Holiday Cottage Group is made up of over 30 brands, such as well-established names like Blakes, English Country Cottages and Country Holidays, and has more than 60,000 rental properties in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and beyond.

The UK may not be renowned for its weather but its landscapes and heritage make it a much demanded destination so RCI is bringing its members more accommodation options at home, writes Sarah Lee.

Whether you look for a place rich in history or famed for its wild and intoxicating natural beauty, the UK makes a fantastic destination. It’s no surprise then that UK resorts are always much in demand with RCI members.

So RCI has teamed up with its sister company, Holiday Cottage Group to offer members more accommodation choices in the UK, through the Owner Exchange Club.

The Owner Exchange Club was recently launched to offer RCI members access to quality cottage and villa accommodation. Meanwhile Holiday Cottage Group owners, who deposit two weeks with the club, are given RCI Points for Exchange into properties in RCI’s global network.

RCI members can Exchange into an Owner Exchange Club property in the same way as they do normally. Just deposit your week, then go to www.rci.com to find your perfect UK getaway, alternatively you can contact an RCI Guide for assistance.

Holiday Cottage Group is made up of over 30 brands, such as well-established names like Blakes, English Country Cottages and Country Holidays, and has more than 60,000 rental properties in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and beyond.

RCI director of exchange programmes Mike Dean said: “RCI’s scale and diversity means it can bring more benefits and holiday accommodation options to its timeshare members and rental owners.

“Access to the Owner Exchange Club is free, but it offers RCI members and Holiday Cottage Group owners alike, fantastic exchange options and quality accommodation. All UK Owner Exchange Club properties are inspected to VisitBritain’s Quality Standards so club members are assured great accommodation.”

Holiday Cottage Group owners have so far deposited 532 UK properties into the Owner Exchange Club – a total of 1,400 weeks.

A DESTINATION FOR EVERYONE

Experience the UK’s rich and diverse heritage at an Owner Exchange Club cottage in one of the following destinations:

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY

The poet Robert Burns made the Scottish border town of Dumfries his home in later life and there are many Burns museums and historical sites among the town’s Georgian and Victorian buildings, such as the Globe Inn where Burns enjoyed drinks with friends.

Dumfries is great for shopping and has a good selection of restaurants, while the wider area of Dumfries and Galloway offers some of Scotland’s most spectacular coastline. Other attractions include the Sweetheart Abbey at New Abbey, or the impressive triangular Caerlaverock Castle.

Caerlaverock’s Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust bird sanctuary is the perfect place for twitchers as it hosts some 12,000 barnacle geese in the winter months, as well as pintails, sheldrakes and oyster catchers. While those that love the great outdoors can chose from a fantastic cycle path network, fishing, golf and walking paths.

YORKSHIRE

As varied as it is large the county of Yorkshire offers something for every visitor – from the vibrant city centres of Leeds, Sheffield and York, to the quaint fishing harbour of Whitby.

Yorkshire’s earned its place in the UK’s history books and this can be explored among the grandeur of York Minster and the county’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The first, the mill village of Saltaire, near Bradford, is a unique way to experience the history of the Industrial Revolution as you can see how 19th century workers lived, while enjoying the mill’s arts and crafts gallery. Then head for the stately ruins of the 700-year-old Fountains Abbey, north of Leeds and wander the romantic stone ruins of this vast 12th century abbey, set among Studley Royal Water Garden - a delightful 18th century embellishment.

Yorkshire’s windswept moors provided the backdrop for Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. In fact ‘wuthering’ is a Yorkshire word that means turbulent weather. But whatever the weather the views across the moors are simply beautiful.

PEAK DISTRICT

One look at the awe-inspiring Peak District and it’s clear why Britain’s first national park was established here. This area of Derbyshire simply takes your breath away, as rolling hills and moorlands meet lush valleys, limestone gorges, stone villages and quaint market towns.

The perfect destination for those who love the great outdoors, the Peak District offers fabulous walking and cycling routes, especially around the Derbyshire Dales.

And, when you’ve worked up an appetite, head to one of the area’s market towns for a bite to eat. The town of Bakewell is best known for Bakewell tarts but the first one was made by mistake. In the 19th century a cook at the Rutland Arms who was baking a jam tart misunderstood the recipe and the humble Bakewell was born. It is still served today in the town’s traditional tea shops.

Another Peak District town famous for its culinary delights is Ashbourne, where Ashbourne Gingerbread Men were produced. The original shop front is still there, although it’s now a bakers. The town’s other attractions include Tudor and Georgian buildings, the impressive Parish Church of St Oswald and antique shops. It is also close to Alton Towers theme park.

NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

Relaxation is the only thing possible as you watch boats chug along on the 125 miles of tidal rivers that make up the Norfolk Broads.

It is an area of restored windmills, medieval churches and beautiful gardens while the Broads themselves are home to an array of unique wildlife.

Barton and Hickling Broads are just two of the many nature reserves where you can follow walking trails and take boat trips to see local wildlife.

Many of Norfolk’s historic sites date to the Romans, including the ancient port at Caister-on-Sea and Burgh Castle, the remains of a fort. While the gardens, maze and miniature railway at Somerleyton Hall make it one of the region’s must-sees.

