RCI Ventures Magazine, October 2012: US Edition
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Transcript of RCI Ventures Magazine, October 2012: US Edition
FREE RCI® eSCHOOL TRAINING SESSION P.16
ENTERPRISING IDEAS FOR THE VACATION INDUSTRY I OCTOBER 2012
THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AIF releases World Wide Shared Vacation Ownership Report: 2012 Edition P.4
RCI® PRODUCTS HELP YOU SUCCEED P.12
RCI® AFFILIATED RESORT PROFILE: BRANSON’S NANTUCKET P.10
YOU’RE NOT INTHE BUSINESS OFKEEPING GUESTSWAITING.
We’re in the business of responding quickly. With technology that makes ordering easy, an inventory of over 22,000 maintenance and operating supplies, plus no minimum order required—we serve you efficiently and professionally.
FREE.Delivered by professionals. For professionals.
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* $250 minimum order. One-time use per customer. Cannot be combined with any other discount offer. Tax, freight, installation, special orders, fabrication orders, and renovation orders are excluded. Offer valid on online orders placed through hdsupplysolutions.com only. Offer only valid on first online order placed through hdsupplysolutions.com. © 2012 HDS IP Holding, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
RCIAFFILIATES.COM OCTOBER 2012 I RCI VENTURES 1 n
TABLE OF CONTENTS
P. 2 MESSAGE FROM RCI
P. 4 INDUSTRY REPORT Vacation ownership translates into international success
P. 10 RCI® AFFILIATED RESORT PROFILE Branson’s Nantucket in Branson, Missouri
P. 12 RCI NEWS RCI products help you succeed
P. 16 EVENTS CALENDAR
P. 17 RECENT RCI® AFFILIATED RESORTS
This Issue:
No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from RCI. RCI Ventures publishes opinions of many knowledgeable individuals. These opinions are not a substitute for legal, accounting or other professional advice.
The views and conclusions expressed in RCI Ventures are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of RCI nor of its parent or affiliates.
The information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources the proprietors believe to be correct. However, no legal liability can be accepted for any errors.
©2012 RCI, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 9998 North Michigan Road, Carmel, IN 46032
Publisher Brian Bruno
Senior Vice President Phil Brojan
Associate Publisher Emily Sadlock
Contributing Editors Steve Alessandrini Ranjana Biswas Helen Foster
Advisory BoardJeff ParkerMelinda EmmanoelidesKris JamtaasRobert StoltDanielle GaliotoAmy LipkaJeff NoonanDebbie WunderLucie GagneEsther GrishamKate Fresso
Editor in ChiefChuck Wentzel
Managing EditorGaetano Pollice
Copy EditorAmy Lynn Tonsits
Assistant EditorPaige Beaumont
Editorial InternJamie Shen
Director, Marketing ServicesEric Martucci
Creative DirectorRoe Intrieri
Art DirectorAsh Oat
Associate Photo EditorPamela Pasco
Project Manager Andrew Gersten
LEFT: Branson’s Nantucket, page 10 BELOW: RCI products help you succeed, page 12
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YOU’RE NOT INTHE BUSINESS OFKEEPING GUESTSWAITING.
We’re in the business of responding quickly. With technology that makes ordering easy, an inventory of over 22,000 maintenance and operating supplies, plus no minimum order required—we serve you efficiently and professionally.
FREE.Delivered by professionals. For professionals.
ADV-12-6415
$25 OFF your first online order.*
hdsupplysolutions.com | 1-888-658-3623
Take Advantage
of Our Buy More, Save More Program!
* $250 minimum order. One-time use per customer. Cannot be combined with any other discount offer. Tax, freight, installation, special orders, fabrication orders, and renovation orders are excluded. Offer valid on online orders placed through hdsupplysolutions.com only. Offer only valid on first online order placed through hdsupplysolutions.com. © 2012 HDS IP Holding, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
ON THE COVER: Moscow, Russia‹
MESSAGE FROM RCI
Dear RCI® Affiliate:This summer ARDA published its World Wide Shared Vacation Ownership Report, which offers great insight into our industry, the vacation habits of owners and the reputation of timeshare around the world. It further confirms that shared vacation ownership is a huge industry that continues to make a positive impact on the global economy.
