Perspective Magazine - July 2008: Timeshare & Fractional News & Reviews

This month sees Perspective Magazine’s reach extend further again - shortly after taking the lead as the most read independent B2B publication for the timeshare and fractional industry, we now add even more conventions to review list and where our magazine is officially distributed - AMDETUR, Mexico, CARE, USA and The Fractional Summit, UK. As part of the latter, this month we feature a number of fractional ownership articles, including the poineers of the fractional industry, DCP International and one of their properties in Bermuda, a review of a recent industry convention in Miami and we have an exclusive interview with the new Managing Director of Group RCI UK and RCI Europe, Jonathan Back on his new role and plans for the future. Plus Front Cover Sponsors, Seasons Holidays announce their fractional ownership product, 8keys.

And now you can read Perspective Magazine using the latest Page Turn Technology for enhanced user experience! Just click on the magazine or links below to see just how different it is.

EDITION HIGHLIGHTS Front Cover Sponsorship: Seasons Holidays Perspective A-List: Jonathan Back, Managing Director Group RCI UK & RCI Europe Convention Review: AMDETUR Convention Review: Miami - Destination & Private Residence Club Industry Symposium Feature: Indirect Tax – A Changing Landscape? Event: The Group RCI Christel House Open – UK Tournanment Industry Resource: Perspective Buyers Guide Fractonal Industry Review: Residence Club Pioneer DCP International Revolutionizes Second Homeownership Feature: Bermuda Beckons Feature: The Time Is Right for Fractional Developments…If You Know What You’re Doing Feature: C.A.R.E – Co-operative Association of Resort Exchangers View Edition Online | Download To Hard Drive

Perspective A-List: Jonathan Back, Managing Director of Group RCI UK & RCI Europe

An Interview With Jonathan Back, Managing Director of Group RCI UK & RCI Europe, on his new position and future plans for further development of the company’s products and services and his views on the future of the industry including a resurgence in all shared ownership markets.
(published in the July 2008 Edition of Perspective Magazine - read the original article here)

1. What does your position as Managing Director entail and what regions are you in charge of?
As managing director of Group RCI UK and RCI Europe, I am responsible for Group RCI’s European exchange business and its European cottage and villa rental portfolio for the UK consumer.

2. Coming from a financial background, what attracted you to the position of Managing Director at Group RCI?
The two factors that attracted me to Group RCI were its market presence and its people. Group RCI is the European market leader in both exchange and rental business lines, with the best pedigree and the greatest brand equity. It is a diverse and complex organisation with a variety of affiliates across the regions and I am looking forward to meeting with as many of them as possible to investigate ways of maximising our joint resources to offer the best possible holiday options and customer service to our owner/members. Working with the people at Group RCI is also a bonus for me. They have great integrity and consistently put the customer first. They are innovative, hard working and are resourceful and enthusiastic in delivering great and memorable holiday experiences.

My greatest challenges so far have been spreading my time between the numerous constituencies of the business and meeting as many of our partners as possible.

3. What skills learnt from your previous careers are proving the most useful in your new role?
The keys to Group RCI’s success will always be in its ability to develop relationships, serve its customers and produce great business results for itself and its partners. I have always worked for sales and marketing
lead organisations with both B2B and B2C channels. Those organisations have always been partnership businesses where consistently adding value and service quality were essentials.

4. In your first few months, what have been your greatest challenges so far?
My greatest challenges so far have been spreading my time between the numerous constituencies of the business and meeting as many of our partners as possible. So far, I have met many of our affiliates, visited most of Group RCI’s European offices and met many of its people. There are many more yet to meet and I thoroughly relish doing that.

5. Moving forward what are your short-term and long-term goals for Group RCI in the coming months and years?
My short-term goals for Group RCI are to enhance its customer and partner focus, further develop its product set and to set a course for accelerated growth. Longer term, my objectives are to open and establish new destination markets for our customers and members, to work with our affiliates to develop new products and business opportunities, to introduce our products to new customer groups and to constantly improve the overall level of customer and member satisfaction.

6. What do you think will be the main differences in the timeshare / shared ownership industry ten years from now?
The shared ownership industry is undergoing a great deal of change right now. All constituencies must
work together to improve its reputation and quality. Personally, I’m very excited by Group RCI’s focus on
innovation and hybrid products which are designed to deliver more flexibility to both members and developers, creating new lead generation and revenue generation opportunities. The next ten years will see a slower growth rate in leisure whole ownership and a resurgence in shared - both timeshare and fractional. It will see a clouding of the line between rental and traditional exchange products, with the success stories coming from consistent quality and value. Globally, improving living standards and an increasing premium for quality leisure time will afford our industry an enormous growth opportunity over that period.

Our focus is on creating products, services and programmes designed to increase the choice of properties for our members and leads for our developers, as well as strengthening the offer at the sales deck.

7. Are there any new developments within Group RCI which we should be aware of?
We at Group RCI are working extremely hard to create a better future for our affiliates and customers. Our biggest innovation so far this year has been the launch of The Group RCI Rental and Exchange (R&E) Programme, which has fantastic benefits for both developer and consumer. It provides developers
with the opportunity to sell wholly owned, deeded properties with the add-on of a rental and holiday
exchange component, using the scale of our operation to generate a reliable rental income for purchasers,
as well as offering the bonus of a holiday through our exchange network. It is unique to the leisure
property market. Our new Owners’ Club is an extension of the R&E programme, whereby our holiday cottage owners deposit at least four weeks’ time into our exchange and rental network in return for an exchange holiday. Our focus is on creating products, services and programmes designed to increase the choice of properties for our members and leads for our developers, as well as strengthening the offer at the sales deck. Ultimately, our strategy is to be pro-active in helping to grow this business for everyone  involved.

We have also been working to strengthen member benefits with enhancements to Group RCI Points and by improving our member search process on www.rci.com. Members can now search for their perfect holiday using a filter system, starting with a map, to locate the resorts having all the amenities they might wish for on their holiday and the results will appear either on a Google map or as a resort listing. The system will be rolling out across Europe in multiple languages, ensuring a more transparent delivery of the Group RCI
products, as well as being a faster and fun way to search.

The next ten years will see a slower growth rate in leisure whole ownership and a resurgence in shared - both timeshare and fractional.

8. In listening to the developers you’ve met, what has impressed you as the key messages?
The overriding messages, from Group RCI’s developers I have met so far, are the need to continue to add value to the developers’ business models and to provide superior member service and satisfaction.

9. What areas, from a product perspective, do you see as presenting the best development opportunities for the industry?
As developers invest in more mixed-use resorts to optimise sales potential, the products that will present the best opportunities will be those that offer the developer and owner the most flexibility and value add. The industry winners will be those with sales and marketing expertise, product range and depth and service quality.

10. In what ways do you believe Group RCI can help existing developers overcome obstacles to growth and expand their business?
Group RCI will help existing and new developers grow their businesses in a large number of ways. Needless to say we are the leader in scale, quality and experience in the exchange industry. We have unmatched access to resources, expertise and industry knowledge. We believe we have the widest range of products which will assist developers to grow their businesses during the decade ahead, irrespective of economic
uncertainty and the ever-changing business landscape.

In change we see opportunity. And with the right partners, the right product at the right price, we see
endless opportunities for our valued affiliates.