The wild east coast features some beautiful beaches that are the perfect place to get away from it all.

The Suffolk towns of Lowestoft and Southwold are located on what’s known as the Sunrise Coast – the driest regional climate in the UK – so you can be assured some breath-taking morning walks along golden sandy beaches.

Timeshare owners planning on a trip to Australia in the coming months and years will be pleased to hear that AUS$8 million (£4.47 million) has been committed to the tourism industry there.

Federal tourism minister Martin Ferguson has outlined plans to provide a boost to the sector with the National Long-term Tourism Strategy.

Talking to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Perth, he explained that the strategy is not about new marketing campaigns.

Rather, it is focused on ensuring Australia can meet the demand and the expectations created by its marketing, he noted.

Lisa Warner, spokesperson for Trailfinders, welcomed the news, saying that it will be beneficial for consumers.

She added that people see Australia as a once-in-a-lifetime holiday experience, rather than just somewhere where they will head to every year.

However, once people have visited once, they often return in future years, Ms Warner stated.

The recent hotel occupancy figures show some expected bad news for St. Maarten, but some unexpected good news as well. Several industry experts, including St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) had predicted that the island would not experience a “booming” high season, as the effects of the world economic crisis would still be felt in the high season.

November occupancy rates showed hotel occupancy down 9.6 per cent to 44.8 per cent compared to 54.4 per cent for the corresponding period last year. St. Maarten is not alone in this category, with only two other Caribbean nations – Jamaica and Cuba – recording any increase in occupancy. Other destinations are well into double-digit drop-offs from the year before.

The silver lining for St. Maarten in November, as it has been all year, was the timeshare sector. Timeshare was up 3.2 per cent to 72.7 per cent compared to 69.5 in 2008.

Most of the economic indicators continued on the same pattern in the third quarter of 2009 as had been seen during the first half of the year: either a decline or reduced growth when compared to 2008. Hence, the result of the first three quarters of 2009 was a weaker St. Maarten economy than in 2008, underlying the real effects of the global economic recession on the island.

In related travel news, TripAdvisor, the world’s most trusted source of travel advice, announced the results of its annual travel trends survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travellers in early December: 41 per cent of U.S. respondents said they planned to spend more on leisure travel in 2010 than they had in 2009; 92 per cent of travellers are planning to take two or more leisure trips in 2010, up from 89 per cent last year; and per cent said the economy would not affect their travel plans for the coming year.

Americans are also not taking the H1N1 warnings lightly, as 88 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about germs, bacteria, and viruses when travelling, compared to 83 per cent last year, and 77 per cent of travellers said they were washing their hands more often on the road than they normally did, an increase of 17 per cent from one year ago. Despite the concerns over germs, Americans expect to travel more in 2010 than in 2009.

Twenty-two per cent of travellers expect to be more environmentally conscious in their travel decisions in 2010 than they were in 2009. Thirty-two per cent consider their carbon footprint when travelling and, as a result, 44 per cent of these travellers choose to stay at “green” or environmentally-conscious hotels, while 26 per cent choose to drive rather than fly and 20 per cent travel shorter distances. A hotel having “green” policies also factors into 33 per cent of travellers’ booking decisions.

Wellington Financial, the exclusive Resort Finance lending correspondent for Liberty Bank, is pleased to announce the bank has closed a $10 million receivables hypothecation facility with Smugglers’ Notch (www.smuggs.com) in Vermont.

“The facility will be used to finance future timeshare sales,” says Bill Stritzler, owner and managing director of ‘Smuggs.’ “We found the team from Liberty Bank and Wellington Financial to be first-rate when it came to understanding our needs. It’s refreshing to deal with a lender who understands timeshare so well. We’re looking forward to a long-term relationship.”

Liberty Bank Vice President, David Brede observes, “Smugglers’ Notch has been an important timeshare and ski resort developer for many years. We are very impressed with their management team and their consistently high standards.”

Shawn Brydge, senior vice president at Wellington Financial, noted that, “The resort is a terrific four-season destination and management has done a great job of creating a staff that feels more like a family. The entire operation is run with a passion and excitement directed at creating the best vacation experience possible for each guest; it’s easy to see why they have such successful resort and timeshare operations.”

Starting in November at the end of the rainy season, winter in West Africa is wonderful, guaranteed dry weather even if cloudy sometimes in December/January, with cool nights. From December till end of February the hours of sunshine are shorter, you will find that at 8am is still dark and then again around 5:30pm. You will need a cardigan or a wrapper for the evening.

February is better and March very nice, though not so hot as November.

Definitely the best time to go to Gambia is from November to April, when the temperature is lower but still very warm and the humidity is not at its peak. And no rain!

A great improvement over the last couple of years is the control of the locals pestering the holiday makers, although Gambians are very gentle they made some travellers feel a bit uncomfortable with their continuous approach.

Someone asked Travel & Leisure Group today for advice on where to go in Gambia, where to eat etc.
One of our Group charities is Sage (Schools Aid for Gambian Education) and we concentrate in sponsoring local children who have shown good academic potential into higher education.

