampton today (29 July 2009).

The christening saw an acrobat somersaulting a pink ribbon to the stage for the Godmother to cut, which set in motion the iconic moment when a champagne bottle was smashed against the side of the ship. However, instead of the bottle breaking against the hull, Celebrity Equinox had her bottle smashed on the funnel above the onboard Lawn Club – a real grass lawn on the top deck of the ship.

Celebrity Equinox Godmother Nina Barough commented:

“Being a Godmother of a ship is something I thought was reserved for the Queen – this is such an honour I feel totally overwhelmed. The ship, Celebrity Equinox, is phenomenal and I never thought that I would ever be able to say I was Godmother to something so huge and impressive. I’m excited to see where this journey will take me and hope to continue the partnership with Celebrity Cruises – it is a very proud and wonderful moment for me and for Walk the Walk.”

Marking the official christening of the ship, the pink ribbon was cut by Godmother Nina Barough, releasing the champagne bottle. Barough, who was selected by the cruise line Celebrity Cruises for her devotion to raising awareness of breast cancer and tremendous success in raising funds for the cause – over £52-million to-date – was joined on stage to celebrate the naming of the new ship by Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, and Dan Hanrahan, president, Celebrity Cruises.

A custom-made champagne bottle, created especially for the occasion by the Corning Museum of Glass, broke on the ship in celebration. The Corning Museum of Glass has a dedicated glass blowing demonstration area onboard Celebrity Equinox as just one of the features on the new ship.

The 122,000 GRT new cruise ship has enjoyed almost two weeks of launch celebrations in the city, and will welcome its first paying guests on 31 July 2009.

Welcoming Celebrity Equinox officially to the fleet, Richard D. Fain, Chairman of Celebrity Cruises and Chairman and CEO of parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., delivered the ceremony address. Fain praised the ship’s Godmother Nina Barough CBE (Commander of the British Empire), and founder of the breast cancer charity “Walk the Walk.”

“Her story, her outspoken devotion to breast cancer causes, and her day-to-day life is a compelling example of the need to take our health and well-being seriously,” said Fain. “And all this paints a lovely picture of why we are so honoured to have her as our Godmother.”

Also whilst on stage at the event, Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Dan Hanrahan continued to praise Nina Baraugh’s achievements, “As with our Godmother of Celebrity Solstice, we knew that for Celebrity Equinox, too, nothing less than someone genuinely devoted to the cause would do. And Nina exemplifies that exceptionally.  Her tireless efforts have benefited countless women battling breast cancer, and her personal triumph over it has inspired thousands of women, men and families in the UK and beyond.”

The new ship, aimed at experienced cruisers who want to try a new cruise experience, features a real grass lawn onboard larger than eight tennis courts for boules, bocca, putting and outdoor concerts. Plus, a glass blowing museum and demonstration area take the format of cruise lectures to a new level. Guests can enjoy a 24-carat gold facial in the onboard spa, ensure their cocktail stays cool with iced serving areas in the onboard Martini Bar and dine in one of ten different restaurants.

Onboard accommodation includes a unique class of staterooms, AquaClass, dedicated to spa fans that allow guests access to extras such as a dedicated healthy-eating restaurant, Blu and a spa concierge.  85 per cent of all accommodation on the ship features a private balcony. Staterooms were designed with input from a panel of women who requested larger rooms and clever storage solutions that maximise space.

Following a Norwegian Fjords cruise on 31 July Celebrity Equinox will depart Southampton on 8 August on a 10-night “Best of Europe” itinerary to Rome, calling on ports in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, as well Gibraltar. The ship then will sail a series of 13- and 14-night “Ancient Empires” cruises until October, featuring two new ports of call: Haifa and Ashdod, Israel. These cruises also include an overnight stay in Alexandria, Egypt.

Celebrity Cruises offers comfortably sophisticated, upscale vacation experiences with highly personalised service, exceptional dining, and extraordinary attention to detail. Celebrity Cruises sails in Alaska, Bermuda, California, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South America. The line also offers unique cruisetour vacations in Alaska, Canada, Europe and South America. Noted for four of the top 10 “Top Cruise Ships in the World” in the large-ship category, as voted by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (February 2009 readers’ poll), Celebrity Cruise’s fleet – including the new Celebrity Solstice and Celebrity Equinox, will be joined by Celebrity Eclipse in 2010, a fourth Solstice-class ship in 2011, and a fifth in 2012.

WORLDWIDE TIMESHARE HYPERMARKET and FOUR CHAIRS ADVERTISING are BREAKING DOWN ALL THE BARRIERS of timeshare.

Starting from the 1st of August Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket Europe’s leading timeshare resale company are showing a 60 second commercial promoting the concept of timeshare. This will be shown on the new ‘Travel Deals Direct’ channel 647 on the Sky platform.

This is an industry first, as it’s not selling from the TV; it’s more about “finding out more” and trying to educate the public and increase their awareness of timeshare.

The ad explains that timeshare is the opportunity to own for life, with affordable luxury in five star accommodation around the globe. It also explains that you can exchange your week for similar resorts around the world if you so desire, giving you the chance to see the world, it also says “all you need to do is pay a realistic management fee, which covers the running of the resort, and pay for your flights”.

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket and Four Chairs Advertising have also teamed up with TATOC (The Association for Timeshare Owners and Committees) and Owners Perspective Magazine which gives those that watch the commercial the opportunity to explore further and provides a level of reassurance and transparency.

Paul Mattimoe, CEO of Perspective International said “It is important, especially in the current economic climate where cost and value for money are paramount in the mind of the consumer, that leading companies within the timeshare industry take the opportunity to stand proud and begin to educate the next generation of timeshare owners.”

Phil Watson Managing Director of Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, with the technical direction of Terry Rose from Four Chairs Advertising, has negotiated sponsorship of the Travel Channel and already run a number of successful competitions. Terry said “the whole concept of timeshare being a main sponsor of a Travel Channel is truly amazing and a great achievement and with Phil Watson’s forward thinking, timeshare is moving forward with many other plans already in motion.”

DeVere Hotels & Resorts are be supplying a major prize for the competition in August, with Seasons PLC sponsoring the competition in September.

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket together with Seasons PLC will also feature on the Travel programme ‘travel today’, which is shown across Europe, again a major first in the world of timeshare.

Phil Watson was quoted as saying “we have made major steps towards educating the public about timeshare and what it has to offer. We have the ability to offer a family the chance to go on holiday to luxury resorts at sensible prices and buy into a lifestyle.”

Phil added “Both myself and Terry have many projects in hand and welcome other resorts to join in, not only are resorts such as DeVere Hotels & Resorts and Seasons PLC gaining TV exposure, but they also get the chance to contact the competition entries afterwards, adding even more awareness of their respective companies and the timeshare industry.

For more information on joining this initiative contact:
Phil Watson ~ Managing Director
Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket
Tel: +44 (0)871 781 6 781
Mob: +44 (0)7770 498349
Email: philw@wwlg.co.uk

Source: http://www.theperspectivemagazine.com/timeshare-education-commercial-aired-on-tv-011886

Hapimag, the leading provider of holiday rights of residence on the European market, continued its positive development of the previous year in the first half of this year. In comparison to the same period last year, total sales increased by 2.4 per cent to EUR 81.9 million (EUR 80 million in 2008). The operating result after the first six months was EUR 1.8 million (EUR 2 million in the first half of 2008) and the occupancy rate of the resorts at around 71% is the same as for the previous year. In February 2009, Hapimag opened its new
flagship resort in Hörnum (Sylt), and thanks to the cooperation venture with ‘Dial an Exchange’ the company now offers even better access to apartments worldwide.

In particular the 56 holiday resorts throughout Europe contributed to the positive development of total revenue. Despite the difficult economic situation, their sales increased by 3.9 per cent. The occupancy rate of the resorts, as in the previous year at approximately 71%, was still above average for the industry.
The continuous investments in the resorts contribute considerably to this satisfactory occupancy rate. In 2009 over EUR 50 million will be invested, of which around EUR 26 million have already been transacted in the first half of the year.

Despite the tense economic situation, the sales division has remained practically stable. The net sales revenue, at EUR 15.5 million, is close to the previous year’s figure (EUR 16.1 million). The operating result (EBIT) after the first six months was EUR 1.8 million (EUR 0.2 million less than the previous year). The consolidated result of the joint-stock company, which is organised as a cooperative, totalled an encouraging EUR 1.7 million (0.7 million in 2008).

Resort in Hörnum officially opened
In May Hapimag opened its new flagship resort in Hörnum on the North Sea island of Sylt. The 151 apartments, with their modern architecture and an extensive offer of services, typify the modern expansion of Hapimag’s attractive resort portfolio. Special attention has been given to the wellness area. It includes a top-quality Deep Nature Spa, several pools, spacious relaxation areas and diverse treatment and relaxation
offers. The ‘Biike’ restaurant caters for the guests with authentic regional cuisine. The resort’s occupancy rate till the end of the year is very good, with bookings totalling 94.5 per cent.

Worldwide bookings thanks to cooperation venture with ‘Dial an Exchange’ The new cooperation venture with ‘Dial an Exchange’ (DAE) means that the world has come even closer for Hapimag members. Hapimag exchanges residential properties for its members via DAE, Europe’s largest independent share exchange for holiday apartments. This means that around 1500 resorts worldwide are now available to Hapimag members.

Hapimag is number 1 in the European market for holiday rights of residence. The company was founded in 1963 as a Swiss public limited company based in the Canton of Zug in Baar and today has approximately 140,000 members. On purchasing shares, members can choose from among 56 holiday resorts with more than 5,300 apartments and hotel rooms rent-free based on a points system. The resorts are located in 16 countries in Europe, Africa and the USA. The company has around 1,700 employees worldwide.

Embassy Suites Receives Hotel Satisfaction Award for 8th Time and Hilton Garden Inn for 7th Time

Hilton Hotels Corporation announced today that two of its brands received the highest honors in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index StudySM. Embassy Suites ranked highest in the “Upscale” category for the sixth time (2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009; including two highest rankings in the all-suite segment prior to 2001) and Hilton Garden Inn achieved the highest ranking in the “Mid-Scale Hotel Chains with Full Service” category for the seventh time (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009) in eight years. The study is based on responses from more than 65,000 business and leisure hotel guests who evaluated 65 different hotel brands in the United States and Canada between May 2008 and June 2009.

