The New Hampshire Lodging & Restaurant Association (NHLRA) hosted the 97^th Annual “Stars of the Industry” Awards Dinner on November 9^th in Concord, New Hampshire.  Each year they celebrate individuals or businesses that exemplify the best of the hospitality industry.

Paul Ramsey, Vice President of Energy Delivery for Public Service Company of New Hampshire and Joel Bourassa, General Manager of InnSeason Resorts Pollard Brook

This year InnSeason Resorts Pollard Brook was presented with “The Green Giant Award”. The award is presented to the NHLRA member business who best demonstrates energy saving measures and other green initiates in either the New Hampshire lodging or restaurant business.

Joel Bourassa, General Manger of the resort notes “This award is truly an award for all resort employees for it rewards a concerted effort by all of our managers and employees to change the culture at the resort to reflect a genuine interest in green efforts that result in energy and cost savings. From major capital investments to day to day changes, every person on our staff works to conserve energy.”

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RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) family of brands, recently announced updates to its RCI Travel program, a well-established service that aims to assist members with non-timeshare related vacations. RCI Travel is a full-service travel provider through which members can book airfare, rental cars, hotels, cruises and more, often at discounted rates.

“As the innovation leader in the industry, we wanted to make RCI Travel even faster, easier and more valuable for members than ever before,” said Gordon Gurnik, president, RCI. “We believe they will be very happy with these enhancements that will deliver a comprehensive and accessible vacation planning experience.”

In addition to a new website look and feel that is more convenient and user-friendly for members, the enhanced RCI Travel now offers a Best Rate Guarantee that allows members to receive the best rates possible on flights, car rentals, hotels and other travel purchases available through RCI Travel. Now members can use RCI Travel as a one-stop shop for their travel needs with the assurance that they are getting favorable prices and making the most of their RCI memberships.

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Arne Sorenson, Marriott International president/COO, discussed the details behind Marriott International’s spin-off of its timeshare business into a new company on CNBC’s Squawk Box program. The new timeshare company, called Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: VAC), began trading today.

Arne Sorenson Interview on CNBC\’s Squawk Box

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation announced today the closing of a new $1 billion revolving credit facility to replace its existing $980 million facility, which had been scheduled to mature in October 2013. The maturity date of the new facility is July 15, 2016. There is no change to the Company’s overall corporate debt balance as a result of this transaction.

“This financing extends the credit facility to a five year term, which strengthens our liquidity profile further and decreases our ongoing interest expense through more favorable pricing terms,” said Tom Conforti, chief financial officer of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. “All current relationship banks participated in the financing and several new participants were added. This demonstrates the banking community’s confidence in Wyndham Worldwide.”

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Bank of America Merrill Lynch acted as Joint Bookrunners for the new revolving credit facility. Bank of America Merrill Lynch will be acting as administrative agent for the new revolving credit facility. [/member]

Timeshare and fractional ownership multi-media information provider Perspective Magazine announces its media sponsorship for the 2011 AMDETUR Convention later this month in Cancun, Mexico.

“We are very excited about having the opportunity to meet, learn and share again with our colleagues and all attendants to our Annual Convention, particularly in this occasion when we are celebrating its silver anniversary as the most important vacation ownership industry forum in Mexico –a US12 billion dollar sector that represents 40 percent of the lodging supply in the country”, said Juan Vela Ruiz, Chairman, AMDETUR.

AMDETUR (which stands for Asociación Mexicana de Desarrolladores Turísticos) is otherwise known as the Mexican Resort Development Association and acts as the national association for the timeshare and fractional ownership industry in Mexico. This will be the 25^th annual convention for the association and is scheduled for June 22-24, 2011 at the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort in Cancun, Mexico under the theme “AMDETUR, 25 Years Promoting Mexico”.

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Hilton Worldwide is making great strides in expanding its global footprint and today is able to announce that it has the largest number of rooms under development across the region – with more than 15,000 in its active pipeline.

The latest STR Global research shows Hilton Worldwide ahead of its main rivals with 15,411 rooms in the active pipeline and 8,643 rooms under construction, which is 12.4 percent and 14 percent of the industry totals, respectively*.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president of development Hilton Worldwide Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, “Significant investment in our brands and teams has seen a record-breaking 12 months for Hilton Worldwide in Europe and we are now positioned ahead of competitors.  Over the past few years, brands that have been new to Europe have gained great momentum – and now have a considerable presence in key strategic development markets across the region, including the UK, Germany, Italy and Turkey.  We’ve exceeded development targets in 2010 and have reason to be even more optimistic about the year ahead.”

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Karen Buttice

Shell Vacations (Shell) has recently selected Karen Buttice to lead all of the company’s programs that provide extensive fee-based services for resorts, hotels, condominiums and owner associations.

