Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), is again proud to be a Platinum sponsor of the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) Conference. The event will be held from the 26th to 28th September at the Don Carlos Resort and Spa in Marbella, Spain.

“Last year’s RDO Conference was a tremendous success and it is our pleasure to support this year’s event,” said Darren Ettridge, Interval’s vice president of resort sales and service for Europe, Middle East, and Africa and its representative on the RDO Board. “We look forward to playing our usual full part in the organisation of the conference and also in taking an active role during the event.”

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Citadel is proud to announce that it will be attending the Fractional Summit in Abu Dhabi as a Ruby Sponsor. The decision by Citadel to support this event which is to be held at the spectacular Yas Hotel on the 23rd and 24th of November 2010, reflects the increasing importance of the Middle East region and the potential it offers the shared leisure market. The Abu Dhabi Fractional Summit is to focus on all the main aspects of the shared leisure industry from traditional timeshare through to all the different types of fractional products.

Christopher Allen, Director, commented “This is an exciting decision for Citadel and we firmly believe that the event will provide us with the ideal platform from which we can launch our bespoke services in the region. Citadel already has many years of experience in Europe, Asia and the Far East, so we see it as a natural progression for us to now look towards the Middle East and the business opportunities it can offer”.

Piers Brown, founder of event organizer Fractional Life, said: “We´re delighted to have Citadel on board for our first event in the Middle East. This sponsorship demonstrates Citadel’s true foresight and commitment to growing the shared ownership marketplace and we look forward to welcoming delegates and sponsors from around the world to network and discover the opportunities in this exciting region”.

Further to the success of the UK Fractional Summit held earlier this year at the Marriott Grovesnor, London, Citadel is also proud to confirm that it will be attending the 2011 event and, for the fourth year running, it will be supporting the Summit as a Gold Sponsor.

Citadel, which also specializes in emerging products, such as green energy and biomass 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 over since its inception and is authorized by the UK Financial Services Authority to set-up, operate and wind-up 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 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

Starwood Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: HOT) have officially opened the doors of their newest hotel, Le Méridien Philadelphia. A ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony included special guest speakers such as Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Pennsylvania Senator Larry Farnese, HEI Hotels & Resorts Chairman and CEO, Gary Mendell, Starwood Group SVP of North American Development, Paul Sacco.

Located in the heart of Center City Philadelphia, the hotel is housed in the former YMCA building designed by prominent American architect Horace Trumbauer, who also designed Philadelphia’s Union League and Museum of Art, among other well known projects of the Gilded Age. The historic adaptive reuse property was developed for HEI Hotels & Resorts, who will be the owner and operator of the hotel. Le Méridien, the Paris-born brand with an international presence of 105 hotels and resorts, will increase its North American footprint to nine properties with the opening of this newest hotel. Le Méridien Philadelphia will serve as a U.S. flagship for the hotel group, joining Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis, which recently joined the brand’s portfolio in February 2010.

“We are excited about our debut in Philadelphia, a city that shares Le Méridien’s passion for art, culture and creativity,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and W Hotels Worldwide. “With its vibrant arts scene, rich history and modern sophistication, Philadelphia is an ideal fit for Le Méridien as we continue to strategically open new hotels in primary, urban markets, cultural capitals and resort destinations across North America and globally.”

Le Méridien Philadelphia provides an integrated contemporary lifestyle experience, including 202 guestrooms and suites; a signature restaurant, the French brasserie Amuse; stylish lobby bar, serving coffee by day; and 5,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 200-seat Ballroom and the Abele Library, a 1,300 square foot reception space overlooking City Hall. The hotel is adjacent to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and just one block from the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Love Park’s gardens and fountains, the Avenue of the Arts, and the boutiques and restaurants that line Benjamin Franklin Parkway – Philadelphia’s Champs Elysees – are all located within walking distance of the hotel.