“Hilton is devoted to leading the industry in guest satisfaction. Our brands continue to out perform the competition in guest satisfaction. This is a testament to our commitment to our guests across our family of hotel brands,” said Paul Brown, President of Global Brands and Commercial Services for Hilton Hotels Corporation.

Embassy Suites Hotels, the nation’s leading all-suite upscale hotel brand, was an impressive 26 points higher than the Upscale Hotel Chains segment average. Additionally, the brand was the leader in all seven of the guest satisfaction index measures. “It is gratifying to be honored by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader, but especially flattering to have led the upscale segment on all seven of the guest satisfaction index measures that were evaluated including reservations, check-in/check-out, food and beverage, and costs and fees,” said Jim Holthouser, Global Head of Full Service Brands and Embassy Suites Hotels.

Embassy Suites’ success is attributed to a number of enhancements encompassing more than $600 million in renovations, new products and services. The refreshment program – including upgraded Embassy BusinessLink™ Business Centers, new food and beverage offerings and enhanced fitness centers – have helped to augment the brand’s position in the upscale category. The brand has also focused on reinvigorating its service culture to create even greater brand differentiation.

For Hilton Garden Inn’s seventh award in the “Mid–Scale Hotel Chains with Full Service” category, the brand was 57 points higher than the segment average and led in five out of the seven guest satisfaction index measures that were evaluated. The brand saw particularly high scores for its guest room, which features the innovative pressure relieving Garden Sleep System® that allows guests to adjust the firmness or softness of the bed, as well as the ergonomic Mirra® chair by Herman Miller and complimentary WiFi. A wide array of food and beverage options including a freshly cooked-to-order breakfast featuring omelets and signature waffles and a wide variety of other breakfast offerings may have helped the brand fare highest among competitors in the food and beverage guest satisfaction index measure.

“As the brand that is focused on helping our guests be prepared for whatever they set out to accomplish -– no matter what the trip occasion may be – we are honored our guests have recognized us for the seventh time as a leader in hotel guest satisfaction,” said Adrian Kurre, Global Head, Hilton Garden Inn. “We know this award is a reflection of our guests’ loyalty to Hilton Garden Inn, as well as the dedication and attention to detail put forth every day by our team members around the world.”

The Hilton Garden Inn award comes as a result of the bundled amenities and offerings guests can expect at the more than 450 hotel locations around the world. By focusing on Every Stay Value and offering guests everything they need to make the most of their travels, Hilton Garden Inn ensures guests sleep deep, work smart, eat well stay fit and treat themselves with every stay.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on boat ratings, car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About Embassy Suites Hotels
Founded in 1984, Embassy Suites Hotels defines the upscale, all-suite segment and today has more than 200 hotels, with an additional 60 properties in the development pipeline. With spacious two-room suites, engaging team members and an inviting atrium environment, guests are allowed to put their feet up and feel right at home. To learn more, visit www.embassysuites.com.

About Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is the award-winning, mid-priced brand that continually strives to ensure today’s busy travelers have everything they need to be most productive on the road — from complimentary wired and Wi-Fi internet access in all guestrooms and PrintSpots(tm) mobile printing to the hotel’s complimentary 24-hour business center to the innovative pressure-relieving Garden Sleep System™ to the ergonomic Mirra® chair by Herman Miller. So whether on the road for personal or business reasons, Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travelers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart while away from home. To find out more about Hilton Garden Inn locations across North America and Europe or to find your next getaway, visit www.HGI.com.

About Hilton Hotels Corporation
Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,300 hotels and 550,000 rooms in 77 countries and more than 130,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises some of the best known and highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites by Hilton, the Waldorf Astoria and the Waldorf Astoria Collection, as well as the recently launched Home2 Suites by Hilton. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors.

Hilton Hotels Corporation is an Official Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team, which will extend through the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, the 2010/2012 U.S. Paralympic Team and the 2011 U.S. Pan American Team.

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton’s philosophy that, “It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.
For more information about the company, please visit www.hiltonfamily.com.

Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club (LHVC), located in Puerto Plata on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, welcomed in July a delegation of top executives from Group RCI who presented LHVC with the company’s Top Producer Award for outstanding sales performance.  The award is given to resorts reporting a higher number of new enrollments per region, with LHVC being among the Top 5 in the region.

RCI, a worldwide leader in timeshare and vacation exchanges with more than 3.5 million members globally, presented this prestigious award during its recent visit that included Greg Anderson, Vice President of Global Product Management for The Registry Collection; Eugenio Macouzet, Senior Vice President for RCI Caribbean; German Rojas, Regional Manager for RCI Caribbean; and Gordon Gurnik, President of Group RCI North America.

L-R: Greg Anderson, The Registry Collection; Eugenio Macouzet, Group RCI Caribbean; German Rojas, RCI Caribbean; Anja Wischenbart & Markus Wischenbart, Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club; Gordon Gurnik, Group RCI North America; Santiago Merizalde, Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club

“We are honored that Group RCI selected us to receive this special designation and that their executive team visited us to personally present us with this award of distinction,: said Hans Larcher, Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club Managing Director.

The Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club Resort encompasses four distinct products:  The Tropical, The Crown Suites, The Crown Villas and The Residence Suites.  From hotel accommodations to stand alone villas, all guests have access to six distinct restaurants, five swimming pools, nightly entertainment, spa, beach, tennis and more.  Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club VIP Members have access to a “members only” restaurant, bar, swimming pool, exclusive beach areas, as well as golf carts, limousine transfers and helicopter tours.

Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club members, guests and their families have a wide variety of activities available to them in the Dominican Republic’s North Coast.  Next door is the Ocean World Adventure Park with its daily animal and aquatic shows plus Las Vegas style show, Bravissimo.  Other activities in the area include a cable car ride to the peak of Mount Isabella de Torres, white water rafting, horseback riding, deep sea fishing, boating, snorkeling, monster truck safaris and city tours of Puerto Plata, named in 2008 as one of the 53 best destinations in the world by The New York Times.  For more Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club information, go to www.lifestyleholidaysvc.com or call (809) 970-7777.

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), announced two new resort affiliations in the popular destination of Turkey.

The new resort affiliates, Salutaris Thermal Resort and Kartas Thermal & Spa Resort, will offer RCI members relaxing spa-based vacation opportinities.

“We are very pleased to welcome Salutaris Thermal Resort and Kartas Thermal & Spa Resort into the RCI network,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Group RCI. “These resorts offer our more than 3.8 million members the chance to enjoy relaxing thermal and spa facilities in scenic areas of Turkey, a country with a variety of contemporary and historic tourist attractions. They are fantastic additions to RCI’s collection of more than 4,000 top quality vacation destinations.”

Salutaris Thermal Resort in Omerli sits in the mountainous province of Afyon, inland from the Aegean coast and 250 kilometres south-west of Ankara. Afyon itself is known for its many historic sites, including the ruins of a fortress, the Great Mosque, the 13th century Alti Göz Bridge and the statue of Hamm’s symbolic white elephant.

Built by Sayez Turizm, the resort is due to open in 2010. When completed, Salutaris Thermal Resort is set to become one of Europe’s largest thermal holiday villages, where guests can enjoy on-site facilities and amenities including a Turkish hamam, sauna, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, thermal pools, a fitness centre and spa. The property comprises 204 two-bedroom units with fully-fitted kitchens, air-conditioning and whirlpool baths.

Prices haven’t been fully finalised but for a period of 29 years vacation ownership should range from €6,000 to €10,000 per week.

Kartas Thermal & Spa Resort was developed by Kartas Turizm and is due to open in October 2009 in the Cavlak area of Bogazliyan, Yozgat, only 50 kilometres away from the city of Kayseri which is renowned for its historical monuments and culinary specialties. Cappadocia is another nearby destination offering unique geological, historic and cultural features. Recreation options in the area include trekking, rafting and skiing, in addition to visiting Goreme National Park, which is famed for its fairy chimney rock formations.

The resort offers relaxation after a busy day of activity. Guests can unwind in one of the indoor or outdoor pools, sauna or fitness centre. Accommodation ranges from hotel rooms to one- and two-bedroom units sleeping up to six people. All have air conditioning and whirlpool baths, and with the exception of the hotel rooms, all have partial kitchens with freezer, microwave and electric hobs.

Prices haven’t been fully finalised but for a period of 5, 10 and 20 years vacation ownership should range from as low as €2,000 to €8,000 per week.

For additional information on the value-added services offered to leisure real estate developers by Group RCI visit www.grouprci.com.

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 73,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI®, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation RentalsSM , Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

For additional information on the services offered to developers by Group RCI and how they can add potential value to leisure real estate projects, visit www.grouprci.com.

About Sayez Turizm Insaat Muh Mus SaglikVe Egitim Hiz Paz Taah San Tic
Sayez Turizm was founded by a group of businessmen who came together to form a developer company to build the Salutaris Thermal Resort to utilize the thermal water resources in the Afyon area. The project has the support of the Afyon local authorities as the resort is expected to boost the regional economies.

About Kartas Turizm
The parent company, Kartas Turizm Otelcilik Ticaret Vesan, was founded in 1990 as a flour producer and a retail outlet in the local region. In 1993 it expanded into the fuel supply business by opening a gas station, and four years later it added a fodder plant to its assets. In 2003 it launched a construction business and today is a well-respected multi-sector company in Turkey.

Kartas Thermal & Spa Resort comprises of a hotel which will be managed by the renowned Dedeman Hotels Group, a wellness centre managed by the Universal Hospitals Group of Turkey and, finally, the timeshare properties will be managed by group company, Kartas Turizm.

Refinancing Crisis, Erosion of Property Values, Pending Tax and Climate Change Bills Lead The Real Estate Roundtable’s Policy Concerns

Kicking off its 2010 fiscal year, The Real Estate Roundtable in July welcomed a new board of directors and committee leaders, while vowing continued efforts to address a variety of national policy issues such as the credit crisis, environmental “sustainability,” tax, and other policy issues affecting the health of the real estate sector and overall U.S. economy.

