INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL AND ITS RESORT AFFILIATES SUPPORT CTO EDUCATION FOUNDATION WITH $20,000 DONATION TO CARIBBEAN TOURISM SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Miami, FL, June 27, 2006 — Interval International, a leading global vacation exchange company, and resorts affiliated with its exchange network, recently announced their continued financial support of Caribbean tourism education with a $20,000 donation to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Education Foundation. The check was presented by David Callaghan, vice president resort sales and service, Interval International, to the Hon. Pamela C. Richards, CTO Chairman and Commissioner of Tourism for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Jacqueline Johnson, CTC, chairman of the CTO Foundation, as part of Caribbean Week in New York City.
"This is the seventh year Interval International and its resort affiliates have made a donation to the CTO Foundation, an organization that has done so much to educate Caribbean-based students in the hospitality and tourism professions," said Callaghan. "We give our sincere thanks to our resort affiliates since their contributions enable us to continue to support this very worthwhile cause."
The contributors to the scholarship fund include: Aquarius Vacation Club at Embassy Suites Hotel® Dorado del Mar Beach & Golf Resort (Puerto Rico); Caribbean Palm Village (Aruba); Coral by Hilton (Dominican Republic); Island Seas Resort (Bahamas); Jolly Beach Vacations (Antigua); Oyster Bay Beach Resort (St. Maarten); Paradise Beach Villas (Aruba); Plantation Village Beach Resort (Grand Cayman); Playa Linda Beach Resort (Aruba); Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino (Aruba); and Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc.
"The vacation ownership industry plays an important role in our region and the dedication of Interval International and its resort affiliates has allowed us to increase the number of educational scholarships that we are able to provide to Caribbean nationals," said Richards. "Their efforts are exemplary and deeply appreciated."
"The CTO Foundation was established to provide economic assistance for the development of a cadre of young Caribbean professionals in the region," said Johnson. "The scholarship fund continues to flourish because of the generosity of corporations who do business in the region."
Since its beginning, the CTO Foundation has provided 90 scholarships and study grants to deserving Caribbean nationals amounting to more than $500,000. CTO is the region's tourism development and marketing agency for 32 member governments and numerous private sector companies, of which Interval is one. CTO's primary objective is to provide its members with the services and information needed for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people. The organization provides specialized support and technical assistance to member countries in the areas of marketing, human resource development, research and statistics, and sustainable tourism development.
Interval International, a leading vacation ownership exchange company, is celebrating 30 years of quality and innovation. Interval has a global network of more than 2,000 affiliated resorts in over 75 countries, and serves its developer clients and in excess of 1.8 million member families through 28 offices in 19 countries. The company provides a variety of services and year-round travel-related benefits to enhance members' vacation experiences. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Interval International is part of IAC, which operates leading and contributing to the economic development of the Caribbean region in the future. Interval has diversified businesses in sectors being transformed by the Internet, online and offline. Other IAC companies include Ask.com, Citysearch, Entertainment Publications, HSN, LendingTree, and Ticketmaster.
