TATOC announced today that the popular timeshare resort Pergola Club Hotel & Spa located on the holiday island of Malta is the latest resort to join the Association.

Located in the picturesque village of Mellieha with views of the bay and the islands of Gozo and Comino Pergola Club Hotel is close to the centre of the village’s main street. Shops, banks, restaurants and bars are just a two-minute walk away. The largest and most beautiful sandy beach in Malta is just 1km away from the village.

The resort consists 52 apartments and 30+ hotel rooms over seven floors with a restaurant, bar, Internet cafe, games room and kiddies’ room.

Facilities at the resort include an indoor heated swimming pool, two outdoor pools with a children’s paddling pool, fitness centre, Jacuzzi and sun terraces with views over the village, valley and bay. The Da Vinci Spa provides an extensive range of health, beauty and well-being treatments.

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GPEA Ltd, the parent company of global estate agency Fine & Country and The Guild of Professional Estate Agents, has formed a joint venture company with property PR specialist P1 Communications Ltd. The new company will provide PR services and media representation to Fine & Country’s global network of 280 UK and international offices, and the Guild’s 600 independent estate agent members in the UK.  P1 Communications’ staff will be based in GPEA’s Park Lane head office in Mayfair, London.

Malcolm Lindley, Managing Director of GPEA says: “The company has expanded rapidly in recent years and we wanted a more dedicated, hands-on team to help us make more of our success, build the brand and develop our networks further. We are delighted to be working with P1 Communications whose international and extensive property experience will be instrumental in promoting our global brand in a professional manner.”

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Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Limited is proud to announce that on the 5th February 2010, the Group celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a gathering of nearly one hundred staff, past and present, at the beautiful Elvetham Hall in Hampshire. Elvetham is steeped in history, having been owned by the family of Jane Seymour, one of Henry VIII’s wives and famed as being the site of the first performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Initially, Hutchinson’s acted as Collection Agent for resorts in Portugal and Malta. However, the company soon realized the huge potential that the industry offered to professionals prepared to marry their expertise and integrity to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the emerging sales and marketing entrepreneurs. In 1990, Peter Hutchinson, Group Chairman, took the key decision to take the company to the next level and as a result, Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Limited was formed.

During the last twenty five years, the Group has gone from strength to strength, consistently providing a quick, efficient, professional and value for money service, permitting the company to become one of the top specialized Holiday Ownership Trustees in Europe and the largest in India and the Far East. In summarizing the Group’s success, Peter Hutchinson remarked:

“The only constant throughout the last 25 years has been change! And our success has been built on the ability to adapt to what the market demands and to maintain a level of service which is always one step above the expectations of our clients! Our business life is a far cry from its beginnings when Joy Pope and I both worked from home, with a single phone line, typewriter and telex machine, between us! Indeed, that which seemed daunting in 1985 now seems mundane and it will not be long before we can say that at any hour of the day, somewhere in the world, there is a Hutchinson office open for business!”

In 2007, the Group set up a specialist subsidiary, Citadel Trustees Ltd, with a principle focus on emerging products, such as green energy products, requiring stakeholder, trustee and escrow services, as well as Hotel buy-to-let schemes and other leisure related investment products. Citadel has grown rapidly and is now authorized by the UK Financial Services Authority to set-up, operate and manage Unregulated Collective Investments Schemes, an area of business which has seen very strong growth in recent years and one which will be of particular focus for the company in the future. The Group now boasts offices in the UK, Spain, India, Thailand and China and is involved with projects valued at over $2.5 billion!

For further information about Hutchinson or Citadel, please contact Christopher Allen, Director, Client Services and Business Development, by email chrisallen@citadeltrustees.com or, call the company’s UK Head Office +44 (0) 1276
482015/16

Shared Ownership concepts will be explored in a Summit to be held in Cyprus on 29 October, at the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia.

Tourism and Development companies can embrace structures to prosper in today’s marketplace.Fractional Ownership is already a buzz word in many board rooms hoping to increase sales by the successful application of this new formula for Cyprus.

The First Fractional Ownership Symposium in Cyprus will be held on November 29th, in the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia and will be opened by Mr. George Mintis, Vice President of the CTO.

The summit will unveil the latest trends worldwide, many of which could be applied in Cyprus by using existing laws in the Republic of Cyprus.

Developers and Hoteliers are invited to attend the event which promises to explore new horizons in creating new platforms for the Building and Tourist Sectors.

Organizers, World Class Group, led by CEO Michael J. Tolan, have over 25 years in shared ownership expertise in 15 country markets. Their PR communications unit has offices in Beirut, Dubai, and Malta.

Fractional Ownership is a relatively new concept in Cyprus, however major developers are now looking into this aspect of real estate offerings to pepper their income streams with additional revenue sources.

