Television Programming Helps Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket Lead the Resale Market

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, Europe’s leading timeshare resale company, is blazing a trail for televising programs about timeshare. First, the company partnered with TATOC, the Timeshare Association, to broadcast a 30-minute informational program that aired on the Travel Channel. Now, Worldwide  Timeshare Hypermarket is creating 60-minute programs that focus on the offerings from particular timeshare resort developers. First up: Macdonald Resorts.

This past November, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket joined together with TATOC, the Timeshare Association, to launch their first television broadcast, “Timeshare – History in the Making” – a 30-minute program explaining all the benefits associated with owning a timeshare – which has aired multiple times on both the Travel Deals Direct channel (Sky 647) and the Travel Channel. The program also is available to view on demand at www.traveldealsdirect.com.

“Timeshare – History in the Making” is split into several sections covering all aspects of timesharing and is interspersed with footage of typical timeshare resorts located on the Costa del Sol (Club La Costa, Marina del Sol), Cyprus (Paradise Kings Club) and Scotland (Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, Forest Hills).

Here’s an excerpt from the segment on Macdonald Forest Hills: “Forest Hills lochside resort is beautifully set in landscaped gardens and woodland on the shores of Loch Ard, ideal for exploring the magnificent Trossachs, Scotland’s first national park.” While any brochure or website can relay flowery prose and descriptive words, there is no substitute for the complementary video footage of Forest Hills and environs that accompanies them.

The broadcast also explains how exchange programs and memberships work, detailing the concepts of banking, trading and even bonus weeks and cruise exchange.

The presentation is the result of a combined effort between Philip Watson, managing director of Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket and Harry Taylor, the CEO for TATOC. Throughout the half-hour, Taylor offers his insight on things such as management fees and the beauty of being able to exchange worldwide. He also shares his experiences as a timeshare owner. What’s more, Taylor explains the basic premise of timeshare so that even someone without any timesharing experience can understand.  The idea behind the show is to educate people about timesharing in the comfort of their own homes.

This special program was the first of what is to be many, says Watson. And now, he says, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket is introducing longer programming, announced in December 2009 at The FORUM event in London, with Macdonald Hotels & Resorts as the first client to participate. Rather than focus on just one Macdonald property, the show will be much broader. “We will create either two half-hour programs or an hour-long program that will promote Macdonald in total,” explains Watson, “so you would have all their hotels, their resorts and their rental program – and maybe even a fly-buy program in there – so that you’re concentrating on one group of resorts” and all that they have to offer.

Of course, by the time you read this, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket may have already finalized additional deals to create further 60-minute television specials. “We’re also discussing the possibility of creating such an hour-long program with Club La Costa and one or two other major groups,” Watson says, noting that another program launch is likely for March.

Key to all this is Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket’s relationship with television outlets; while any decent marketing agency could create a video, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket’s agreement with the appropriate channels and networks turns a video into an actual television program. “We’ve increased the sponsorship contract with the Travel Channel for a further year,” says Watson. “We’re in discussions with Sky Travel at the moment to do exactly the same thing, but I can’t say any more than that at present.”

The Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket Difference
Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket is proud to be one of the market leaders in secondary timeshare resales, providing to both buyers and sellers a very safe and professional service. With Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket’s parent company being a developer, they have found from experience that among some of the main reasons why people do not buy timeshare direct from the developer is either the product is too highly priced for them, or they do not like the sales tactics/environment used.

Therefore when it came to resales, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket take a step back and allow both the buyer and the seller to approach them, which leaves buyers and sellers feeling relaxed and in control. Under no circumstances does Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket cold call, so the client never feels under pressure from the staff at any time.

Instead, the company advertises extensively on international and national television and in the press, which means the client first has to call if they wish to either purchase or sell a timeshare. Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket is then able to offer a full service for clients from beginning to end. The company advertises sellers’ weeks in the press as well as on their website; once a buyer is found, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket completes the transfer on the seller’s behalf, taking all the hassle out of having to sell privately.

For the purchaser, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket determines which product would suit their requirements and budget – and again, the company conducts a full transfer service where all the client needs to do is sit back, relax and when they become the legal owner enjoy their timeshare along with the family.