Premier fee-based services currently being offered by the nationally respected independent vacation ownership developer include:

• Direct Member Affiliate Program

• Hospitality and association management

• Rental distribution of unused inventory

• Employee certification programs

• A comprehensive travel program and

• Sales and Marketing services

Shell Vacations President and COO Tracy L. Sherles has appointed Karen Buttice EVP, Business Development to coordinate all corporate fee-based services. “Karen is uniquely qualified to champion this important initiative”, said Sherles, “because of her depth of knowledge of our industry and our company capabilities. For the past three years, she has implemented new corporate initiatives across all disciplines, from Club operations to hospitality services to sales and marketing products and programs. In addition to her 22 years in the timeshare industry, including 19 years with RCI, she is familiar with a wide range of programs offered by other developers.”

Adds Karen Buttice, “After decades of leadership in the vacation ownership industry and proven success with our points-based Shell Vacations Club (wwwShellVacationsClub.com), we have recognized a growing opportunity for others to benefit from our expertise and are actively pursuing growth by providing these fee-based services. This is an ideal way to expand our business by leveraging our services and management expertise. We believe the expansion of our fee-based services model validates our commitment to these strategic initiatives. We have received so many calls regarding our expertise in these areas, this is a natural extension of our business. It is exciting to formalize a program that will enable others to share in the facets of our business that have made us successful.”

For additional information on any of these programs, please contact Karen Buttice at 847-564-4600 or via email at KButtice@shellvacationsllc.com.

Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, Shell Vacations LLC is one of the most respected independent vacation ownership developers in the United States, operating or affiliated 23 resorts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The company specializes in the sales and hospitality management of vacation ownership resorts as well as servicing over 125,000 owner and member families of its vacation ownership products.
www.ShellVacationsHospitality.com, www.ShellVacationsClub.com

Following on from the industry-first success of Owners Perspective Magazine’s independent positioning of shared ownership products amongst general consumers through first class airport lounge distribution with more than a dozen of the world’s leading airlines, and in top hotels, resorts, golf clubs and spas, the specifically tailored Resort Developer Editions are helping on-site sales credibility, reducing new member cancellations and increasing the opportunities for upgrades, rentals and referrals.

Since its official launch last month, the publisher has announced confirmation for distribution and use at resorts in Mexico, Thailand, India, Bali, United Kingdom and soon plans to announce a number of confirmed contracts in Florida, Canada and Australia. These developer orientated special editions are backed by the credibility of the world’s largest independent publication for shared ownership products that is available to the general public and is exciting and motivating sales teams as it continues to be implemented in more and more resorts around the globe.

“We are so pleased with being able to provide another unique product to help increase sales and customer retention, and the rapid success of our Resort Developer Package is testament again to the quality of our work” says Paul Mattimoe, CEO of Perspective International Ltd.

With an incredibly versatile suite of options, developers can choose some or all of the features provided within the package to create the perfect fit for their operation(s) and orders can be placed with no long term commitment enabling resorts to quickly integrate at low cost.

For more information on Owners Perspective Magazine’s Resort Developer Options please request an information pack by emailing advertising@perspectiveinternational.com

Owners Perspective Magazine can be freely read online at http://www.ownersperspective.com

Second International industry award for the Absolute World Group this year

The Absolute World Group, Asia’s leading lifestyle property developer, resorts and hotels operator, fractional ownership and vacation club pioneers, have collected their latest international award from the highly respected American Resort Development Association.

The ARDA Awards Program is organized by the American Resort Development Association and is committed to recognizing the best nominees submitted in areas that include overall professional excellence, outstanding sales accomplishments, product design, advertising, and staff.

The Absolute World Group was nominated in the Advertising and Promotion Division and made the short-list of four finalists for the Video Production category. Their Point Of Sale film ‘We Are Your World’ beat productions from leading international vacation operators to win the category.

Mr. Bryan Lunt, Chairman of the Absolute World Group of Companies said, “It is a great achievement to be recognized in the American market for our outstanding work in international sales and marketing. This award is in recognition of the hard work of our Absolute World team. The video also highlights the quality of our Thailand properties and puts these destinations on a global map.”

It is the mission of the Awards Program to provide a fair and equal evaluation of achievement within the vacation ownership industry. The award from ARDA is the second award for the Absolute World Group in 2010 following the Fractional Life Readers Choice Award in London for their designer resort development, yooPhuket.

Following a further two recent development successes in Phuket – Absolute Bangla Suites (opened October 2009) and Absolute Nakalay Beach Resort (opened January 2010) the Absolute World Group are soon to be adding to their collection of designer boutique resorts with the launch of The Beach Samui, by YOO, and their independent Absolute Developments project, Absolute Twin Sands Spa and Resort, which is expected to be completed in 2012.

About the Absolute World Group
Founded in 1998, the Absolute World Group of companies has positioned its 1300 staff tactically across China, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Russia and Thailand, offering a seamless range of services within the world of Resorts and Hotels inclusive of a worldwide network of International Estate Agencies, a highly successful Vacation Club, boasting thousands of members and their pioneering Fractional Ownership and Resale division.

Absolute is committed to delivering heavenly resort destinations from conception to completion and beyond, with the added value of its dedicated turnkey resort management service.

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