INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL: GROWING GLOBAL TIMESHARING THROUGH VACATION OWNERSHIP INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
Miami, FL, September 27, 2010 – Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), will sponsor the 12th annual Vacation Ownership Investment Conference on October 4 to 6 at The Peabody Orlando.
Interval created the conference in 1998 to educate prospective entrants, lenders, and government officials about shared ownership and resort development opportunities around the globe. Since the first event was held in the United States, the venues have been expanded to include Beijing, Budapest, Dubai, Macau, and Shanghai. This November, three cities in South Africa join the list: Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg. Designed to provide both a forum for delegates to learn about the viability of various shared ownership business models, as well as to encourage networking, the gathering has attracted thousands of attendees interested in the industry.
“We established the Vacation Ownership Investment Conference as a means to share ideas, collaborate, and ultimately, contribute to the evolution of this exciting industry,” said David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for Interval International. “The upcoming Orlando event is particularly compelling due to the impressive roster of speakers, in concert with the comprehensive, value-added research that delegates will receive.”
“Our industry today includes a variety of products, from traditional timeshare to fractional ownership and private residence clubs,” added David Clifton, Interval’s managing director for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. “At each conference, our speakers discuss product fundamentals, the important role of exchange, and how shared ownership can contribute to the prosperity of tourism destinations, as well as to their developers and operators. The industry is highly innovative, so there is always something new to learn, particularly in emerging markets.”
Themed “Looking to the Future,” the Orlando event features a “who’s who” of experts in the fields of economics, travel market research, social media, and shared ownership, including:
Marci Rossell, Ph.D., former economist for the Federal Reserve System and former CNBC chief economist, delivering the message “A Roadmap to Economic Recovery”
- Richard L. “Dick” Ragatz, Ph.D., president of Ragatz Associates who studies the affluent fractional ownership market
As part of the conference materials, attendees are given complimentary copies of four of the latest industry research studies made available by the American Resort Development Association’s International Foundation. Another highlight: They will be the first to learn about the findings of two studies that will be presented at the conference: The Shared Ownership 2010: A Market Perspective conducted exclusively for Interval by YPartnership and State of the Fractional Industry in North America: Mid-Year 2010 compiled by Ragatz Associates.
In addition to Interval, patron sponsors of the event include: Aston Hotels & Resorts, Baker Hostetler, DCP International, Equiant, FARROW Commercial Construction, Foley & Lardner LLP, HVS Shared Ownership Services, Meridian Financial Services, Preferred Residences, Ragatz Associates, Robb & Stucky Interiors, and Trooval.
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 14 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.