Leading the 21-member board in FY10 will be Daniel M. Neidich, co-CEO of New York-based Dune Capital Management LP. Mr. Neidich succeeds Hilton Hotels President and CEO Christopher J. Nassetta as chairman of The Real Estate Roundtable, a 10-year-old policy organization. The board includes top executives from national real estate firms representing various property types (e.g., office, industrial, multifamily, hospitality and retail) and entity classifications (e.g., privately-held and publicly traded). Six national real estate trade associations (out of a total of 16 that hold membership in The Roundtable) are also represented on the board in any given year.

“I am proud to take the helm at The Real Estate Roundtable, which faces a number of important policy challenges in the year ahead — the most significant of which is the ongoing liquidity and refinancing crisis that is forcing real estate owners into bankruptcy and pushing up delinquency rates on commercial mortgages,” said Neidich.

Immediate Past Chairman Nassetta noted that “The real estate industry’s continued, unified efforts on the policy front, involving The Roundtable’s new leadership, CEO-level membership and national partner organizations, will ensure that policymakers fully understand how their decisions affect real estate markets, which are so closely interconnected to the health of the national economy.”

Roundtable President and CEO Jeffrey D. DeBoer added, “With so many significant policy issues now under consideration by the Administration and congressional policymakers, The Roundtable will continue to present practical solutions to complex issues based on fact-based analysis, supported by industry leaders and experts.”

In addition to Neidich, Nassetta and DeBoer, the FY10 Roundtable board includes: Roundtable Secretary Robert S. Taubman, who is chairman, president and CEO of Taubman Centers, Inc.; Roundtable Treasurer Jeffrey Schwartz, chairman of Global Logistic Properties; John C. Cushman, III ,chairman of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.; Michael Fascitelli, CEO, Vornado Realty Trust; Thomas M. Flexner, Global Head of Real Estate, Citigroup; James L. Helsel, Jr., partner, RSR Realtors LLC and treasurer of the National Association of Realtors (NAR); C. MacLaine Kenan, executive director, Arcapita, and chairman, National Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE); James L. Lewis, president, Disney Vacation Club and chairman, American Resort Development Association (ARDA); Roy Hilton March, CEO, Eastdil Secured; Constance B. Moore, president and CEO, BRE Properties, Inc., and chair, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT); James A. Peck, senior director, CB Richard Ellis, chairman, BOMA International; Ronald R. Pressman, president and CEO, GE Capital Real Estate; Scott Rechler, chairman and CEO, RXR; William C. Rudin, president, Rudin Management Company, Inc.; Richard Saltzman, president, Colony Capital; L. Peter Sharpe, president and CEO, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation LTD, and chairman, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC); Douglas W. Shorenstein, chairman and CEO, Shorenstein Company LLC; Martin Stein, Jr., chairman and CEO, Regency Centers Corporation.

The Roundtable’s current policy agenda includes a “Five Point Plan” for restoring liquidity to the credit market. In recent months, several of the recommended steps in the plan have been enacted or implemented. However, in The Roundtable’s view, additional policy action is needed to facilitate loan workouts and restructurings (e.g., through temporary changes in the tax rules governing real estate mortgage investment conduits [REMICs]); and an overhaul of policies governing foreign investment in U.S. real estate (FIRPTA). “The debt markets, including the CMBS market, are still generally dysfunctional, transaction volume remains at virtually zero, and commercial property values remain under downward pressure,” said Neidich who spent 25 years at Goldman Sachs before becoming chairman and co-CEO of Dune Capital in 2003.

In recent testimony, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke and U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner both acknowledged the lack of credit capacity and deterioration in commercial real estate markets. Additionally, Joint Economic Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) held a July 9 hearing on commercial real estate liquidity and market conditions at which The Roundtable’s DeBoer testified.

The Real Estate Roundtable is unique in its focus on “big picture” policy issues affecting the national economy and overall real estate industry. It also is the only advocacy group in Washington that brings together chief executives of top U.S. real estate entities (representing all market segments, asset classes, ownership vehicles and capital structures) with the leaders of 16 national real estate trade associations to develop broad-based industry perspectives on key public policy issues. For more information: www.rer.org.

Principal at Architectural Concepts, Inc. and President of Resort ProSource Fully Accredited in Green Building Design

Architectural Concepts, Inc. (ACI) has announced that Margit Whitlock, AIA has been officially designated as a LEED® Accredited Professional.  The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System® is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.  Its system offers project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources.

Margit is now fully accredited in what is commonly called “green” building design. LEED® emphasizes state of the art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Margit Whitlock, AIA who also chairs the ARDA Design and Construction Committee, said “Sustainability is not a way of designing, it is a way of life.  As a design professional I look at all aspects of a project from site configuration to operations and that is why LEED is so important, as the program is comprehensive.  Soon USGBC will distribute new Hospitality LEED Guidelines and certifications and I look forward to implementing this into all of our future projects.”

Architectural Concepts, Inc. (ACI) a San Diego firm regarded as one of the top hospitality-oriented architectural and interior design firms has been honored with numerous awards including the American Resort Development Association’s ARDY for Resort Design for Cibola Vista Resort and Spa (Peoria, Arizona) and Club Regina Resorts (Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) for Interior Design. Last year the firm received a Silver Award for New Resort Unit Design for The Island Empress on Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola, Florida. In 2008, the firm received the prestigious ARDA ACE Community Service Award for its benefit for San Diego’s Habitat for Humanity.

In addition to being at the helm of both ACI and Resort ProSource (RPS), Margit designs an exclusive line of linen and terry (www.LaNotteLinenCollection.com) for the hospitality industry.

Architectural Concepts, Inc. is a full service planning, architectural and interior design firm located in San Diego, CA.  Some of the firm’s architectural and interior designs include Raintree Vacation Club’s Club Regina renovations in Mexico, Trump International Hotel and Tower (New Orleans), The Golden Door, (Escondido) Cibola Vista Resort, (Peoria, Arizona) and The Bond, a vacation ownership project, (Las Vegas).  ACI primarily focuses on the hospitality and commercial markets in the US and Mexico.    ACI’s Principal, Margit Whitlock AIA, is a licensed architect in California, Florida, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. The design firm is located at 3015 St. Charles Street, Suite B, San Diego, CA 92110.  For more information about Architectural Concepts call 619-531-0110.

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE:WYN) today announced its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.04 per share on its common stock, payable September 11, 2009 to shareholders of record as of August 27, 2009.

About Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
As one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide offers individual consumers and business–to–business customers a broad suite of hospitality products and services across various accommodation alternatives and price ranges through its premier portfolio of world–renowned brands. Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses almost 7,000 franchised hotels and approximately 588,500 hotel rooms worldwide. Group RCI offers its 3.8 million members access to more than 73,000 vacation properties located in approximately 100 countries.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 150 vacation ownership resorts serving over 830,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Wyndham Worldwide, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., employs approximately 25,500 employees globally.  For more information about Wyndham Worldwide, please visit the Company’s web site at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Jon Fazzio Receives Prestigious National Award

Grand Pacific Resort Services,  a privately owned vacation ownership company located in Carlsbad, CA announces that Jon Fazzio was recognized by the American Resort Developers Association (ARDA) with the prestigious Silver Award for 2009. Jon Fazzio is currently the Director of Facilities with Grand Pacific Resorts for both Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and Carlsbad Seapointe Resort located in Carlsbad, CA.  He is responsible for overseeing the housekeeping function, maintenance efforts and security at both properties.

Coming from a 26 year long career in City Government, Jon developed expertise in turf maintenance, contract administration, facility and stadium maintenance and special event coordination.

According to Patrick Fernane, Director /Inventory Management and Owner Services and Regional Director of Pacific Palisades Resort, “Jon has made a dramatic and positive impact on the facilities in his short time with Grand Pacific Resorts. We are fortunate to work with him.  His work model exemplifies high integrity, superb service focus and extremely high standards of facilities excellence. He oversaw several large scale/big budget reserve projects, but perhaps his most significant impact was his key role in Grand Pacific Resorts companywide “green” initiative – which we rolled out this year as a comprehensive Go-Green Program.  He implemented and managed a turnkey Resort Recycling Program, which, we are proud to say, has made both resorts extremely environmentally friendly.”

Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and Carlsbad Seapointe Resort are two of four Grand Pacific Resort Services operated resorts in Carlsbad, California.  Also in Carlsbad, California are the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort and the company’s newest resort, Grand Pacific MarBrisa.

Grand Pacific Resorts, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest vacation ownership companies based in California. With 800 professionals servicing 40,000 owner-families every year, Grand Pacific Resorts manages 14 properties throughout the state of California.  For more information visit www.grandpacificresortservices.com  or call 760-431-8500.

Positive experience with SPI Orange Systems Finance module persuades timeshare resort company to purchase additional modules.

Systems Products International (SPI), a leading provider of software to the timeshare industry, recently announced that Southwind Management Corporation, an affiliate of Spinnaker Resorts,has elected to purchase its Orange Systems central reservations and property management software.

Southwind CFO Mike Vaniska says, “We have been using the owner billing module of SPI for approximately a year now and couldn’t be happier.  It was everything that we thought it would be and more.  When we began to explore replacing our Property Management, Front Desk and Reservations software, we immediately turned to SPI.”

“Throughout the long, arduous due diligence process on our part, which involved many department heads, SPI worked closely with us and provided a seamless solution that pleased everyone.  Our excitement is high in anticipation of working with the complete package and utilizing all the advanced features that the SPI Orange Systems’ software provides.  We expect our efficiency and owner service to increase tremendously as a result.”

“SPI was pleased to have Southwind/Spinnaker Resorts select our modules for its property management and reservations functions,” says SPI Director of Sales Matt Brosious. “Once their team saw how our owner accounting product helped streamline their activities, they could see that using these additional modules would be an excellent investment.”

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.

About Spinnaker Resorts & Southwind Management
Spinnaker Resorts develops, markets, sells and provides property management to resorts in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Branson, Missouri; and Ormond Beach, Florida. In 1993, Spinnaker formed a property management company, Southwind Management Corporation, to manage its developments. Southwind manages over 750 timeshare units, as well as The Players Club Hotel on Hilton Head Island. For more information, visit www.spinnakerresorts.com.

The Dom Pedro Hotel Group announced that the Dom Pedro Garajau Hotel has affiliated with RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange.