The data show that nearly 2 percent of the global population owns timeshare and that our industry contributes nearly $114 billion in total economic output and provides approximately 1 million jobs worldwide. It shows that worldwide sales have been increasing, occupancy rates can’t be beat by hotels and owner satisfaction is strong as ever. It also sheds light on great opportunities for growth around the world; our business is expanding into Brazil, Russia, India, China and other countries where the feeling about timeshare is overwhelmingly positive. Perhaps most assuring, the results of the study confirm that despite challenging economic times, our industry continues to forge ahead. There were 13,600 timeshare units added in the last year, and more than 160 new resorts slated for construction in 2012 and beyond.
We do a lot here at RCI to help enhance the positive perception of the timeshare industry through the powerful solutions we offer. For example, RCI TV Resort Showcase (page 14) features our affiliated resorts at their best with stunning high-definition photos and videos. These are promoted to the general public—not just RCI subscribing members—and have been viewed millions of times to date.
RCI TV Resort Showcase is more than just great video. Those of our affiliates that participate in the package are eligible to receive RCI Presenter (page 15), which provides an entertaining, interactive way for your current and prospective owners to learn more about timeshare and how to get the most out of their ownership. It can help build credibility and trust by telling a compelling story about your resort and the product we’re all so passionate about.
These powerful solutions enable us to deliver on our commitment to helping your business grow and keeping our industry healthy so we can all prosper. As always, thank you for your valued affiliation. Sincerely,
Gordon GurnikPresident, RCI
Geoff Ballotti Chief Executive Officer
Gordon Gurnik President
Ricardo Montaudon President, Mexico and Latin America
Charisse Cox Managing Director, Pacific
Adrian Lee Managing Director, Asia
Faye Tylee Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources
Sean Lowe Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, India and Africa
Gail Mandel Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Brad Dettmer Chief Information Officer
Radhika Shastry Managing Director, India
Paul Cash Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
We do a lot here at RCI to help enhance the positive perception of the timeshare industry through the powerful solutions we offer.”
The bed that’s helped millions of guests sleep comfortably since 1925.
The Simmons® Beautyrest® mattress features Do Not Disturb™
Pocketed Coil® spring technology, providing the unique comfort
and superior conformability that tired travelers love. A Beautyrest® will
provide your guests with a good night’s sleep.
Simmons® — the company that revolutionized hospitality bedding.
Valid for deliveries through December 31, 2012. Price in U.S. dollars and is not valid for Hawaii, Canada, or Puerto Rico. For further information on Simmons mattress set product and pricing visit www.rcimarketplace.com.
All products and services are manufactured and/or provided by each respective supplier and not RCI, its parent and/or affiliates.
Simmons® Beautyrest®. Preferred by 16 of the
world’s top 20 hotel companies*.
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Simmons® — the company that revolutionized hospitality bedding.
Simmons® Hospitality Group One Concourse Parkway, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328 Tel: 1-800-935-4702Fax: 1-800-935-4701
[email protected] www.simmonshospitality.com
n 2 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
The bed that’s helped millions of guests sleep comfortably since 1925.
The Simmons® Beautyrest® mattress features Do Not Disturb™
Pocketed Coil® spring technology, providing the unique comfort
and superior conformability that tired travelers love. A Beautyrest® will
provide your guests with a good night’s sleep.
Simmons® — the company that revolutionized hospitality bedding.
Valid for deliveries through December 31, 2012. Price in U.S. dollars and is not valid for Hawaii, Canada, or Puerto Rico. For further information on Simmons mattress set product and pricing visit www.rcimarketplace.com.
All products and services are manufactured and/or provided by each respective supplier and not RCI, its parent and/or affiliates.
Simmons® Beautyrest®. Preferred by 16 of the
world’s top 20 hotel companies*.
© 2
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Simmons® — the company that revolutionized hospitality bedding.
Simmons® Hospitality Group One Concourse Parkway, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328 Tel: 1-800-935-4702Fax: 1-800-935-4701
[email protected] www.simmonshospitality.com
INDUSTRY REPORT
n 4 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
Across the globe, owners are nearly twice as likely as non-owners to have vacationed in the past 12 months.” HOWARD NUSBAUM President and CEO of ARDA
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
For further information about the study, visit arda.org/aif-foundation/research/worldwidestudy.aspx
OCTOBER 2012 I RCI VENTURES 5 nRCIAFFILIATES.COM
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jobs and generated nearly $114 billion in total economic output globally in 2010.
Owners in 24 countries were also surveyed. The findings: Nearly 2 percent of households in these 24 countries (20 million owner households) own at least one timeshare product, and 81 percent of owners vacationed in the past year. In the United States, 7 percent of all households are owners, with 83 percent of owners vacationing in the last 12 months.
