The Lubner Group, respected interior design and furnishings provider for the hospitality industry, has recently been named a member the of the American Resort & Development Association’s (ARDA) VIP member program at the prestigious Chairman’s League level.

“We congratulate Lubner Group for their participation in our Chairman’s League,” said Bob Craycraft, RRP, VP of Industry Relations. ”ARDA’s VIP members represent the vacation ownership industry’s premier leadership of developers, property management companies, outstanding law firms and quality vendors. These members are committed to the industry’s growth and excellence and are dominant participants in networking events, regional and national annual events and receive recognition on ARDA’s website (arda.org) and in print publications. ARDA’s Chairman’s League was born over 12 years ago, in response to members’ requests for a higher level at which professionals could showcase their commitment to the industry.”

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First Course “Partnership Strategies: Winning in the New Economy”

The American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) International Foundation (AIF) is launching the first comprehensive e-learning platform for the timeshare industry.  AIF will provide ongoing industry-specific training for sales, marketing and operations staff on an easy-to-use e-learning platform.  The first course launching in Fall 2011, is entitled “Partnership Strategies:  Winning in the New Economy.”

“We have been hearing from members for years about the need for more industry-wide, standardized training,” said Darla Zanini, executive vice president, AIF.  “We’re thrilled to be able to deliver the first of many courses that will enhance the skills of the people working in the timeshare industry.”

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Today, the American Resort Development Association’s Resort Owners’ Coalition (ARDA-ROC) launched the Timeshare Resale Resource Center(http://www.ardaroc.org/resales), an online information resource for timeshare owners who desire to better understand how to safely maneuver the uneven timeshare secondary market.  As a result of a growing need to create more clarity and transparency for timeshare owners who wish to sell their timeshare interest, the Resale Resource Center was born to provide objective information on the resale process, tips on selling, and consumer advisories on the various resale scams currently being investigated by state authorities.

While regulation of the timeshare industry has developed and matured over the past 30 years, specific regulation of the secondary market is still in its infancy.  The current economic environment has led to a rise in disreputable resale companies trying to profit from vulnerable timeshare owners and as a result the resale process has become confusing to many consumers.  “With the rise in fraudulent resale practices and the far too many dishonest resellers preying on consumers, it is necessary to establish legitimate guidelines to help safeguard consumers and ensure a safe resale experience with reputable companies,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA (the industry’s not-for-profit advocacy group).

Over the past eighteen months, ARDA and its member task force have worked diligently to propose model legislation for the secondary resale market as part of an effort to standardize and legitimize timeshare resellers and the resale process.  The Model Resale Act calls for specific guidelines related to resellers, including standards for sales and marketing practices and more stringent penalties for fraudulent behavior.

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C.A.R.E. (The Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers, Inc.) held its 52nd Semi-Annual Conference in Deerfield Beach, FL in May.  During the conference, C.A.R.E.’s prestigious Pinnacle and Richard Gallardo awards were presented, two Vice Presidents were re-elected and an industry leader was a guest speaker.

The Pinnacle award, presented bi-annually to an individual who has attained the highest level of excellence in the vacation industry for their achievement, contribution and positive impact on the direction and standards of the C.A.R.E. organization, was presented to Linda Mayhugh, Accommodations Unlimited. 

Linda Mayhugh

Linda has been involved in the vacation industry since 1987 and is an active member of C.A.R.E., currently serving on numerous committees and has served on the Board of Directors since 2009.  Throughout the years, Linda has maintained the highest ethical standards within the vacation industry and volunteers in various community awareness activities and fundraising efforts.

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ResorTime.com’s Jane Hopley has taken home the first place award and been named Rental Program Manager of the Year by the American Resort Development Association’s prestigious Awards Program for 2011. The Gold “ARDY” Award Winners were named in conjunction with ARDA’s National Convention.  

ARDA, an international trade association which fosters and promotes the growth of the vacation ownership industry and serves its members through education, public relations and communications, legislative advocacy, membership development, and ethics enforcement. The Awards Program is an annual ceremony that recognizes the best and the brightest individuals within various categories of the resort industry.

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Dennis M. Ducharme, RRP, President of InnSeason Resorts, based on Cape Cod (MA), has been appointed Chairman of the American Resort Development Association’s Northeast Chapter. Nominated by the Chapter’s Executive Committee, ARDA’s regional chairpersons are jointly appointed by the President and Chief Executive Officer, Howard Nusbaum, and the ARDA Board of Directors.

Ducharme is an ARDA Trustee, and also serves as a member of the ARDA-Northeast Executive Committee.  He has been a member of the ARDA Board of Directors since 2003.  His other professional affiliations include the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, White Mountain Attractions, New England Innkeepers Association, Ski New Hampshire, and North Country Center for the Arts.

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Private Vacation Club’s Award Winning “Storybook” Tells the Story

Club Intrawest, the private vacation club which recently received five finalist placements in the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Annual Award Program has developed its own lexicon when it comes to talking about its community of Members and their shared ownership of beautifully crafted Vacation Homes across Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The organization’s Storybook received ARDA honors in the Brochure (8+ pages) Category.  The Storybook was created to put forth the message that although the organization has top flight resorts (two of which also received architecture and design finalist placement), there is more to Club Intrawest than bricks and mortar.  As the Storybook says “There’s a feeling too.  A sense of belonging, a genuine community of like-minded individuals connected by the Club experiences they will treasure forever.”

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Club Intrawest, a private vacation club with locations across Canada, the United States and Mexico has received five finalist placements in the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Annual Award Program.   The ARDA Awards is a program that provides the “fair and equal evaluation of achievement levels within (the shared ownership) industry and to provide recognition to those who have achieved excellence.”

Club Intrawest’s achievements were selected as the “best of the best” from hundreds of entries.  Their accomplishments in the program were honored in the categories of Green Sustainable Programs Within a Company, Business to Business Brochure, Special Event, Resort Design and Landmark Resort. 

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Today, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) unveiled a new web site – ARDA-ROC.org – dedicated to communicating with and activating the one million members that make up its resort owners coalition (ROC) about legislative and regulatory policies impacting the industry.

“ARDA-ROC members are already an active and engaged audience,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA.  “But now, we will be able to inform and motivate owners to become more vocal with policy makers to preserve, protect and enhance vacation ownership,” he continued.  A voting timeshare owner or Home Owners Association (HOA) member who contacts his or her elected official will strengthen the efforts of ARDA-ROC’s legislative team and volunteers.

At its core, the site provides information regarding current and resolved legislative activity around the country as well as from select international jurisdictions, such as the Caribbean.  Users can stay well-briefed on breaking news, upcoming events, and the latest headlines.  Users can also track the progress of specific bills of interest and eventually specific legislation. 

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Travel & Leisure Group, a leading European Timeshare Resale Brokerage, brought the world of Private Timeshare Sales to the Times Destinations Holiday & Travel Show, Earls Court, London last week with overwhelming success.

It was a great opportunity for customers, new and old, to meet the experienced team from Travel & Leisure. Customers took the chance to talk about all aspects of the timeshare industry and were ‘very pleased to see a reputable resale company taking the opportunity to meet their clients face to face’. This positive approach gave the team a wonderful opportunity to explain how Travel & Leisure act as an independent broker between private individuals, assisting them to buy, sell or rent a timeshare. It was also a perfect location to educate new buyers about the timeshare industry, reinforcing customer confidence in the product.

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