The Dom Pedro Garajau Hotel is a great base for a holiday in Madeira, midway between Caniço and the capital Funchal, just 10 minutes from Madeira International Airport on the island’s south coast. Located in a quiet area near the lively village of Garajau, the 282-room hotel has excellent leisure, entertainment and relaxation facilities, including indoor, outdoor and children’s pools, and a mini club.

“We are very excited to bring our owners the opportunities that RCI offers,” said Stefano Saviotti, president of Dom Pedro Hotel Group. “RCI offers our owners access to over 4,000 terrific vacation ownership resorts around the world, including everything from camping parks to castles. We’re glad we could provide this service to our community.”

“We are very pleased to welcome the Dom Pedro Garajau Hotel into the RCI network,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Group RCI. “This beautiful resort is a tremendous addition to the collection of top vacation destinations we offer to our more than 3.8 million RCI members around the world.”

The hotel is one of seven operated by Dom Pedro Hotel Group; the other six are on the Portuguese mainland with one in Lisbon and five in the Algarve.

About Dom Pedro Hotel Group
Dom Pedro Hotel Group was founded 40 years ago by Italian businessman, Pietro Saviotti, when it opened its first property on the island of Madeira. Since then, his son Stefano Saviotti has turned the Dom Pedro Hotel Group into one of Portugal’s most successful hotel chains, making a large contribution to the development of the country’s tourism industry. Dom Pedro Hotels has grown into a well-respected hotel chain with seven landmark four- and five-star properties offering more than 3,000 beds in Lisbon and Portugal’s coastal resorts and islands. The group has plans to expand, with Brazil flagged up as a possible market. Currently the properties that form the Dom Pedro Group are all located within Portugal.

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 73,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation RentalsSM , Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Luxury fractional ownership and timeshare magazine significantly extends affluent reach by securing a distribution deal for BA airport lounges worldwide.

Owners Perspective Magazine which focuses on all aspects of vacation property ownership and luxury travel has now added more than 100 British Airways airport lounges to its global distribution campaign enabling it to be read by large numbers of affluent first class and business class passengers.

“With so many magazine titles available around the world, we are delighted that British Airways have selected our consumer publication for customers in their lounges across the globe which will help us to educate even more people on the benefits of shared ownership products and all the luxuries associated with the more modern product types.” Says Paul Mattimoe, CEO, Perspective International Ltd.

Owners Perspective Magazine offers an independent look at resort real estate, fractional property ownership, high end timeshares, private residence clubs, boutique hotels and luxury travel services, providing print and online reviews, buying guides, advice, hints and tips.

Available by individual print subscription (as well as free of charge online), and via leading UK Tesco & Sainsbury’s supermarkets, selected Macdonald Hotels & Resorts and Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Emirates Airlines and British Airways airport lounges around the world.

For more information visit http://www.ownersperspective.com
For details on advertising and editorial opportunities visit http://www.perspectiverates.com

The South African Hotel Group the Zorgvliet  (pronounced Zor-fleet) has announced a number of unique vacation ownership options featuring special experiences across its five resorts and lodges ahead of the country’s biggest sporting event, the FIFA Football World Cup in 2010. Even at this early stage it is obvious that there will not be enough accommodation available in South Africa over the World Cup period to accommodate the expected half million football fans and media that will flock to the country. Organisers are already reserving additional accommodation in neighboring African countries and considering using cruise liners off the South African shoreline.

The Zorgvliet Group, which has authentic South African lodges and hotels in locations close to many of the World Cup stadia, is launching vacation ownership through its newly formed Private Residence Club (ZPRC) to offer accommodation during the event that will also be of benefit beyond the World Cup.

Vacation ownership is available at:

-  Ka’Ingo Private Game Reserve & Spa in the Limpopo district where the big 5 game can be viewed and only 60 minutes drive from the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex in Polokwane,

-The Riviera On Vaal Hotel which is a five star country and golf club south west of Johannesburg and only 30 minutes drive from the newly constructed Soccer City Stadium and 35 Minutes from Ellis Park in central Johannesburg;

- Zorgvliet Vineyard Estate and Alluvia Specialist Winery near Stellenbosch which is 40 minutes drive from the new Green Point Stadium in Cape Town.

- The King George Hotel in George on the Garden Route which is a short flight or 4 hour drive to the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town.

FIFA estimates that 55,000 hotel rooms will be required to accommodate the visitors, some 15,000 more than are currently available. Last year it was forced to accredit guest houses, private lodges and backpacker hostels to help make up the numbers. FIFA’s accommodation agency has reserved thousands of rooms in neighbouring countries, including 4,000 on Mauritius, a holiday island that takes four-and-a-half hours to reach by air.

The Zorgvliet Group specialises in educational, authentic and sometimes life-changing experiences at each of its locations which will be of particular interest to those wanting to extend their trip, or for partners of football fans left to their own devices. For example guests can get involved in critically important conservation projects at Ka’Ingo private reserve such as leopard and cheetah re-releases, ‘clean’ buffalo breeding, white rhino and animal welfare programmes. Vacation owners can also contribute by adopting animals such as the elephant, lion, buffalo bull or cheetah and get regular updates about their progress.
At the Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa and Alluvia Specialist Winery, an award winning wine estate outside Stellenbosch, vacation owners can participate in the actual wine making process alongside the viticulturist and wine maker. Also included as part of the vacation ownership is barrel sampling, complimentary wine tasting with the winemaker, and lessons in food and wine pairing plus an allocation of 24 bottles of wine per year with a personalised label.

Vacation ownership can be purchased for a period of 12 years for as little as R66,000 (approx £5500) for 1 week usage allocation for 12 years,  or in perpetuity for as little as R120,000 (approx £10000). The option makes a lot of sense especially as the cost of accommodation at Zorgvliet’s five star hotels is typically £1100 to £1300 per week and rates over the World Cup period are expected to soar with the anticipated lack of hotel accommodation. The vacation weeks are floating and insightful buyers can ensure allocation over the Football World Cup period for a marginal premium.

Mac van der Merwe, CEO of the Zorgvliet Group says: “We have found that people are beginning to demand more ‘experiential’ type holidays. Rather than just visiting a place they are keen to learn something new or immerse themselves in the culture or environment. With participation in the conservation projects at Ka’Ingo they also will be making a contribution to a very worthwhile cause whilst learning about how they can make a difference to the natural environment around them.”

Vacations bought in the Zorgvliet Private Residence Club can be exchanged at more than 2000 global resorts worldwide through the company’s affiliation to Interval International, a global holiday exchange programme. So for sports fans they can exchange their week in following years in other countries hosting a big sporting event.

Information sessions and presentations about vacation ownership will be taking place at venues in the UK and Ireland in August through to October 2009. For more information call 0800 0469196

Well-known resort industry professional Richard Ragatz Ph.D. behind online site for buyers and sellers of resort real estate projects

RAGATZ ASSOCIATES, INC. has recently announced the creation of Resort and Hotel Showcase, an international website-based advertising service for the resort real estate industry, including existing resort developments, as well as vacant land appropriate for resort development, hotels and shared-ownership projects (fractional interests and resort timeshare).

“Showcase is the only known advertising service that totally concentrates on the resort real estate industry,” says Ragatz. “The objective is to provide a central clearinghouse for sellers and buyers of resort-oriented property.”

“The validity of Showcase is founded on the unique qualifications that Ragatz Associates has attained over the past 35 years,” he continues. “The firm has worked on over 2,500 assignments in 48 states and over 70 countries. Also, I’ve spoken at over 350 conferences around the world. Such experience has generated contact with literally tens of thousands of professionals in the resort real estate industry, including existing and potential developers, investors, lenders, attorneys and many others.”

Ragatz adds, “We promote Showcase not only to our own past contacts, but we also use Search Engine Optimization, advertising in appropriate trade publications and newsletters, networking at numerous industry meetings and conferences and the use of social media.”

Showcase provides a focused website whereby sellers of resorts and hotels can advertise the availability of their properties to a worldwide audience of potential buyers. It is intended solely for entire properties, and not for individual homes, homesites, fractional interests, memberships, etc.

Until now, selling and buying of resort-oriented properties and hotels has been a very fragmented process, with no central depository. Demonstrating the availability of properties for sale has typically depended on local brokers, word-of-mouth, and inclusion with other forms of non-related real estate. Finding such properties has typically depended on time-consuming searches.

For more information about how to list a project for sale or to view available properties, visit www.ragatzassociates.com or call 1-800-348-6357.

About RAGATZ ASSOCIATES
RAGATZ ASSOCIATES is a highly respected international consulting and market research firm in the resort real estate industry. It was founded in 1974 by Dr. Richard Ragatz and has serviced clients from both the private sector (from small, individually owned companies to international corporations) and the public sector (from small municipalities to national governments). The firm has worked on over 2,500 assignments in the resort real estate industry in 48 states and over 70 countries.

Holiday Club Resorts (HCR) has announced that Holiday Club Naantali Residence in Naantali, Finland, has affiliated with RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange.

Opened in May this year, Holiday Club Naantali Residence has 40 high-quality studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, all with sea views, and is located next to Naantali Spa, one of the Nordic countries’ leading holiday and conference centres. The complex attracts 300,000 visitors a year and has received many accolades from the hospitality industry, including being named twice in the world’s 100 best spas and five times as the meeting hotel of the year in Finland – most recently this year.

Holiday Club Naantali Residence is the 21st timeshare resort to be launched by HCR and is set to become its flagship development. Vesa Tengman, HCR’s CEO, said he expects a strong demand from Swedish, as well as Finnish buyers. Adding that the company will be opening a new sales office at the property and recruiting 25 new sales and marketing staff.

“RCI invented the exchange business 35 years ago and has been the innovator and leader ever since,” said Tengman. “Its diverse selection of resorts the world over delivers the highest quality vacations to its members. Being associated with RCI has always been important to Holiday Club Resorts and it was always our intention to bring Holiday Club Naantali Residence into the RCI network. Furthermore, RCI offers exciting technological resources and marketing advantages for us, as well as the largest possible selection of vacation resorts for our timeshare owners. We are very pleased to continue working with them.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Holiday Club Naantali Residence into the RCI network,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Group RCI. “This beautiful resort is a tremendous addition to the collection of top vacation destinations we offer to RCI members.”

