RCI has been at the forefront of the timeshare exchange industry for 35 years and to make exchanging holidays for its members quicker, easier, and safer, RCI recently launched a new website, featuring design by Penquin.

The company required a fresh new website platform for its users that was both extremely user friendly and catered for its member base. The new website aimed for members to enjoy their RCI membership benefits online.

“RCI members are revelling in the fact that they have a platform that is a more complete solution when planning and booking a holiday. RCI is extremely pleased with the end result of its new website,” says Maria Vieira, Marketing Director Group RCI Africa. “In developing RCI's website, we looked for an interactive creative partner that could understand our business and apply creative to meet ease of use for our members. PenQuin delivers on that.”

The new website is aesthetically enticing, comprising bright designs, detailed pictures and crisp, clean colours. This is combined with easy to use functionality and live searches, ensuring that users get the most of all RCI has to offer. In a nutshell, the new site offers users a more enjoyable experience from the moment they start browsing, right up until they leave to start that getaway.

The ability of the agency to work closely with RCI's technical team, accompanied with outstanding creative in design, and marrying these two elements together when testing the site with RCI current members, has allowed the successful launch of www.rci.co.za.

About PenQuin International

PenQuin International is a complete advertising and marketing solutions company. Our focus is on developing and implementing unique, cost effective solutions tailored to meet our client's strategic marketing and advertising objectives. Clients benefit from a dedicated communications partner who takes responsibility for the total project - from concept to execution.

Graham Price is sipping a glass of champagne on the 50ft yacht moored outside his £1million home in Port Grimaud, playground of the rich and famous in the South of France.

'You know,' he says, 'there are days when I feel like a multi-millionaire.'

Over in Palma, Majorca, Will Hosie is feeling much the same way. His plane is safely stored in its hangar and his boat is moored alongside two 100m mega-yachts belonging to members of the Saudi Arabian and Qatari royal families.

Back in the UK, Adam Farkas is waking up in his Mayfair suite, a piece of real estate that would normally cost him well into seven figures, while just down the road the biggest choice of the day facing Glenn King is whether to jump into a £135,000 Alpha Romeo or a £150,000 Ferrari.

Before this begins to make you feel a little bit nauseous, you should know that while all these people are successful, middle-class professionals, none of them is actually rich - at least, not in the old-fashioned sense of the word.

They do, however, have one thing in common: they are part of a rapidly growing sub-culture that is turning the concept of ownership on its head.

Called 'fractional living', it is a philosophy that puts the enjoyment of an asset above the ownership of it. In practice, it means that instead of owning an asset outright (whether it's a house, yacht, car or even a handbag), you share it with other people - and just use it when you have the time or the inclination.

Over the past couple of years, the idea of fractional living has crept into every walk of life to the extent that you can now own part of an artwork, a row of vines in a vineyard, a fashion designer's first collection or even a cut in a rock band's first album.

And just to spice things up, you can dip into a pool of super-cars or designer clothes, hop aboard your fractionally owned helicopter or jet to the Algarve for a round of golf on the course in which you own a tiny stake.

Nobody is quite sure why, but fractional living has exploded into sections of life in the consumerist U.S. in a way that many economists once thought impossible - and it is becoming one of the few growth sectors in the UK.

'I think the recession has taught people some hard lessons that they will never forget and they are now looking for new ways to make their money go further,' says Sophie Garrett, founder of Norfolk-based yours2share.com, a website on which total strangers get together to buy second homes, aircraft, cars, yachts and land - with some even sharing pets and gardens.

'Even the richest banker is now realising that there are only so many toys you need to own outright. What's the point of owning a yacht when you can only spend two weeks a year on it? It makes much more sense to share the costs with someone with the same outlook as you. And that's precisely what's happening.'

So how do you get involved in fractional living? And how well does it work in practice?

No one knows exactly how all this started, but many suspect it grew phoenix-like from the ashes of the once-discredited timeshare industry.

Although today there are many reputable timeshare firms, the concept developed a bad name in the 1970s and 1980s through con-men who either overcharged or made a fixed two-week spell in a yet-to-be built Spanish complex sound far more attractive than it actually was.

It quickly dawned on people that being stuck with the same time in the same place each year wasn't such a good idea after all. What was appealing, however, was being able to taste a piece of exotica at a price that was within reach. So what if the idea was taken forward, introduced into other areas of luxury living and made more flexible?

'Everybody wants a slice of luxury but few of us can afford it,' says Piers Brown, founder of fractionallife.com. Visitors to his website can find ways to share executive jets and yachts, buy fractional homes on golf courses, shares in horses or vineyards, and join collectives that buy works of art that you can display in your own home for a fraction of each year.