Le Méridien has soared under Starwood since its acquisition in 2005, plugging into the company’s industry-leading centralized services as well as the group’s expertise of building world-class lifestyle brands. Le Méridien has been fully redefined and has earned global recognition for creating a curated, art driven guest experience from the moment of arrival. In November 2009, Le Méridien arrival experience was awarded “Most Innovative Concept in the Upscale Hotel Industry” at the 10th Annual Worldwide Hospitality Awards in Paris.

For hotel reservations and more information about Le Méridien Philadelphia, please visit www.lemeridien.com/philadelphia.

About Le Méridien
Le Méridien, the Paris-born hotel brand currently represented by 105 properties in more than 50 countries, was acquired by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) in November 2005. Since then, Le Méridien has gone through a brand re-launch, which included a major portfolio consolidation through renovating, opening, and exiting off brand hotels. As part of the new brand direction, French arts provocateur Jérôme Sans was appointed cultural curator to support in transforming numerous guest touch points and bringing unique and interactive experiences to its guests. With close to 80 of its properties located in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Le Méridien provides a strong international complement to Starwood’s primarily North American holdings. Plans call for dynamic expansion of Le Méridien hotels and resorts within the next five years, globally. Le Méridien recently opened new hotels in Dallas; Panama City, Panama; and Qingdao, Xiamen and Chongqing, China and will open in Oran, Algeria; Xi’an, China; Taipei, Taiwan; and Philadelphia in the coming months. Le Méridien has recently signed new hotel deals in Bangkok, Doha, Saigon, Lagos, Cairo, and Mahabaleshwar and Lonavala, India. For more information, please visit www.lemeridien.com.

Bench Events announces that the Shared Ownership Summit uncovered significant opportunities to unlock growth in the Middle East and North Africa.

Leading hospitality companies and real estate developers from across MENA and around the globe gathered in Dubai for the Shared Ownership Summit on Saturday to discuss the significant potential for leisure real estate development in the Middle East and North Africa. The Shared Ownership Summit was held in association with the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. The Summit was made possible through the collaboration of Bench Events, MEED and RCI who co-hosted the event.

Shared Ownership refers to a category of leisure real estate and hospitality products which includes vacation ownership, fractional, private residence clubs and a category of second homes which enables purchasers to earn rental income when not making personal use of their residence. Leaders from each of these sectors discussed strategic issues and considered alternative approaches through which new entrants can establish sales and marketing capabilities. Representatives from Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, LuxuryBranding and The Registry Collection® explored key success factors in the luxury segment.

The session began with an industry update, which was provided by Jeff Tisdall, managing director for RCI MENA. Claude Attala, managing director of Wyndham Exchange & Rental’s consulting arm NorthCourse, then presented his firm’s latest shared ownership consumer research findings for the Middle East and North Africa. Highlights of the research findings included:

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), today announced the addition of two affiliated resorts to its worldwide exchange network – The Viking Club Hotel in Egypt and The Jdoudna Hotel in Syria.

The Viking Club Hotel in Sharm el Sheikh is situated within walking distance of the famous Na’ama Bay district and offers a spectacular view of the bay. Na’ama Bay features world-class shopping, a wide array of restaurants and an energetic night scene. The resort has two swimming pools, a restaurant, dive centre and a private beach accessed by a regular shuttle bus service. The resort currently operates 180 units with a further 80 under construction as part of phase 2 of its development.

“RCI invented the exchange business over 35 years ago and has been the innovator and leader ever since. Their diverse selection of compelling resorts the world over deliver high quality vacations to their members. Being associated with RCI was important to The Viking Club Hotel, “said Eng. Ramadan Abdel Rehim Haggag, CEO of the Viking Group. “RCI offers an exciting mix of technological and market access, greatly enhancing the distribution of our resort by making it available to millions of RCI Members worldwide.”

The Jdoudna Hotel is located on the top of Syria’s Bloudan mountains, 1,800 metres above sea level, offering a magnificent view of the Bloudan Valley. The town, 65 km northwest of Damascus and 85 km from the Mediterranean, is surrounded by lush plantations of fruit trees during the summer and a covering of snow during the winter. All vacation homes feature beautiful views. The resort offers an indoor swimming pool, hot tub and the famous Jdoudna restaurant, offering delicious, traditional Syrian food.

