Changes ahead for RDO e-News
Welcome to what will be the last issue of RDO e-News in its current format, as the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) announces changes to the way it keeps members and the wider timeshare community informed about the latest industry news and the organisation’s own activities. From 23 August, RDO e-News subscribers will receive a weekly RSS feed with the latest industry news. Anybody who has news on key developments, acquisitions, appointments, new products and services, or anything else they would like to share with other timeshare professionals should send the information to smcnicol@rdo.org for inclusion in the weekly news feed. And...
New speakers and business sessions programme confirmed for RDO2
The programme for this year’s RDO2 Conference in Marbella (26-28 September) is being finalised with new speakers confirmed and details of the business sessions now available. New speakers include: Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, a strategic management and marketing expert specialised in technology and tourism; Paul Loftis, CEO of Promo Guardian, an internet based global lead generator for the vacation ownership industry; Preben Vestdam, President of Valhalla Associates, provider of consulting and management services for the hospitality and leisure real estate industry; and Shari Levitin, CEO of Levitin Group, the largest training and consulting group in the resort industry. Chief Executive Paul Gardner Bougaard...
RDO re-launches www.gofractional.org site
RDO has completed the re-launch of all its online communication channels with a new, revamped www.gofractional.org website, following the re-launch in June of the main RDO website and www.gotimeshare.org. Like the other sites, www.gofractional.org is now a more modern and user friendly website, with many new features such as social media integration. The gofractional site is dedicated to promoting the benefits of fractional ownership, providing guidance about how to buy this relatively new product, as well as information about new resorts not only in Europe but around the world. RDO has also confirmed The Registry Collection as the first sponsor of...
RDO spreads the word on easyJet magazine
RDO is taking a four page spread in the September edition of the easyJet inflight magazine in an attempt to reach a wide international audience and educate them about timeshare and the role of the trade body. As well as including advertisements from RDO members, there will be an article from RDO giving background information on timeshare and explaining why is it important that consumers deal only with RDO members, who abide by a strict code of conduct. Nearly 300000 copies of the easyJet magazine are printed every month and available to passengers on all easyJet flights on more than 100 routes,...
Government officials welcome RDO Spain’s recommendations on new draft legislation
Officials from the Spanish Ministry of Justice were receptive to RDO Spain’s recommendations about the proposed draft legislation to implement the EU Timeshare Directive in Spain, which RDO presented to them at a meeting held on 28 July. RDO recommended that the new legislation should be a literal transposition of the directive, without any additional requirements for businesses. They also pointed out an unnecessary repetition in the draft bill regarding the requirements of pre-contractual and contractual information to be given to consumers, as it is the same in both cases. Another suggestion was the option for businesses to satisfy...
RDO Germany steps up media campaign
RDO Germany has stepped up its campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of timeshare and spread a positive image of the industry through the German media by issuing a number of press releases on relevant topics. The increased media activity follows a recent meeting with the consumer protection associations in Germany. In one of the press releases, RDO Germany points out that the timeshare industry has been discredited by consumer protection agencies and the German press focusing only on negative stories. It acknowledges that there were issues in the past, but the industry has changed and there are now...
Interval International restructures EMEAA sales team
Interval International has restructured its Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA) sales team to capitalise on the company’s recent success in these markets and enable further growth. As part of the changes introduced, David Clifton, the current managing director for EMEAA, will take on the role or senior executive for business development in the region. At the same time, Darren Ettridge has been promoted to senior vice president, resort sales and business development, EMEAA, and assumes responsibility for Asia, whilst Joachim Mezger has been promoted to vice president, business development, Europe. The changes follow the company’s recent announcement of the...
RCI and Orange Lake Resorts renew affiliation agreement
RCI and Orange Lake Resorts, home to Holiday Inn Club Vacations, have announced the renewal of their affiliation agreement, first signed nearly 30 years ago. The multi-year agreement covers Holiday Inn Club Vacations’ six family-friendly resorts, which are strategically located close to some of the top attractions in the US such as the Great Smoky Mountain National Park or the theme parks in Orlando. The six resorts included in the RCI Points and The Registry Collection programmes are: Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort in Orlando, Florida; Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Ascutney Mountain Resort in Brownsville, Vermont; Holiday Inn...
Club La Costa gives new Turkish resort the ‘California’ treatment
Club La Costa has announced that it’s giving its second resort in Turkey, Kusadasi Village, expected to open in 2012, the ‘California’ branding, the hallmark of the group’s top quality resorts in Spain. A large, multi-facility resort of 750 accommodations, with 500 more planned, Kusadasi Village is being sold as luxury freehold holiday apartments with rental leaseback agreements, and also offered to Vacation Club timeshare members for holidays with 50% off specified weeks during its first year. The focus of the resort will be the Atrium, a 45,000 square feet facilities centre with reception, bar, lounge areas, shops, luxury spa with Turkish...
New affiliations in Kyoto, Bali and Madeira for Interval International
Interval International has announced the affiliation of ShareLuxe Club, owners of two traditional Japanese townhouses (known as machiyas) in Kyoto, Japan, and an open air villa on the Indonesian island of Bali, and the Hotel Savoy on the Portuguese island of Madeira. ShareLuxe Kyoto Kizashi-Kamishichiken is a fully renovated century-old machiya in a historic area of Kyoto, combining traditional Japanese style with contemporary luxury. The townhouse has two bedrooms, kitchen and a large room which can sleep three more people on tatami mats. Also in Kyoto, ShareLuxe Kyoto Kizashi-Shinmachi has two bedrooms and two tatami rooms which can sleep four more...