So we know all there is to know about holidaying and living in Gambia, and here we pass on to you a bit of information to help you to make a decision to go there, either on a timeshare holiday using the Kololi Beach Club timeshare resort or any of the Hotels in the vicinities of the Timeshare villas.

WHAT ABOUT THE BEST AREA TO GO

The best area for restaurants Kololi by Senegambia, where there is a street full of restaurants some of them serving the highest quality of food, prices can be very reasonable but the best restaurants average at £8 per main course or higher. The local beer is good and there is some nice wine about.

As for hotels, we list below our choice of the best in Gambia.

Hotels in Senegambia /Kololi area

Hotel Karaiba – the best one in the area, where the president goes. Rooms are small nothing special but this is an old African resort. The grounds are lovely, the food is good and there is entertainment every night. And the ice cream parlour is to die for...

Senegambia Hotel – next door to Karaiba, same beach, same area, but a bit lower level.

Kololi Beach Club (hotel and timeshare villas) – it is a timeshare resort, but they rent villas, not cheap but lovely setting. This hotel it is quieter than Karaiba and you have to walk say 300/400 yards to the restaurants area or take a taxi, plenty at the door.
Lovely grounds and swimming pool, together with an A la carte Restaurant and a sophisticated beach bar, just on the beach, where you can dine and listen to the sea.

There are two other areas to choose from though, not so many restaurants and night life.

Hotel in Combo Beach

You can find very reasonable packages for Novotel, very popular for its location.
If Travel & Leisure Group staff stay there usually they have a suite, because rooms are small and not of very high standard. Not sure if you can book a suite on a package deal. The hotel sits on the beach as most of the hotels in Gambia, next to the craft market. The area is full of locals and you have a feeling of being in Africa. The sea is not so rough in this area.

Hotel in Fajara

Here you can find the Ngala Lodge, a very sophisticated little private hotel, again on the beach with a lovely restaurant. Very exclusive, high standard, best to pay for ocean facing or superior rooms, not so much life around though.

Restaurants in this area.

The Butcher Shop in Karaiba Avenue (same name but far away from Karaiba Hotel).
It is actually a butcher shop with a sophisticated restaurant at the front used by many business Gambians and local wealthy families. Excellent meat, but not cheap.

The Italian Connection – wonderful Italian food by an Italian family. Do not miss the garlic bread with cheese. Reasonably priced.

The Clay Oven – Indian of superior quality.

and a beach cafe/restaurant with superb prawns in garlic , just on what used to be the beach of the now closed down Fajara Hotel. You get in through the hotel (which is open for traffic) and find the restaurant down on the beach with sunbeds. Owned by English people it is a little dream. Not to be missed.

4/5* Hotel – Sheraton

Finally the Sheraton is just wonderful but far away from the busy areas about 10m by car from Senegambia area to south Gambia. It is the most beautiful location the sea is comparatively calm and the whole set up is luxury. Can be very quiet but it is well worth while to visit for drinks and a meal if you not staying.

Travel Agents

We use Gambia Experience because of their Premier class flights. If you choose this, ensure you book the two seats by windows, not the middle of aircraft (four seats together, all cramped). You get a dedicated check in counter at Gatwick and priority luggage so you don’t wait hours in Banjul on arrival. VIP lounge both ways, extra space and lovely food, usually and free drinks. Cannot comment on other airlines because we don’t use it but some will accept booking for reserved seats and extra legroom.

Vaccinations

Check with your GP for the required shots. Although mosquitoes are at their lowest during winter months you stilll need to take malaria tablets, usually Malarone on paid prescription, not much side effects and more cover.

If there is anything you need to know about travelling to this destination please do not hesitate to contact Travel & Leisure Goup ?????? our Guide correspondent, just send us an e-mail and we will call you back or answer your questions.

The first 20 owners of time shares at the 1,201-room PH Towers at Planet Hollywood Resort began checking in Friday morning, resort spokeswoman Amy Sadowsky said.

The remainder of the tower will open to the general public Dec. 28, with a grand opening celebration in January.

About 20 percent of the rooms will be time shares, with the condominiums on the top four floors. The rest of the tower is made up of hotel rooms.

Planet Hollywood Resort had 2,496 rooms before the new tower’s opening.

The 52-story PH Towers is a partnership between Planet Hollywood Resort and Westgate, a Florida-based time share company.

The towers connect to the resort through a 100-foot entrance to the Miracle Mile Shops.

Plans call for adding another 1,586-room tower by November 2013.

Preferred Hotel Group has appointed Michael Osgood as managing director, global sales for Preferred Golf. In his new position, Osgood will continue to develop Preferred Golf’s Membership Program and create programmes for its existing courses to place individual and group golf travellers around the world.

Most recently, Osgood served as director of sales and marketing with KemperSports at Desert Willow Golf Resort (Palm Desert, Calif.). Additionally, he has held the positions of senior account executive with Marriott International at Renaissance Esmeralda Resort (Indian Wells, Calif.) and director of business development for EPIC Entertainment.