“Across the globe, owners are nearly twice as likely as non-owners to have vacationed in the past 12 months,” Nusbaum says. “This study is valuable for so many reasons, not the least of which is to verify some things we’ve always assumed were true. Now there’s no doubt—the aspiration to vacation, to spend time with family or friends and to see the world, is a universal desire. As an industry, we’re poised to fulfill those dreams with a product that is accessible, flexible and unparalleled.”
T he American Resort Development Association (ARDA) has released the World Wide Shared Vacation Ownership Report: 2012 Edition. The ARDA Interna-
tional Foundation (AIF) commissioned the report and Oxford Economics and The Research Intelligence Group conducted the study, which surveyed international shared vacation ownership developers and operators, as well as owners globally.
“It’s been 13 years since we’ve had a comprehensive, detailed report about the global scope and influence of our industry,” says Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA. “While the findings seem to indicate that there is great potential for the industry, we need to remember that this study captures one moment in time, which establishes an important baseline for our industry. Three or five years from now when we have the opportunity to conduct the survey again, we’ll be able to assess the changes and then begin to draw meaningful conclusions.”
The report provides a detailed accounting of the vacation ownership industry’s size, composition and performance in regions around the world. With 5,300 resorts in 108 countries, shared vacation ownership supported more than 1.1 million
Vacation ownership translates into international successA new study captures the global economic impact of the vacation ownership industry and indicates a positive future for growth
INDUSTRY REPORT
n 6 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
The world of shared vacation ownership
5,300 RESORTS / 108 COUNTRIES
North America 46% of total market (2,500 resorts)
Europe 25%Central & South America 10%Asia 6%Caribbean 5%Africa 4%Australia 2%(Includes Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighboring islands in the Pacific Ocean)
Other 2%
GLOBAL OCCUPANCY RATE OF 76%
Commissioned by the The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) International Foundation (AIF), the World Wide Shared Vacation Ownership Report: 2012 Edition was conducted by Oxford Economics and The Research Intelligence Group.
For further information about the study, visit arda.org/aif-foundation/research/worldwidestudy.aspx.
$
OCTOBER 2012 I RCI VENTURES 7 nRCIAFFILIATES.COM
2% of international households (of the 24 countries surveyed)
7% of U.S. households
20 million owner households—in 24 countries—own at least one timeshare product
• large representation of global population• growing middle class• positive attitude toward timeshare among
non-owners • consideration of future timeshare
ownership among non-owners
OWNERS
ECONOMIC IMPACT
81% international owners
83% U.S. owners
Russia 1.9% current ownership (of households)
Brazil 1.6% current ownership (of households)
India 0.3% current ownership (of households)
China 0.3% current ownership (of households)
£In 2010, global shared vacation ownership:
supported more than
1.1 MILLION JOBS generated nearly
$114 BILLION in total economic output in 2010
¥
POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH
VACATIONED IN THE PAST YEAR
INDUSTRY REPORT
Point of View
n 8 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
V How has the timeshare industry become a more
global business?
DM If you look at how the business has developed, it began with
entrepreneurs who opened a resort and grew the market, and was followed by legislation for industry stability. Only then did international brands step in. The change in the industry lately is consolida-tion: Diamond Resorts, Club Meliá and Hilton have all purchased properties in Europe, and Disney in other parts of the world. It’s all contributing to timeshare becoming a global industry.
KJ And with the slowdown in timeshare sales and development
in North America in recent years, it’s been healthy for the industry that other international markets—like Brazil, Argentina, India and China—are flourish-ing. These economies remain healthy, and as the new AIF study shows, these markets retain high percentages of positive attitudes toward our products and services.
KRIS JAMTAASsenior vice president, business development, RCI North America
Jamtaas has more than 25 years’ experience in the leisure and vacation industry. He started his career in the private membership camp resort busi-ness, with leadership roles at Thousand Trails, Inc.; The Walt Disney Company; and Coast to Coast Resorts. Jamtaas moved into timeshare, working with the Conrad Vacation Club and Costamex International in marketing and club services. Jamtaas also served as a regional director with Fairfield Resorts, Inc. before joining RCI in 2000. Jamtaas has participated in organizations representing the interests of the travel and vacation industry, and is an active participant in the American Resort Developers Association (ARDA) and other local travel-related groups.