Apartments at Naantali Spa Residence have partial kitchens and well-equipped living spaces, while the resort offers a variety of facilities for guests, including a host of indoor and outdoor activities on-site. Guests can relax in the soothing waters of the spa, burn up some energy on the tennis courts or enjoy a delicious meal in one of the many on-site restaurants and cafés.

About Holiday Club Resorts

Holiday Club Resorts Oy owns holiday homes in 12 different municipalities in Finland, a holiday destination in Calahonda, Spain, as well as Holiday Club Åre and Ekerum Golf & Resorts (Öland) holiday destinations in Sweden. Holiday Club’s six spa hotels in Finland have belonged to the S-Group’s subsidiary, Sokotel, since April 2006, and they operate under the name Holiday Club Spa Hotels. The chain comprises Holiday Club Caribia in Turku, Katinkulta in Vuokatti, Tropiikki in Kuusamo, Eden in Oulu, Saariselkä and Tampere Spa. Holiday Club Resorts Oy is one of Europe’s largest vacation ownership enterprises. It was established in 1986 and in the beginning it focused primarily on the vacation ownership business. Since 1998, the company has operated under the name Holiday Club Finland Oy. In 2008, the Group’s turnover was EUR 65 million. As of 1 April 2006 Holiday Club Finland Oy began operating under the name Holiday Club Resorts Oy.

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 73,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI®, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation RentalsSM , Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Odenza Marketing Group Inc. is pleased to announce that the company has acquired DealerMiles LLC, provider of airline miles rewards based out of Denver, Colorado. Odenza’s vision is to combine the operational strengths of Odenza with the powerful loyalty message of DealerMiles. Providing companies with products that help them with both new sales acquisition and customer retention to grow business will strengthen Odenza’s leadership position in the incentive and premium market.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Odenza and DealerMiles is a great fit with our group,” said Odenza’s president, Sodi Hundal. “I know where DealerMiles is going and it is closely aligned with our goals and objectives at Odenza. I am thankful for the support and enthusiasm that Odenza has received regarding this acquisition from our employees, clients and affiliates. Our commitment to our clients’ business growth and success remains unabated.”

Odenza Marketing Group was recently accepted into Carnival Cruise Lines’ “Pinnacle Club” for a third time effective June 2, 2009 for demonstrating exceptional creativity in sales and marketing techniques. Odenza had also won three prestigious awards from the Gallery of Superb Printing Awards held by the International Association of Printing House Craftsmen, an independent network of graphic arts and printing professionals. The annual International Gallery of Superb Printing is a testament to the people and companies involved in producing the finest printing and graphic arts products throughout the world.

About DealerMiles:
DealerMiles works with hundreds of auto dealerships nationwide to enable consumers to earn incremental airline miles. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, DealerMiles works with franchised dealerships of every brand, including Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Honda, Toyota, Infiniti, Nissan, Volvo, and others.

About Odenza Marketing Group Inc.
Odenza provides quality marketing solutions that give our select clients a competitive edge in their market. With a staff of 200 employees, in three countries, Odenza has been providing incentive travel products to companies for their promotions since 1998. Our marketing and advertising support team provides you with everything you need to make your promotion a success. We are members of the American Resort Development Association, New Car Dealers Association and the International Promotional Products Association. Our in-house travel agency is staffed by certified and experienced travel agents who work directly with your customers to book their vacations. We have direct partnerships with major airlines, cruise lines, hotels and resorts worldwide.

Aircraft charter company Revolution Air offers secure, flexible, and affordable travel options as an alternative to fractional membership and launches an online, web-based charter quoting tool

Revolution Air, a charter broker company providing private jet charter services and travel solutions, offers details on the differences between charter aircraft operations and ownership of a fractional membership. To assist customers in making informed decisions on the best type of travel, Revolution Air has also launched an online tool on their website that provides quotes on charter travel.

Fractional membership is a long-term commitment, and fractional operations are governed by FAA Part 91 regulations. With fractional membership, the customer pays an up-front acquisition cost to purchase ownership of a portion of an aircraft, which is shared with other fractional members. The investment is tied into the fractional program along with additional monthly management fees to ensure the aircraft is fully staffed, maintained, insured, and protected in a hangar. Normally, after five years, a fractional owner has the option to remarket shares in the aircraft at current market value, less a remarketing fee.

Charter flights offer travel on an on-demand basis, and their operations are subject to FAA Part 135 regulations, which offer different rulings than Part 91, specifically in regards to duty time regulations and prevention of crew fatigue. By contacting charter brokers like Revolution Air or other providers, customers can choose locations and aircraft based on their immediate travel needs, which offers flexibility and the opportunity to tailor travel requirements to enable economical solutions.

“For some individuals and organizations, long-term fractional ownership of a specific aircraft or chartering with larger companies may be in their best interest, and we encourage customers to choose that option if it fits their needs,” said Ron Goldstein, president of Revolution Air. “For others, the flexibility offered by using a charter broker company like Revolution Air delivers a solution that is nimble, customizable, and offers the choice of aircraft tailored to their travel needs, which can often result in better pricing. Charter travel with Revolution Air also offers personalized service, overseeing all the travel details, from on-board amenities to the distribution of up-to-the minute itinerary information.”

To help customers determine if using charter aircraft is their best option for travel, Revolution Air has added new functionality to its website www.revolutionair.com with an online quoting system for charter flights. This tool enables customers to create a quote based upon their airports of choice and date of departure. Once the quote itinerary is submitted, the customer is contacted directly by a charter specialist to determine the precise needs and requirements of the flight. A finalized quote is then built and submitted back to the customer.

About Revolution Air
Founded in October of 2003, Revolution Air has provided private air charter and transportation solutions for high-profile individuals and many corporate organizations. With locations in New York City, New York, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Revolution Air provides access to air charter jets seating 6 to 15 passengers or larger VIP-configured business jets accommodating 15 to 150 or more passengers. Its beyond-first-class air charter services offer a safe and secure flight environment with a dedicated flight team who manages every nuance and personal request for each trip, from the on-board amenities to the distribution of up-to-the minute itinerary information. Revolution Air prides itself on delivering travel for the finest 21st century lifestyle. At Revolution Air, our world revolves around you. For more information regarding Revolution Air, visit www.revolutionair.com, e-mail info(at)revolutionair.com, or call 866-REV-JETS or 212-755-2000

SCS Interactive puts the “splash” back into the splash park market with its new HydroLine™. The splash park concept has grown in popularity over the last 10 years and can now be found in municipal aquatic centers, parks, campgrounds, hotels, water parks, and resorts. It not only provides fun and excitement for children of all ages, but also requires a minimal capital investment, has low operating costs, and requires minimal supervision. With the HydroLine™, SCS brings “hands on” interactivity, climbable structures with tipping buckets and iconic elements to this market, offering a true waterpark experience in a small package.

The SCS Interactive HydroLine™ is made of all stainless steel. Within the HydroLine™ you will be able to choose from many product categories:

HydroDek™:
SCS Interactive’s HydroDek™ offers a unique approach to ground sprays and above ground spray elements. The HydroDek™ combines the best of SCS; it has SCS industry leading interactivity combined with SCS Interactive’s ability to create iconic attractions, all available now in a competitively priced package.

HydroStructures:
SCS Interactive’s HydroStructures were designed with affordability and creativity in mind. These structures feature the SCS patented tipping bucket and were created to function as one element on a HydroDek or to be a stand-alone iconic structure.

HydroSlides:
Along with offering the industry standard in slides, SCS Interactive offers a variety of stainless steel slides to complement the HydroLine. Whether you are looking to add a slide to an existing pool or you want to add a new level of interactivity to a HydroDek, the SCS HydroSlides offer the ideal solution.

HydroPhone:
SCS Interactive introduces the HydroPhone. The HydroPhone is a musical instrument that makes music out of water. You can use it as a stand alone attraction or add one to your HydroDek to bring it to life with music.

SCS is thrilled to be an innovator in this market, because it can offer clients new design options that bring heightened excitement to the splash park market. Take a moment to check out the SCS HydroLine™ Catalog. Trust SCS Interactive to continuously invent new interactive water attractions to keep the play experience fresh, exciting and unique time after time.

About SCS Interactive
SCS Interactive is the source of great waterparks. SCS has revolutionized the waterplay industry as the originator of the multi-level interactive tree house concept, the creator of the giant tipping bucket seen at amusement and water parks around the world, and the developer of the world’s first wet and dry water coaster known as SplashTrack™. Some of the biggest resorts, amusement and waterparks all over the globe showcase SCS Interactive structures as signature attractions. Additional information about SCS Interactive can be found on the website at scsinteractive.com.

Travelers Acceptance Corporation announces the appointment of Robert Dugger to lead its Vacation Ownership finance business as “Managing Director, Vacation Ownership Finance”.

Prior to joining Travelers Acceptance, Robert held the position of Vice President – Relationship Manager with the Resort Finance Division at Textron Financial Corporation where he was responsible for new business development in North America with primary responsibility for vacation ownership financing in Canada. Prior to Textron Financial, he held positions as a commercial loan manager and credit manager in the banking and commercial finance business.

Using his extensive background in commercial finance, Robert’s mission is to further develop and expand Travelers position within the Vacation Ownership Industry finding solutions for businesses in satisfying their consumer financing needs. He has built a reputation as an expert and has shared his industry knowledge serving as a panelist at industry conferences.

Robert welcomes his new challenge with eagerness & aspiration. “Given the current state of the industry, it is wonderful to be able to contribute in such a meaningful way to the ongoing success and future growth of the Canadian Vacation Ownership Industry.”

About Travelers:
Travelers Acceptance Corporation has since 1974 been engaged by businesses to arrange, structure and fund unique indirect consumer financing solutions across a wide range of industries including tuition, automotive aftermarket, vacation ownership, healthcare, membership, consumer durables, power products and home improvements. Travelers consults with its client partners to create term financing programs that attract and retain more clients, close more sales, and increase overall profitability. For more information about Travelers Consumer Finance visit http://www.travelersacceptance.com.

Sell My Timeshare NOW, a leader in the advertising and marketing of timeshare resales and timeshare rentals, is ramping up its social marketing commitment, providing more outlets for consumer interaction through widely available, internet-based relational media. Already using Twitter, blogging on its popular corporate blog The Timeshare Authority, and interacting with the marketplace through the SellMyTimeshareNOW Forum, the company will soon launch a Facebook fan site, as it continues to expand its social media presence.