“We are very excited to partner with RCI as doing so adds significant value to our offering,” said Mr. George Mansour, CEO of Jdoudna Company. “RCI offers our owners access to over 4,000 terrific resorts around the world, enabling them to travel extensively throughout MENA and around the globe. We’re glad we could provide this service to our community.”

The announcement was made during the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in Dubai, UAE, attended by more than 600 senior executives from the hospitality, developer and real estate sectors from across the region and around the globe. A Shared Ownership Summit was held during the event and was co-hosted by RCI. The summit brought together leaders from the vacation ownership, fractional and private residence club industries. Discussions focused on the increasing relevance of shared ownership products to the continued growth and development of leisure products in the Middle East and North Africa. Industry leaders shared insights that will assist new entrants and discussed strategies that could lead to significant sales growth over the coming years.

“We are very pleased to expand our portfolio in the Middle East by welcoming The Viking Club Hotel and Jdoudna Hotel into the RCI network,” said Jonathan Back, managing director, RCI Europe, Middle East, Africa & India. “These beautiful resorts are tremendous additions to the collection of vacations resorts we offer our RCI ® Weeks members.”

“We are continually seeking new vacation destinations and experiences to offer RCI members in the Middle East and around the globe. The addition of The Viking Cub Hotel is very timely as we see tremendous demand from our 3.8 million members for Sharm el Sheikh”, added Jeff Tisdall, managing director, RCI Middle East. “The Jdoudna Hotel will enable our members to explore the natural beauty and rich history of Syria firsthand.”

A recent 2010 report published by RCI’s consulting arm NorthCourse found that Sharm el Sheikh was second only to Dubai as the preferred destination in which to own a vacation ownership interest.

About RCI
RCI is part of Wyndham Exchange and Rentals, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 65,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Exchange and Rentals 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® program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; 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, a research and consultancy firm providing advisory services to the global leisure real estate industry. 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 our media center at www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Viking Club Hotel
The Viking Club Hotel is part of the Viking Group, a leading hospitality specialist in Egypt for 15 years. The Viking Group comprises of Viking Travel which offers a wide range of travel and hospitality services, Viking Air offering hot air balloon tours over the Pyramids, Viking Transport for coach and land cruiser tours and Viking Fleet offering a range of Nile cruises.
For more information, visit www.viking-egypt.net.

Jdoudna Hotel
Jdoudna Hotel is part of Jdoudna Company, which was formed to develop touristic projects in Syria. The CEO, George Mansour, comes from a background of more than
20 years in food and beverage outlet management and real estate development. The Jdoudna Hotel is the company’s first touristic project and is a new property, which opened in late 2009.

Investors Subscribe to Purchase Equity in Lebanon Premier Western Ranch and Resort

An innovative resort venture which promises authentic western log cabins, horses and a Dallas Style Mud Wrestling ring complete with mechanical bulls and horses opens up share offering to private investors to own equity in a 65 unit resort in the mountains of Lebanon.

Few countries in the world today can boast a 30% increase in tourism and real estate values other than Lebanon.

The Ministry of Tourism has declared a surge in demand for hotel rooms, with number like 20,000 additional rooms could be added in the next five years.

Brand hotels such as Movenpick, Four Seasons, Intercontinental have all planted their roots firmly in the the Playground of the Middle East, and building is brisk and the market is dynamic.

However, one new development, under planning stages seems to stand out among the new projects planned for tourism and real estate development outside the capital, Beirut.

Dukesville as it is called, is a real American style western ranch, complete with horses and real Dallas Texas style modern saloon, with mechanical bulls, mud wrestling, line dancing, muscle cars, and the first drag racing track in the country.

The project is the brainchild a Chekri Helou, a native Lebanese who was inspired by the old wild western traditions during his living experiences in the USA.

Mr. Helou is no stranger to the Western Ranch business. He was one of the founders of another venue in Lebanon 3 years before, leaving that successful enterprise to complete his vision of a full hotel and ranch community in a more popular location.