Kris Jamtaas is senior vice president of business
development, North America for RCI, and Dimitris
Manikis is vice president of business development,
RCI Europe, Middle East and Africa. Each has more than
20 years of industry experience and a perspective about the
global aspects of timeshare. We asked them to discuss the
unique opportunities and challenges of the global expansion
of timeshare in light of the recently released ARDA Interna-
tional Foundation (AIF) commissioned report, World Wide
Shared Vacation Ownership Report: 2012 Edition.
OCTOBER 2012 I RCI VENTURES 9 n
V Do you think that cultural differences in vacation
behavior will be a challenge as vacation exchange continues to become more international?
KJ While it can be a challenge with different languages, currencies,
cultures and diets, international vacation-ers tend to be more tolerant of these differences, and they are generally curious about exploring new destinations and experiencing other cultures.
DM We pitch the dream of traveling internationally, but only about 35
percent of American citizens actually have passports. In Europe, it’s all about acces-sibility to the destination. Europeans are partial to drive-to destinations because air travel is a very challenging experience today. Europeans also like the all-inclusive experience, where everything is available right there and then.
V How does the industry accom-modate the cultural differences
and disparity in guest expectations?
KJ We should be doing everything we can at our properties, in our
contact centers, in our marketing locations and in our overall communica-tion to the international travelers to be more sensitive to new cultures. Compa-nies that are investing resources to be
able to accommodate all cultures are finding that it can lead to great oppor-tunity. Two great examples from North America: Brazilian tourists in south Florida and Japanese travelers in Hawaii. Companies prepared to welcome these guests are realizing great gains. In these two cases, these new owners/members love to vacation again and again in the United States, preferring condominium-style accommodations to hotels, and appreciating the special attention they receive from our resort teams. When they return, they bring their families and friends—who, too, are proving to be great prospects.
DM There is still room for improve-ment. If the staff is used to North
American customers, how are they being prepared to deal with different languages, religious differences and other unique cultural expectations? How challenging does that make everyday life in the resort? How do you serve those consumers at the same level? That’s a question a lot of people haven’t been able to answer. It requires training, investment in resources and investment in facilities. Not everyone is willing to make that investment in today’s environment. So it’s one size fits all and everyone receives the same service. Or you can adapt to every nationality that comes through the door. It all comes down to how willing you are as a developer to address those people who vacation at your property and to adapt to the needs of different consumers. That decision comes from the top. If you’re willing to do that, you need to be commit-ted and spend the money for it. It’s all about commitment, and if you’re not committed, you’ll never get it right. V
DIMITRIS MANIKISvice president, business development, RCI Europe, Middle East and Africa
Dimitris Manikis is a 20-year timeshare industry veteran who began his career with RCI immediately after graduating from university. He spent two and a half years in the Middle East, two years in Turkey and a year in India. In 1997 he was appointed managing director of RCI’s South Eastern region, and was based in Athens. Four years ago Manikis took on his current role and recently added the Middle East and South Africa to his regional responsi-bilities. He holds a bachelor’s degree in tourism and admin-istration from the University of Patras and an MSc post-graduate degree in tourism marketing from the University of Surrey.
RCI® AFFILIATED RESORT PROFILE
RCI ®Ventures had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Knasel, owner and developer of Branson’s Nantucket resort. Located on the shores of Table Rock Lake in Branson,
Missouri, the resort offers spacious New England–style homes with deluxe amenities. Knasel shared his thoughts about Branson, this unique resort and expanding the definition of “family vacation.”
Left: Spacious living and dining area. Right, from top: Cape Cod–style exteriors; detail of the widow’s walk.
V Tell us about the wow factor at Branson’s Nantucket.
KK We combine a unique vacation ownership product, a prime geographical location and continuous service
to offer guests something special in Branson—a vacation experience that guests can share with their families and friends and will remember for a lifetime.
Our signature vacation homes feature a one-of-a-kind widow’s walk rooftop deck, which is accessible by private elevator, and are perched high above Table Rock Lake, providing a panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding area. Large picture windows frame the pristine waters of Table Rock Lake as the sun rises and sets.
Our location offers the most scenic views for our guests and provides the quickest routes to all the attractions in the Branson area. We are located just a few minutes’ drive from the famous Branson 76 Strip, world-class golf courses, shopping, State Park Marina, Shepherd of the Hills and Silver Dollar City.
V What was completed in your Phase One construction?
