Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services and an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq:IILG), yesterday announced that Welk Resorts Cabo – Sirena del Mar has joined its vacation exchange network. Overlooking the Sea of Cortez near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, this is the first international location in the Welk Resorts portfolio launched by legendary entertainer Lawrence Welk.

“Those familiar with the Welk history know that we strive to ensure whatever we do at our resorts is done with the highest quality standards,” said Jon Fredricks, president of Welk Resorts. “Welk Resorts Cabo – Sirena del Mar, the newest addition to our family of resorts, clearly exemplifies this commitment to excellence.”

Craig M. Nash, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Interval Leisure Group, parent company of Interval International, added, “We are very proud to welcome Welk Resorts Cabo – Sirena del Mar, Welk’s sixth property, to Interval’s worldwide network. The resort’s stunning location and full range of amenities carry on the tradition of quality that has made Welk Resorts one of the most respected independent brands in the vacation ownership industry.”

Set on a 65-foot bluff near the popular resort town of Cabo San Lucas on the tip of the Baja California peninsula, Welk Resorts Cabo – Sirena del Mar is being built in tiers to maximize its panoramic views of the Sea of Cortez and El Arco, the landmark stone arch. There are two pools on the seven-acre property and cascading decks have wet wall water features, a vanishing edge waterfall and spa, thatched palapas, and a fire pit. At the rim of the seaside cliff, a spiral staircase leads to a swimmable cove beach.

While the setting may be a world away from other resorts in the Welk Resorts portfolio — including the Welk Resort north of the San Diego suburb of Escondido, the 400-acre flagship property, and the Ozark Mountain-themed Timber Ridge Lodge in the heart of family-friendly Branson, Missouri — the quality and flexible, points-based product is very familiar to more than 43,000 owners at Welk Resorts. Sixteen of the 20 two-bedroom villas in phase one of Welk Resorts Cabo – Sirena del Mar are lock-off units, adding another layer of flexibility. (The remaining four units are two-bedroom penthouses.) The build out is scheduled to progress in five phases for a total of 222 units with a range of configurations, including one-bedroom junior suites.

All units will include luxury amenities such as whirlpool tubs, stainless appliances, multiple flat screen TVs, complimentary Internet access, and pillow-top king-sized beds.

Phase one owners and guests will be able to enjoy a range of on-site amenities including two outdoor pools (one with a swim-up bar), a fitness center, game room, an owner’s lounge and shop selling beverages and sundries. Just five minutes from the property, Cabo San Lucas offers the full spectrum of shopping, dining, golf and water sports.

Further reinforcing the value of ownership, new purchasers will be enrolled as individual members of Interval International, as well as Interval Gold®, its upgraded membership program. This gives them the opportunity to exchange their accommodations for those at other resorts in Interval’s worldwide network, as well as the ability to relinquish their resort weeks toward the purchase of cruise, golf, and spa vacations. They also will enjoy an extensive menu of benefits, including discounts on resort Getaways, ShortStay ExchangeSM, access to a personal concierge service available 24 hours a day via phone and e-mail, complimentary Hertz #1 Gold® membership, and worldwide hotel and dining discounts.

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.

Owners Perspective Magazine - According to Study Half of Recent Purchasers Rented Timeshare Prior to Buying

According to Vacation Timeshare Owners Report, 2009 Edition by the ARDA International Foundation (AIF), recent timeshare purchasers are younger, wealthier and happy with their vacation product. Overall, more than six in ten timeshare owners are age 45 or older, with Baby Boomers ranked as the largest generation of timeshare owners (45 percent). However, recent purchasers are younger than timeshare owners in general, with 58 percent under the age of 45.

About half of recent purchasers rented a timeshare prior to buying (48 percent), and four out of five purchased from a developer or resort. The average household income for all owners is $92,405, and recent purchasers have an average household income of $94,933. Motivators for purchasing were the quality of accommodations, saving on future costs, and the credibility of the timeshare company. Over half say they purchased a timeshare to save money on future vacations.

“This study underscores the flexibility and value of vacation ownership products for a broad range of consumers and lifestyles. The value of timeshare that comes from its use gives people the discipline to have a better vacation year after year,” said Howard Nusbaum, ARDA president and CEO.