He adds: 'Fractional living allows people to enjoy those luxuries to a standard that would normally be well beyond their reach.

'There have been studies demonstrating that the average owner of a luxury yacht spends just 30 days a year on board - and the average holiday home owner visits their property for just three weeks a year. Dividing that ownership up into fractions makes much more sense, financially.

'Yes, you are having to share with other people, but it isn't the same as timeshare. Since you actually own a slice of the freehold in a property or asset, you can use it at various times that suit you - and you can sell it and move on if you want to.'

Graham Price's foray into the fractional world began several years ago when he discovered Port Grimaud, a town four miles south-west of Saint-Tropez built in the Venetian style in the 1960s. The town is hugely popular with the yachting set as it is built around a series of canals that allow almost every property to have its own mooring.

However, this popularity makes buying there expensive, and although successful in his career, 59-year-old psychologist Mr Price would have found buying a home and a yacht there almost impossible.

'I advertised for some other people to come in on the idea and formed a syndicate,' he says. 'We found a three-storey, four-bedroom house that was bigger than I was originally thinking of, then we went to the Boat Show and chose a 50ft Beneteau Oceanis fourcabin yacht.'

Mr Price has two partners in the venture - a GP and a director of a yacht management company - and they each paid around £400,000 to become fractional owners of the yacht and the house. They are now after a fourth partner who will be able to buy in for £270,000 - a sum that would barely get you a one-bedroom flat in a desirable part of London.

It is vital to get legal agreements in place that determine each person's rights and establish that you take turns in having first choice of usage,' says Mr Price. 'It is also advisable to meet first to be sure that your partners want the same thing out of the venture as you do and that they intend to look after the assets as carefully as you will.

'But, frankly, we've never had to stick to the letter of the agreement. We're all reasonable people and have become good friends. I can imagine that some people could have problems, but when you have a quarter of a year to choose from, you can usually find dates and times that suit all your needs.'

Will Hosie reports a similar experience. A 49-year-old commercial pilot, he spends so much time abroad that he registered offshore for tax purposes. That meant he couldn't spend more than 90 days at a time at his home in Somerset, so he bought a 40ft yacht in Mallorca with two other people. They each own a one-quarter share at £16,000 each and he owns the other half at £32,000.

'It has worked out perfectly,' he says. 'One of my partners is a banker and the other a theatre producer. We all have different needs, and although we have strict agreements in place, we usually just operate time aboard on a first come, first served basis. It helps if you're mature, reasonable people, but in my experience most individuals are.'

And that isn't all. Back in Britain, Mr Hosie has bought a £35,000 two-seater Fournier RF5 motorised glider and sold five shares at £6,000 each.

'Obviously, owning your own aircraft is prohibitively expensive for most people, but if you do it in a fractional way it becomes much more affordable and you can still have as much fun,' he says.

On average, Mr Hosie would manage to get into the air for only 30 hours a year, so it could turn out to be a very costly pastime with landing fees, insurance, access to hangars, etc., amounting to around £7,500 a year.

'For most private pilots, the cost of flying works out at about £120 an hour,' he says.

'With my partners involved, we've got those costs down to about &£22, which means that I have a yacht and an aircraft and feel like a millionaire - without actually being one.'

Dr Adam Farkas, a 42-year-old banker from Budapest, spends around 20 days a year on business in London. Staying in expensive and impersonal hotels was driving him crazy - until he heard about 47 Park Street in Mayfair, a luxury fractional residence club with 49 suites

Fractional ownership of suites ranges from £111,000 for a one-bed to £260,000 for a two-bed. For that, owners can use their suites for 21 nights a year for 40 years with a further 14 nights from £89 - a ludicrously low sum for Mayfair.

They can use the club any days they want, bequeath the ownership to their family or sell it on if they wish.

There are service charges of around £6,000 a year, and for that owners get to use some of London's most exclusive-clubs, have their fridges stocked by staff before they arrive, have clothes laundered and pressed, ready for their arrival, and even have pictures of their family put on the mantelpiece before they walk through the door.

'This wouldn't work for everyone, but it was perfect for me,' says Dr Farkas. 'Instead of being in different hotel rooms each time, I have the comfort of a home from home in Mayfair at a price that compares well with those same luxury hotels.'

But fractional living isn't just about posh houses or plush yachts.

Sarah Durbin is a 44-year-old project manager for a housing association. For her, dressing well for meetings is important and she feels that having the right handbag is essential.

'The problem is that I, like most women, can't afford to splash out hundreds of pounds on handbags on a regular basis,' she says.