All monies are held in trust by Resort Fiduciary Services until the transfer is complete so the client knows they can relax happy with the knowledge that their money is safe until they become seen as the legal owner. Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket does not take deposits and allows a full 14-day cooling off period; should the potential client be unable to afford the cost up front, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket is able to assist them with membership to WorldWide Plus, which is a club card allowing them to purchase with 6 months interest free and nothing to pay for 6 months.

Afterwards they can use this card on a similar basis to purchase further Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket products if they wish. This club card is supplied by H.M.C Funding and Barclay Partner Finance – Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket was the first European timeshare company to be offered this product.

Being a member of RDO (Resort Development Organization, which formerly was OTE/Organisation for Timeshare in Europe) is integral to Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket’s beliefs and methods of working. RDO has provided a solid framework upon which Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket has built a  professional and efficient procedure in assisting their customers, be they buyers or sellers, and this provides those customers with the confidence that they deserve when they are dealing with a reputable and trustworthy organization.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is the first shared-ownership developer to take advantage of Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket's 60-minute TV programming offer

RDO not only ensures that its member companies are operating correctly, but it also works tirelessly to promote the image of timeshare throughout Europe. In this regard Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket shares a common purpose and they are extremely proud of their involvement with RDO. They are also proud to add to the company’s close association with TATOC, whom they support and assist in every way that they can.

Future Collaborations
“I think it is absolutely vital that resale companies and developers have a good working relationship and provide a good level of service for their customers, both old and new,” Watson says. “This is one of the key reasons why I am always looking at ways to improve the developer’s understanding of who we are and how we operate.” In addition to the television programming, Watson says that another result of this has been Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket’s “Indulgence” trial membership package, which allows the company to tap into the large market of new-to-timeshare customers while providing good quality leads to their partner developers.

“Other than this mutually beneficial relationship, it is key that we work closely with both the developers and trustees when we are processing a transfer of ownership and the flow of information between all parties involved and a speedy and efficient process serves to enhance our reputation and that of the resort,” notes Watson.

“We also offer wholesale purchases for developers and marketers; in some instances certain resorts have the ability, through using our stock, to sell additional exchange member resort week(s) to exchange members when they exchange onto their resorts, which works very well,” he says. “We can also come to arrangements with developer resorts that take in exchange weeks through their sales teams whereby we can take these weeks off their hands.”

For more information about creating a television program about your resort(s) or otherwise working with Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, call +44 870 443 1466 or visit www.timeshare-hypermarket.com.

About Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket
Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket is a highly professional company with an excellent reputation for customer care. We have been trading in timeshare resales for more than 12 years and currently have the largest database of timeshare weeks available, plus a long waiting list of buyers who are eager for specific weeks when they become available.

Our European Headquarters are located in Bournemouth, Dorset in the United Kingdom, so we conduct our business strictly in line with the Timeshare Act of 1992. We specialize in matching buyers to sellers and handle over 1000 such transactions each and every week, so when you are dealing with us, you can rest assured that you are dealing with the best in the business.

When buying through Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, you can be sure that you are in safe hands, with full protection provided. Your monies are deposited in an escrow account, administered by Resort Fiduciary Services Ltd. This means that no funds will be released until title has been transferred to the purchaser’s name, ensuring both parties to the agreement of sale are fully protected at all times.

We are full members of Resort Development Organisation (RDO), the governing body for timeshare in Europe. This association allows us to offer a safe and professional service to all our clients, ensuring that all legal obligations are adhered to every step of the way.

We are also Platinum Affiliates with TATOC the Timeshare Owners Association that is run on behalf of Timeshare owners by Timeshare owners.

Macdonald Resorts based in Scotland is recognised as one of Europe’s leading resort developers with nine resorts located across the UK and Spain, which complement the Macdonald Group’s 43 four and five star hotels in the UK. With over 25,000 members, Macdonald Resorts has been in operation for over 20 years and is one of the UK’s leading hospitality brands.

Offering a range of products including fixed week ownership, short term lease products and the points-based vacation club “Options”, which links with its sister business Macdonald Hotels, Macdonald Resorts is unique in its make-up.

“Merlin will allow Macdonald Resorts to handle every aspect of the business including property & inventory management, sales & marketing and management fee billing so we can maximise our business potential”, explained Simon Jackson, Managing Director of Macdonald Resorts Ltd. “Obviously Merlin includes all the functionality that one comes to expect in software but Merlin has so much more to offer, to the extent that all of our technology needs are catered for in one application.  And of course website integration that allows owners to interact with their ownership accounts, including being able to pay management fees on line, will add a new dimension to our services”.