“Mike’s 12 years of experience in both the hospitality industry and golf industry combines the knowledge and expertise in sales, marketing, and development which made him the ideal candidate to lead our Preferred Golf program,” said Casey Ueberroth, president of Preferred Golf.

During his time with KemperSports, Osgood oversaw the sales and marketing of Desert Willow Golf Resort and grew the resort’s annual revenues from $6.2 million to over $11 million. He led the sales, marketing, and brand positioning nationally and formed strategic alliances with select industry partners.

Currently, Osgood serves on the Coachella Valley Habitat for Humanity Golf Board and is a member of Rotary International.

Preferred Golf offers priority access and complimentary golf at more than 60 of the world’s most sought-after golf resorts on both sides of the Atlantic, from The K Club to The Broadmoor and Sea Island Resorts. For an annual membership fee of $295, members enjoy a complimentary round of golf with every two-night stay at a participating Preferred Golf resort, the lowest publicly available room rates, and exclusive use of the Preferred Golf VIP desk for hotel reservations and tee times.

The Solluna Resort has been added to the RCI network, meaning the timeshare organisation now has over 80 affiliated resorts in India.

Located in the country's largest wildlife sanctuary, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, the Solluna Resort provides timeshare owners with peace and quiet as well as some pleasant natural surroundings.

There are also plenty of activities for visitors to enjoy, including river rafting, open-top jeep rides, elephant safaris and horseback riding.

Culture vultures will be pleased to hear that the resort offers folk dances and evening bonfires.

Radhika Shastry, managing director of RCI for India, said that the stunning resort is a fantastic addition to the destinations offered to RCI Weeks members.

Last month, the timeshare company announced that RCI TV had gone live and was available to all consumers on RCI.com, meaning the general public can now learn more about the industry through the service.

It was previously only available only to RCI subscribing members.

TATOC has revealed the timeshare resorts that succeeded in its Resort Accreditation Programme (RAP) this year.

Those that made the cut are those that the organisation believes are customer-driven in their approach to timeshare ownership and are willing to commit to the requirements of the body's code of ethics.

Among those that achieved accreditation in 2009 were Club Las Calas in Lanzarote, Villacana Club in Malaga, Sunset Bay Club in Tenerife and Pine Lake, which is located in northern England.

Resorts that apply for the RAP undergo an on-site inspection and audit. If they are successful they can opt to use the TATOC Accredited Resort logo.

They can use this at their resort as well as in all company advertising, publications and websites.

Earlier this year, TATOC launched a new website designed to offer timeshare consumers useful help and information.

Timeshare owners can find answers to a number of frequently asked questions there.

The Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA) is pleased to announce the advent of a dynamic, new working relationship with its counterpart in the United States, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA).

Designed to maximize the synergies between the two associations, ARDA and CRDA intend to work together on various initiatives to further their respective mandates to represent the shared ownership product to governments and consumers, and to enhance the level of professionalism in the ever-evolving industry.
According to CRDA’s President, Ross Perlmutter: “We’re extremely excited about the endless possibilities presented via this special relationship with our friends at ARDA. We are fully committed to working alongside their talented team towards achieving the North American industry’s goals, and we are truly looking forward to their assistance and association with events such as conferences, membership, legislative issues and other projects.”

In many ways, there truly has never been a better time for a strategic alliance between the two associations. The Canadian Dollar is approaching parity with the US Dollar, both regions’ consumers tend to travel back and forth across each other’s borders and both countries are facing similar challenges and concerns.
“I’m pleased that we will have a closer working relationship with CRDA and look forward to the exchange of ideas and best business practices,” said Howard Nusbaum, ARDA’s president and CEO.

One of CRDA’s first initiatives as part of the new alliance will be to present an attractive CRDA membership opportunity to ARDA’s existing members. “We would love the opportunity to introduce ARDA’s suppliers to the robust Canadian resort market, and we’re confident that ARDA’s resort developers will understand and appreciate both the value in, and importance of, displaying CRDA’s emblem on their showrooms’ walls when presenting their programs to affluent Canadian tourists.” says Perlmutter.

The Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA) is an industry-based association dedicated to furthering the shared ownership industry, both in Canada and throughout the world. The goals of the Association are to encourage and maintain a high standard of ethical conduct throughout the industry, and to assist in the education of Canadian industry members toward an enhanced standard of professionalism. For more information, please visit www.crda.com.

American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has over 1,000 members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC).

Interval International has added Grand Lodges in Oregon to its vacation exchange network. Set in Oregon’s the Cascade mountain range a few miles from Mt. Hood, this new fractional resort offers four seasons of recreation, including year-round downhill and cross-country skiing.

“The central location of Grand Lodges adjacent to three ski areas is ideal for our upscale members, who will have the opportunity to visit this high-quality ski-in/ski-out resort,” said David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for Interval International. “This destination offers a wonderful variety of recreational options, including an extensive night skiing area at Mt. Hood Skibowl and summer skiing at Timberline Palmer Snow Field.”

Owners of 1/16th shares at Grand Lodges can catch the Porch-to-Powder shuttle to Mt. Hood Skibowl, Timberline Lodge, and Collins Lake Resort and ski back from Timberline via the glade trail to within steps of their front doors. A proposed aerial tramway connecting the three ski areas promises to further expand ski-in options.

