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This fall, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will open its PreCheck security program to all travelers. Created in 2011, the TSA PreCheck program was previously available only to members of select frequent flier programs. The program has more than 15 million members to date.

What is TSA PreCheck?

The PreCheck program allows pre-screened travelers to pass through security with less hassle. PreCheck clearance will allow you to bypass some of the more bothersome security procedures put in place after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

With PreCheck you will not be required to remove the following items from your bags or person:

• Shoes
• Belts
• Jackets
• Laptops
• 3-1-1 Bags

Signing Up for the PreCheck Program

Currently, PreCheck is only available in 40 airports, but TSA hopes to increase this number to 100 airports by the end of 2013. To see a full list of participating airports, click here.

To register for PreCheck you will need to submit your information on TSA’s website. The Transportation Security Administration will then contact you to set up an interview, during which they will obtain fingerprints from you. There is an $85 fee to register for PreCheck, but you will be eligible for benefits for 5 years. The application process may take 2-3 weeks to finalize, after which participants will be issued notification in writing as well an assigned number to use during booking.

TSA is also including an option to sign up for PreCheck with the issuance of new passports. You will find a sales brochure inside your new passport as well as an option to join the Global Entry program. Similar to PreCheck, TSA’s Global Entry has the same benefits with additional options for international travel. TSA claims that Global Entry (with a $100 registration fee) will speed up the tiresome process of border checks and customs.

To learn more about the PreCheck program, please visit TSA’s website.

On Tuesday, Dial An Exchange announced the re-launch of its global brand as DAE.

Francis Taylor, CEO and co-founder of DAE,  commented, “We now service a base of more than one million members, with exchange products available in over a thousand vacation destinations around the world, and we want timeshare members and businesses to associate our legendary customer service, simplified exchange systems and free worldwide membership with one brand – DAE.”

As a leading timeshare exchange provider, DAE has experienced exceptional growth over the past 17 years, expanding from a single office in Australia to 11 offices around the globe including locations in the US, China, and Egypt. By unifying its services under a single brand, DAE will provide a simpler experience for consumers.

What does this mean for current DAE members?

The services offered by DAE have not changed, and the core values of the company remain the same. Exceptional customer service has always been an essential part of the organization; for the last three years Perspective Magazine has awarded DAE the distinction of Best Service Provider.

DAE members can now enjoy more destinations and benefits, as well as a simpler exchange experience thanks to the brand’s new and improved website. DAE hopes that this effort will improve its overall image, especially to those who had viewed them as “too small” in the past.

Taylor explains, “If you compare DAE now to five years ago, our capabilities as a company have reached an entirely new level. We want people that may have looked at us 5 or 10 years ago and thought we were too small, to take another look and see us now, leading the industry in growth, innovation and customer service.”

Setting a new fundraising record for the event, Festiva Hospitality Group (Festiva Timeshare) held its 2012 Festiva Charitable Fund Golf Tournament last month. The tournament site for the Festiva timeshare event was the Wachesaw East golf course in Murrells Inlet, S.C., also the home of Festiva’s flagship resort, Ellington at Wachesaw East.

Raising more than $57,000 through sponsorships, golfer registrations, raffle ticket sales, and private donations, the event was not only fun, it was a huge success. The Festiva Charitable Fund, which is a flexible endowment fund that began in 2006, will receive all the proceeds of the tournament and will utilize the money in its support of various charities. Each year, the Festiva Charitable Fund is able to provide permanent charitable resources within the communities where Festiva timeshare resorts are located.

The Festiva Charitable Fund is managed by The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and expanding philanthropy. You can learn more about the  Festiva Hospitality Group, Inc., at www.festiva.travel and more about the Charitable Fund at www.cfwnc.org.

Festiva Timeshare Ellington at Wachesaw East

Ellington at Wachesaw Plantation East  is one of the many family-favorite vacation destinations of Festiva timeshare. Located near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this resort is convenient to the activities of the popular Grand Strand, while providing a peaceful retreat for timeshare owners and guests who vacation there. Surrounded by historic live oaks, draped in Spanish moss, Wachesaw Plantation East is a vacation destination you pick when you truly want to kick back and relax.

For golfers, the championship Wachesaw Plantation East Golf Course is the right combination of fun and challenge to play. Timeshare owners at Wachesaw East receive playing privileges at the course and access to numerous golf courses in the area for only the cost of the cart rental. Wachesaw East is the former home of the LPGA Myrtle Beach Golf Classic.