T H E B U S I N E S S O F VAC AT I O N

Q 1 /Q 2 2 0 1 9

TA K I N G B O L D S T E P S
IN SOUTH AFRICA

HARVESTING INSIGHT TURNING TABLES GOING GLOBAL

Using personalisation to Consumers in the driving Domina set to become
surprise and delight seat of travel trends international brand
 THE NEW

Directory
IS HERE

AVA I L A B L E
I N M U LT I P L E
L A N G UAG E S
FOR MEMBERS

IT’S HERE – AND IT’S

BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE

An inspirational marketing piece, the new directory is designed to activate
and engage RCI members, with all the information they need to get the
most from their timeshare with RCI membership

Now available for RCI-affiliate sales offices,

and new and existing RCI members

Limited edition hard-back More than 500 European Inspirational articles on each
cover for affiliates and global resorts featured resort destination
CONTENTS
Welcome
RCI Affiliates
4 News
The latest news from Europe and around
the world

7 Dancing to the Same Beat The drive for achieving success and prosperity can often cloud our
Southern Sun Resorts re-affiliates to vision – and it is important to remember that originality only takes
RCI – reigniting industry opportunity in
a fresh pair of eyes. Shedding new light on our products is key to
South Africa
reigniting opportunity, therefore taking a fresh perspective is the
focus of this issue.
14 Team Effort: Racing for Success
In our cover feature on page 7, we are delighted to announce
An Anfi Group and RCI collaboration gains
positive results through sales workshops our reformed partnership with Southern Sun Resorts, an affiliation
which represents the coming together of two industry titans in
17 The Importance of Guest Intelligence South Africa and will undoubtedly bring new ideas and opportunity
and Personalisation to this diverse and exciting market.
Several industry experts share best Finding new ways to maximise opportunity is also prevalent in
practice for building online brand our case study with Anfi Group on page 14, which has leveraged
reputation RCI’s knowledge to deliver effective workshops to its sales teams,
enhancing their product understanding and sales strategy. Utilising
22 Can We Get Over Overtourism? the many marketing tools available to us is essential, and on page
A look at how tourism congestion and
17, we hope to enlighten you on some simple, easy-to-implement
its environmental and socio-economic
methods to gather guest intelligence and improve customer
problems can be tackled by the industry
satisfaction levels.
The wider travel and leisure market continues to evolve at a
26 Changing Trends: Turning the Tables
on Travel rapid pace, and we are well aware that right now, consumers are
Shrewd consumers are defining what in the driving seat in defining what they want. On page 26 several
they want – and the travel industry experts share how to meet these demands. Another common
must deliver theme in the wider market is the problem of overtourism and
how we can best tackle the issues it creates, turn to page 22 to
30 Domina: Building an Empire find out more.
Eugenio Preatoni shares his plans to take RCI affiliate Domina is one of the developers in the market
Domina into the global leisure market proactively taking its brand into the global arena, on page 30,
using its authentic Italian brand and resorts to engage new source
34 Final Thought: Thinking Central
markets, including UK and Scandinavian.
Vassilis Themelidis highlights several
We hope your RCI business magazine provides you with much
positive market indicators in the Nordics
food for thought and inspiration. Enjoy the read!
and Central-Southeast Europe

Visit rciventures.com for news of the

worldwide shared-vacation ownership industry
and insight from the experts. ROBIN MILLS
Vice President, Business Development
Europe, Middle East and Africa – RCI Exchanges

Front cover design inspired by the South

African Ndebele tribe’s wall art.

is published by RCI, a trading name of RCI Europe, Kettering Parkway, Kettering, Northants, NN15 6EY, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)1536 314395. Email: rebecca.gormley@rci.com
EDITOR: Rebecca Gormley. ASSISTANT EDITOR: Lorraine Loveland. DESIGN: Charlotte Semark, Ginny Knight, Alex Hutchinson, Charlie Hayes. PRODUCTION: Helen Foster, Claire Williams, Natasha Hegarty,
Trevor Lewis. PRINTING: ProCo. PHOTO CREDITS: Shutterstock, Champneys.com, AutoXotica. COVER: Charlotte Semark. Original articles and contributions may be reproduced or transmitted only with written
permission from the publisher. All facts and figures stated in the articles contained in this publication are provided by the contributors and no responsibility is accepted by RCI Europe for content not created by
them, nor for any losses or other consequences resulting from advertisements or other material appearing in this publication. You are advised to make your own enquiries and conduct further research if necessary.
© RCI Europe 2019

