RDO member resorts work around the clock to help holidaymakers caught in “ash” crisis

With a massive backlog of flights now facing holidaymakers trying to get home, despite the opening of European airports, timeshare resorts which are members of the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) have been working tirelessly to provide emergency accommodation for stranded guests, helping them get home whenever possible now that the flight ban is officially over.

Families with children have found themselves taking an unexpected extended holiday in sun-soaked holiday destinations such as the Costa del Sol, Cyprus, The Canary Islands and the Algarve, right before the start of the new school term.

A number of resorts have stepped in to provide last minute arrangements and accommodation for families unable to get home, with resort teams working flat out to ensure owners either have somewhere to stay if no immediate flights are available, or help with last minute travel arrangements.

Some resorts have let guests stay on free of charge.  Seasons Holidays, Gala Resorts in Norway, Paradise Kings Club in Cyprus, Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels, Resort Properties and Pearly Grey have been accommodating guests at no extra charge, while Petchey Leisure Group, Pestana Resorts, Anfi Group and Hilton Grand Vacation Club in Portugal are providing discounted stays; some are offering significantly discounted menus in their restaurants.

Chairman of RDO Richard McIntosh, says, “Our member resorts have shown tremendous goodwill by helping out during this extraordinary crisis, not only ensuring timeshare owners are well looked after, but also doing all they can to get them home by coach or ferry services where at all possible.”

Many resorts’ travel agency divisions have been working without a break on re-booking and re-routing travel plans, doing all they can to help guests get home. Others are providing free internet access so guests can stay in touch with family back home and check the latest airline news.

At the time of writing, the flight ban has been lifted over the UK, but the situation could change if new ash cloud blows in from Iceland.

For up to date information on flights, visit http://www.flightstats.com/go/Home/home.do

About RDO
RDO (Resort Development Organisation) is the trade body dedicated to excellence and fair trading in the European vacation ownership industry, whilst promoting and fostering industry growth. As such, it serves its members through public relations, legislative lobbying, research and member and consumer relations management.

Formerly Organisation for Timeshare in Europe AISBL, RDO is an international non profit making association registered in Brussels with company number 0457.984.213.  Its registered office is at Oak House, Cours St Michel 100/3, 1040 Brussels, Belgium. Web: www.rdo.org, email: info@rdo.org

Fast response to changing trends is at the core of Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels’ ability to snatch success even from the jaws of the worst global recession to affect the holiday industry.

Recently, the company moved to close down four of its five off-site sales operations in the UK, due to the country’s continuing economic battering, to refocus on new programmes aimed at increased Fly-Buy/SIV activity.

CLC’s prestigious sales and exhibition centre in London’s best postcode, the West End, continues to operate, but a decision was taken to shut its other UK off-sites as their effectiveness in the current financial climate was under question.

“Right now, the best thing we can do is offer great price family holidays where customers can come and sample the quality and value of the Club La Costa experience, and we are doing this through a number of channels,” said chairman Roy Peires.

Club La Costa’s Essex-based marketing operation is at the centre of a flurry of Fly Buy activity handling data from a mix of sources, such as shopping centre booths, emailings and websites, while independent marketers have promotions at airports both in the UK and Spain.

UK off sites have been integral to the company’s success across its 25-year history, resuming in 1991 after a break in the 1980s. However, the continuing poor shape of the UK economy, have led to a major sales rethink.

About Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels
• Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels is widely regarded as a leading provider of holiday products in Europe.
• Founded in 1984, the company has more than 50,000 members and 23 wholly owned resorts in England, Scotland, mainland Spain, Tenerife and Austria.
• CLC Estates is the company’s successful real estate business.
• Club La Costa also has its own in-house travel agency and resort management arm.
• Developing a mixed use model of whole ownership homes – offered with a leaseback programme – and timeshare resorts, Club La Costa has expanded into Turkey during 2009, opening a new resort with a second planned for 2010.
• In 2007, Club La Costa launched its unique Yacht Club with sailings in the Red Sea, Turkey, around Mallorca and, planned for next year, Greece.
• Across its operations, Club La Costa employs more than 2,000 employees.
• The company is a founding member of the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe, now the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) of which it continues to be a key supporter.
• The Smile Foundation, a charitable organisation which Club La Costa helped found and helps raise funds for, and the private Roy Peires Foundation, help many needy causes. 
• Club La Costa prides itself on impeccable levels of service, innovative products, a pioneering spirit and the outstanding quality of its resorts, which occupy top locations and offer a wide range of excellent facilities.