Jackson continued:  “We needed an experienced technological partner who could provide us with more than just software.  The Merlin team has hands-on vacation ownership experience. Mike Pnematicatos, Merlin’s chief software developer, has built his own resorts so he understands the challenges that innovative businesses face today”.

From fixed weeks and points club management to fractionals and private residence clubs, Merlin’s software functionality provides a single software solution for today’s resort and management business. Developed as state-of-the-art Business Application Software, Merlin is web based and served across the internet. Users can access their accounts securely via a web browser from anywhere, at any time without the need of expensive or complicated hardware installations.

Merlin’s interactive functionality allows management companies to integrate the software with their current websites for online bookings and payments. Members can transact in real time with their management company, accessing the same data and with all activities written back directly into Merlin.

Merlin, the leading industry online software provider, delivers software directly to users through the internet using the new technology of Cloud Computing. According to chief software developer Mike Pnematicatos “Merlin is resource light, incredibly intuitive and allows unlimited users and multiple locations to access the software securely in real time from anywhere in the world. It enables resorts and hotels to benefit from time and cost savings – yet still be at the cutting edge of internet technology.”

About Merlin
Merlin Software for Vacation Ownership has been developed by Mike Pnematicatos who has over 25 years experience in the timeshare industry in sales, marketing and resort management. Merlin Software is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

Using the latest web technology, Merlin is the complete software package for today’s hospitality industry and can handle all types of timeshare and holiday product.

Merlin Software incorporates modules for sales, marketing and front and back office, and its software architecture is inherently flexible. As Merlin is served over the Internet there is no requirement for any expensive communication links or set up fees and can be accessed from wherever there is an Internet connection.

Contact details
For more information on Merlin Software for Vacation Ownership contact Mike Ashton by e-mail at mikea@quickmerlin.com  or visit www.quickmerlin.com to arrange a full demonstration.

Fast response to changing trends is at the core of Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels’ ability to snatch success even from the jaws of the worst global recession to affect the holiday industry.

Recently, the company moved to close down four of its five off-site sales operations in the UK, due to the country’s continuing economic battering, to refocus on new programmes aimed at increased Fly-Buy/SIV activity.

CLC’s prestigious sales and exhibition centre in London’s best postcode, the West End, continues to operate, but a decision was taken to shut its other UK off-sites as their effectiveness in the current financial climate was under question.

“Right now, the best thing we can do is offer great price family holidays where customers can come and sample the quality and value of the Club La Costa experience, and we are doing this through a number of channels,” said chairman Roy Peires.

Club La Costa’s Essex-based marketing operation is at the centre of a flurry of Fly Buy activity handling data from a mix of sources, such as shopping centre booths, emailings and websites, while independent marketers have promotions at airports both in the UK and Spain.

UK off sites have been integral to the company’s success across its 25-year history, resuming in 1991 after a break in the 1980s. However, the continuing poor shape of the UK economy, have led to a major sales rethink.

About Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels
• Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels is widely regarded as a leading provider of holiday products in Europe.
• Founded in 1984, the company has more than 50,000 members and 23 wholly owned resorts in England, Scotland, mainland Spain, Tenerife and Austria.
• CLC Estates is the company’s successful real estate business.
• Club La Costa also has its own in-house travel agency and resort management arm.
• Developing a mixed use model of whole ownership homes – offered with a leaseback programme – and timeshare resorts, Club La Costa has expanded into Turkey during 2009, opening a new resort with a second planned for 2010.
• In 2007, Club La Costa launched its unique Yacht Club with sailings in the Red Sea, Turkey, around Mallorca and, planned for next year, Greece.
• Across its operations, Club La Costa employs more than 2,000 employees.
• The company is a founding member of the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe, now the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) of which it continues to be a key supporter.
• The Smile Foundation, a charitable organisation which Club La Costa helped found and helps raise funds for, and the private Roy Peires Foundation, help many needy causes. 
• Club La Costa prides itself on impeccable levels of service, innovative products, a pioneering spirit and the outstanding quality of its resorts, which occupy top locations and offer a wide range of excellent facilities.