The 16 open-plan units come in three floor plans ranging from 1,800 to 2,300 square feet and feature three bedrooms, kitchen, a private balcony off the living room and master bedroom.

“Our vision was to create the ultimate balance between a getaway retreat and a comfortable home,” said Kirk Hanna, managing member of Mt. Hood LLC II, the developer of Grand Lodges. Hanna also owns Mt. Hood Skibowl. “Units are acoustically engineered to give owners a quiet appreciation of the stunning panoramas. The on-site recreation center and full-service concierge and spa will provide first-class pampering. And, our affiliation with Interval International completes the picture by expanding our owners’ vacation options to other quality locations worldwide.”

Planned on-site amenities include a fitness centre, heated outdoor pool, hot tub and sauna, wireless internet access, and shuttle service for skiers. Situated in the slope side village of Government Camp, the resort also offers visitors easy access to the surrounding Mt. Hood National Forest, with more than 1,200 miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as world-class rafting, fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

New purchasers will be enrolled as individual members of Interval International, as well as Interval Gold®, its upgraded membership programme. This gives them the opportunity to exchange their accommodations for those at other resorts in Interval’s worldwide network, as well as the ability to relinquish their resort weeks toward the purchase of cruise, golf, and spa vacations.

Timeshare and fractional ownership trade publication Perspective Magazine is to launch a standalone North American version in 2010.

Paul Mattimoe, CEO of Perspective International, said: “USA, Canada, Mexico and Caribbean regions make up nearly 50 per cent of our readership. There has been encouragement from our readership to create an American version for over a year now so this will be one of our next additions to our portfolio and will provide advertisers from these regions with an even more targeted approach to Business Development and promotion of products and services within the shared ownership industry. We already have an American editor and account management team in place and substantial funds will be invested to make the publication even more widely available over the next twelve months.”

Perspective Magazine North America will launch in February 2010 with the publishers claiming an estimated reach of more than 12,000 print and online subscribers.

The Westin Pune Koregaon Park is the 25th Westin Hotel in Asia Pacific and the First of Six Westin Hotels to Open by 2012

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announces the opening of The Westin Pune Koregaon Park – the first of six new Westin Hotels to open in India over the next three years and the brand’s 25th Hotel in Asia Pacific. The hotel is illustrative of Starwood’s overall growth in India with 24 existing hotels and plans to grow its footprint by 60 percent by 2012.

“As home to the world’s fastest growing population, India represents a significant opportunity for Starwood and our development partners,” said Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

India makes up 21 percent of the world’s incremental growth, and by 2016, its population is expected to be larger than that of Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the United States combined.

“Coinciding with its population boom is the rise of India’s middle class, which is driving domestic tourism growth. In this decade, disposable income in India has grown about 10 percent annually, and much of that is being spent on travel,” added van Paasschen. “By working to further establish relationships with travelers in this critical, high-growth market today, we are ensuring the success of Starwood tomorrow.”

In 2009, Starwood made meaningful gains in India with the debut of the Four Points by Sheraton brand in Mumbai and Jaipur. And looking ahead to 2010, Starwood will launch its Aloft brand in India, opening the first three of its six hotels in the pipeline.

“India’s dynamic and resilient economy makes it a highly attractive choice for further hotel development,” said Miguel Ko, Chairman and President of Starwood Asia Pacific. “India has a strong GDP growth rate, an established role as global hub for the outsourcing industry and the infrastructure to support travel to and within the country. And with our plans to grow our footprint by 60 percent in the next three years, Starwood is well positioned to meet the pent-up demand for our lifestyle brands throughout India.”

While India is a growth powerhouse in and of itself, when combined with China, the implications for Starwood are even farther reaching.

“The potential numbers of new international travelers from India and China are staggering,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development for Starwood. “When you take a look at India and China, you have 40 percent of the world’s population, and between them, they are averaging 8 percent growth in GDP. Furthermore, by 2015, 400 million Chinese and Indians will have sufficient incomes to travel abroad – as a point of perspective that is seven times the number of international travelers who visited the United States last year.”

Westin Brand Fueling Growth in India
The opening of The Westin Pune Koregaon Park is the second Westin in India and follows The Westin Sohna Gurgaon Resort and Spa that opened in December 2007.
“These six new brand enhancing hotels will provide guests with the signature Westin experience they have come to expect at our 163 existing Hotels around the world,” said Don Elliot, Regional Vice President for Starwood’s India, Bangladesh and the Maldives region. “We look forward to continuing to grow throughout India and beyond to help ensure that Westin hotels are everywhere our guests want to be.”

The Westin Pune Koregaon Park
The Westin Pune Koregaon Park will offer 277 guest rooms and suites as well as the Westin Executive Club where guests have access to an open-air terrace. There are seven meeting rooms and one ballroom with 11,302 square feet of meeting and function space with state-of-the-art facilities. The hotel features three restaurants including Seasonal Tastes, the all-day dining restaurant, and two specialty restaurant offering Italian and Indian cuisine. The hotel also features a WestinWORKOUT® fitness centre, an outdoor pool and the Heavenly Spa by Westin™.