R CI VEN T U RES 3
I N D U S T RY N E WS
Olivier Chavy appointed as
President, RCI Exchanges
Olivier Chavy
An industry veteran with
more than three decades of
experience in the hospitality
profession, Olivier Chavy,
succeeds Gordon Gurnik, who
left the company last year to
-year milestone for RCI
RCI celebrates 45 years of
sending its members on
memorable holidays this
year, having pioneered the
concept of exchange holidays
in 1974, when the company
was co-founded by Jon and
Christel DeHaan.
Today, the company has
the world’s largest holiday
exchange network, with more
than 4,000 affiliated resorts in
over 100 countries worldwide.
Robin Mills, Vice President
Business Development,
Europe, Middle East & Africa
at RCI Exchanges, said:
“RCI pioneered the concept
of holiday exchange and
continues to lead the way
for the industry, developing
innovative new products.
We also established the points
4 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
take up a position with Hilton
Grand Vacations.
A French native, Chavy
most recently served as
CEO of Mövenpick Hotels &
Resorts, and has 30 years
concept and services to help
our members and, crucially,
our affiliate community.”
In recent years RCI has
expanded its offering with the
addition of Dial An Exchange
and Love Home Swap, and
continues to grow its network
of affiliated resorts, adding
172 new properties to its
exchange portfolio in 2018 –
a 22 per cent increase on the
previous year.
“This 45-year milestone
wouldn’t have been possible
without the support and
partnership of our affiliates,
and we’ll continue to go the
extra mile to support them
and their operations in the
coming years ahead,”
added Mills.
of international hospitality
experience and executive
leadership roles, from luxury
hotel and timeshare resort
operations to global interior
design.
At RCI Exchanges, he will
assume responsibility for the
strategic direction, operation
and growth of the network and
travel services for the company,
including oversight of its
collection of leading brands,
including RCI, The Registry
Collection, DAE and Love
Home Swap.
Michael D Brown, President
and CEO of parent company
Wyndham Destinations, said:
“Olivier will strengthen RCI
Exchanges with his dynamic
leadership and his impressive
Christel DeHaan retires as
CEO of Christel House
Christel DeHaan has retired
from her role as CEO of
Christel House International,
and has been replaced by
Bart Peterson, a former
mayor of Indianapolis.
DeHaan will remain on
the Board of the charity she
founded 20 years ago, which
has become the RCI and the
timeshare industry’s charity
of choice.
Christel House aims
to transform the lives of
impoverished children and
DeHaan, the co-founder
of RCI, has pledged to
continue covering all of its
general, administrative and
fundraising expenses.
“My financial commitment
depth of experience in
hospitality operations and
international business.
“His highly regarded
capabilities will ignite our
growth strategy and enhance
the service provided to RCI
members, affiliates and
associates.
“We are committed to
leveraging the strengths of
RCI and to the development of
innovative new programmes to
fortify the value of membership.
“Olivier invigorates our
outlook with his successful
history of remaining relevant
and accommodating to
customers of the world’s
luxury hotels, timeshare
resorts, hospitality brands
and design firms.”
ensures that 100 per cent of
donor contributions will go
directly to help the children,”
she said.
One of the charity’s key
fundraising events is the
Christel House Open, an
international charity golf
tournament that takes place
on courses across the globe.
This year’s European event,
themed ‘Feed the Future’,
will take place on Monday 17
June at Badgemore Park Golf
Club in Henley-on-Thames,
England.
For more details about
entering and sponsorship
opportunities, contact
Liz Taylor at
etaylor@uk.christelhouse.org