“Developers that responsibly embrace the holistic concept of providing investors with superb benefits, management and quality with a sensible value offer will excel in today’s market place” said Tolan.

Fractional Ownership is one form of the shared ownership matrix, we also have models whereby hotels in Cyprus could also benefit by using a hybrid business model, which is covered under the current law” he added.

Fractional Ownership models may be applied to up market residential developments that offer services to end users they would have come to expect from a five star hotel, therefore the marriage of hotels and developers is essential for a healthy growth cycle in Cyprus, said Tolan.

MAP Destinations today announced that Venice on Water in Italy has affiliated with The Registry Collection® exchange programme, the world’s largest luxury exchange network.

Venice on Water offers a unique holiday experience, allowing guests to visit the waterways of the iconic Italian city staying in luxury two-bedroom houseboats. Berthed at Marina Darsena DEC in Mestre, only five kilometers from the centre of Venice, the boats are fully furnished, equipped to the highest specifications and can accommodate up to six people. Venice on Water membership entitles members to stay in their houseboat for one week each year.

The perfect location offers easy access to all the attractions of the historic city of Venice with its galleries, museums, palaces, churches and piazzas. The boats can be used for limited navigation inside the lagoon (no license required), while more experienced sailors can take them further along the famed Venetian waterways. Owners will be given training, while owners’ guests staying on the boats unaccompanied will need to hire a captain to take the vessel out of its moorings.

The water-borne resort is the first to be developed by MAP Destinations, the largest timeshare marketer in Malta, with over 20 years’ experience in the industry. MAP currently markets five resorts in Malta and one in Venice.

“We are very proud to add a property of the caliber of Venice On Water to The Registry Collection programme,” said Jonathan Back, managing director, Group RCI EMEAI. “Our goal is to offer our members the finest vacation destinations in the world. Working with affiliates such as MAP ensures that our members receive exactly the world-class luxury travel experience they desire. In terms of its concept, this development will certainly be one of the most unique and exciting additions.”

“The Registry Collection offers a unique exchange programme for our fractional owners,” said Mary Anne Pulé. “The level of service and exclusivity that The Registry Collection programme provides is precisely what our owners are looking for. We are very pleased to be working with them.”

About MAP Destinations
Headquartered in Ta’Xbiex, MAP (Marketing And Promotion Ltd) is the largest marketer of holiday ownership resorts in Malta. The company is owned by managing director Mary Anne Pulé who started the business in 1986 by marketing Sunny Coast Resort Club in Qawra. Since then the company has grown and successfully sold out a number of resorts including Radisson SAS Baypoint Resort, Kempinski San Lawrenz Leisure Resort, Santana Resort Club, Barceló Riviera Resort & Spa, and Costa San Antonio (Grand Hotel Mercure San Antonio). Its current portfolio includes Fortina Spa Vacation Resort, Suncrest Beach Vacation Club, Coral Reef Club and Sunny Coast Resort Club and La Salita Spa Vacation Resort in Malta, as well as Venice on Water in Italy. The company employs more than 100 full-time personnel, all of which are experienced specialists in sales, marketing, finance and administration, with recruitment ongoing. For more details visit  www.map.com.mt

About The Registry Collection Programme
The Registry Collection programme is a global network comprising over 30,000 members and more than 130 affiliates on five continents. More than 160 properties are available through the program and are either accessible for exchange or under development. As the world’s largest luxury exchange programme, The Registry Collection programme provides members with access to an elite global network of the very finest vacation properties at some of the world’s premier destinations, as well as personal concierge services that are available 24 hours a day. From condo hotels and high-end fractional resorts to private residence clubs and fractional yachts, The Registry Collection programme facilitates exchanges around the world and redefines the vacation experience for owners and developers. The Registry Collection programme is offered by Group RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies. (NYSE: WYN) For additional information, visit the media centre at www.grouprci.com
For additional information on the services offered to developers and members by The Registry Collection programme and how it can add potential value to leisure real estate projects, visit www.theregistrycollection.com

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 73,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry  Collection programme, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation Collection rentals, including Endless Vacation RentalsSM, Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media centre of www.wyndhamworldwide.com

For additional information visit www.grouprci.com, the media centre of www.wyndhamworldwide.com, or visit Group RCI’s European web site www.rciaffiliates.com/europe and, for the latest Group RCI and industry news, visit www.rciventures.com

MAP Destinations today announced that Venice on Water in Italy has affiliated with RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange.

Venice on Water offers a unique holiday experience, allowing guests to visit the waterways of the iconic Italian city in luxury two-bedroom houseboats. Berthed at Marina Darsena DEC in Mestre, only five kilometers from the centre of Venice, the boats are fully furnished and equipped to the highest specifications and can accommodate up to six people.