The Westin Mumbai Garden City
The 269 room Westin Mumbai Garden City is located on the Western Express Highway, minutes from the Mumbai International Airport and the Film City. Overlooking the Goregaon Reserve, it provides a renewed perspective for business as well as leisure. The hotel features Westin’s signature Heavenly Spa®, WestinWORKOUT® fitness centre and an outdoor pool. It has many distinctive culinary experiences, including an all-day- dining, Seasonal Tastes, a lounge bar, a poolside bar and restaurant, an Indian specialty restaurant and an Italian restaurant. With more than 9,688 square feet of refined meeting and function space and nine meeting rooms, the hotel provides for flexibility and choice with state-of-the-art facilities.

The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace
The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace is located in Raheja Mindspace IT Park, which is the new central business district also known as “Cyberabad” or “Silicon Valley” of India. The hotel features 428 guest rooms and suites, with three restaurants – “Taste” offering all-day-dining and the other two specialty restaurants offering Indian and Italian cuisines. There is also a deli featuring Daily Treats and an on-site lounge and bar. Along with WestinWORKOUT® fitness centre, outdoor pool and Heavenly Spa by Westin™, there is also a 14,000 square feet of refined space for energized meetings, conferences, weddings or gala social events.

The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon
The Westin New Delhi, Gurgaon Hotel will feature 311 rooms, five restaurants, 17,500 square feet of meeting space, a 16,000 square foot health and spa centre, as well as upscale retail outlets. Located strategically in Gurgaon, the emerging central business district of New Delhi, the hotel will provide travellers easy access to key convention and commercial offices.

The Westin Jaipur Infotech City
The Westin Jaipur Infotech City is located in the capital of Rajasthan – one of India’s most beautiful and popular destinations. The hotel is part of the 320 hectare Vatika Infotech City development, featuring a retail mall, residential area, I.T. park and recreation centre. The hotel features 292 inviting guest rooms or villa suites, a full service business centre, wireless internet in all meeting rooms and public areas, nine flexible function rooms and more than 19,000 square feet of meetings space.

The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat
The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat is located in the capital of West Bengal, less than a kilometer from the proposed International Convention Centre. The 314-room hotel will feature three signature restaurants, an all-day-dining venue, and lounge bar and sports bar. The hotel will also feature over 6,500 square feet of meeting space and WestinWORKOUT® fitness centre.

New museum in Rome named Maxxi is set to open, which is designed to promote 21st century art and architecture

Italy has plenty of cultural treats for timeshare owners to enjoy in 2010, with a full calendar from January through to December.

This includes opera, music and expeditions, explained Stefania Gatta from the Italian State Tourist Board for the UK & Ireland.

For instance, a new museum in Rome named Maxxi is set to open, which is designed to promote 21st century art and architecture.

A wide selection of exhibitions and events are set to take place here, featuring documentaries, film and video presentations as well as guided tours and musical concerts.

Ms Gatta asserted that it is the more affluent tourists who prefer the kind of holidays in Italy involving two weeks in the sun.

These kinds of travellers will head to the opera, go on short breaks or will be in Italy to pick up some wine.

Timeshare owners heading to Italy can stay in a resort of the Interval International network, such as Le Ville del Magara in the mountainous area of the National Park of Calabria.

Where will timeshare owners be heading this Christmas?

Airline easyJet has named the top ten destinations that its customers are heading to during this festive period, including Geneva, Belfast and Edinburgh.

The company said that it expects to fly a record number of passengers from the UK over the Christmas period.

It is expecting 900,000 Brits to fly with easyJet over Christmas time, representing a six per cent increase over last year.

Paul Simmons, easyJet's UK general manager, described the idea of a staycation as "passe".

He said that getting away from the recessionary blues has proven to be a bigger incentive than ever before and people are seeking to spend some quality time with their family and friends.

The airline still has many deals going on for those timeshare owners looking to get away over the coming months.

EasyJet recently launched an online check-in service, which is designed to provide a faster, less stressful airport experience for timeshare owners and other travellers.

On December 10th, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT)(FREE stock trend analysis) completed a securitization involving the issuance of $166 million of notes by SVO 2009-B VOI Mortgage Corporation. Starwood contributed approximately $200 million in timeshare mortgages with an 83% advance and note rate of 5.81%. Starwood expects that the securitization will result in a pre-tax gain of over $15 million. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of the notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

There are a number of positive signs in the travel industry at the current time, which is sure to buoy those in the timeshare sector.

For instance, figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have revealed that air passenger demand rose by 0.5 per cent in October when compared to the same month last year.

Passenger demand was 6 per cent better than the low point seen in March earlier this year.

John Weber, senior vice-president at OAG Aviation, said that a "turning point" was seen in August 2009 - the first time in 12 months that year-over-year seat capacity started to grow again.

"Stronger demand for seats and high load factors will have a positive impact on yields and revenues," Mr Weber.

He said that people should look out for the IATA stats for November and December 2009 to see how well the sector is progressing at that point.