For further information please visit www.clublacosta.com

Kintyre Development Company Offers Fractional Ownership Alongside Historic Scottish Links in the ‘Very Cradle of Celtic Scotland’

By Matt McDaniel

A brand new shared ownership resort project is being built in Machrihanish, a small village on the tip of the Kintyre peninsula – called the Mull of Kintyre – on Scotland’s west coast. But while parts of the fractional resort are brand new, the property itself has ties to the earliest days of golf.

Despite the awe-inspiring beauty of the area where land meets sea, it is the seaside golf that is truly the heart of the resort. A centerpiece of the project’s marketing campaign is the tag line, “The Way Golf Began,” which is a reference to the historic DNA found in the resort’s newly opened links course, Machrihanish Dunes. What’s more, the resort is adjacent to Machrihanish Golf Club with its Old Tom Morris designed course (which in 2008 was ranked 39th in Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Courses Outside the U.S.”).

So it’s only natural that U.K.-based developer Kintyre Development Company (KDC) is creating fractional golf residences here. “We invested in the property in 2006,” says David Southworth, president and CEO of Southworth Development LLC, which owns the controlling interest in KDC through an affiliated company. Southworth development is a U.S.-based golf, resort and residential development company that has served as developer, manager, consultant and/or construction manager to more than 40 properties during the past 18 years through its affiliated companies. “We started as a minority owner [at Machrihanish Dunes] and were the management company for all the different products: the golf, the hotel, and fractional,” Southworth notes. “We thought the project was unique and special,” so when the opportunity came to buy out most of the shares in the business, his company acted on it.

And golf is what makes this property “unique and special.” Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club, opened to the public on 2 May 2009, boasts the first 18-hole links golf course to be built on the west coast of Scotland in 100 years. Course Architect and Scotsman David McLay Kidd, who is internationally acclaimed for his design of Bandon Dunes in Oregon and The Castle Course at St. Andrews, created the 7,175-yard course that features six greens and five tees at the ocean’s edge. The course has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a designation similar to the National Historic Register in the United States, explains Southworth.

The resort is indeed a golfer’s paradise. Five of the world’s top courses are within a 35-mile radius, with four having hosted the Open Championship. Courses including Turnberry, Prestwick and Royal Troon in Scotland, and Royal County Down and Royal Portrush (the only Irish golf course ever to host the Open Championship) are within an hour away by plane or, in some cases, boat.

The Ugadale and Royal Hotels
While Machrihanish Dunes provides a golfing experience par excellence, the lodging options are top notch as well. Several projects are in various stages of completion at the Village at Machrihanish Dunes.

The Ugadale Hotel is the official hotel of the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club. Currently, the historic hotel is undergoing renovation and restoration. The hotel overlooks the famous first hole at Machrihanish Golf Club (widely regarded as “the most spectacular opening hole in golf”) and will feature 22 rooms as well as a malt whisky bar and local-seafood restaurant. The restoration, scheduled to finish in early 2011, will act to complement the existing cottages and further the services and amenities of the village.

Next door, The Old Clubhouse Pub & Restaurant, once the original clubhouse for Machrihanish Golf Club, has undergone a complete interior transformation.

Once again, the classic Scottish pub serves as a warm and welcoming central meeting place for visitors and locals alike.

In addition, the developer also owns and is renovating another historic lodging establishment, the Royal Hotel in nearby (about eight kilometers) Campbeltown. Guests staying at any Village at Machrihanish will have charging privileges at the Royal as well.

“The Ugadale and the Royal were the jewels in the crown for this market a hundred years ago,” Southworth says. “These properties were built the right way, with all the finest detail. What we’re doing is simply restoring them to the grandeur with which they were founded. We’re obviously updating them, because some of the guestrooms didn’t have full bathrooms before. But we’re doing that in such a way that maintains the original character and ambience of the hotel.”

The Ugadale Golf Cottages
The final development, the Ugadale Golf Cottages, will be available as 32 residences that blend with the natural landscape. Finished in highest quality stone and slate-roof exteriors, “the cottages were built with traditional architecture and layout for that area of Scotland,” says Southworth.

Each cottage has two bedrooms, each with a zipped king bed which can be separated into two twin beds. In addition, each cottage has a pull-out couch which can accommodate an additional two guests, making it possible for six people to stay.