The perfect location offers easy access to all the attractions of the historic city of Venice with its galleries, museums, palaces, churches and piazzas. The boats can be used for limited navigation inside the lagoon (no license required), while more experienced sailors can take them further along the famed Venetian waterways.

The water-borne resort is the first to be developed by MAP Destinations, the largest timeshare marketer in Malta, with over 20 years’ experience in the industry. MAP currently markets five resorts in Malta and one in Venice.

“It was an easy decision to work with RCI,” said Mary Anne Pulé, managing director of MAP. “RCI is the world’s largest timeshare and vacation exchange company, and MAP has enjoyed a long-term relationship with the company. RCI offers our owners access to over 4,000 terrific vacation resorts around the world, including everything from campgrounds to castles. We’re glad we can provide this service to our community.”

“We are very pleased to welcome the Venice on Water resort into the RCI network,” said Jonathan Back, managing director, Group RCI EMEAI. “This is a truly unique resort in one of the world’s most sought-after locations and is a tremendous addition to the collection of top vacation destinations we offer to more than 3.8 million RCI members around the world.”

About MAP Destinations
Headquartered in Ta’Xbiex, MAP (Marketing And Promotion Ltd) is the largest marketer of holiday ownership resorts in Malta. The company is owned by managing director Mary Anne Pulé who started the business in 1986 by marketing Sunny Coast Resort Club in Qawra. Since then the company has grown and successfully sold out a number of resorts including Radisson SAS Baypoint Resort, Kempinski San Lawrenz Leisure Resort, Santana Resort Club, Barceló Riviera Resort & Spa, and Costa San Antonio (Grand Hotel Mercure San Antonio). Its current portfolio includes Fortina Spa Vacation Resort, Suncrest Beach Vacation Club, Coral Reef Club and Sunny Coast Resort Club and La Salita Spa Vacation Resort in Malta, as well as Venice on Water in Italy. The company employs more than 100 full-time personnel, all of which are experienced specialists in sales, marketing, finance and administration, with recruitment ongoing. For more details visit  www.map.com.mt

About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN) is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 73,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. The company is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection programme, the world’s largest luxury exchange programme; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation Rentals®, Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, and asset management services. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange.

For additional information visit www.grouprci.com, the media centre of www.wyndhamworldwide.com, or visit Group RCI’s European web site www.rciaffiliates.com/europe and, for the latest Group RCI and industry news, visit www.rciventures.com

The industry has just seen the launch of one of the most unusual timeshare properties yet – Venice on Water. This operation is based around a small fleet of custom-built luxury Houseboats that will be moored in a strategic and central location within very close proximity of the iconic city of Venice. The first of 10 Houseboats, the MDINA VENEZIA, was inaugurated in Malta on June 23rd and several stakeholders in the hospitality and holiday ownership sectors were invited to pre-view the Houseboat before it reached its base in the Venice lagoon.

This floating residence concept was borne out of the co-operation between Malta based Marketing And Promotion Ltd, headed by Managing Director Mary Anne Pulé and its Italian partner Floating House, which has secured licences for 10 Houseboats. The project is being financed by Marketing And Promotion Ltd’s development arm – MAP Destinations Investments Ltd. The initial plan was to start with one Houseboat, however since there are 10 licences available, the long-term aim is to build up to this number, giving MAP 500 weeks to sell. The latter initially started promoting this venture in its home territory of Malta, a market it knew well, however it is now turning its attention to the UK and US markets.

The marina Darsena DEC was chosen as the base mooring place for the MDINA VENEZIA. It is an ideal location given that it is only 5km away from the Venice city centre and it offers guests various services and facilities including water and electricity supply and protection from winds and tides. The houseboat, measuring ten by four and a half metres, can accommodate up to six guests and is easy to manoeuvre and handle with no licence or experience required. Anyone wanting to jump aboard can hire their own skipper for an extra fee or can opt to learn the ropes in a couple of hours.

According to Mary Anne Pulé “if a member can clearly pilot the boat and establish themselves as a good skipper, there is no reason why they can’t go further afield to explore the rivers of Italy. But for those wanting to stay in Venice, there’s lots to do. There’s the Lido and plenty of islands. We’re also planning to provide several itineraries to make it easier for members to plan their routes”.

The construction of the MDINA VENEZIA was entrusted to Malta-based General Maintenance Ltd, however it was also entirely designed, furnished and finished in Malta. No compromise was made on the choice of finishing required to make this Houseboat a marvel in luxury. The hull has also been fabricated from light aluminium which is more durable than other materials and is less expensive to maintain although the initial production costs are higher. It has also been specifically designed for the shallow waters of the Venetian Lagoon and has been planned with safety in mind so guests may cruise in confidence. The vessel is equipped with fenders to protect it whilst it is moored and lifejackets, fire blankets and extinguishers are also available on board. The inside layout of the houseboat consists of two bedrooms, one with ensuite facilities, a separate shower room, a full kitchen and living area, a rooftop sundeck and lounge area, a cockpit and private sleeping area for the skipper.