KK Eleven of the 24 total units of our Cape Cod–themed vacation homes are open. Our largest home has nine
bedrooms, and our smallest has four. Each has a different lock-off configuration. Many of our vacation homes are fully handicapped accessible, so any member of the family is able
Family first; first-class accommodations
BRANSON’S NANTUCKET
n 10 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
to enjoy every level of our homes. Every home includes a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and state-of-the-art, energy-efficient stainless steel appliances; king-sized beds; lavish linens; a private bathroom for each bedroom; a fireplace; crown molding; and a staff on call at all times. We have also completed our first zero-entry pool and hot tub area.
V What’s included in Phase Two?
KK Phase Two construction began in May 2012 with the start of
15 additional homes. Our largest home under construction will have 11 bedrooms. All Phase Two homes will
have a private elevator and widow’s walk. We expect to have the 15 homes—53 units total—in use by mid-2013.
During this construction, we will also begin building our 10-story fully equipped clubhouse, which will include our rooftop swimming pool, deli-style restaurant, meeting room, fitness center and activities center.
V Why Branson? And how do you distinguish the resort in
the marketplace?
KK Branson is known for its family atmosphere. The abundance of
comedy, country and religious shows—appropriate for a five-year-old or a 95-year-young person—the gorgeous Table Rock Lake, shopping galore and Southern hospitality at its best make Branson the premier location in which to build and expand our resort.
What distinguishes us is the flexibility in our ownership. You can enjoy your vacation home daily, weekly or whenever you choose and are able to select the size of the home you need for a particular vacation. We also offer a Preferred Club option that takes your ownership to the next level. Staying in actual homes instead of a hotel, motel or condos accommodates larger groups—and
with all the amenities of home. Branson’s Nantucket is a home away from home for all our owners.
V Why is your relationship with RCI important?
KK Our relationship with RCI advances our business objectives
by enhancing our offerings of locations that Branson’s Nantucket owners can enjoy. The RCI® Points program allows our owners to travel with the flexibility that they desire, including exchanging their Points toward travel services, cruises, airfare and hotel rooms, which gives Branson’s Nantucket owners complete control of how they vacation each year.
V What’s next for Branson’s Nantucket?
KK Sales at Branson’s Nantucket have increased 85 percent over
2011. We believe that this is because of the unique design and because we’re offering program benefits that vacation-ownership clients desire. After Phase Two construction, we will build more of our unique Cape Cod–style homes. Our goal is to make Branson’s Nantucket Resort the gem of Branson, with families creating amazing vacation memories for generations to come. V
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RCI NEWS
RCI finds consumers searching for vacations online and turns them into qualified leads for vacation ownership at RCI affiliated resorts
n 12 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
RCI PRODUCTS HELP YOU SUCCEED
ONLINE TOUR
GENERATION
A s the global leader in vacation exchange, RCI is committed to providing its affiliated resorts
with strategic marketing solutions that support the bottom line, including the development of qualified first-generation tours. RCI’s Online Tour Generation program—announced at the ARDA World 2012 Annual Convention and Exposition in Las Vegas in April—was developed to help affiliated resorts address the grow-ing need to identify, qualify and engage potential timeshare owners by leveraging the efficiency of RCI’s online capabilities to convert vacation searchers into vacation ownership leads. A revamped Endless Vacations Rental website went live in July.
“The existing website provided us with a foundation for developing the Online Tour Generation program,” says Fiona Down-ing, senior vice president of development and operations at RCI. “By enhancing the site’s existing infrastructure with several new and innovative components, we’re now able to assist RCI affiliated resorts in targeting online consumers with a customized, flexible solution that meets their individual tour flow needs, budgets and targets.”
The response has already been ex-tremely positive, due in large part to the system’s flexibility. Leads can be qualified on two tracks: one with highly attractive pricing that requires participation in a sales
tour; or a less aggressive pricing strategy with fewer, if any, requirements other than meeting minimum eligibility thresholds and which allows these renters to enjoy the resort and discover the advantages of vacation ownership. Developers are able to establish the prerequisites for their resorts, thereby ensuring that the leads generated from the website match the resort’s owner profile and tour flow needs.