Instead, she signed up to handbags fromheaven.co.uk.

'I pay £9.99 a month membership, which is spent on new handbags that members can then "rent" for around £40 a week, depending on the bag,' says Ms Durbin.

'You don't actually own the bags, but you do feel that you have a fractional interest in them.

'I've had Gucci, Mulberry, Prada and Chloe ones - all worth from around £500 to £800 each. I order them online and they are delivered to my door ready for a special occasion or a big meeting.

'Most women will splash out on an expensive handbag once or twice a year, but then they feel obliged to make their outfits match their handbag. With this, you can get a bag that matches the outfit.'

This type of fractional interest works with cars, too. Car clubs have been around for years, all offering a similar service, but new, smaller 'boutique' clubs are springing up that are more finely attuned to the preferences of their members.

Glenn King, a 31-year-old City trader, is a member of Marque 2, which has 11 cars and 65 members. Again, its membership fees of £6,000 to £8,000 a year are used to finance the purchase of new (and vintage) cars, allowing members access to vehicles that many simply could not usually afford.

'In the past, I've paid up to £75,000 for a car, but this makes so much more sense, bearing in mind the amount of spare time I have,' says Glenn.

'Let's say you were to buy a three-year-old Ferrari. That could easily set you back £90,000, and then you'd have the insurance, the maintenance, storage and so on, but you would only be using it for a fraction of the time.

'This way, I don't actually own any of the cars I can drive - but then, nor do I have any of the hassle involved in their upkeep. I'm just paying for the fractional usage. It's all about experience, not ownership.'

And if fractional super-car membership is out of your league, there are other ways to enjoy fractional ownership for as little as £5.

For that small sum, you can buy a piece of an up-and-coming rock band and help them finance their first album with slicethepie.com.

In return, for every £1 you invest up to £15,000, you get 10p for every 1,000 albums sold.

You can do something similar with young fashion designers on catwalkgenius.com.

And if you want to feel really special, then perhaps you could toast the fractional racehorse in which you invested £89 (racingshares.co.uk) with wine from the vineyard in which have rented a row of vines for £75 a year (wineshare.co.uk).

Whichever way you slice it up, fractional living has the potential to give you the million-dollar lifestyle you've always wanted - a lifestyle that is quite clearly far greater than the sum of its parts.

With a massive backlog of flights now facing holidaymakers trying to get home, despite the opening of European airports, timeshare resorts which are members of the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) have been working tirelessly to provide emergency accommodation for stranded guests, helping them get home whenever possible now that the flight ban is officially over.

Families with children have found themselves taking an unexpected extended holiday in sun-soaked holiday destinations such as the Costa del Sol, Cyprus, The Canary Islands and the Algarve, right before the start of the new school term.

A number of resorts have stepped in to provide last minute arrangements and accommodation for families unable to get home, with resort teams working flat out to ensure owners either have somewhere to stay if no immediate flights are available, or help with last minute travel arrangements.

Some resorts have let guests stay on free of charge. Seasons Holidays, Gala Resorts in Norway, Paradise Kings Club in Cyprus, Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels, Resort Properties and Pearly Grey have been accommodating guests at no extra charge, while Petchey Leisure Group, Pestana Resorts, Anfi Group and Hilton Grand Vacation Club in Portugal are providing discounted stays; some are offering significantly discounted menus in their restaurants.

Chairman of RDO Richard McIntosh, says, “Our member resorts have shown tremendous goodwill by helping out during this extraordinary crisis, not only ensuring timeshare owners are well looked after, but also doing all they can to get them home by coach or ferry services where at all possible.”

Many resorts’ travel agency divisions have been working without a break on re-booking and re-routing travel plans, doing all they can to help guests get home. Others are providing free internet access so guests can stay in touch with family back home and check the latest airline news. At the time of writing, the flight ban has been lifted over the UK, but the situation could change if new ash cloud blows in from Iceland.

How long will it take to get back to normal after flights start again? How long is a piece of string? As a spokeswoman for British Airways, one of the worst-hit airlines, said yesterday: "This is such a unique situation we can't say at this point." Suffice to say that it is likely to be some days.

Who will get priority when flights resume, those who have been disrupted or those with bookings for that day? Normally, when airlines face disruption from weather or strike action, they try to make sure people who have booked ahead still fly and make separate arrangements to rescue stranded passengers or others with cancelled flights.

That way, they have one set of frustrated customers rather than two. So far, airlines are advising this should be the case as airspace reopens, but given the extent of disruption, it may be too soon to be absolutely sure.

