New Caribbean resort for The Registry Collection
The Park Residences at The Crane, the latest addition to The Crane Residential Resort in St Philip, Barbados, has joined The Registry Collection network of luxury resorts. Perched on a cliff overlooking Crane Beach on the southeast coast of Barbados, The Park Residences at The Crane comprises 130 garden one- and two-bedroom residences, many with private pools. Guests have easy access to the resort’s dining and fitness amenities, including four restaurants, two bars, a five-pool water landscape, a day spa, fitness centre, tennis courts and a shopping centre. Alternatively, they can simply take the elevator down to Crane Beach. Operated by Millennium...
Diamond Resorts introduces green initiatives
Diamond Resorts International has introduced sustainable gardens at several of its flagship resorts worldwide, in the company’s latest initiative to promote eco-awareness and encourage properties to go green. Ka’anapali Beach Club in Maui, Hawaii; The Historic Powhatan Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia; and Vilar do Golf in the Algarve, Portugal, are the first to utilise on-site sustainable gardens to grow local fruit, vegetables and herbs which will be used for everyday cooking in the resorts’ restaurants. The use of these gardens enhances the natural environment while benefiting the ecosystem and local economy. Minimal chemical pesticides adn fertilizers are used during production and...
Notitur Magazine available in English and Spanish
Notitur, the quarterly tourism magazine published by AMDETUR, the Mexican Association of Tourist Developers, is now available to subscribers both in Spanish and in English. The magazine features information about the vacation ownership industry in Mexico and other countries, as well as articles on other general tourism topics. To subscribe to the magazine, email aurora@amdetur.org.mx. A digital edition of the magazine can also be viewed on the AMDETUR website www.amdetur.org.mx. ...
Warning: Sky Services UK/New Horizon Resorts
It has been brought to Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Ltd's attention that Sky Services UK/New Horizon Resorts are using its company name and logo in an unauthorized manner and are making untrue statements, advertising that consumers’ rights in New Horizon Resorts are legally protected by them. Neither Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Limited, nor any of its associated companies are involved with Sky Services UK/New Horizon Resorts. We would advise consumers to be cautious about approaches made by entities not associated with Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Ltd and any questions or requests for clarification should be emailed to Hutchinsons on...
RDO’s new website (and British society)
We are in the middle of what is supposed to be the "silly season" for news and normally with politicians on holiday the media is stuck for good stories to run. This year they must think their Christmases have all come at once - or perhaps not as both news editors and politicians rush back from their holidays to deal with the continuing euro crisis, the US debt problems and more locally - riots on the streets of London and other UK cities. On this latter point, it is deeply shaming speaking as a British citizen, to see the looting...
Important Warning
RDO developer member Silverpoint has reported that a company calling itself Silverpoint Leisure Sales LTD has been writing to Silverpoint owners offering to sell their weeks. They are asking for a fee of £499.00 to be paid by Direct Bank Transfer to a Swiss bank account. They use Silverpoint’s address in Tenerife and a US phone number. We have been asked to point out that this company is in no way connected to Silverpoint Leisure Group of any of its business divisions: Silverpoint Leisure Silverpoint Hotels & Resorts Silverpoint Vacation Club ...
Diamond Resorts International acquires new assets in Florida
Diamond Resorts International continues to expand its global portfolio with the acquisition of substantial assets of Florida-based Tempus Resorts International. Tempus operates Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, which provides more than 700 fully furnished one, two and three bedroom units just minutes away from the major theme parks. Tempus also has ownership in the beachfront Dunes Village Resort in Myrtle Beach, in South Carolina. This acquisition further expands Diamond’s offerings in Central Florida and South Carolina, and marks significant momentum in the company’s global growth initiatives, according to Chairman and CEO, Stephen J. Cloobeck. “We are...
Merlin Software expands into China with new partnership
Merlin Sofware is venturing into the Chinese market with a new partnership with Universal Vacation Club, an exclusively Chinese timeshare club developed by Shanghai-based travel business Pacific Sunrise. Universal Vacation Club has more than 6,000 members and an inventory of resorts in Sanya (Hainan province), Lijiang (Yunnan province), Yangshuo (Guangdong province), Huangshan (Anhui province) and Xi’an (Shaanxi province), which will now benefit from Merlin’s web-based software solution for the timeshare industry. Merlin Software was recommended to the Club by the Hutchinson Group, which has been using the technology for its trustee operations for a number of years, “to help improve the control...
Last chance to catch Early Bird Rates for RDO2
The Resort Development Organisation (RDO) has issued a final reminder that special Early Bird Rates for this year’s RDO2 Conference at the Don Carlos Resort & Spa in Marbella, 26-28 September 2011, will end at midnight on 15 July. The Early Bird member rates of 750 euros include three nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation, welcome cocktail, lunches, gala dinner and wrap party, as well as the delegate fee. Registration is available on www.rdoconference.org. A great line up of guest speakers has been secured for this year's conference, including Howard C. Nusbaum, Dr Alan Fyall, Jim Madrid and Jim Lawless. RDO2’s business...
New ‘Panel of Experts’ reviews exit routes
The first meeting of the Industry ‘Panel of Experts’, set up to look at the issues surrounding exit routes and how to bring in a new, younger ownership demographic to assure the long-term future of the timeshare industry, was held on Tuesday, May 9th. This group is made up of representatives from developers, the exchange companies, trustees, resale companies, the RDO Secretariat and management companies. It is chaired by Harry Taylor of TATOC. What is clear from discussions held at this meeting is that there are already a number of exit strategies in place in European timeshare resorts and that the...