Authentic Resort Entertainment, SAL will develop 65 units in the hills of Lebanon on a 42,000 metre parcel that enjoys views that tourists would die for, says Bassim Matta, Chairman of the Group.

The company has undertaken an agreement with an international hotel management company to operate the hotel aspect, and is in the process of accepting subscriptions from the public sector to allow individuals to become partners in this unique log cabin hotel resort.

Individuals may apply for cabin partnership and receive the lions share of the revenue, while also enjoying usage benefits annually. We predict on a worst case scenario the return on investment will be between 18% to 24% annually, says Matta.

Lebanon has proven it is resilient to geo political tension, and has always bounced back from what others may perceive as doom, but what the Lebanese have become to accept as everyday life in one of the most panoramic country sceneries in the world.

Situated 20 minutes from world class ski slopes and 20 minutes from spectacular beaches, Dukesville in Ajaltoun will attract 80 percent of its market share from the local market. Our clients love their children, but also demand the bet of entertainment when it comes to their own precious leisure time.

Our purpose built Western Star Saloon will knock the boots off of anyone who dares to try to sit quietly during one of our stunning shows. We are able to accommodate 150 persons in our boutique western style resort accommodation, and 300 persons per night in our restaurant ,saloon entertainment center.

We have appointed World Class Group, leaders in leisure resort consulting to guide the resort through the stages of hospitality development and investment products, including a form of shared ownership through condo hotel licensing.

According to Michael J. Tolan, CEO of World Class Group,” the project will meet its 10,000,000 required capitalization through small and medium investors who will benefit from the spectacular attractions that will drive traffic to this theme park resort.”

“Phase one of the project will open in 2010, and the resort completion, including a full amenity package which promises many surprises to the market, will finalize in 2011.

“Investors may participate in the ownership of the resort for as little as 18,000 usd.”

For Further Information, contact Michael J. Tolan, CEO, World Class Group on mjt@worldclass-uae.com

A special Shared Ownership Summit is being offered in association with this year’s Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC), co-hosted by RCI on 1st May 2010, 1:00 – 5:30 p.m., at Madinat Jumeirah, Conference Centre, Dubai. Perspective Magazine will be a sponsor of this essential forum for developers, investors and hospitality firms who are recognising the renewed importance of timeshare, fractional and private residence clubs as integral components of mixed-use developments.

“Perspective Magazine is playing a key role in the shared ownership industry by highlighting trends, opportunities and generally driving awareness of vacation ownership, fractional and private residence club models,” says Jeff Tisdall, Managing Director, RCI Middle East and North Africa. “We are extremely appreciative of their continued support of both RCI and the upcoming Shared Ownership Summit in Dubai.”

The Summit will offer real, executable solutions that fully leverage today’s market conditions and will feature an unprecedented gathering of global and regional industry leaders. Participants can either register for the Summit directly, or upgrade their AHIC conference package to include the optional session.

“We are delighted to be a part of the Shared Ownership Summit,” says Perspective CEO Paul Mattimoe. “Perspective Magazine is all about disseminating useful, important information to the shared-ownership industry, and that is exactly what this event will accomplish as well.”

The Shared Ownership Summit will offer participants:

•The Perspective of Global Industry Leaders – Hear their views on the future direction of timeshare, fractional, private residence and destination club businesses.

•    Market Opportunities – Today’s new market conditions have significantly enhanced the prospects for shared ownership in MENA; find out why.

•    Sales, Marketing and Operating Solutions – Hear everything from support in developing in-house capabilities to turnkey operating models designed for developers and asset managers.

•    The Luxury Segment – Brand experts and leaders in branded residential will discuss future opportunities.

•    The CEO Shared Ownership Handbook – An essential tool kit for senior business leaders.

•    2010 Shared Ownership Survey – NorthCourse, RCI’s shared ownership consulting arm, will present its latest market research.

Registration fees are $500 for those attending the Shared Ownership Summit only, with a preferred rate of $350 for AHIC attendees.

