INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL AND PARTICIPATING RESORT PARTNERS
SURPASS $500,000 MARK IN DONATIONS TO CARIBBEAN EDUCATION
Miami, FL, January 21, 2013 – Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services, and its participating member resorts, have helped fund scholarships for Caribbean nationals with more than $500,000 in total contributions to the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Scholarship Foundation. This milestone was reached with the $60,000 donation presented by Neil Kolton, Interval’s director of resort sales and service for the Caribbean, to foundation executives at this week’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
“Interval and its resort affiliates play a significant role in helping us provide educational opportunities for Caribbean scholarship recipients. The shared ownership sector is now the largest contributor to this cause and we truly appreciate their longstanding dedication to the foundation,” said Richard Doumeng, president of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association.
“We are extremely grateful to our resort partners who have contributed to this important initiative for many years. Their commitment to educating the next generation of hospitality professionals enables us to have a positive impact on the region,” said Kolton. “All of the participants should be proud of this achievement.”
The 33 resorts across 11 countries that made donations to the 2012 campaign include:
- Antigua – Tranquility Bay Antigua
- 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
- Bahamas – Island Seas Resort and Ocean Reef Resort and Yacht Club
- Cayman Islands – Plantation Village Beach Resort, Seven Mile Beach Resort, and The Grand Caymanian Resort
- Curaçao – The Royal Sea Aquarium Resort
- Dominican Republic – Cofresi Palm Beach & Spa Resort, Coral Costa Caribe, Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort, and VIK Hotel Cayena Beach,
- Mexican Caribbean – Ocean Spa Hotel
- 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
- St. John, U.S.V.I. – Starwood Vacation Ownership
- St. Kitts – Marriott Vacation Club®
- St. Lucia – Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa and Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort & 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
- Turks and Caicos – The Alexandra Resort and Spa
The CHTA Education Foundation was established in 1987 as a non-profit/tax-exempt organization through which scholarships and special assistance would be made available for the education of Caribbean hotel industry personnel and students pursuing careers in tourism. As part of its mission, it provides people throughout the region with an awareness of the industry’s varied career opportunities, as well as technical and professional development. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded nearly US$2 million in scholarships and grants to applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to the hotel and tourism industry.
The CTO Foundation was created in 1997 as a not-for-profit corporation exclusively for charitable and educational purposes with the first set of scholarships and study grants awarded in 1998. To date the CTO Foundation has provided 58 major scholarships and 96 study grants to deserving Caribbean nationals, amounting to over US$607,000.
Interval is a Strategic Partner of CHTA, a Board Member of the CHTA Education Foundation, and a Board Member of the CTO Foundation. The company has been a long‑time supporter of the tourism and hospitality industry in the Caribbean and is committed to understanding the unique needs of the region and providing products and programs tailored to this market.
About Interval International
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 since 1976. Today, Interval has an exchange network of approximately 2,700 resorts in more than 75 nations. Through offices in 16 countries, Interval offers high-quality products and benefits to resort clients and about 2 million families who are enrolled in various membership programs. Interval is an operating business of Interval Leisure Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: IILG), a leading global provider of membership and leisure services to the vacation industry.