For further information please visit www.clublacosta.com

Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels has opened the doors on its sensational new resort in Turkey.

The resort: Apollonium Spa & Beach Resort faces onto an exclusive stretch of beach in a plum position on tranquil and breathtaking Bozbuk Bay, on the country’s south-west coast.

A village-style development, the 350-unit resort boasts an impressive list of features. These include the showpiece and very chic Byblos Beach Club & Spa, where members and guests can enjoy massage and beauty treatments including a traditional Turkish hamam.

The cool white beds of the Beach Club are planted across lawns and pale golden sand, providing front line viewing for the bay’s famous sunsets of cocktail-coloured skies.

Other features include an aqua park, heated indoor and outdoor pools, fitness facilities, minigolf, tennis, water sports and an al fresco cinema, as well as restaurant and snack bar.

Apollonium Spa & Beach Resort in Turkey is a mixed use resort which includes the  60-unit Adonis Private Members Club, sold as freehold homes by Club La Costa with a leaseback arrangement and guaranteed rental return.

“We are proud to say that the resort opened its doors on schedule, on August 1st, with very complimentary reviews from the first members to go there. It is successfully launched toward becoming what we firmly believe will be a hugely popular resort, with a very big future for ourselves and our members,” said Richard Fletcher, CLC resort management director.

Club La Costa has a second resort in Turkey, California Golf & Spa Resort – Turkey, scheduled to open in 2010, it too will offer outstanding facilities including an 18-hole golf course and a Turkish baths.

For more information about Club La Costa visit www.clublacosta.com
For real estate visit www.clcestates.com

There are over 1.5 million timeshare owners in Europe and the vast majority *(87%) are happy with their holidays, with almost three quarters thinking that their timeshare accommodation is better than other self-catering holidays they have taken, with quality of accommodation the most important consideration for owners.

This is according to a comprehensive study into timeshare carried out by The Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute at the Nottingham University Business School on behalf of RDO (Resort Development Organisation), formerly known as OTE. The study looked into the industry in detail, analysing what its economic impact is, what owners think of their timeshare and what the industry’s reach is, over 40 years since it was first conceived of in the French Alps.

The results paint a picture of a thriving industry which makes a positive impact on local economies all over Europe. The Timeshare industry generates €3.2 billion of expenditure each year and employs nearly 70,000 people. Occupancy rates are high throughout the year (72%) in Europe’s 1,312 resorts – that’s 67 million bed nights – with owners spending an average of €1,588 per trip on goods and services in the local area: from restaurants, car rental and groceries to souvenirs and clothes.

It is also a form of holiday property ownership for the masses with the average owner’s household income (pre-tax) standing at €60,475; and for people in their mid-life, with the average owner coming in at 55.  The British and the Irish are the biggest timeshare fans, followed by the Germans, Italians, Spanish and French. Spain is the most popular destination with 26% of resorts, followed by Italy (15%) and the UK and Ireland (11%). It’s not all about jetting off though, one third of owners purchase a timeshare in their own country – which shows many want to be able to get to their resort easily.

“Timeshare is a concept that has truly come of age with many thousands of happy owners across Europe”, said RDO Chairman Richard McIntosh. “The quality of timeshare resorts is high which is why many owners see it as superior to other self catering holidays. With exchange options available, owners also enjoy the flexibility of being able to try out resorts across Europe and the rest of the world.”

“This report also highlights the positive impact that timeshare has on local economies. Timeshare is a year round industry with owners as likely to visit in the winter months as the summer, spending money in the local community and providing jobs where they otherwise might not exist”, concluded McIntosh.