Timeshare owners looking for somewhere to go next year have plenty of choices, but which destinations will be popular?

According to First Choice, Turkey will be a hit in 2010, just as it was this year, with its splendid weather and golden beaches.

The travel company indicated that Egypt will be one of the more popular destinations next year and the North African country is a top family destination.

There is plenty for both adults and children in Egypt, according to First Choice, while the culture and climate are a big draw.

On top of this, the flight time to the country is less than five hours, another reason why First Choice ranked it as a fantastic all-round destination for families.

Timeshare owners seeking a top resort elsewhere in North Africa to stay at could go with one of the resorts on Interval International's network, such as Kololi Beach Club in the Gambia.

December will see the highly anticipated FORUM Conference take place in London hosted by Generator Systems and Perspective Magazine.

Taking on the responsibility to ensure that the vacation ownership industry in Europe had an opportunity to meet, network and discuss the ups and downs of the past year, the two well know suppliers to the industry globally have taken a far from typical approach which has sparked intrigue amongst industry professionals.
Announced as a not for profit event with any excess proceeds going to charity, the FORUM Conference team set about to arrange almost no promotion of the event for all but the last six weeks prior to the event itself, furthermore, delegate registration was not opened until just five weeks before which in itself created an amount of hype and interest.

Now with less than a month to go, the conference schedule and its array of speakers and panellists have been announced and industry professionals have spent the last couple of weeks rushing to confirm one or more of just 200 tickets.
Unlike most conferences, The FORUM has no keynote speakers delivering in-depth presentations on their specialist subjects. Instead, with the exception of some brief 15 minute inspirational stories, all other sessions based around panels of experts with the emphasis of getting straight down to business and involving the 200 strong audience to freely enter into a debate about each topic at hand.

This format aims to cover more topics in the time allotted and as well as the chosen topics it will give the chance for the attendees to raise and discuss topics specifically important to them adding value to both the conference and their experience at the event – in fact there’s even one session planned for near the end of the second day called “Gloves Off” where there are no panellists and no set topics, just another change for delegates to revisit the main topics of the past couple of days and ask further questions of previous panellists or cover newer topics that may have arisen as a spin off to other sessions.

With unofficial references to likening this conference to the Coliseums of Rome and a Gladiatorial affair, The FORUM has attracted more than 25 industry experts who will give up their time to contribute to the event, sharing experiences, successes, failures and ideas with all who attend. Spanning all aspects of the shared ownership industry this innovative event will draw from veterans and exciting newcomers alike from around the world with Europe, USA, Asia, South Africa, Mexico and Canada all represented during panel sessions.

The difficulties of the past year will be addressed initially, but then the conference will look forward to new opportunities and the best ways to prepare for 2010 covering legal and financial hurdles, the need to adapt and the desire for change, new sales and marketing techniques and most importantly try to answer and suggest solutions to questions from the interactive audience of industry professionals which would undoubtedly touch upon consumer confidence, credibility, resales, is fractional ownership the new timeshare, unlawful practises of discount membership clubs (not timeshare) and much more.

Has the credit crunch made the industry realise its vulnerability? Has it inspired entrepreneurial individuals to help reinvent the wheel and take notice of consumer needs and desires when adapting their product ranges? Will we see a new reinvigorated, more accepted industry in 2010? Or will new legislation cripple us all?

There are a number of events taking place this winter in Devon that timeshare owners will be able to enjoy.

Visit Devon has pointed to a number of happenings in the area, one of them being the Sherlock Holmes Weekend on Dartmoor.

According to the organisation, the event is situated in the area that helped inspire Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of Baskervilles and visitors can learn about the secrets behind the book.

For those timeshare owners in search of a laugh, the Dartmouth Comedy Festival will be running from February 3rd to 6th.

With stand-up, comedic poetry, music and more on offer, visitors are sure to crack up at the Flavel Arts Centre in Dartmouth where proceedings take place.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics recently showed that holiday visits to the UK rose by one per cent in the year leading up to September 2009.

The statistics also revealed that visits abroad by UK residents fell by one per cent over the period from July to September 2009 when compared to the previous three months.

1895, Hamilton Hall – now empty and neglected – has overlooked the hallowed surface of the final green at the Old Course at St Andrews and back down the fairway to the most famous hole in the royal and ancient game – the notoriously difficult.

Yesterday it was revealed that the imposing four-storey building is finally to be restored to its former glory by Herb Kohler, a plumbing magnate who is one of the United States' richest tycoons and owner of the nearby Old Course Hotel.

Hamilton Hall, a former halls of residence originally opened as the Grand Hotel 104 years ago, has been slowly deteriorating since 2004 when St Andrews University sold the building to a US real estate company.

But Mr Kohler, who has bought Hamilton Hall for £11 million, said yesterday he was ready to spend up to £30m restoring and refurbishing the famous red sandstone building.

He said: "We are honoured to own such an iconic building in the home of golf. It is a very big responsibility that has been put on our shoulders but we are going to enjoy the task.

"We have paid £11m for the property, plus a little tax. But we expect that the cost of renovation will be at least two, possibly three times, the purchase price."