Some airlines say I am on my own but government ministers say I am entitled to hotel and food under European Union regulations. Who is right? The ministers are correct. Under the EU's passenger bill of rights, the airline is obliged to reimburse you for the price of your ticket or - if you opt to be rerouted - provide hotel, food and other amenities. The catch is that if you ask to be reimbursed, then the airline is released from other obligations.

Also, if you are reimbursed you will have to absorb the difference between what you paid for your original ticket and the cost of rebooking.

How long are they obliged to compensate me for? The law states that airlines must feed and house passengers "for one or more nights, as appropriate". In theory, that means the airlines have to provide such amenities until they have successfully rerouted you - however long that is. But we are in slightly uncharted waters here because passengers rarely need accommodation for more than a night. European Commission officials say that most passengers are taking matters into their own hands and making alternative arrangements rather than testing the airlines' commitments.

My flight was cancelled and my airline says I have to rebook and travel within 30 days or pay extra to fly when I next want to. Is this legal? Not if your flight was covered by European Commission rule 261/2004, which says the date of the new flight should be at your convenience and you should not have to pay any more money. The Air Transport Users Council, the UK passenger lobby group, has seen evidence of breaches by airlines, however.

How come small aircraft have not been grounded and why can't the airlines make more use of them? Flying was not banned. Controlled airspace has been closed to flights conducted under instrument flight rules because the European bodies that control airspace believe they cannot guarantee aircraft safety.

Flights can still take place in what is called uncontrolled airspace - which is where there might be a radar service but flights are made under visual flight rules.

Since airspace at large airports is controlled, they would then not be able to land, except at very small aerodromes.

The CAA also issued advice that all non-essential aerial activity should be cancelled since ash clouds could be encountered at very low levels.

What is the best way to get from London to New York? A number of London travel agencies had been advising people who had been stranded to stay put and wait in the hope that UK airspace would soon reopen.

Some travellers have been trying to get to airports in European countries where airports have stayed open, or reopened, such as Spain, Norway and parts of France.

However, there is a large number of people attempting to do this and some of the airlines are so overwhelmed that it is hard to make bookings.

A cloud of volcanic ash has forced the closure of all UK air space and the cancellation of hundreds of flights, leaving passengers to choose between a refund or waiting for airports to reopen.

All airlines have been hit by the massive disruption, with most advising customers not to head to terminals at all because of the volume of disrupted passengers.

Most airlines, including British airways, Bmi and easyJet, are offering customers a choice of a refund or a free transfer onto another flight when air services resume.

According to the Tranding Standards Institute, passengers whose flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the volcanic dust blown over to the UK from Iceland have the some rights under the Regulation 261/2004 Air Passenger Rights.

They are entitled to a refund or re-routing if the flight is cancelled or delayed by more than five hours; if re-routing is offered from an alternative location, the airline must cover the cost of transfers.

Passengers on flights delayed by more than two hours are also entitled to meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation if necessary, transport between airport and accommodation, two free telephone calls, faxes or emails.

In cases of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ like this, which are beyond the airlines’ control, consumers are not entitled to further compensation, the TSI said.

The TSI said consumers should also check their own travel insurance as they may be entitled to more under their individual policies, or they could get further information from the government website Consumer Direct or by phoning 0845 4040506.

The rules for flights from outside the EU vary, but in most cases you will be offered a later flight and given hotel accommodation if necessary.

For full details of your air travel rights see the Air Transport Users Council website http://www.auc.org.uk/

Just 20 mins west of downtown in Doral, Miami, the Hyatt Miami at The Blue is set in lush surroundings: 17 acres of green breathing space overlooking a world-famous PGA championship golf course, with many more courses close by.

The new boutique hotel makes an ideal base for family holidays. The property is close to the beach and its spacious suites feature fully equipped kitchens for at-home entertaining; alternatively guests can relax in the hotel restaurant and bar after a long day in the sun on the pool deck. Golfers can choose to stay in one of the three-bedroom golf villas adjacent to the course.

The new timeshare resort has lush tropical landscaping and plenty of amenities for guests to enjoy such as the brand new Spa Azul. The hotel offers all the luxuries of resort living: all suites have a terrace and golf course view, with fully equipped kitchens with all stainless steel appliances, marbled bathrooms with “rain showers” and a large flat-screen LCD TV. Guests can also take advantage of the state-of-the-art fitness center, the full-service spa, and the over-sized heated pool with private cabanas overlooking the golf course.

Children will love the location, too, because close by, there’s the Bayside Marketplace, beaches, Miami Metro Zoo, Gardens Seaquarium and Parrot Jungle.

