Marriott Vacations Worldwide’s (NYSE: VAC) Owner Services was recently recognized with the inaugural American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Circle of Excellence “ACE” Award for Excellence in Customer Service at the annual ARDA Awards Gala at the 2012 Convention & Exposition held in Las Vegas, Nev.
“Receiving the first-ever Excellence in Customer Service ‘ACE’ Award is a testament to our dedicated associates’ commitment to and focus on our Owners,” said Ron Essig, vice president of Owner Services for Marriott Vacations Worldwide. “It is this dedication that has enabled us to reach high levels of success operationally and to consistently increase our customer satisfaction scores.”
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Delivering on President Obama’s recent call for a national approach to promote travel and tourism throughout the United States, Secretary of Commerce John Bryson and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar has announced the Administration’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy. The plan reflects input from local government and business leaders, including the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB), which is chaired by Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon) CEO Todd Davidson.
The National Travel and Tourism Strategy’s overarching goal is to increase American jobs and spur economic growth by attracting and welcoming 100 million international visitors estimated to spend $250 billion annually by the end of 2021.
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Confirming its status as the fastest growing new entrant in the luxury hospitality space, Portico by Exclusive Resorts ( www.porticoclub.com ) today announced the appointment of former HomeAway executive Justin Halloran as Chief Executive Officer, a new website with direct booking capability, and the introduction of more than 10 new destinations in the past two weeks alone. These latest milestones cap an exceptionally strong pre-launch phase during which Portico welcomed more than 1,600 members, assembled a growing collection of more than 150 luxury vacation homes targeted across 50 of the world’s best destinations, and entered into a $16.5 million equity financing to accelerate its rapid expansion.
Mr. Halloran was formerly Vice President for Global Initiatives at vacation home giant HomeAway, where he launched HomeAway’s flagship global template website across 12 countries. He also served as Senior Vice President for Corporate Development at WhaleShark Media, and spent six years at eBay, where he spearheaded the expansion and growth of eBay’s $4 billion vehicles and parts business outside of North America.
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Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services, and GLOBAL Emergency Travel Services (GLOBAL ETS), a worldwide emergency air-transport service supplier, announced a new relationship that offers significantly discounted enrollment in GLOBAL ETS available exclusively to Interval members. It provides medical evacuation services, as well as other vital emergency travel benefits, including assistance with lost luggage or travel documents, translation services, and arrangements for travel companions.
“We’re delighted to offer our members a well-established emergency travel services program, so that they can travel with confidence, whether they’re on an Interval exchange vacation or Getaway, or travelling for business,” said Sharon Freed, Interval’s senior vice president of consumer marketing.
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Festiva Hospitality Group has donated $50,000 to the Western North Carolina Nature Center (WNCNC), Asheville’s Wildlife Park. Festiva’s commitment will support the center’s 2020 Vision, a long-term improvement and expansion project already underway at the Nature Center that will help transform this diamond in the rough into one of Asheville’s favorite treasures for locals and visitors alike.
The donation is coordinated by Friends of the WNCNC, a nonprofit committed to supporting the WNC Nature Center’s mission of connecting people with animals & plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountains by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, & advancing conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity.
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Club Meliá by Meliá Hotels International, a leading international vacation membership club with locations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Europe, received a total of seven award nominations at the 2012 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Annual Convention and Awards Reception in Las Vegas in the categories of Administrative Manager, Global Human Resources Team, Resort Department Manager, Website, Resort Architecture, Amenities: Water Features and Refurbishment: Interior Design. Bringing the gold home for Club Meliá this year were David Aparicio, Administrative Manager from the Cancun, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen, Mexico Region and Gladys Bautista, Resort Department Manager from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
“I am truly excited about the award winning performance of our employees and member resorts,” said Denis Ebrill, Executive Vice President, Club Meliá. “They are all our ‘all stars’ who deliver our exclusive Club Meliá experience to our members each and every day.”
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Perspective Magazine, the leading independent multi-media information provider for the timeshare and fractional ownership industry, announces its media sponsorship for the 2012 South American Shared Ownership Investment Conference (SASOIC) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“With the participation of more than 300 businessmen in past editions, and within the framework of an ever-growing business offering great opportunities, we believe that SASOIC 2012 will stand as a must-go event in South America’s Shared Ownership industry,” said Arturo García Rosa, President HVS South America.
This third annual SASOIC conference is scheduled for May 21 – 22, 2012 at Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt in Buenos Aires. The meeting will be hosted by RCI, the world leader in timeshare exchange, and HVS Buenos Aires, the region’s leading consulting firm in the hotel, tourism and leisure industry. Led by Keynote speaker Don Harrill, president and CEO, Orange Lake Resorts, the event will include an international mix of presenters such as Steve Holmes, Chairman & CEO, Wyndham Worldwide, Geoff Ballotti, CEO, RCI, and Ricardo Montaudon, president and Executive Director Latin America, RCI.
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Fairmont Heritage Place, the private residence club offering from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, today announced that it has assumed management of The Residence Club at El Corazon de Santa Fe, Santa Fe’s only downtown fractional ownership property.
Fairmont Heritage Place, El Corazon de Santa Fe features 22 two-bedroom vacation residences and 50 whole-ownership homes designed in the classic Pueblo Revival style that provide the ultimate in comfort and luxury. Located two blocks from the city’s historic Plaza, the property includes two residence options; the single floor “Terra” residences and the split-level “Montanas” residence. Both feature full kitchens with designer appliances, flat screen HD televisions in the living room and master bedroom, dining area, luxury bathroom amenities and products, kiva fireplaces and a private balcony or patio. The elegant vigas, clay plaster walls, art and iron work throughout the units display a warm sense of place. Recently, the property expanded its clubhouse and reception area, added a new owners’ fitness area and private owners’ park and refreshed various furnishings throughout the resort. In addition to these amenities, owners and guests will enjoy concierge services, discounts on fine dining, spas and golf in and around Santa Fe, and amenities such as pre-arrival grocery shopping.
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Perspective Magazine, the timeshare and fractional ownership industry’s leading independent information provider, announces its support of New Zealand’s top vacation ownership conference with its media sponsorship of the New Zealand Holiday Ownership Council (NZHOC) event later this month.
“It’s great to have the sponsorship of Perspective Magazine again this year for our conference– it means a lot to a small country such as NZ. Our timeshare industry is in good shape but as always there are industry matters that need to be addressed and our annual conference provides a great opportunity to do this and this year will be no exception – delegates can look forward to hearing about a wide range of industry matters from our overseas and local speakers,” said Martyn Rix, Chairman, New Zealand Holiday Ownership Council.
The conference is scheduled for May 13-14, 2012 at the Millennium Hotel and Resort Manuels Taupo in Taupo, New Zealand under the theme “Changing Times”.
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Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq:IILG), announced the appointment of Gonzalo Maqueda to executive director of resort sales and service for Mexico. He reports to Marcos Agostini, vice president of resort sales and service for Latin America, and is based in the Mexico City office.
“We are extremely pleased that Gonzalo has joined our resort sales and service team. His more than 20 years of experience in shared ownership and hospitality will be very valuable to our company and resort clients as we work together to grow our business in the Mexican market,” Agostini noted.
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