CEO and founder Jason Tremblay says, “Sell My Timeshare NOW has always led the industry in using cutting-edge internet marketing strategies to create maximum visibility for timeshare owners who want to sell or rent timeshare. We take the same forward-thinking approach to social media marketing, using it to expand our relationships with timeshare buyers, renters, sellers and everyone who wants to know more about enjoying timeshare vacations.”

Sell My Timeshare NOW utilizes Twitter as a way to update consumers about timeshare resale and timeshare rental opportunities and offer personable insights about timeshare and vacation ownership. The company tweets here: @JasonTremblay_; @VacationHotDeal; and @SteveLuba.

Sell My Timeshare NOW’s blog, The Timeshare Authority, was one of the first publications to serve both timeshare owners and the timeshare industry. Tremblay explains, “When we started writing The Timeshare Authority blog nearly five years ago, many people really didn’t understand what a blog was or why we were going to the trouble of doing it. Now we publish Monday through Saturday and have thousands of readers each week.”

The company’s Forum is an online discussion board that provides consumers a place to interact with Sell My Timeshare NOW and with each other regarding timeshare ownership, selling or renting timeshare, or buying timeshare resales. Director of Communications Steve Luba says that although some timeshare companies maintain websites, these sites are limiting because they do not look at the industry as a whole. Today’s timeshare resale buyer or timeshare renter wants to know the bigger picture and to be able to compare options and make decision that are best for the way he and his family vacation. Sell My Timeshare NOW is committed to expanding its consumer education and communication, seeking to fill the need for timely, meaningful industry-wide timeshare news and updates.

The ONLY salary study for the timeshare/vacation ownership/fractional/hospitality industry

Keith W. Trowbridge, Ph.D. president of Executive Quest, Inc. www.execq.com has announced the results of the annual salary survey of the timeshare/vacation ownership/fractional industry.

“The salary figures for the 2009 study come from participants that originated from the 20,000+ contacts maintained by Executive Quest through its newsletter subscriptions.” A full copy of the salary study may be purchased at www.execq.com

Dr. Trowbridge wishes to thank all participants. As with last year, the survey included 31categories from Sales & Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Resort Managers, CEO’s, CFO’s, etc.

Unlike last year, this industry has been affected by the recession. Decreases in tour flow and marketing occurred and the industry is suffering a very trying year. Estimates by Howard Nusbaum, President of American Resort Development Association (ARDA), project an 8% decrease in sales for 2009.

With many companies cutting back on marketing and tour flow, as may be expected, marketing and sales positions had the most decrease this past year. Regional marketing management together with vice presidents of marketing had a reduction in compensation of about 10% while sales and marketing directors as a group had reductions of 20%.

Due to the lower tour flow, the compensation for sales managers, vice presidents and regional vice presidents which are often tied to a percent of sales revenue had a negative 25% overall.

Administrative positions such as CFO, COO, HR or Operations management held steady on income. However, CEO, presidents, owners had a decrease of about 33% from the previous year as the economy and therefore the timeshare/fractional/vacation ownership/hospitality industry struggled.

We hope this salary study is helpful to you in your operation. We encourage you to use the figures for purposes of budgeting, hiring, promoting and training objectives. Of course, Executive Quest would be pleased to help you in your search for outstanding talent. Contact keith@execq.com or jim@execq.com

As these salary studies are important to everyone in the industry, and Executive Quest is the only firm to do an industry salary survey, I highly encourage you to participate in the next salary study.

A full copy of the salary study may be purchased at www.execq.com

Lake Tahoe’s First Luxury Resort to Open in Time for Ski Season Later This Year

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe announced today that the Northern California mountain resort will open its doors to guests on December 9, 2009, in time for the upcoming ski season in Northstar-at-Tahoe.

“There is a lot of anticipation and excitement around this resort opening on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe,” said Allen Highfield, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton. “As we approach the three year anniversary of the ground-breaking, we are pleased to announce that guests may begin arriving on December 9.” The $300 million resort development broke ground nearly three years ago, on July 19, 2006 and has been on schedule to open in late 2009.

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the first new-build resort development in the Lake Tahoe area in decades and will introduce its legendary service to Lake Tahoe later this year. It is anticipated to become Northern California’s premier mountain retreat and is situated mid-mountain in the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski area. Guest services will feature a mountain concierge with ski-in, ski-out access in winter, as well as easy access to mountain biking and hiking in the spring, summer and fall. An inter-mountain gondola will connect guests between the nearby Village-at-Northstar and the The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe resort. Perched slope-side within a 15 minute drive of both Lake Tahoe and the historic town of Truckee, the year-round destination resort includes 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton Residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club fractional ownership residences.

In addition to the announcement of the hotel’s opening date, Manzanita, the resort’s signature restaurant created by renowned San Francisco chef Traci Des Jardins will also open inside the hotel on December 9, 2009. The menu at Manzanita will be a combination of Des Jardins’ signature French inspired California cuisine, with a regional mountain resort influence, sourcing organic, sustainable and locally grown meat and produce when possible. The 94-seat restaurant along with 71-seat bar and lounge is all about the kitchen and its acclaimed chef. From the moment you enter the restaurant, the design radiates warmth, texture and natural materials. The open kitchen is visible from all vantage points in the restaurant, showcasing the chef’s organic cuisine. For more information about Manzanita, please visit www.manzanitalaketahoe.com.

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands Spa, Lake Tahoe is a 17,000 square foot spa and fitness center and will also open on December 9. The Highlands Spa will feature treatments and therapies themed around water and the woods. Separate relaxation areas for men and women feature the signature rain experience, steam, sauna and Jacuzzis. Both yoga and spin studios have floor-to-ceiling windows maximizing the views of the nearby Northstar-at-Tahoe resort.

In addition to the hotel opening, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, Lake Tahoe will open its doors to Members on December 18. Located directly adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, the 25 two-, three- and four-bedroom fractional residences ranging from approximately 1,423 to 2,434 square feet will boast mountain and valley views of the Sierra Nevada. Currently, fractional prices range from the low $200,000s to more than $700,000 per interest. Deeded, fractional ownership at The Ritz-Carlton Club, Lake Tahoe provides Members and their guests with a minimum of twenty-one days of use each year. For more information visit www.ritzcarltondestinationclub.com.

To confirm hotel reservations at The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe please visit www.ritzcarlton.com, contact your travel professional or call toll-free reservations at 800-241-3333.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 72 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe with future openings including Dubai International Financial Centre, United Arab Emirates; Dove Mountain, Tucson, Arizona; and Lake Tahoe, California. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.

Boca Raton-based Company will manage resort, sales and marketing activities for properties in New Hampshire, Virginia, Massachusetts and the Bahamas

Bluegreen Corporation (NYSE: BXG), a leading provider of Colorful Places to Live and Play®, recently announced new agreements with Parkside Williamsburg Resort in Williamsburg, VA; The Soundings Seaside Resort in Dennis Port, Mass. (Cape Cod); Blue Water Resort in Nassau, Bahamas; and South Mountain Resort in Lincoln, NH.

Under the agreements, Bluegreen will provide a customized suite of timeshare services and product offerings. Bluegreen will manage operations at each resort, as well as provide specialized, fee-based services in the areas of sales and marketing, title and escrow, property management, and risk management. In certain of these agreements, Bluegreen will also provide design and development planning and mortgage servicing and collections, also on a fee basis. All four properties will become part of the Bluegreen Vacation Club® portfolio.

“With their considerable track record in all facets of the vacation ownership industry, we believe Bluegreen is the ideal partner to help independent developers succeed,” said Andy Anderson, President of the Parkside Williamsburg Resort. “Bluegreen’s emphasis on the customer coupled with a history of solid performance, geographic diversity and scale of operations, allows my team to focus on project development and financing at a local level. We think this is a wonderful marriage of talents.”

For Bluegreen, these agreements will add approximately 180 units of resort inventory that will be sold through the Bluegreen Vacation Club. In addition, each property brings with it the opportunity for additional phased development, including the construction and end-loan financing.

“We think our size provides significant efficiencies at each property while allowing us to do what we do best—managing the overall vacation experience for Bluegreen Vacation Club members, ” said Bluegreen Management Services President Dave Pontius.

“We announced in January that we would actively pursue growth through fee-based services, which require minimal capital, if any. We couldn’t be happier with the interest shown in our services and the quality of properties we now have under contract,” said President and CEO John M. Maloney, Jr. He added, “This benefits both independent developers and their lenders. And for Bluegreen, it represents an opportunity to further evolve our business model and strengthen our financial profile while generating cash revenues and earnings.”

ABOUT BLUEGREEN CORPORATION
Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Boca Raton, FL, Bluegreen Corporation (NYSE:BXG) is the leader in providing Colorful Places to Live and Play® through its vacation ownership resort and residential real estate business segments. Our more than 3,100 employees are passionate about delivering extraordinary experiences for our owners, travelers and business partners. Since 1996, Bluegreen has managed, marketed and sold a flexible, real estate-based vacation ownership plan with more than 208,000 owners, over 45 owned or managed resorts, and access to more than 3,700 resorts worldwide. Since 1985, Bluegreen Communities has developed master-planned residential and golf communities primarily in the southern and southeastern U.S., and has sold over 55,000 homesites. We also offer a portfolio of comprehensive, turnkey, fee-for-service resort management, financial services, customer generation and sales solutions to third-party developers and lenders. For more information, visit www.bluegreencorp.com.

Following Investment by owner Leisurecorp, Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort Re-Opens to Host The Open Championship 2009 on its Renowned Ailsa Golf Course

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces that the historic Turnberry golf resort will re-open as part of the renowned Luxury Collection brand at The Open Championship 2009 following a $65 million renovation by owner Leisurecorp, a division of Dubai World company Nakheel.

Following the $65 million refurbishment, which has focused on the iconic resort’s public spaces and 40 of its 211 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, Turnberry will proudly host the word’s oldest golf championship, on its renowned Ailsa golf course from July 16 – 19, 2009.

