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.

Sports Village And Spa Resort Close To Costa Smeralda Joins Quality Exchange Network

Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services and an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), today announced the affiliation to its vacation exchange network of Geovillage Sport and Wellness Resort.

Designed around the principles of sport and wellness, the resort includes the Malo Clinic Spa and Fitness Centre, and counts champion tennis stars and top soccer teams from across Europe among its guests.

Geovillage, set on 14 hectares (35 acres) of lush Mediterranean gardens, is located near Olbia on the northeast coast of Sardinia, Italy, with the luxurious Costa Smeralda nearby. The resort includes timeshare units within the existing hotel that are spacious, filled with natural light, and designed in a modern style, featuring bleached wood furniture. Amenities include an outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool and two indoor pools, four synthetic and six clay tennis courts, wet and piano bars, and a restaurant, in addition to the world-class spa and fitness centre. It is only a few kilometres from the beach of Pittulongu.

“This innovative resort caters to our more discerning and active members with its great location and full range of amenities,” said Darren Ettridge, Interval International’s vice president of resort sales and service for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. “Geovillage is Gavino Docche’s first venture into timesharing and we are very pleased to have had the opportunity to complement his creativity and entrepreneurship with our experience in shared ownership development.”

“We chose Interval International because the company greatly assisted us in understanding the many benefits of entering the vacation ownership industry and we were impressed with its expertise,” said Gavino Docche, the developer of Geovillage. “We also preferred the quality of its exchange network and marketing tools, which will greatly enhance our value proposition at the point of sale.”

The northeast coast of Sardinia attracts many tourists owing to its climate, natural beauty, and history. Activities near the resort range from boat rentals, diving, fishing, and surfing to golf, horseback riding, and shopping. Numerous prehistoric caves, castles, and temples dot the coast and countryside, including the Anghelu Ruju, an area of ancient man-made caves that were used from about 3000 to 1500 BC. Visitors also can view the remains of the Roman thermal baths at Oristano and other archaeological ruins, including tombs, inside the crypt of St. Lussorios church.

About Interval International
Interval International operates membership programs for vacation owners 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 33 years. Today, Interval has a network of approximately 2,500 resorts in more than 75 countries and offers its resort clients and about 2 million member families high-quality products and programs through offices in 26 cities in 16 countries.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.