Interiors will be finished in natural stone, hardwoods and stainless steel and fully furnished and finished to international four-star standards with an eye toward casual elegance. Wools and overstuffed furniture adorn the interiors to create a “club” feel.

The cottages have been thoughtfully configured to best accommodate visiting golfers and are fully serviced and professionally managed. The eight completed cottages have spectacular views of Machrihanish’s beautiful landscape and the Atlantic Ocean.

Fractionals with a Guaranteed Return
KDC is constructing the cottages in three phases. A limited number of cottages are being offered to the public on a freehold fractional ownership basis, which provides a heritable title that will be registered in the Land Register of Scotland.

The title may be sold or passed on to family. Freeholds are being sold in four-week fractions, which will be made up from a fixed week in each season. Phase I of the cottages is complete, consisting of eight units ready for fractional ownership. There is no exchange component.

In Phase 1, when a fraction is purchased, the owner (or, where the purchaser is multiple individuals or an entity, one identified nominee) will also receive the right to play golf at Machrihanish Dunes free of charge. Owners of fractions and their guests will be entitled to preferred tee times at Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club, as well as discounted greens fees. For golfers, these may be the most-valuable benefits of ownership.

James Garland, general manager, explains another surprising incentive: “We’re offering a 7% investment return per annum – a guaranteed return for the first three years. Even if there’s a shortfall, the company will make up the difference.” “The reason we can do that,” adds Southworth, “is that currently in the Machrihanish and Campbeltown market, the supply and demand for overnight lodging is way out of whack. There’s really no supply to service the demand. So, the 7% return is for those who do not use their units for the first three years, because we can then put them into the rental pool.” The bottom-line numbers make  his a compelling offer. “Seven percent in today’s world isn’t too bad,” he says.

Sales and Marketing
Prices for the cottages start at £39,900 and vary based on size, configuration, location and the specific weeks included.

The primary target audiences are the English and Scottish markets, with the United States as a secondary market. “It’s primarily golf enthusiasts, and specifically links golf enthusiasts, as well as people that come to Machrihanish and Campbeltown for holidays,” says Southworth. “On the latter group, the people that have always been vacationing there, this in a way is just kind of a better mousetrap – it’s a new product that has all the conveniences that people are looking for.” In addition, the resort is making use of Southworth Development’s U.S. database. “We get a lot of Americans at Machrihanish,” says Southworth.

Marketing is to high-end prospective owners; Garland says potential owners have £50,000 in the bank or
incomes in excess of £100,000 per year. “We’re working with an estate agency in the UK, Clyde Property, located in the wealthy parts of west coast of Scotland, which is one of the reasons we’ve chosen them,” says Garland. “And we’re also working with a further company who are doing a specific target market there, aiming at the top 500 owners within the UK. Outside of that, we are working with HSBC and their Premier Golf Network,” placing highly targeted regional advertisements and working with outside companies to develop golf and accommodation packages, and partnering with Visit Scotland to promote the area.

Future Plans
Southworth and Garland say much more development is to come at Machrihanish Dunes. The second of the three planned villages will also include single-family home sites and straight condominium ownership.

Outside of the Mull of Kintyre, Southworth Development has five other current projects currently, including a
fractional property in the Bahamas. “As far as our future and how we grow, it’s just to continue to do what makes sense,” says Southworth. “There might be another opportunity or two out there right now.”

Matt McDaniel has reported on the shared-ownership industry for more than a decade, but especially enjoys writing about Scotland, his ancestral home.

Following Investment by owner Leisurecorp, Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort Re-Opens to Host The Open Championship 2009 on its Renowned Ailsa Golf Course

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces that the historic Turnberry golf resort will re-open as part of the renowned Luxury Collection brand at The Open Championship 2009 following a $65 million renovation by owner Leisurecorp, a division of Dubai World company Nakheel.

Following the $65 million refurbishment, which has focused on the iconic resort’s public spaces and 40 of its 211 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, Turnberry will proudly host the word’s oldest golf championship, on its renowned Ailsa golf course from July 16 – 19, 2009.