To register for the Summit or for more information, please call +971 (0)4 390 0049, e-mail ahic@meed-dubai.com or visit www.registrationline.org.uk/ahic/event303/reg.asp. Information on the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference is available at www.arabianconference.com.

Ideally Located on the Waterfront of Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Joins a Growing Portfolio of St. Regis Hotels in the Middle East

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) has extended its development pipeline in the Arabian Gulf with the announcement of a planned second St. Regis hotel in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Owned by International Capital Trading (ICT), The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will be located on the celebrated Abu Dhabi waterfront offering extensive views of the Gulf’s spectacular azure waters in a location that is both central to the business district and directly on the Corniche. Located just a short drive from the recently opened F1 circuit, Ferrari museum, Gary Player-designed golf course and the Louvre, Guggenheim and Maritime museums, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will provide guests an entrance into a captivating world of opulence offering a unique expression of its location.

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi will be located on the Corniche in downtown Abu Dhabi as part of Nation Towers, the iconic two-tower mixed-use development. Located at the top of one tower beginning at the 33rd floor, the hotel will feature 281 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, including 56 suites, signature restaurants, a destination bar, sky bridge restaurant, more than 4,800 square metres of ultra modern meeting and event space and over 3,000 square metres of dedicated health club facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool. Guests will also enjoy a beach club adjacent to the hotel, which will be operated by Starwood.

“We are proud to increase St. Regis’ presence in the Middle East with the signing of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, offering the iconic luxury, unmatched privilege and bespoke services for which the St. Regis brand is renowned,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts. “Truly one of the Gulf Region’s most desirable destinations, Abu Dhabi offers our guests a unique mix of world-class cultural institutions, year-round recreation opportunities, specialty shopping, and cuisine at one of the best addresses in the world.”

“The announcement of our second St. Regis in Abu Dhabi is another sign of Starwood’s commitment to developing all nine of its brands in key Middle Eastern destinations,” said Roeland Vos, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Europe, Africa and Middle East. “We are honored to partner with ICT as we build on our existing footprint in Abu Dhabi with this prestigious addition to our portfolio of luxury hotels in the Middle East.”

Mr. Hamad Abdulla Al Shamsi, Chief Executive Officer of ICT said, “ICT is proud to partner with Starwood on this flagship development Nation Towers on the Corniche of Abu Dhabi. The signing marks another milestone for ICT who announced last year the award of the construction contract for the project. The combination of ICT’s prime location Nation Towers development together with the world class St. Regis brand will provide arguably a unique luxury hospitality experience in Abu Dhabi.”

Following in the tradition of the St. Regis brand’s legendary New York hotel, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi features the famed hallmarks of St. Regis hotels including the iconic St. Regis Butler Service, bespoke guest experiences and luxury accommodations tailored to global travelers. Trained in the English tradition, the butlers provide ever-present, yet unobtrusive service while anticipating guest needs and customizing each guest’s stay according to his or her specific tastes and preferences.

As the market leader in the Middle East, Starwood currently operates close to 50 hotels throughout the region with more than 20 projects currently in development.

About St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Combining classic sophistication and modern luxury, the St. Regis brand remains faithful to its commitment to excellence. Founded by John Jacob Astor IV, with the opening of the first St. Regis hotel in New York City over a century ago, The St. Regis brand of hotels is known for its unique luxury, customized service and refined elegance in the best destinations worldwide. Plans for the brand to globally continue its legacy include long-awaited St. Regis properties in Bahia Beach, Puerto Rico and Bal Harbour. In Latin America, the St. Regis brand will unveil new hotels and resorts in Buenos Aires, and the Riviera Maya. In Asia, the St. Regis brand has also announced plans to open properties in Bangkok, Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur, Lhasa, Nanjing, Osaka, Sanya Yalong Bay and Tianjin. In Africa and the Middle East, the St. Regis brand will continue to expand in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Doha and Mauritius. The distinctive trait of the St. Regis experience is customized service and attention, coveted locations and luxurious design. For more information on St. Regis Hotels & Resorts please visit the new www.stregis.com.