RCI is also supporting the new website with enhanced SEM (search engine marketing) and SEO (search engine optimization) to generate a large prospect pool. In addition, RCI will utilize its growing social media presence, which engages hundreds of thousands of travel
OCTOBER 2012 I RCI VENTURES 13 nRCIAFFILIATES.COM
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RCI’s online learning gets easier
The additional Levitin Group sales training content has also been reorganized and is now grouped by topic and easily acces-sible from the home page. Levitin Group content includes: • Timeshare U• Sales Toolboxes • Levitin Group Online Academy
And new “featured” sections on the site help users get even more out of RCI eSchool:
• Featured Course: a preview of a specific course
• Featured Sales Toolbox: a quick link to a Levitin Group Sales Toolbox
• Featured Video: Tips from Shari Levitin on how to use the content on RCI eSchool
All registered users receive a monthly RCI eSchool newsletter that contains announcements of new courses, course highlights and updates. Getting started is easy and free!
RCIeSchool.com
RCI eSchool, the convenient and effective online
learning tool created in collaboration with Levitin Group and ePercipio, was recently redesigned in response to user feedback. The robust e-learning content—all offered free to RCI® affiliated resorts—is now easier to use because all the RCI courses have been relocated to the home page, eliminating the need to navigate the site to access content.
All RCI courses are now categorized in easy-to-understand headings:
• The Basics: RCI Points®, RCI® Weeks, RCI Platinum® and Trading Power
• Reporting and Systems: How to use ResortLink, RCI Online Reporting and Comment Card reporting
• Your Career: Customer Service, The Art of Influence, The Art of Delegation, and Providing Constructive Feedback
• Selling RCI Exchange: How to Sell RCI Platinum, Enhancements to RCI Weeks (2010) and How to Use an RCI.com Demo Account
®enthusiasts daily through social media tools such as the “RCI Share Your Vacation” app for Facebook, mobile apps, blogs, Twitter and YouTube videos to increase interest in the benefits of vacation ownership.
Affiliates have 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-week access to a unique user interface that enables them to customize their availability and review comprehensive reporting, all at the touch of a button.
“We know vacationers are spend-ing more and more time online, gath-ering information, checking reviews and searching for the best pricing,” says Downing. “It’s efficient—and strategic—to make the opportunity to explore resort vacations and the benefits of vacation ownership as attractive as possible to those online vacation planners who meet a resort’s qualifications.”
Don’t miss out! For more information, contact your Account Executive or Tara Bergeron at [email protected].
FREE TRAINING SESSION:
SEE PAGE 16
RCI® eSCHOOL
RCI NEWS
n 14 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
V isitors to RCI® TV— RCI subscribing members as well as the general public—have
the opportunity to “tour” affiliated resort properties via dynamic video presenta-tions. Social media and mobile devices have increased the reach of RCI TV Resort Showcase and Destination Review videos; these videos are now also available via the RCI application, available free, for the iPhone®, the iPad, the iPod touch®*, the Android™1 operating system and BlackBerry®2 smartphones. The videos are also available on RCI’s YouTube channel, YouTube.com/RCITimeshare.
Affiliates that participate in the RCI® TV Resort Showcase program also receive the benefit of broad-based marketing (dependent on the package type), including RCI TV mentions on Facebook and Twitter and search engine optimization for popu-lar search engines, such as Google.
The RCI TV Resort Showcase packages are highly cost-effective— offering affiliated resorts savings of up to 60 percent off the retail value of comparable comprehensive media packages.
The RCI TV Resort Showcase Platinum Package at retail value would cost $60,000USD. However, for RCI affiliated resorts, the total cost of this package is $23,900USD. To help you see the value, the pricing listed below is what you could expect to pay for similar services. The package includes:
Five-minute Custom Property Presentation with year-round streaming on RCI.com within RCI TV Retail Price—$29,000
One-minute Music Video with year-round streaming on RCI.com within RCI Resort Directory Retail Price—$2,500
One-minute Sales Presentation Video (resort spokesperson on-camera) Retail Price—$2,500
30-second Video Email Blast Retail Price—$1,000
RCI Guy Personalized Intro to Custom Property Presentation Retail Price—$5,000
20 Still Photos with touch-up and photo finish Retail Price—$10,000
RCI Presenter Touch Screen Wall Tour Retail Price—Thousands of dollars
The RCI TV Resort Showcase Bronze Package at retail value would cost $9,400USD. However, for RCI affiliated resorts, the total cost of this package is a maximum of $6,900USD†. The package includes a 1-minute music video on RCI.com within the RCI Directory and 10 still photos. To help you see the value, the pricing listed below is what you could expect to pay for similar services.