Redesigned by acclaimed interior design firm Fox Linton Associates, Turnberry offers guests world class cuisine, a variety of outdoor activities in addition to golf, and an award winning spa experience. Ideally located on Scotland’s picturesque Ayrshire coast, Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, is the newest addition to The Luxury Collection, a glittering ensemble of the world’s finest hotels and resorts including, The Grande Bretagne, Athens, Greece; Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Elciego, Spain; Mystique, Santorni, Greece; Hotel Danieli, Venice, Italy; The U.S. Grant, San Diego and The Joule, Dallas.

“The Luxury Collection is a portal to the world’s most enriching and desirable destinations, where nothing less than an exceptional level of service, perfect location and indigenous personal offerings will do,” said Paul James, Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts. “Internationally recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious golfing destinations, Turnberry Resort adds another jewel to The Luxury Collection’s glittering ensemble.”

This year’s Open Championship will host the world’s leading golfers who will compete on Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, widely viewed as one of the best links courses in the world. The historic golf resort has previously played host to the world’s oldest major golf championship in 1977, 1986 and 1994. Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, boasts two 18-hole Championship courses including the Ailsa Course and the Kintyre Course. In addition, the resort has a 9-hole Arran Course and renowned Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy.

“It is an incredible honour for Turnberry to once again host The Open Championship. The upgrade of the golf course and the completion of an extensive hotel restoration programme has been a key deliverable for 2009 and we have worked closely with heritage consultants to ensure that the building’s history is preserved while delivering beautifully designed hotel rooms and facilities,” said Joe Sita, Chief Executive Officer, Nakheel Hotels, the parent company of Leisurecorp. “We have dedicated close to $65 million to restore the hotel to its rightful place as the premier property in the West of Scotland.”

“Turnberry is the most scenically attractive golf course I know anywhere in the world. It has a wonderful history as a championship venue and we are excited to be coming back for the fourth time,” said Peter Dawson, The R&A’s chief executive. “The improvements to the Ailsa course made over the past two winters have sharpened the teeth of what was always a daunting course and will provide an even tougher challenge this year for the world’s finest golfers in their quest to lift the Claret Jug.”

The sophisticated transformation of Turnberry features a blend of indigenous Scottish charm and contemporary luxury that will uphold the resort’s legacy as an iconic golf destination. Redesigned by Mary Fox Linton, founder of Fox Linton Associates, Turnberry’s restored accommodations include subtle interior colours which give each room a soft, calming air inspired by the resort’s majestic coastal setting. Floor to ceiling windows flood the resort with natural light and offer breathtaking views of the Turnberry Lighthouse, Ailsa Craig and the lush links golf courses. Ensuring that Turnberry’s historical charm was preserved, Fox Linton Associates collaborated closely with Historic Scotland during the restoration of the 103-year-old resort. “Being privileged to work on an iconic building in such a beautiful coastal setting lent inspiration to the new concept,” said Mary Fox Linton. “We wanted to pay tribute to the original design by James Miller and bring it up to date to create an ambience of contemporary luxury using a colour palate and textures that reflect the hotel’s location looking out over the Irish Sea.”

Dining at Turnberry indulges the senses with a diverse menu of sophisticated and distinct culinary options. Offering spectacular views of the resort’s golf courses and the Irish Sea, original architect James Miller’s Grand Tea Lounge has been redesigned to its original splendor. 1906, open for breakfast and dinner, offers guests a casual dining experience, featuring classic brassiere inspired dishes such as eggs Benedict, ouefs en cocotte, lobster Thermidor and more. Turnberry’s Duel in the Sun bar, offering a range of specialty draft and bottled beers, wine, spirits and snacks, is the ideal setting to relax after a game of golf or to enjoy the latest sporting event on the bar’s multiple plasma screens.

For more information on Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, please visit, www.luxurycollection.com/turnberry or the destination website www.turnberry.co.uk

Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort
Located in Ayrshire, Scottland Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort first opened in 1906 and quickly established itself as the premier destination for social and sporting events. Converted into an airfield during both world wars, the Ailsa course, designed by Mackenzie Ross, reopened to the public in 1951. The course emerged from acres of runway, foundations of brick huts, hangars and transformer houses left over from the Second World War and has been established as one of the world’s most renowned golf courses. The Spa at Turnberry was added in 1991 and the new Golf Clubhouse June 1993.

The Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy, the first of its kind in the world, opened in 2000, offering a unique teaching environment with state-of-the art facilities. This was followed with the opening of the Kintyre course in 2001. With its spectacular setting, challenging golf holes and awe-inspiring views, each course is world renowned. The Onsite Outdoor Activity Centre offers guests a variety of distinguished outdoor activities including, quad biking, horse-riding, fishing, off-road driving and more. The Arran course, a par 3 and 4 course, opened in 2002 as the ideal venue for on-course lessons for novices and offer expert players a warm up round prior to their game on the Ailsa or Kintyre. In 2001 Turnberry greatly expanded its accommodation options by building nine two-bedroom luxury cottages, ideal for couples and families, as well as twelve luxury lodges with either six or eight ensuite bedrooms, adjacent to the hotel with breathtaking views across the golf courses and sea.

About Leisurecorp
Leisurecorp, a division of Nakheel Leisure, is the world’s most powerful emerging golf entity. In November 2007, Leisurecorp announced a long-term partnership with The European Tour, heralding a new era for world golf. This partnership includes the creation of The Race to Dubai – a $10 million season-long competition which replaces ‘The European Tour Order of Merit’ and culminates in the world’s richest golf tournament, the $10 million Dubai World Championship. Held annually at Leisurecorp’s Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Dubai World Championship will be open to players ranked 1- 60 in The Race to Dubai.

Jumeirah Golf Estates will also become home to The European Tour’s International Headquarters and The European Tour Performance Institute, a custom-built training facility exclusively for the use of European Tour members. Established by Dubai World in July 2006, Leisurecorp specialises in the development of premium golf and lifestyle destinations. In addition to Jumeirah Golf Estates, the world’s largest golf community, Leisurecorp’s portfolio includes Turnberry, Scotland’s premier golf resort and host of The Open Championship 2009, and Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa’s leading residential golf community and home of the South African Open Championship. Leisurecorp is a minority owner of Troon Golf, the world’s leading luxury golf management, development and marketing company, and investor in GPS Industries, which provides GPS-enabled technologies for the golf industry. The company also has ventures in the marina and ski resort sectors. For more information please visit www.leisurecorpmediacentre.com

About The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts
The Luxury Collection® is a selection of hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Magnificent décor, spectacular settings, impeccable service and the latest modern conveniences combine to provide a uniquely enriching experience. Today, The Luxury Collection is a glittering ensemble of more than 70 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries in bustling cities and spectacular destinations around the world. The Luxury Collection includes award-winning hotels that continuously exceed guest expectations by offering unparalleled service, style and class in some of the most desired destinations in the world. Most recently, Mystique, a Luxury Collection Resort, was honored with the 2008 Travel + Leisure Design Award for Best Small Resort in the world. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest. For more information, please visit www.luxurycollection.com.

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket has commenced its sponsorship of The Travel Channel on Sky TV,

From the beginning of May the European based timeshare resale company, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket will be the first timeshare industry company thanks to the hard work of appointed agency Fourchairs and their Managing Director, Terry Rose over the last 9 months in overcoming the opposition towards timeshare advertising.

As the main sponsor, the company will be featured very heavily throughout May with exposure at all times including peak periods. and will also be supporting their viewer competition by offering a weeks accommodation at their resort in Scotland, The Moness House Hotel & Country Club which will show Timeshare in a good light.

This month brings you reviews of the recent ARDA & VOIC conventions as well as a Fractional Expo held in London as interst in the product grows. This month the magazine is distributed to all delegates meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland for the OTE Road Show and Front Cover Sponsors, Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket tackles the issues of resales and the relationships between developer and resale company. Plus, the official announcement that Perspective International will be launching a consumer version of Perspective Magazine in July 2008 for existing owners and prospective buyers of all shared ownership products.

EDITION HIGHLIGHTS Front Cover Sponsorship: Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket Perspective A-List: Alain Grangé, Sol Mélia Vacation Club Convention Review: American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention Review: Vacation Ownership Investment Conference Dubai (VOIC) Event Review: Fractional Expo 2008, London Destination Guide: Rwanda Feature: Scotland – A World Class Product Feature: Theory Of Evolution – Women In The Industry Feature: Giving Both Consumers And Developers What They Want – The New Owners Perspective Magazine Supplier Review: Swarovski Brings Crystal To Today’s Sophisticated Interiors Event Review: The Comrades Marathon – Running For Charity View Edition Online | Download To Hard Drive