Other results from the study include:
•    Timeshare owners spent an average of 8.18 days on timeshare vacations in 2008.
•    On average, the total number of guests on a timeshare vacation was 3.71, including the owner.
•    Eighty-six percent of all timeshare owners responded that owning a timeshare was an excellent, very good, or good experience.
•    Sixty-nine percent of all owners would recommend their own resort or vacation club.
•    On average, timeshare owners have owned their intervals for 8.26 years.
•    Timeshare owners say that beaches (52 percent), attractions/entertainment (48 percent), and shopping (39 percent) are the most appealing resort characteristics.
•    Eighty-one percent of all owners say that their timeshare offers a vacation home away from home.
For more information visit www.ARDA.org or download an executive summary of Vacation Timeshare Owners Report, 2009 Edition.

About ARDA
The American Resort Development Association is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has over 1,000 members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC). Visit ARDA’s consumer website at www.VacationBetter.org.

About AIF
The ARDA International Foundation (AIF) conducts research and develops education programming for the timeshare industry. The Foundation’s mission is to “support, conduct, and disseminate research and technical studies that will enhance and improve knowledge for the public and the industry, and develop educational resources that will optimize value, operations, acceptance, and service for the industry and the public.”

Methodology
This research was sponsored by the ARDA International Foundation and conducted by Penn, Schoen, and Berland Inc., a global market research firm. Interviews were conducted among a national sample of timeshare owners between May 8 and 15, 2009 — approximately 7 months after the U.S. financial crisis began in late 2008. The report is based on analysis of 945 “traditional timeshare owners,” including 195 “recent purchasers.” Recent purchasers are defined as owners who made a timeshare purchase in the United States in the past twelve months. Unlike the last study, which relied on a single panel provided by the research vendor, the 2009 Vacation Timeshare Owners Report sample draws from multiple email sample vendors operating in the U.S., resulting in a relatively more diverse, random sampling of timeshare owners.

Since the Greek Government relaxed its laws on foreigners owning property in the early 1990s, real estate in Greece has been on a steady upward swing, particularly so in Santorini, the most southerly of the Cyclades island group. The number of property-purchasing Brits on the island is on the up and Angela West reveals the appeal of nature’s work of art and what’s fast becoming recognised as a booming investment island.

There’s a very good reason why the jewel of Greece’s Cyclades is splashed so ubiquitously across brochures, posters and postcards…this unique, upmarket island’s natural beauty lives up to the hype and has recently been enticing more and more Brits to buy a slice of Santorini.

Officially known as Thira, it’s a peaceful, welcoming island steeped in history. The unusual horse-shoe
shape’s a result of the sheer power of nature…formed following a violent volcanic eruption around 3,600 years ago, the blast caused the island’s centre to collapse, creating the famous Caldera (large crater), leading to speculation that it’s the legendary lost city of Atlantis.

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Owners Perspective Magazine - Christel House International is a charity that enhances the lives of impoverished children around the globe. Born out of the vacation ownership industry, the majority of its donors are companies and individuals from the same industry but now our readers have the opportunity to help make a difference too via an optional £1 donation when they purchase their annual subscription to Owners Perspective.

An interview with Christel DeHaan, Founder of Christel House International
Formerly the founder of Resorts Condominiums International (RCI) back in 1974, Christel is now responsible for changing the lives of nearly 2,600 impoverished children around the globe at five learning centers. We asked her how and why Christel House was formed and what it was like making the transition from For-Profit to Non-Profit.

The story behind how Christel house was founded is fascinating. Will you share with us the pivotal trip that led to the creation of what is now an international non-profit organisation serving impoverished children in 5 countries?
During my RCI years, every office around the world was committed to giving back to its local community. After I sold my company, I received a request from Gabriel Oropeza, then President of RCI Mexico, asking if I would consider giving financial support to two shelters for impoverished children. I agreed in principle, subject to a personal visit to meet Mother Inez, the 70 year old nun who operated the shelters for the children.

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Ask almost any woman where her dream vacation is, and you will be amazed at the number who answer just  one single word as a romantic expression sweeps across her face: ‘Paris.’