Equipment and personnel package Retail Price—$3,900
Post-production editing, file creation and delivery Retail Price—$1,500
Still-photography equipment, personnel and photofinishing Retail Price—$4,000
RCI® TV RESORT
SHOWCASE
* RCI® Ventures is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and iTunes are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.
1 Android is a trademark of Google Inc.
2 The trademark, BlackBerry, is owned by Research in Motion Limited and is registered in the United States, and may be pending or registered in other countries. RCI, LLC is not endorsed, sponsored, affiliated with or otherwise authorized by Research in Motion Limited.
† If multiple resorts in the same area purchase and film at the same time, the package could cost as little as $2,900 per property.
There are dozens of additional channels and uses for which the photos and videos created for your resort’s RCI TV Resort Showcase can be deployed. Here are just a few suggestions:
• Sales Room• Rental Program• Referral Program• Conferences & Trade Shows• Marketing Materials• Resort Promotions & Offers• In-Room TV• Customer & Staff Education• Social Media• Recruitment
Powerful, reusable content
OCTOBER 2012 I RCI VENTURES 15 n
RCI Presenter enhances the sales experience with a
uniquely powerful combination of tech-nology, entertainment and information. Current and prospective owners can in-teract with educational and entertaining content to learn about the value-added benefits of their vacation ownership.
In collaboration with Generator Systems, RCI provides this exciting tool to help enhance and energize the conversation about exchange. The sys-tem runs on a wall-based touch screen (soon to be available on the iPad®*), and navigation is so easy that sales-people can let guests take control for greater involvement and engagement during the presentation.
“Technology is our friend in the sales process, and the RCI Presenter has taken our sales process to another level. Our sales team has embraced RCI Presenter and now wouldn’t be without it,” says Bob Montondo, senior sales manager for Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort.
“We consider the owners’ map feature a must-have. I equate it with the first couple on the dance floor, and then the crowd starts to follow,” Montondo says. “The Presenter shows our prospec-tive owners how many RCI members already exist within their own ZIP code. They no longer have to be the first couple to join; they can now see how many others are already enjoying the dance.”
RCI Platinum® membership has recently undergone
some exciting changes to help ensure that your owners continue to get the most out of their exchange benefits. International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE) has become the primary provider of RCI Platinum Lifestyle Benefits. RCI Platinum membership already offers popular vacation benefits such as Priority Access, Unit Upgrade opportunities and RCI Rebates, and the Lifestyle Benefits enhancements include:
• $25USD Restaurant.com gift certificates earned automatically every month and accepted at more than 18,000 restaurants
• The ability to earn Travel Rewards on select everyday purchases that may be redeemed toward future transactions with RCI Travel, RCI Platinum Lifestyle Benefits and Points Partner transactions (for RCI Points® members only)
• Access to golf tee time reserva-tions, box office tickets, spa cer-tificates, and an online wine store.
The savings on Lifestyle Benefits for members can help offset the cost of upgrading to RCI Platinum member-ship. Most RCI subscribing members can upgrade to RCI Platinum member-ship at any time and enjoy the wide range of additional benefits while on vacation and at home, 365 days a year. V
The RCI Presenter has truly enhanced our sales presentations here. This interactive tool helps ‘paint the picture’ for our guests—which is priceless when explaining the benefits of timeshare. We will continue to use this because it helps us turn dreams into reality.”HEITH DOYLE director of sales, VSA Resorts
RCI PRESENTER
RCI PLATINUM®
MEMBERSHIP
INDUSTRY NEWS
EVENTS CALENDAR through November 2012 DATES EVENT WEBSITE
October 2–5 The Lodging Conference Phoenix, Arizona, USA lodgingconference.com
October 4–7 Balkan Spa Summit Cesme, Turkey balkanspasummit.eu
October 8–9AOCAP (Alternative Ownership Conference Hotels and Resorts— Asia Pacific) 2012 Hong Kong, China
aocap.org
October 10–12 HICAP (Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific) 2012 Hong Kong, China hicapconference.com
October 11–13 The Property Investor Show & OPP Live 2012 London, Englandwww.propertyinvestor.co.uk/london
October 15–17 RHIC (Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference) 2012 Moscow, Russia russia-cisconference.com
October 30–31 The Luxury Property Show London, England theluxurypropertyshow.com
November 5–8 WTM (World Travel Market) 2012 London, England wtmlondon.com
November 8Pushing the Boundaries—Success Tactics for Today’s Managers and Trainers Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
November 14–16ARDA (American Resort Development Association) 2012 Fall Conference Washington, D.C., USA
arda.org
• Theeventisa“trainthetrainer”coursethatisidealforsalesand marketingmanagers,directors, trainersandthoseresponsiblefor theongoingdevelopment,motivationandsuccessoftheirteams.
