Interval International

Interval International timeshare exchange and vacation services provider and its participating Caribbean timeshare and hotel member resorts have made a donation of $60,000 to the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) Education Foundation.

The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation, established in 1987, is a non-profit/ tax-exempt organization that provides scholarships and special assistance for Caribbean timeshare and hotel industry workers seeking to advance their education in the hospitality and tourism industry as well as for students who wish to pursue careers in this field. Since 1987, the Foundation has awarded $1.5 million in scholarships and grants to individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the hotel, timeshare, tourism, and hospitality industry.

David Callaghan, Interval’s vice president of resort sales and service, explains, “We are very appreciative of the commitment of our member resorts to the CHTA Education Foundation. Through our collective efforts, we have had a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of individuals pursuing careers in the hospitality and tourism industry.”

Tom Pas, chairman of the CHTA Education Foundation, adds, “The Foundation is able to provide many more scholarships as a result of the donations from valued supporters like Interval and its resort partners. They play a vital role in funding higher education for Caribbean nationals who in turn contribute to the success of the industry.”

Participating member Caribbean timeshare and hotel resorts who helped make this donation possible include:

• Turks and Caicos – The Alexandra Resort and Spa
• St. Maarten – Diamond Resorts International®, Mary’s Boon Beach Resort, Oyster Bay Beach Resort, Simpson Bay Resort & Marina, The Villas at Simpson Bay Resort and Marina, and The Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa
• St. Lucia – Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa and Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort & Spa
• St. Kitts – Marriott Vacation Club®
• St. John, U.S.V.I. –  Starwood Vacation Ownership
• Puerto Rico  – Aquarius Vacation Club® at Boquerón Beach and Aquarius Vacation Club® Dorado del Mar Beach and Golf Resort, ESJ Towers, and Hyatt Residence Club
• Mexican Caribbean – Ocean Spa Hotel
• Dominican Republic – Cofresi Palm Beach & Spa Resort, Coral Costa Caribe, VIK Hotel Cayena Beach, and The Tropical at Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort
• Curaçao – The Royal Sea Aquarium Resort
• Cayman Islands – Plantation Village Beach Resort, Seven Mile Beach Resort, The Grand Caymanian Resort
• Bahamas – Island Seas Resort, Ocean Reef Resort and Yacht Club
• Aruba – Aruba Beach Club, Caribbean Palm Village Resort, La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club, Paradise Beach Villas, Playa Linda Beach Resort, and Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino
• Antigua – Tranquility Bay Antigua

Are You Interested in Applying for a CHTA Education Foundation Scholarship?

Although applications are closed for 2012, details will be available in December 2012  regarding opportunities for 2013. To learn more, go to: http://www.caribbeanhotelassociation.com/CHTAEFabout.php

Interval International, one of the largest and best-known names in timeshare exchange and vacation services, has expanded its selection for resort exchange. Now affiliated with Interval International are:

• The Grande Bay Resort & Residence Club in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Heraclea Hotel Residence on southern Italy’s Ionian Coast
• and the currently under construction, La Gran Reserva Anapoima in Colombia

Each of these luxurious properties offers (or will offer when completed) Interval International members the opportunity to exchange their timeshare points or interval ownership for a vacation destination resort that is distinctive and memorable.

The Grande Bay Resort & Residence Club in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

This Mediterranean-style resort offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, ranging in size from 550 to 1,680 square feet, all with spacious interiors, vaulted ceilings,  fully equipped kitchens, state-of-the-art electronics floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies offering expansive views.

“The Grande Bay Resort & Residence Club offers our members the opportunity to vacation in St. John, one of the most desirable destinations in the Caribbean. They will be able to enjoy the unspoiled natural beauty and wealth of recreational activities of this exclusive locale, which is the least populated and most secluded of the U.S. Virgin Islands,” says David Gilbert, Interval International’s executive vice president of resort sales and marketing.

Heraclea Hotel Residence

Located just outside Policoro, Italy, the Heraclea Hotel Residence is a serene getaway overlooking the Ionian Sea, and offers one-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes and large verandas.

Darren Ettridge, Interval’s senior vice president of resort sales and business development for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia, explains, “Heraclea Hotel Residence is an undiscovered jewel our members will love. The town of Policoro was founded on the ruins of the ancient town of Herakleia and is within easy reach of a number of significant natural and cultural sights and attractions.”

La Gran Reserva Anapoima

Under construction on the outskirts of Anapoima, southwest of Bogota, when completed the master-planned community of La Gran Reserva Anapoima will feature 69 fractional villas. The resort is being built by Constructora Bolívar S.A. that owns and operates Zuana Beach Resort. Carlos Arango, president, Constructora Bolívar S.A. says, “This project is the beginning of a new chapter in our business and continues the successful relationship with Interval that began more than a decade ago. We look forward to introducing our existing owners, new buyers, and Interval members to this unique development and its upscale amenities in the spectacular Andes Mountains.”

To learn more about these beautiful resorts and other opportunities in timeshare exchange through Interval International, visit http://www.resortdeveloper.com

Leading timeshare exchange company, Interval International, has recently announced that the company has earned the Viking River Cruises® Platinum Circle status for its 2011 sales results.  In commemoration of this achievement, the Interval Travel Cruise team was presented a crystal scale model of a traditional Viking Longship, now on display at the company’s offices in Miami.

For those unfamiliar with Viking Cruises, the company is the world’s leading river cruise line known for offering scenic deluxe cruise vacations along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. Viking has been honored multiple times as the top river cruise line on Conde Nast Traveler’s “Gold List”and Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best Awards, as well as recognized at the World’s Leading River Cruise Operator at the World Travel Awards.  Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 19 vessels and provides unique deluxe vacations to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history.

In business for 15 years, Viking is making their fleet even more spectacular with the launch on six new Viking Longships, with features including an outdoor terrace and the largest staterooms on a river cruise vessel. The Viking Emerald sails the Yangtze River in China with every stateroom enjoying a private veranda.

For additional information visit Viking River Cruises

In providing services to North American consumer member families, the Interval Travel Cruise department has been operating since 1997 and is a member of the Cruise Lines International Association Booking Agency, or CLIA certified.

There are two kinds of vacations. One involves returning to a familiar resort, year after year, where the memories of your family’s experiences at that timeshare resort are part of the vacation itself. You know what to pack, you know what to expect and you eliminate the decision making process, which for many people, allows their vacation to even be a holiday from travel planning. But what about the opportunities of timeshare exchange?

Most of us also long to sometimes travel, explore, and experience new surroundings. That’s why timeshare exchange can make vacation ownership more fun and more rewarding. This week, the American Resort Development Association, ARDA, through its consumer vacation information website, VacationBetter.org, shared tips on how to effectively use timeshare exchange.

Why Timeshare Exchange Makes Vacationing Better

Combining both timeshare exchange best practices and tips that are specifically relevant to Interval International (II) and Resort Condominiums International (RCI), the world’s two largest timeshare exchange services, VacationBetter.org offers a list of 6 ways you can improve your experience with the timeshare exchange process.

Starting with, perhaps the two most critical pieces of advice for timeshare exchange, “Deposit Early” and “Be Flexible,” the list will help you discover how to benefit from your timeshare in ways many timeshare owners never imagine.

As Gordon Gurnik, President of RCI, explains, “… owners can expand their vacation options from one resort during the same period each year to thousands of properties throughout all four seasons.”

You’ll find the complete list under the News Room tab on the VacationBetter website: Make the Most of Your Timeshare Vacation with Vacation Exchange Programs. There you will also find many helpful insights for timeshare owners and vacationers.