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1000 properties in nearly 100 countries and territories with 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), W(R), Westin(R), Le Méridien(R), Sheraton(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft(R), and ElementSM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About International Capital Trading
ICT is a private investment company based in Abu Dhabi. Its business activities include owning, developing and managing real estate as well as investing in a wide range of asset classes, ranging from equities and funds to direct investments and real estate.

For additional information please visit www.ict.ae.

Rare “Small Horses of the Giara” Add to the Mystique of Equestrian Hideaway

Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services and an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), announced the affiliation of Horse Country Resort on the island of Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Tucked into a pine forest on a six-mile long beach, the resort plays host to important horse shows and competitions year round in its Equestrian Centre.

“Horse Country Resort is a truly unique vacation spot in one of Italy’s most appealing destinations,” said Darren Ettridge, Interval International’s vice president of resort sales and service for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. “The resort’s pristine setting and array of vacation amenities will appeal to a wide range of our members and is a strong addition to Interval’s vacation exchange network.”

In keeping with the resort’s equestrian focus, bungalows are decorated in English or Country & Western themes. The studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom timeshare units share full resort amenities—including two swimming pools and five restaurants—with three 100-room hotels onsite, as well as access to a 7,500 square foot wellness spa adjacent to the resort. The Equestrian Centre includes traditional English-style courtyard stables, a sandy practice area, indoor and outdoor riding arenas, and a paddock.

Surrounded by the mountainous highlands of Arcidano and the Giara di Gesturi nature reserve—where Europe’s only herd of the rare “small horses of the Giara” still run wild—Horse Country Resort is well off the tourist path. The beaches are not crowded and the surrounding ecosystem, populated by pink flamingos and a host of other birds and animals, is made for exploring on horseback. The resort welcomes both beginner and experienced horse riders, offering lessons in English and Western riding styles and guided tours and excursions through the pine forest and along the beach. An authentic Western Village with a saloon, Tex-Mex restaurant, shops and a stage for live entertainment gives cowboy colour to resort facilities.

“Our goal is to offer something for every member of the family, every month of the year,” said Dr. Ettore Giachino, managingdirector of Horse Country Resort. “This is a place where inexperienced horse lovers can become expert riders over the years. But, it’s also where guests can simply enjoy watching skilled equestrians, relax in a natural setting, play sports, or indulge in spa treatments.”

Dr. Giachino added: “We chose to affiliate our resort with Interval International because of its high standards of quality and services and the professionalism of its sales team. We think that the unique nature of our resort, the setting, and the level of service we offer to our guests, will be improved with our affiliation to Interval. After several years experience in the tourism industry, the Horse Country timesharing project is the next step for us and we are convinced that Interval is the right partner to help us succeed in our goals.”

About Interval International
Interval International operates membership programs for vacationers and provides value-added services to its developer clients worldwide. Based in Miami, Florida, the company has been a pioneer and innovator in serving the vacation ownership market for more than 34 years. Today, Interval has an exchange network of more than 2,500 resorts in over 75 nations. Through offices in 15 countries, Interval offers high-quality products and benefits to resort clients and approximately 2 million families who are enrolled in various membership programs. Interval is an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: IILG), a leading global provider of membership and leisure services to the vacation industry.

RCI to co-host Shared Ownership Summit at the Middle East’s leading hotel investment event

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), will partner with Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) and Bench Events, organizers of AHIC, to host industry leaders at the 2010 Middle East Shared Ownership Summit.

The Shared Ownership Summit is part of the three-day AHIC programme which will take place 1 -3 May at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE, with the half-day Summit taking place on Saturday, 1 May. For a complete list of regional and international leaders who will be speaking at the Summit, please visit www.arabianconference.com.

Shared ownership refers to a set of leisure oriented real estate and hospitality products that include timeshare, fractional, private residence club and destination clubs. Timeshare, or vacation ownership as it is often called, is very well established in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) markets like Egypt with industry observers more recently noting the tremendous potential for both vacation ownership and fractional development in Dubai and other key Arabian Gulf leisure destinations.