• Pleasenotethatthiscourseis notdesignedforoperations.
• Theeventisfreetoattendees.• Complimentarycontinental
breakfastandlunchwillbe providedtoattendees.
• Specialroomrateof$99USDper nightisavailabletoparticipantswhoneedovernightaccommodations.
PushingtheBoundarieswillprovide attendeeswiththeelements,corestrat-egiesandspecifictacticsessentialfor:• Developingaconsistentandeffective
traininganddevelopmentprogramtoliftyourVPG
• Overcomingobjectionsandraisingtheaveragesalespriceintheneweconomy
• UsingRCIeSchoolasyour“training partner,”whichwillgiveyoumore timetofocusonresort-specific trainingopportunities• Conductinghigh-impactsales
meetings
• UsingtheRCIeSchoolcontentto developaconsistentrecruitmentand trainingprocesstoincreaseretention
Attendeeswillleavewithspecificknowledge,toolsandtechniquestheycanuserightawaytobecomemore proactiveinperformingmanyoftheir fundamentalresponsibilities.
RCI®eSchooltrainingsessionPushing the Boundaries—Success Tactics for Today’s Managers and TrainersThursday,November8,2012•MyrtleBeach,SouthCarolinaSheratonMyrtleBeachConventionCenterHotelPresenter:ShariLevitin,CEOofLevitinGroupandePercipio
For more information,
please contact your Account
Executive.
n 16 RCI VENTURES I OCTOBER 2012
RCIAFFILIATES.COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 I VENTURES 2 nOCTOBER 2012 I VENTURES 17 nRCIAFFILIATES.COM
Aroma @ Quinta Splendida Caniço,Madeira,Portugal
Beachcomber Inn SouthLakeTahoe, California,USA
BPPC @ Gran Bahía Príncipe Ambar PuntaCana, DominicanRepublic
BPPC @ Gran Bahía Príncipe Sian Ka’an Akumal,QuintanaRoo,Mexico
Club Coral View Resort Peyia,Paphos,Cyprus
Cocomar Residences & Beachfront IslaPaloSeco,Parrita, CostaRica
Holiday Club Ylläs Saaga Ylläsjärvi,Finland
Imatra Spa Resort Imatra,Finland
Iracema Residence Club Fortaleza,Ceará,Brazil
Life Quality Costa Sul BalneárioCamboriú, SantaCatarina,Brazil
Pousada Costa do Cacau Ilhéus,Bahía,Brazil
Puerto Plata Village & Resort PuertoPlata, DominicanRepublic
Royal Decameron Tafoukt Agadir,Morocco
Royal Decameron Issil Marrakech,Morocco
Snowdance Vacation Club Brownsville,Vermont,USA
Thermas Park Resort & Spa Olímpia,SãoPaulo,Brazil
ZamZam Grand Suites MeccaAlmokaramma, SaudiArabia
Havasu Sands Resort LakeHavasuCity,Arizona,USA
Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana by UVC PuntaCana,DominicanRepublic
Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos by UVC SanJosédelCabo, BajaCaliforniaSur,Mexico
Zoëtry Paraíso de la Bonita by UVC Cancún,QuintanaRoo,Mexico
*Duetospacelimitationsandotherconsiderations,thislistmightnotincludeallresortsthathaverecentlyaffiliatedwithRCI.
RCI® Weeks program RCI Points® program
The Registry Collection® program
RECENT RCI AFFILIATED RESORTS*
Punta Cana,Dominican Republic
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Oasis Pro™ Housekeeping System Because Clean Matters
Helping you make a positive first impression with your guestsEcolab helps ensure your reputation for cleanliness and comfort is maintained. We’re always there to help in areas critical to your operation’s success — keeping everything clean and safe, delighting guests, performing well and conserving resources. When it comes to clean, we’ve got you covered.
Your guests’ satisfaction is our top priority.
Make a good first impression by keeping guest rooms and public areas looking and smelling fresh with Ecolab’s Oasis Pro™ Housekeeping System. As an RCI affiliate, contact your Ecolab Territory Manager to review new program offers, product promotions and your RCI pricing.
©2012 Ecolab USA Inc. All rights reserved.
To learn more, call 1.800.35.CLEAN or visit www.ecolab.com.