Redesigned by acclaimed interior design firm Fox Linton Associates, Turnberry offers guests world class cuisine, a variety of outdoor activities in addition to golf, and an award winning spa experience. Ideally located on Scotland’s picturesque Ayrshire coast, Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, is the newest addition to The Luxury Collection, a glittering ensemble of the world’s finest hotels and resorts including, The Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece; Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Elciego, Spain; Mystique, Santorni, Greece; Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy; The U.S. Grant, San Diego and The Joule, Dallas.

“The Luxury Collection is a portal to the world’s most enriching and desirable destinations, where nothing less than an exceptional level of service, perfect location and indigenous personal offerings will do,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “Internationally recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious golfing destinations, Turnberry Resort adds another jewel to The Luxury Collection’s glittering ensemble.”

This year’s Open Championship will host the world’s leading golfers who will compete on Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, widely viewed as one of the best links courses in the world. The historic golf resort has previously played host to the world’s oldest major golf championship in 1977, 1986 and 1994. Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, boasts two 18-hole Championship courses including the Ailsa Course and the Kintyre Course. In addition, the resort has a 9-hole Arran Course and renowned Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy.

“It is an incredible honour for Turnberry to once again host The Open Championship. The upgrade of the golf course and the completion of an extensive hotel restoration programme has been a key deliverable for 2009 and we have worked closely with heritage consultants to ensure that the building’s history is preserved while delivering beautifully designed hotel rooms and facilities,” said Joe Sita, Chief Executive Officer, Nakheel Hotels, the parent company of Leisurecorp. “We have dedicated close to $65 million to restore the hotel to its rightful place as the premier property in the West of Scotland.”

“Turnberry is the most scenically attractive golf course I know anywhere in the world. It has a wonderful history as a championship venue and we are excited to be coming back for the fourth time,” said Peter Dawson, The R&A’s chief executive. “The improvements to the Ailsa course made over the past two winters have sharpened the teeth of what was always a daunting course and will provide an even tougher challenge this year for the world’s finest golfers in their quest to lift the Claret Jug.”

The sophisticated transformation of Turnberry features a blend of indigenous Scottish charm and contemporary luxury that will uphold the resort’s legacy as an iconic golf destination. Redesigned by Mary Fox Linton, founder of Fox Linton Associates, Turnberry’s restored accommodations include subtle interior colours which give each room a soft, calming air inspired by the resort’s majestic coastal setting. Floor to ceiling windows flood the resort with natural light and offer breathtaking views of the Turnberry Lighthouse, Ailsa Craig and the lush links golf courses. Ensuring that Turnberry’s historical charm was preserved, Fox Linton Associates collaborated closely with Historic Scotland during the restoration of the 103-year-old resort. “Being privileged to work on an iconic building in such a beautiful coastal setting lent inspiration to the new concept,” said Mary Fox Linton. “We wanted to pay tribute to the original design by James Miller and bring it up to date to create an ambience of contemporary luxury using a colour palate and textures that reflect the hotel’s location looking out over the Irish Sea.”

Dining at Turnberry indulges the senses with a diverse menu of sophisticated and distinct culinary options. Offering spectacular views of the resort’s golf courses and the Irish Sea, original architect James Miller’s Grand Tea Lounge has been redesigned to its original splendor. 1906, open for breakfast and dinner, offers guests a casual dining experience, featuring classic brassiere inspired dishes such as eggs Benedict, ouefs en cocotte, lobster Thermidor and more. Turnberry’s Duel in the Sun bar, offering a range of specialty draft and bottled beers, wine, spirits and snacks, is the ideal setting to relax after a game of golf or to enjoy the latest sporting event on the bar’s multiple plasma screens.

For more information on Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, please visit, www.luxurycollection.com/turnberry or the destination website www.turnberry.co.uk

Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort
Located in Ayrshire, Scottland Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort first opened in 1906 and quickly established itself as the premier destination for social and sporting events. Converted into an airfield during both world wars, the Ailsa course, designed by Mackenzie Ross, reopened to the public in 1951. The course emerged from acres of runway, foundations of brick huts, hangars and transformer houses left over from the Second World War and has been established as one of the world’s most renowned golf courses. The Spa at Turnberry was added in 1991 and the new Golf Clubhouse June 1993.

The Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy, the first of its kind in the world, opened in 2000, offering a unique teaching environment with state-of-the art facilities. This was followed with the opening of the Kintyre course in 2001. With its spectacular setting, challenging golf holes and awe-inspiring views, each course is world renowned. The Onsite Outdoor Activity Centre offers guests a variety of distinguished outdoor activities including, quad biking, horse-riding, fishing, off-road driving and more. The Arran course, a par 3 and 4 course, opened in 2002 as the ideal venue for on-course lessons for novices and offer expert players a warm up round prior to their game on the Ailsa or Kintyre. In 2001 Turnberry greatly expanded its accommodation options by building nine two-bedroom luxury cottages, ideal for couples and families, as well as twelve luxury lodges with either six or eight ensuite bedrooms, adjacent to the hotel with breathtaking views across the golf courses and sea.

About Leisurecorp
Leisurecorp, a division of Nakheel Leisure, is the world’s most powerful emerging golf entity. In November 2007, Leisurecorp announced a long-term partnership with The European Tour, heralding a new era for world golf. This partnership includes the creation of The Race to Dubai – a $10 million season-long competition which replaces ‘The European Tour Order of Merit’ and culminates in the world’s richest golf tournament, the $10 million Dubai World Championship. Held annually at Leisurecorp’s Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Dubai World Championship will be open to players ranked 1- 60 in The Race to Dubai.

Jumeirah Golf Estates will also become home to The European Tour’s International Headquarters and The European Tour Performance Institute, a custom-built training facility exclusively for the use of European Tour members. Established by Dubai World in July 2006, Leisurecorp specialises in the development of premium golf and lifestyle destinations. In addition to Jumeirah Golf Estates, the world’s largest golf community, Leisurecorp’s portfolio includes Turnberry, Scotland’s premier golf resort and host of The Open Championship 2009, and Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa’s leading residential golf community and home of the South African Open Championship. Leisurecorp is a minority owner of Troon Golf, the world’s leading luxury golf management, development and marketing company, and investor in GPS Industries, which provides GPS-enabled technologies for the golf industry. The company also has ventures in the marina and ski resort sectors. For more information please visit www.leisurecorpmediacentre.com

About The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts
The Luxury Collection® is a selection of hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Magnificent décor, spectacular settings, impeccable service and the latest modern conveniences combine to provide a uniquely enriching experience. Today, The Luxury Collection is a glittering ensemble of more than 70 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries in bustling cities and spectacular destinations around the world. The Luxury Collection includes award-winning hotels that continuously exceed guest expectations by offering unparalleled service, style and class in some of the most desired destinations in the world. Most recently, Mystique, a Luxury Collection Resort, was honored with the 2008 Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best Small Resort in the world. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest. For more information, please visit www.luxurycollection.com.

Overwhelming interest in RCI TV’s “Resort Showcase” prompts addition of new “all-inclusive” features

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced that more than 30 resorts, including many all-inclusive resorts throughout Latin America, have signed up for high-definition (HD) video production to market their resorts online on RCI.com. These hotels and vacation ownership resorts are among the first to be filmed for RCI TV’s exclusive “Resort Showcase” channel which was launched earlier this year at the vacation ownership industry’s largest annual tradeshow.

Through the unique “Destination” and “Resort Reviews” on http://www.rci.com/RCITV, this proprietary HD online video content will be distributed to not only RCI’s 3.8 million subscribing members, but also to travelers who will begin to view this content at RCI’s new non-member travel site this November. Multiple social networking partnerships over the coming year will further expand the reach of RCI TV, educating and entertaining travelers seeking dream vacations. Through its unique “Resort Showcase” channel, millions of prospective viewers and timeshare buyers will be exposed to not only the developers’ resorts, but also linked back to the developers’ websites for lead generation purposes.

“The response to RCI TV and our Resort Showcase channel has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO, Group RCI. “The response in Mexico alone was so tremendous that we were asked by both developers and the Government in that great ‘vacation nation’ to develop a destination promotion along with an all-inclusive channel to help spotlight the many features that the all-inclusive resorts there have to offer. It’s airing now on RCI.com. This is just one more way that RCI is working to support and promote our affiliates worldwide.”

Among the first all-inclusive resorts to be filmed are Palace Resorts, Blue Bay Club and Lifestyle Holiday Vacation Club.

“RCI TV is a great tool to help RCI members select vacation destinations and vacation resorts like ours,” said Santiago Merizalde, business development manager, Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club. “And, it’s much better than looking at photos. It allows members to take a virtual look into a vacation experience, and you can’t get any better than that. With RCI TV video, we are showing RCI members not only what Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club is like, but also what it’s like to vacation in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, with its beautiful mountains, ocean, beaches and warm and friendly people.”

RCI TV was launched as an exclusive and innovative online television network to distribute RCI’s award-winning HD videos coupled with its artistic and iconic resort photography across RCI.com, a rapidly expanding travel distribution channel which receives millions of unique visits each month. It is designed to help owners get the most out of their RCI membership and make vacation planning fun again while also reminding current owners of the benefits of vacation ownership. Since announcing the Resort Showcase channel at the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) 2009 Convention and Exposition in Orlando, Florida, more than 80 affiliates worldwide have expressed interest in being featured on the channel. The first North American resort to film a resort showcase is Grand Pacific Resorts of California.

“I think RCI TV is a great way to showcase our resorts on the internet for both new tours and exchangers. By showing that our resorts are family friendly via RCI TV, we can drive the type of inbound visitors to our resorts that we think will be the best candidates to purchase,” said Ed Wright, vice president of sales, Grand Pacific Resorts.

“HD video is what vacationers prefer to see to help them in making their decision to buy. We believe that RCI TV will continue to expand and shape the future of how developers market to their members and non-members alike,” added Ballotti. “We’re ever so excited to bring vacations to life on RCI.com and help consumers sense and feel the thrill and atmosphere of the resorts before they arrive.”

For additional information on how to showcase your resort on RCI TV please send a message to enquiries.rcitv@rci.com or to learn about the value-added services offered to leisure real estate developers by Group RCI visit http://www.grouprci.com.

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 73,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation RentalsSM , Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Laguna Holiday Club (LHC), part of the Laguna Phuket destination resort, recently installed TimeShareWare Enterprise. Laguna Holiday Club chose TimeShareWare because it was the best software solution on the market and could handle their unique business practices.