Mr Kohler said his initial proposals were to turn Hamilton Hall into a series of one-bedroom luxury timeshare flats, or two to four-bedroom apartments, linked to services provided at the Old Course Hotel, flanking the 17th fairway. He said he was anxious that the people of St Andrews and Fife Council should be involved in the decision-making process.

His company, Kohler Co, would be conducting a public consultation process until the end of January with a view to creating a "a unique and economically viable" facility which would enhance St Andrews' reputation as the world's premier golf destination.

"We expect a strong input," he continued. "Our priority is to complete the preservation of Hamilton Hall and return it to a viable and prominent position in St Andrews for generations to come. Our company has long demonstrated the passion and ability it takes to restore historic buildings back to great distinction."

But he warned: "We are going to have our work cut out restoring and maintaining the integrity of that structure. We will essentially be starting from scratch."

Mr Kohler, 69, owns the Duke's Course at St Andrews and two leading courses in the US – Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. Ted Brocklebank, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said: "I have no doubt that the Kohler Company will now restore Hamilton Hall to its former glory."

PROFILE

HAMILTON Hall opened in St Andrews as the Grand Hotel in 1895. It was built by businessman Thomas Hamilton after he was reputedly rejected for membership of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

During the Second World War, the hall was requisitioned by the armed forces and never reopened as a hotel. And, shortly after the end of hostilities, the hotel was bought by St Andrews University.

The building opened as a student hall of residence in 1949 under the name Hamilton Hall. In 2004, the landmark building was bought by American developer David Wasserman, of Wasserman Real Estate Capital, for a reported £20million to create a "fractional ownership" scheme. But Mr Wasserman's plans to turn the building into luxury timeshare apartments failed to materialise and the empty building was left to deteriorate.

In June, Hamilton Hall was put up for sale under the instructions of creditors HBOS. It is understood that ten bids were made.

Butlins has left its happy camper image behind and gone upmarket with spa days and a revamp of its resorts.

The modernisation has boosted annual revenues by more than 10pc across its holiday camps, which once helped inspire the BBC sitcom Hi-De-Hi, starring Su Pollard.
The firm, which owns sites in Minehead, Skegness and Bognor Regis, has also announced bookings for next year are up by 11per cent.

Its new Ocean Hotel in Bognor is a far cry from the original rather basic camp Billy Butlin opened in Skegness in 1936.

The new south coast holiday spot is running at 89pc capacity and managing director Richard Bates said: 'The Ocean Hotel has proven to be a big hit with guests and we're looking forward to another bumper year across all three resorts in 2010.'

The hotel has developed a range of spa treatments with an unusual twist.

This includes a Premier League Male Massage which takes place in a room with sporting highlights projected onto the wall, a father and son package, and a marshmallow facial for kids.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1232850/Butlins-revamp.html#ixzz0Yi0JSORL

World's Largest Vacation Exchange Company Continues to Expand RCI TV to Promote Affiliated Resorts and the Vacation Ownership Industry

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced that RCI TV, its innovative web-based television network that until now was exclusive for RCI subscribing members, is live and available to all consumers on RCI.com. This new accessibility allows the general public to view educational and entertaining "Resort Showcase" and "Destination" channels along with other information dedicated to increasing timeshare industry awareness and promoting the benefits of vacation ownership. Through the Resort Showcase channel, prospective purchasers can also link directly to selected developers' websites for more information or a chance to visit resorts.

In coordination with these efforts, RCI has also signed a deal with Resort & Residence TV, a new network that reaches millions of households on DirectTV through its travel, lifestyle and real estate programs. Over the next six months, RCI will run 1,200 TV advertisements that are interactive and allow Resort & Residence viewers to navigate from the ad to an interactive screen where they can use their remote controls to watch videos, request more information or obtain a promotional code which they can use on RCI.com to enter a competition to win a free vacation.

RCI will also run an ad on the CBS Super Screen in New York's Times Square from December 1, 2009, through January 1, 2010, as part of its outreach efforts.

"The overwhelming response to RCI TV from our members and affiliates continues to push us to expand this unique network that is truly revolutionizing the vacation planning experience," said Geoff Ballotti, CEO, RCI. "We believe the robust content we're able to provide our members through RCI.com -- which has been averaging at least 3 million visits a month -- alongside specially created channels which take an entertaining look at the timeshare industry will also benefit the general public. We're excited about the benefits that both the public accessibility to RCI TV as well as the exposure through Resort & Residence Television will bring to the industry and we'll continue working to bring innovative solutions to our members, affiliates and all consumers."

RCI subscribing members will notice enhancements to RCI TV as well. RCI TV is now one of the primary navigation tabs on RCI.com granting members quick and simple access from anywhere on the site. The system now also offers more robust navigation that allows users to more easily select and view channel, category and video quality options to aid streaming. Another enhancement is the integration of the RCI online resort directory with RCI TV. From the RCI resort videos located within the Resort Showcase channel, members will have the option to navigate from the resort video to obtain more resort information along with the Search Availability function which links visitors straight to RCI's patent-pending search pages, returning all available vacation options for that resort for members to review.