It seems as though the rest of the world agrees. According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2007 alone, France saw over 81 million visitors, with Paris recording in excess of 35 million hotel and apartment rental stays, retaining its reign as the top destination in the world.

What is it about this city that perseveres as a siren to so many travelers the world over? Furthermore, what is this relentless attraction that beckons those to return year after year? While we may never have a finite answer, one boutique company is certainly making it easier for couples and families alike to return.

Meet Paris Residence Club, the ‘City of Lights’ most unique and luxurious fractional ownership offering. Located in some of the best neighborhoods in the prestigious 6th and 7th arrondissements, shares are presented at 1/13 fractions, netting each owner four unforgettable weeks each year.

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“Dolphins! Dolphins off the port bow!”
Ecstatic pandemonium as everyone grabbed cameras on the race to the front of our schooner, Diamant. The massive pod was just as excited to see us, altering course to ride our bow wave with acrobatic flips. Fausto, our Naturalist, suggested we go swimming with them! I gasped in shock at the cold water, momentarily
distracted (“this is the equator?”) until a dolphin twirled to welcome us. Up to 7 dolphins would circle me, investigating and singing. After over thirty minutes, I poked my head up, and there was Mario in the
safety boat where I was confident he’d be.

Not that we were blasé in the slightest, but while we were hoping to snorkel with penguins, sea lions, rays, and even dive with hammerheads; impromptu swimming with dolphins was one of many incredible surprises in our month in Ecuador.

First Impressions
The efficiency and attentiveness upon arrival in Quito, the capital, was one of our most impressive airport experiences ever. I was suffering with a migraine, so an airport official with impeccable English pulled us to the front of the immigration line, and had a medical team checking me for altitude sickness within minutes.
Happily, friendly locals were never a surprise, only the extents they would go to help us. Throughout Ecuador most were so proud of their home and eager to ensure we had the best experience possible. The entire country of Ecuador is smaller than the state of Nevada, with nearly every point being reachable in a half day’s drive from Quito. The incredible diversity of this accessible and welcoming country maximizes your holiday adventures!

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MAP Destinations, one of Europe’s leading vacation ownership marketing companies has embarked on its first development project which it is preparing to launch in the coming weeks. Venice on Water, which has been described as “one of the most unusual timeshare properties yet” by RCI, is about to set sail in Venice - Italy’s most celebrated province.

The project 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. Apart from offering an innovative and easy way of cruising on the most famous lagoon in Europe, these houseboats also enable members to enjoy a luxurious boating lifestyle without needing to find the capital, maintenance and management costs to support full-time boat ownership. The first of 10 vessels which has been purpose-built in Malta shall be unveiled in June 2009, according to MAP Destinations Managing Director Mary Anne Pulé. For her, Venice on Water represents a long-held ambition to do her own thing and she was spurred on by what she sees as the lack of new timeshare developments in Europe.

This first houseboat shall be moored at the marina Darsena DEC which is only 5km away from the Venice city centre and offers guests various services and facilities including water and electricity supply and protection from winds and tides. The houseboats, measuring ten by three and a half metres, can accommodate up to six guests and are 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 25 itineraries to make it easier for members to plan their routes”.

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Wild and wacky? Or novel and unique? From baths in hay to facials with bird poo (we kid you not!), beauty knows no boundaries when it comes to looking good.

By Anis Ramli

In the world of spa, the adage “Been there, done that” seems to hold true for most of us. But does it? A look at recent introductions made to spa treatments reveal that when it comes to maintaining youth, a woman will go to all extremes for that elusive elixir.

Whether it’s a dip in wine bath or milking beauty’s secrets from a bird’s nest facial, today’s spa treatments seem to lure spa goers with the wacky and zany. But look closely and you will see that today’s novel treatments are really yesterday’s beauty kitchen helpers.

Consider the aforementioned bird’s nest facial found at the Spa Village of The Majestic Malacca (www.spavillage.com) in Malaysia. Malacca, the recently declared UNESCO World Heritage Site on Peninsular Malaysia, is a rich mélange of Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Indian and Malay influences. All these cultures merge to create a fascinating and unique destination, unlike anywhere else on the globe. The Spa Village offers a variety of therapies that draw from both the Malay and Chinese heritage, particularly the unique
Peranakan (Straits Chinese) culture.