Apart from offering luxury 5 star accommodation on board, membership of Venice on Water also offers flexibility through its affiliation with RCI and ICE Gallery. Given that the Houseboats enjoy a red seasonal time band across the year and have been awarded the Gold Crown status by RCI, members will also benefit from excellent exchange power. If this was not enough, the Management Company also offers members the option of splitting their week and enjoy one week-end and one mid-week break at different times during the year.

Ultimately, the beauty of Venice on Water is that it allows members to create a holiday tailor-made to
suit their preferences and each holiday can be a different one with new routes explored year after year. Although the Management Company will offer a number of suggested cruise itineraries, it will be up to the members to organise the holiday to their liking and at their pace.

Life onboard a Venice on Water houseboat is a truly magical experience and is ideal for everyone. Children revel in the sense of adventure that a boating holiday gives them whilst adults will not fail to appreciate the freedom and flexibility of having all the comforts at arms length wherever they decide to go.

Venice Highlights
The Venice lagoon has a lot to offer visitors, starting with the magical beauty of the historic island of Venice. The heart of Venice is the area around St. Mark’s square and its famous five domed Basilica. Of note is also the spectacular Doge’s Palace ‘Palazzo Ducale’ which together with the Basilica represents the core of the Serene Republic’s spiritual and political power plays. A visit to Venice is not complete without a stop to admire the famous ‘Ponte di Rialto’ and ‘Canal Grande’ where visitors may discover the incredible Venetian style Palaces and soak up the unique atmosphere whilst enjoying a strong espresso or a rich cappuccino at one of the many café’s.

Moving on from Venice, visitors may discover the lagoon by cruising around the three main northern islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello which are characterised by their unique architecture and picturesque fishing villages. These islands give visitors an idea of the authentic Venetian way of life. There are more than 80 islands in the lagoon, most of which can be visited, for example S. Francesco, S. Erasmo, S. Lazzaro, Pellestrina and Giudecca. The latter lies immediately south of the central island of Venice and is one of the contracted mooring places available to Venice on Water members for day visits.

Another important location in the lagoon with mooring arrangements for Venice on Water houseboats is the famous Lido. This is an 11km long sandbar which hosts the renowned Venice Film Festival every September. At least half the Adriatic side of the island is constituted by a sandy beach, much of which belongs to the various hotels that house the summer tourists, however towards the northern and southern ends of the island there are two enormous public beaches. The Adriatic Sea is fairly clean and warm, ideal for children.

For those members who wish to navigate further afield the ‘Naviglio del Brenta’ is not to be missed. This waterway links the Venice lagoon to the historic city of Padova and was a vital thoroughfare for commerce and for travel. Along the canal visitors may admire various important monuments which host works of art by Giotto and Galileo Galilei and magnificent 15th century villas, amongst which Villa Pisani and Villa Foscari.

About Marketing And Promotion ltd.
Marketing And Promotion Ltd traces back its origins to 1985, when Managing Director – Mary Anne Pulé ventured into the Holiday Ownership Industry with her involvement in The Sunny Coast Resort Club in Qawra, Malta. Since then, the company went on to market with remarkable success a number of other resorts both in Malta and in other European destinations.

The company’s headquarters are situated in Ta’ Xbiex, Malta, however it has offices at each of the resorts, which are linked up with a multi-level software package, thus facilitating communication. The company employs close to 100 people, which number rises during the summer peak season.

Recruitment is ongoing and several senior employees have brought to the organisation experience in hospitality-related fields, both at home and abroad. The company has its own internal training scheme and its key people attend most of the industry conferences overseas.

Over the years Marketing And Promotion Ltd has reached a level of professionalism that is essential in the hospitality industry, by investing in its human resources and adhering to strict standards and procedures. This has enabled it to keep excellent relations with its associated resorts, protect the reputation of the developers and brands and also to guarantee customer satisfaction, which is at the top of its agenda.

With this new venture, Mary Anne Pulé hopes to bring her learnings and experience as a developer to the marketing arm of her business, as she explained “this can only deepen my understanding of my developer clients and strengthen our relationship. We value our developer partners. Infact, our developers are very excited about adding Venice on Water to the overall industry portfolio of exchange options. They believe the more holiday options our owners have, then the more value they will get out of their timeshare ownership”.

Marketing And Promotion Ltd has over the years introduced over 15,000 members to Holiday Ownership resorts in Malta, thus significantly contributing to the local tourism industry. The company is also recognised by RCI (Resort Condominiums International) as one of the 25 leading Holiday Ownership companies in Europe.