Attendees will hear firsthand from the leaders of some of the most successful regional and global vacation ownership companies, whose experience will help highlight opportunities for growth in MENA. Similarly, leaders from companies who helped pioneer the luxury branded residential and private residence club concepts will serve as trend spotters as they consider how luxury brands will unlock value from real estate products in the future.

The Summit will offer significant value to timeshare and fractional developers as they share best practices, receive industry updates and explore new opportunities.

“The Shared Ownership Summit offers hospitality companies and mixed-use developers an efficient forum in which to better understand the immediate benefits and long-term value that vacation ownership can infuse in their overall business strategy,” said Jeff Tisdall, managing director, RCI MENA. “We are encouraged by the continued strong interest international vacation ownership companies are expressing in the Dubai market.

The Summit offers international companies a venue to explore opportunities to enter the regional market via partnership or through outright asset acquisition.”

“We are honoured to have such an experienced set of business leaders confirmed as Shared Ownership Summit speakers,” said Jonathan Worsley of Bench Events. “This really is an unprecedented gathering of vacation ownership, fractional and luxury residential development leaders.”

Summit attendees will not only receive a copy of the 2010 Shared Ownership Study including important global and regional industry updates, but also experience three essential panel discussions. The first panel will aim to provide attendees with the tools and insights they need to determine if now is the right time to add Shared Ownership to their business strategy. A second panel discussion focuses on the latest sales and marketing insights, solutions and alternative approaches to developing sales capabilities. The luxury segment discussion considers recent innovations in the category and takes a look forward to consider how luxury brands will unlock value from real estate products in the future.

“This is a very timely discussion as the Middle East and North Africa region has seen significant innovations in the luxury segment,” said Gregg Anderson, vice president, The Registry Collection program. “This is a great opportunity for firms to consider how they will position themselves to capture new opportunities in the future.”

In addition, Jeff Tisdall, managing director, RCI MENA, will offer a sneak preview of the Summit when he hosts a free webinar on 7 April. The webinar will share an advance look at trends and opportunities in hotel shared ownership and reveal the potential of timeshare, fractional and private residence club concepts to the real estate development and hospitality industry. Those interested in attending the free webinar can register at www.arabianconference.com/webinar.

About The Shared Ownership Summit
The Shared Ownership Summit is offered as an optional upgrade to attendees of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. It will also be possible to register directly in the Shared Ownership Summit. The Summit begins at 1:00pm on Saturday, May 1, 2010 and is immediately followed by a reception and networking event. For registration details please call 00971 (0)4 390 0049, email ahic@meed-dubai.com or visit www.arabianconference.com.

About RCI
RCI is part of Wyndham Exchange and Rentals, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 65,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Exchange and Rentals 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® program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; 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, a research and consultancy firm providing advisory services to the global leisure real estate industry. 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.wyndhamer.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

Bench Events
Bench Events has a long track record of hosting the premier hotel investment events in the world. Bench Events’ Chairman, Jonathan Worsley, is one of the organisers and founders of the highly successful International Hotel Investment Forum now in its thirteenth year (www.berlinconference.com). In 2005, he was responsible for launching the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in Dubai and in 2008 launched the Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference which was a sell out success (www.russia-cisconference.com). Bench Event’s sister company, JW Bench, is a benchmarking company that has successfully launched the Conference Bench and the Productivity Bench. An industry first, the Conference Bench, measures performance data for conference and banqueting space in hotels in Stockholm, Oslo, London, Brussels with other capital cities contributing shortly. www.benchevents.com

MEED
For 50 years business leaders have been relying on MEED (Middle East Economic Digest) to give them a wealth of factual, unbiased business information that they need to be successful. The MEED brand represents an unrivalled portfolio of high calibre business information products, online services and premier networking events. MEED Conferences is part of the leading information brand in the Middle East working to provide delegates with the very latest business sensitive information. Over the past 12 years, MEED Conferences has organised events attended by senior government officials and thousands of international business people. The conference series is aimed at companies actively seeking business in the markets of the Middle East. MEED is well established as the source of strategic and accurate regional information placing it in a unique position to bring together high-calibre speakers. www.meed.com