The bird’s nest facial with star fruit mask was a treatment once reserved only for the Chinese imperial palaces! In this facial mask, bird’s nest with its anti-ageing properties is combined with the vitamin-enriched star fruit to hydrate and cleanse even sensitive complexions. Considered the ‘Caviar of the East’, bird’s nest is the dried saliva of a species of swifts found only in the coastal caves of South-east Asia. The nutrients from the ingredients are easily absorbed into the skin, leaving it supple and glowing.

“Spa culture has moved from basic treatments, such as uncomplicated facials and massages, to a growth industry where, looking to traditional healing cultures that adhere itself to today’s modern women,” explains Chik Lai Ping of Spa Village. “The ingredients may sound exotic or new, but if you examine them closely, you’ll see that these are the kinds of beauty remedies or healing treatments that generations before us have used. We’re just only now rediscovering them.”

Take for example the healing power of gold. Long known for its ability to treat conditions ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer’s, gold is also prized for its beneficial properties in improving the condition of the skin. Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, slept in a gold mask nightly to activate the power of gold for a youthful and fresh appearance fit for a queen. The Queen of the Ching Dynasty had gold rolled on her face everyday.

Traditional secrets of geisha beauty have also been unlocked at Shizuka New York Day Spa (www.shizukany.com). Geishas, known for their iconic porcelain complexion of clear, unblemished skin, used to smooth powdered nightingale droppings (uguisu no fun) on their faces. This ingredient not only removed their heavy makeup but also helped brighten, heal and re-texturise the skin due to its natural enzymes and guanine.

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Owners Perspective Magazine, the independent consumer publication for timeshare owners is continuing to rapidly grow in circulation through its unique marketing agreements with timeshare industry leaders, distribution through leading UK supermarkets, selected hotels and resorts, travel and property shows and individual print and online subscriptions.

Having only launched in print in January 2009, total circulation already exceeds 42,000 readers per month and with further distribution deals currently being negotiated, that figure is estimated to reach 100,000 by the end of this summer.

To view the magazine online visit www.ownersperspective.com.
For advertising and editorial opportunities visit http://www.perspectiverates.com

Owners Perspective Magazine - Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services, presented Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia with the Interval International Premier ResortSM award for 2009 at a ceremony held recently at the property. The annual award recognizes resorts that provide outstanding vacation experiences with state-of-the-art conveniences, and modern features and appointments.

“Windjammer Landing is the first resort in St. Lucia to earn the Interval International Premier Resort award, the highest level designation in our resort recognition program, owing to its extraordinary setting, caliber of accommodations, and the impeccable service it offers,” said David Callaghan, vice president, resort sales and service, Interval International. “This distinction identifies the property as exceeding Interval’s already high affiliation standards. We are delighted to present it to the Windjammer team.”

“We are very pleased to receive this award because it acknowledges the outstanding quality of our resort and the high level of service our staff provides,” said Anthony Bowen, vice president and managing director, Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort & Spa. “We offer all the amenities discriminating travelers would expect to ensure that they enjoy memorable vacations and experience all the wonders of St. Lucia.”

Set amongst 55 acres on the northwest coast of the island, Windjammer Landing is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and overlooks picturesque Labrelotte Bay. The luxury resort is designed in a Mediterranean style with tiled walkways, sloping roofs, and white buildings, and features 67 elegant villas with scenic views of gold-sand beaches and blue waters.

St. Lucia is a popular destination with a rich culture that has been influenced by African, French, and English heritage. A tropical paradise with a temperate climate, the island offers travelers the opportunity to explore multiple attractions, including rainforest preserves, secluded beaches, underwater reefs, small coastal fishing villages, and open-air markets.

As a strategic partner of CHTA and a board member of CTO’s Education Foundation, Interval is committed to understanding the unique needs of the Caribbean region and providing products and programs tailored to this market.  For its roster of Caribbean resort developer clients and new entrants into the vacation ownership industry, Interval offers a range of services including program design, sales and marketing support, reservations, travel, and financial services.

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 over 2,400 resorts in more than 75 countries and offers its resort clients and approximately 2 million member families high-quality products and programs through 25 offices 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.