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...
Spain moves a step closer to implementation of EU Directive
The Spanish Ministry of Justice has presented new draft legislation to replace existing timeshare regulations and comply with the EU Timeshare Directive, which aims to provide protection for consumers in respect of certain aspects of timeshare, long-term holiday products (also known as holiday clubs), resale and exchange contracts. The draft legislation has now been submitted for consultation to several Government departments, consumer associations and other stakeholders including RDO. Responses will be gathered over the next months, before the law is finally submitted to Parliament for approval. Maria Jesus Rodriguez, General Manager of RDO Spain, says: “The process of implementation of the...
Fraudulent Gallent Marketing website closed down
The website of UK-based fraudulent resale company Gallent Marketing has been closed down following a warning issued by RDO Enforcement. Gallent Marketing was using the logos and testimonials of reputable exchange companies without permission, and falsely claimed to be a member of RDO, TATOC and ARDA on its website www.gallentmarketing.com. The company was also cold calling owners with tempting resale offers and requesting an upfront payment to secure the sale. RDO Enforcement posted a warning about Gallent Marketing on its Mindtimeshare blog (http://mindtimeshare.wordpress.com/) and informed all affected parties who had fallen for the scam, believing the company was backed up by...
Trenython Manor scores top marks for food hygiene and healthy eating
One of Club La Costa’s premier UK resorts, Trenython Manor near Fowey in Cornwall, has achieved the highest 5-star rating for its standards of food hygiene in the nationwide ‘Scores On The Doors’ scheme. At the same time, Head Chef Richard Bennett has also been nominated under a separate scheme to receive a Gold Star for his ‘healthier eating’ dishes, which use the best locally sourced produce wherever possible. Richard has been at Trenython since 2003, having previously worked in Switzerland, and on the QEII and Eden Project, amongst others. His award will be presented in October. Trenython, an elegant 19th...
Charity golf tournament raises £15000 for Christel House
The European leg of the 2011 RCI Christel House Open golf tournament, held at Ealing Golf Club in Middlesex, UK, in June, raised £15,000 for the children’s charity. The event attracted executives from the shared ownership and hospitality industries – both as competitors and spectators - who enjoyed a sunny day’s golf followed by a gala dinner and charity auction. The auction, alongside sponsorship and other activities, helped raise money that will go directly into programmes and services to help children attending Christel House learning centres in India, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela and the US. Vivienne Noyes-Thomas, European Development Coordinator of Christel House,...
Interval International adds Naima Village in Italy
Interval International has announced the affiliation of Naima Village, a new resort located in the town of Castellaneta on the Salento Peninsula, an off-the-beaten-track area of rich archaeological heritage and scenic beauty in the south east of Italy. Scheduled to open in May 2012, Naima Village will include 105 villas with two studio units, 92 one-bedroom and eleven two-bedroom apartments, all featuring open-air verandas with a garden at the front and a solarium to the rear. The Mediterranean style units will be wheelchair accessible and the resort will have equipment and staff dedicated to handicapped persons. Amenities will include...