The TimeShareWare Enterprise software was configured to meet Laguna Holiday Club’s distinct club requirements. Because there are several key differences between regulations in Asia and regulations in the United States, a different room configuration was added to the software, and, in addition, sales activities and policies for trade-ins and upgrades were adapted to meet the needs of Laguna Holiday Club.

The TimeShareWare software platform includes solutions for lead management, sales and marketing, member accounting, property management, reservations, and web-based member servicing. It is based on N-Tier Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), the goal of which is a worldwide integration of collaborating services.

Calvin Choo, LHC Regional Operations Director, said TimeShareWare will streamline the reservation process and provide quick and efficient data search. “Important data is now just a few clicks away,” said Choo. “Because of the flexibility of the TimeShareWare platform, Laguna Holiday Club was able to customize some rules and still operate our business in the manner required.”

According to TimeShareWare’s Chief Marketing Officer, Allen Rice, one important benefit TimeShareWare brought to Laguna Holiday Club was the ability to combine all data into a single database.

“In the past, Laguna Holiday Club stored data in several systems, including spreadsheets that relied on people to manually extract and interpret information. TimeShareWare has been able to create an environment that stores all essential data ‘cradle to grave’ for each guest, prospect, and member. In addition, TimeShareWare provides a best practice platform for business processes, as well as intuitive workflow and user interfaces,” said Rice.

Choo says the software will have a significant benefit to LHC Member Service staff. “It provides quick, efficient data lookups and streamlines the reservation process. The reservation restrictions and rules engine will drive staff accuracy, and the booking staff will no longer need to memorize their internal rules or consult an array of rule templates. Once set up in TimeShareWare, rules are automatically enforced according to every member’s rights and benefits. In the long run, it will create a higher level of customer satisfaction as each member can expect accurate and swift service with every request.”

For more information about Laguna Holiday Club please visit their website at: www.lagunaphuket.com.

About Laguna Holiday Club:
The Laguna Holiday Club, part of the Laguna Phuket family of resorts, permits members to own their holiday getaway in one of four luxury room types based on a points system that allows for greater flexibility. Points may be saved or borrowed from the future to upgrade room categories or to extend the length of stay. Time may even be given to family or friends. With 3,800 resorts in over 100 countries to choose from, guests can windsurf, snorkel, dive, snowboard, golf, swim, cycle, and relax in some of the most beautiful places in Southeast Asia and throughout the world.

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.

Italian Alps Resort Joins The Quality Exchange Network

Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services, has announced the affiliation of the Domina Golf and Ski Resort in Tarvisio. Situated in the Italian Alps in the northeast region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the resort is on the borders of Italy, Austria and Slovenia.

“This mountain resort will offer both 60 kilometres of alpine and cross country ski trails and an 18-hole golf course that overlooks the resort,” said Darren Ettridge, Interval International’s vice president for resorts sales and service for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “For those wanting a more relaxing experience, there will be a wellness centre where our members will be able to enjoy a variety of treatments.”

The resort is due to be completed in the summer of 2010 and amenities planned for the  complex will consist of a restaurant, bar, spa, indoor pool and a sauna. Activities close by include horseback riding, mountain biking, climbing, tennis, fishing and paragliding. During the winter, visitors can enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides and skiers can explore countless downhill and cross-countrytrails. In summer, Lake Raibl offers many water sports, including windsurfing, canoeing, rafting, hydrospeed and kayaking. The golf course has wide greens and spacious fairways and is surrounded by forest, which could result in challenging rounds for players.

“We decided to affiliate Domina Golf & Ski Tarvisio with Interval, not only to enhance the marketing tools available for our sales team at the point of sale but also because of its longstanding reputation for supporting its clients’ goals,” said Dr. Nicola Cighetti, managing director of Domina Vacanze. “

Set in a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, forests, lakes, valleys and sunny green lands, the town of Tarvisio attracts many tourists for skiing and snowboarding. It was host to the 2003 Winter Universiade, an international multi-sport event organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation, and was the site of the Women’s 2007 Alpine Skiing World Cup.

About Interval International
Interval International operates membership programs for vacation owners and provides value-added services to its developer clients worldwide. Based in Miami, Florida, the company has been a pioneer and innovator in serving the vacation ownership market for more than 33 years. Today, Interval has a network of over 2,400 resorts in more than 75 countries and offers its resort clients and approximately 2 million member families high-quality products and programs through offices in 26 cities in 16 countries.Interval is an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: IILG), a leading global provider of membership and leisure services to the vacation industry.

About Domina Vacanze S.p.A
Domina Vacanze S.p.A. was founded in 1988 to offer a wide range of tourism services, chiefly hotel co-ownership and the management of directly owned and third-party hotels. After more than 20 years in business, Domina Vacanze has reached record sales, becoming a top Italian leader in the field of hotel co-ownership with 13 properties.Domina Home is the prestigious brand of Domina Vacanze hotels.

The independent publisher of trade and consumer magazines specialising in the shared ownership industry has entered into an initial one year distribution agreement to put their consumer publication in front of affluent business and leisure travellers.

Owners Perspective Magazine (http://www.ownersperspective.com) which was launched in print in January 2009 has already secured several marketing deals with industry related companies, resorts and hotels as well as distribution deals through leading Tesco & Sainsbury’s Supermarkets throughout the UK, but today it has been announced that a number of strategically chosen airport lounges across Europe, Middle East and Asia will be now be added, increasing circulation of this highly targeted publication even further.

“Emirates is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, now serving over 100 destinations and we are very pleased to have been approved by them to distribute our magazine in their by invitation lounges which gives us access to their affluent travellers.” says Paul Mattimoe, CEO, Perspective International.

More announcements of other airlines are expected later this week as the full strategy is unveiled and put into effect later this month.

The monthly consumer magazine takes an independent look at the benefits of all shared ownership products, including resort real estate, fractional ownership, private residence clubs and high end timeshares, providing resort reviews, industry news, destination guides, buying advice and tips on how to get the most out of your purchase.

Currently circulated to more than 42,000 consumers with an online community of 17,600 registered users, Owners Perspective offers prospective buyers of these products a “never seen before” opportunity to research at their leisure and then choose to interact with companies / properties that interest them.

For more information about Owners Perspective Magazine visit http://www.ownersperspective.com

For details on advertising and editorial opportunities visit http://www.perspectiverates.com or call +1 407 792 2343 (USA) or +44 191 250 3501 (UK)

Backed by a team of hospitality and real estate development specialists, Develhotel.com, the first online market place for hotel development goes live.

Under the current economic climate, it is becoming more necessary to achieve further efficiencies in the way hotel chains, investors and real estate developers plan, design and deliver hotel and resort projects worldwide. The sudden decrease in hotel occupancy, together with the difficulties in financing ongoing
hotel construction projects has lead to the re-evaluation of how the different players in the hotel industry develop hotel assets today. In addition, the hospitality and real estate industries have traditionally relied on extensive face-to-face interaction between developers, investors and hotel companies and in an intimate local knowledge of each geographical market. As a result, the development process of leisure real estate projects and city hotels has historically been expensive and time intensive.

The official launch today of the first online marketplace geared towards hotel development is meant in the first instance to bring efficiencies to the hospitality industry by eliminating its geographical barriers. Also shareholders of hotel companies and real estate groups are looking for ways to dramatically reducing
the cost of hotel development. Real estate investors, hoteliers and developers need to achieve reductions in the OPEX of their asset transactions. Develhotel is the answer to this more efficiency-conscious approach.

Develhotel’s Chief Executive Officer, Ivar Yuste, a seasoned veteran of the hospitality and tourism sectors, is convinced that this new online marketplace will significantly benefit the interaction of all the players involved in the development of a hotel or a mixed use project: ‘Develhotel’s users are consulting firms representing hotel owners, hotel chains, private investors, banks, real estate and hotel brokers, construction companies, asset management firms, family offices, investment funds, REITs, developers and absolutely any company contributing to the development of hotels and resorts in any shape or form.

Above all, Develhotel is meant to be a community that serves every single company working in the hotel development sector wishing to do business efficiently and cost effectively. Our clients pay an annual flat fee to showcase their assets or projects or to search for projects or properties in any geographic region of the world. Simply by joining this platform, our users can elevate the visibility of their development plans to a global scale. Develhotel’s role is to put all the parties in contact around specific hotel projects and properties. We leave the profits of these transactions and operations to our community of users’.

‘From a technology perspective, the website design of Develhotel allows hotels and developers to use this B2B tool across the entire lifespan of hotel assets in a closed environment, from project design to financial sourcing, throughout the search of investors, the operator selection, the construction phase, a possible
hotel conversion, the addition of residential units, a contract change or any transaction type (selling, buying, sale & lease-back, bullet, etc.). We have leveraged technology to take all possible parameters into consideration for version 1.0’, stated Omran Boaira, Chief Technology Officer of Develhotel.

‘Develhotel goes beyond the simple concept of an online professional network based on listing people’s profiles. Develhotel is rather a database of professionals who want to close deals around specific assets. Hoteliers and investors can search for projects or properties and developers can showcase their hotels and resorts in order to find the appropriate business partners. Our development team is already testing version 2.0 with new functionality and tools that we will be unveiling in the coming months’.

But Develhotel’s CEO is adamant to stress the efficiency aspects that this new tool will bring: ‘With Develhotel, hospitality and development companies will be able to interact online, first by logging in into the platform from any PC connected to the Internet, showcasing specific projects and discussing specific
demands for these projects on a global basis. And secondly, once the business opportunities have been identified, by matching the different needs of all the actors involved in a tangible hotel deal. The various executives involved in a transaction will be able to agree on meetings and discussions much more
productive and conducive to closing a successful deal for all the parties. Face to face meetings are absolutely mandatory, as they are in any other industry.

Where Develhotel brings an innovative approach to the way we do business today in the hospitality sector is in allowing the reduction of OPEX for all the parties involved in hotel projects. At a basic level we are talking about optimizing travel expenses, accommodation costs, and T&E expenses for hospitality and real estate executives. However, at a more complex level, Develhotel will have a significant impact in the form of a drastic reduction of the cost of opportunity for hotel development executives. The time that these
executives devote to managing existing assets or evaluating new ones is very valuable for their respective companies and shareholders. Develhotel can make the most out of it’, Mr Yuste said.