“We are thrilled to add Hyatt Miami at The Blue to our portfolio of hotels in the Southeast. The location and quality of the hotel will no doubt appeal to both group and leisure travelers,” said Chuck Floyd, chief operating officer, North America, Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

Hyatt Miami at The Blue also offers condo hotel residences. These will be marketed to individual buyers, who will be able to place their units in a voluntary hotel rental program. Condo owners who enter the rental program will also have the option to participate in the Hyatt Vacation Club. Hyatt Vacation Club provides its members with vacation ownership opportunities where they can exchange their time among 15 Hyatt Vacation and Residence Clubs or at properties within Interval International, a third party exchange company with more than 2,200 resorts worldwide.

Owners in the rental program may also trade their time for Hyatt Gold Passport™ points, which can be used by members of Hyatt’s frequent guest program for travel to Hyatt properties worldwide. Additionally, unit owners will have access to membership in surrounding golf and resort facilities, as well as membership to the international Nikki Beach Club with its beachfront location in nearby South Beach.

There’s still time to sign up for one of the year’s most popular charity events, the RCI Christel House Charity Golf Day.

The 2010 event takes place at Ealing Golf Club in Perivale, where some of the timeshare and hospitality industries’ keenest golfers will be clubbing together to help raise funds for the Christel House children’s charity. The organisation helps children around the world whose chances in life are slim to say the least. By funding educational, food and health care programmes, Christel House provides these children with a base, and a nurturing environment, on which to build their lives.

The golfers will tee up in six countries at 18 locations, and whether you’re the next Tiger Woods or just want to watch the fun from the sidelines, the event promises to be a fun day out - and if you sign up now, there’s still plenty of time to practice.

Everyone who participates will enjoy a great day of golf, plenty of networking opportunities and a special dinner and prize-giving.

Last year the charity match raised $650,000 making that this year’s total to beat.

To take part, become a sponsor, donate a prize or for more information, please email: amanda.white@rci.com

One of the world's most influential men in travel has condemned politicians' ignorance of travel and tourism in the run-up to the UK's General Election.

Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), told RCIVentures.com he was frustrated that UK political parties had overlooked almost entirely the importance of travel and tourism on the campaign trail despite its huge contribution to the region's economy.

Baumgarten was asked how important the General Election was to the future of UK inbound tourism. He told RCIVentures.com: “It is my strong disappointment that, in a campaign in a country in a deep recession, only one party has mentioned – and only very slightly - travel and tourism.

“It doesn't make any sense to me that in a country where travel and tourism represents roughly 10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), that no politican looks at that.

“It doesn't make sense, [because] the UK virtually invented tourism,” he added.

China, meanwhile, is making every effort to promote the importance of travel and tourism.

“I was very impressed a few weeks ago when the president of the Chinese Government said travel and tourism is a pillar of the economy, and will be one of its key growth drivers,” said Baumgarten.

“This was honey to my ears.”

UK tourism industry magazine Travel Weekly launched a 'Yes Minister' campaign to lobby for the creation of a senior ministerial role focused solely on travel and tourism issues.

The Conservative party has most closely aligned itself to the campaign, with both the party and Tory leader David Cameron pledging to create the position of tourism minister should they win the election.

Baumgarten explained that typically elections brought about a fall in the value of its country's currency – and this was a situation that should be capitalised on for the benefit of inbound tourism receipts.

“If I were the UK Government I'd play on that becoming good value,” he said.

“There's a big chance for the people in charge of promoting UK inbound tourism to play on that and say now is the time to come to the UK.”

During the hour-long interview Baumgarten also congratulated the timeshare industry on having worked hard to greatly improve its reputation and profile since he last talked to RCI Ventures Magazine in 2005.

“The image of this type of product was tarnished at the time,” he said. “But players who were not creating a good mood for the industry have left. Now major hotel brands have moved into the market and its a significant part of travel and tourism. You see this happening all over the world.”

The number of property investors purchasing fractional and timeshare units in Brazil has grown by a significant amount within the last 12 months, it has been revealed.

Overseas Property Professional (OPP) has reported that sales of the fractional properties shot up by approximately 60 per cent last year, with the increasing South American tourism trade cited as one reason for the rise.

The figures, released by holiday exchange firm RCI, come despite the company posting an overall sales loss of 12 per cent during 2009.

Mario Ocampo, public relations director for RCI Latin America, told OPP that the rise in interest in the region could be due to the recession in North America, as the markets had not been as negatively affected by the economic troubles.

"The involvement of European investors has also been very important in the Latin American market," he explained.

"Part of the Brazilian growth in particular is due to European investment."

Numerous property portals have already predicted that the South American destination is set to be a top seller during 2010.