Professor Chris Cooper, Director, Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute commented: “This report is essential reading for all involved in the timeshare business, not only does it provide a detailed profile of timeshare owners, but it also examines their future intentions and preferences in the timeshare market place”.

More about RDO
RDO (Resort Development Organisation) is the trade body dedicated to excellence and fair trading in the European vacation ownership industry, whilst promoting and fostering industry growth. As such, it serves its members through public relations, legislative lobbying, research and member and consumer relations management.

Resort Development Organisation AISBL, formerly Organisation for Timeshare in Europe AISBL is an international non profit making association registered in Brussels with company number 0457.984.213.  Its registered office is at Oak House, Cours St Michel 100/3, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

The Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute (TTRI)
TTRI is located in the Business School in the University of Nottingham. The University of Nottingham is one of the UK’s leading universities, a member of the Russell Group of universities and one of the top four universities earning research funding from private industry and commerce. The Business School has been rated as one of the leading research schools in the 2008 UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise

Previous results
*When asked in 2006 whether they were pleased with their decision to buy timeshare 75% of UK owners agreed.

Case Studies – the following ‘excerpts’ represent major developers in some of the key timeshare markets – UK, Portugal and Spain (including the Canaries).

Anfi Group
Anfi Group resorts are located in two main areas of Gran Canaria: Anfi Arguineguín with 4 resorts (Anfi Beach, Puerto Anfi, Monte Anfi and Gran Anfi) and Anfi Tauro (Anfi Emerald).

With occupancy levels in excess of 85% across its luxurious 988 apartments, with the highest rates in October, November, February and March, Anfi’s 1,000 staff service in excess of 30,000 members.

The resorts located in Arguineguín attract many additional visitors through their beach and marina, boosting sales in local shops and restaurants. Tauro Valley which has several golf courses, also brings in many extra visitors to the region, supporting the local economy.

Clowance Estate & Country Club – part of Seasons Holidays Group.
Clowance Estate and Country Club in Cornwall employs over 150 staff in part and full time positions for its 108 unit resort. Clowance has an occupancy rate of 93% – 95% with half its owners on fixed weeks with the rest of the occupants made up of Seasons’ multi destination network. Clowance creates year-round jobs in the resort and indirectly creates jobs in the tourism industry in the local area.  Local shops and restaurants are supported by the resort’s customers all year round, as well as nearby tourist attractions such as the Eden Project.

Club La Costa
Club la Costa employs approximately 1,100 people on the Costa del Sol with an average occupancy rate of 85.2% across its 800 units and has 50,000 owners.

Club la Costa is one of the largest employers on the Spanish coast and the majority of staff come from the local community. It also has a policy of trading with local business people wherever possible.

Gran Anfi Club – part of the Anfi Group
TBC

Hilton Craigendarroch
The Hilton Craigendarroch resort in Royal Deeside is part of the Hilton hotels group. It is a resort of 99 timeshare units and a 45 bedroom hotel. The timeshare units run at 96% occupancy year round and have over 3,800 owners. The resort employs 35 full time and 80 part time staff in addition to 90 people in the hotel. The resort has a big impact on the local community with local restaurants now open all year round. Prior to the opening of the resort there were only two restaurants in the town and now, in part thanks to the resort, there are nine. Guests at the resort support many local traders, including visitor focussed businesses such as galleries and bike hire shops.

Petchey Leisure
Petchey Leisure, one of Europe’s leading leisure groups, has 3 resorts in the Algarve, Portugal, and a total of 850 apartments.  With around 10,000 timeshare owners and excellent year-round occupancy levels, the resorts provide direct employment opportunities to the local community, hiring around 300 staff.  Local businesses, including shops, restaurants, bars and attractions benefit from the money spent by the resorts’ customers. 

Resort Properties
Resort Properties built, sold out and operate 4 prestigious resorts in Europe. The combined Sales, Marketing and Management Team consist of approximately 950 personnel. There are over 1,000 units with an occupancy level of 88%, and a worldwide ownerbase of over 40,000 families.

The resorts are maintained by its Management Company, XL Hotels & Resorts, who employ approximately 600 personnel across their sites.