New industry
association
launches
A new organisation representing the
interests of timeshare owners in Europe has
been formally established and is actively
recruiting members.
EUROC – the European Resort Owners’
Coalition – will be an “owners’ association
run by owners, for owners”, according to
Paul Gardner-Bougaard, Chief Executive of
European trade body, Resort Development
Organisation (RDO).
RDO, alongside American Resort Owners’
Coalition (ARDA-ROC), has helped fund the
new association, and will oversee its day-to-
day operations.
Gardner-Bougaard said the new body
was crucial, following the closure of TATOC
in 2017, which had “left timeshare owners
in the UK and mainland Europe without
any form of formal representation, nor with
any protection against the attention of
fraudsters”.
After a working group to look at plans for
a pan-European association was set up last
September, a follow-up meeting took place
on 27 February 2019, and the vote from the
56 HOAs in attendance was overwhelmingly
in favour of EUROC.
Gardner-Bougaard explained: “A budget
has been set for 2019 and those HOAs who
sat on the working group will form the
majority of EUROC’s first Board this year.
The Board will appoint a Member Relations
Manager, who will work with the HOAs and
recruit new EUROC members.”
EUROC
plans to hold
a seminar
to discuss
key areas of
concern in
the summer
and details
for this will be
announced in
Paul Gardner-Bougaard
due course.
Reception Area
Major refurb for
Alto Lido
Alto Lido, an RCI-affiliated resort
in Madeira, has undergone a major
refurbishment to give the property
a whole new look.
Grupo Cardoso, the owners and
managers of the resort, invested
€13 million in the work, which took
five months to complete and has
been designed to put the resort into
the luxury market segment, according
to Filipe Bazenga Marques, Chairman
of the company’s Board of Directors.
The makeover, which involved a total
remodelling of all accommodation and
guest areas at the seafront resort, has
given the property and its apartments
and suites a fresh, minimalist look.
Apple Leisure Group targets
European growth
Apple Leisure Group (ALG) is planning
to grow its European portfolio to 35
hotels and 10,000 rooms across the
continent by 2021.
The leading North American travel,
hospitality and leisure management
group initially aims to establish
its European presence in the
Mediterranean, with properties in
Spain and potentially Greece or
Turkey, by the end of this year.
In December 2018, ALG agreed to
purchase a majority share in Spanish
hotel chain Alua Hotels & Resorts,
meaning it will manage more than
I N D U S T RY N E WS
The work also included the addition
of new spa facilities, a business centre
and a restaurant.
Marques said the resort enjoys a
“high level of customer satisfaction
- both repeat customers and new
customers”, and hoped it would attract
“customers of a superior segment, due
to the quality of the new product”.
Deluxe Room
4,000 rooms in Spain, as well as having
the structure and capacity to manage
hotel properties throughout Europe.
Javier Coll, ALG’s Executive Vice
President and Chief Strategy Officer,
said the expansion into Europe is a
natural next step in its aggressive
growth strategy and allows it to
capitalise on existing relationships with
hotel companies and tour operators
with which it already partners in
Mexico and the Caribbean.
“We are analysing several projects as
we have received a lot of interest from
owners,” he said.
R CI VENT U RES 5
I N D U S T RY N E WS

New additions
for our guests with heart and
soul, and beautiful locations in
picturesque, natural landscapes.
In addition, the MONDI Group
studio, one-, two- and four-
bedroom villas with private
decks and garden spaces set
amid the lush coffee plantations

to The Registry
has been committed to sound
business practices since 1983,
which is why our guests have
almost unlimited trust in us.”
of Malnad. Over the next three
years, the company is also set
to invest more than $100 million
(INR 700 crore) in building

Collection
The Registry Collection, RCI’s
luxury exchange programme,
has extended its offering with
the affiliation of three exciting
new resorts in the Austrian and
German Alps, as well as a luxury
vacation ownership group in
India.
Chalet-style units at MONDI-
HOLIDAY resorts Alpin Chalet
Oberstaufen, Chalet Village
Grundlsee and Bellevue Suites,
have joined The Registry
Collection, following a major
€8 million upgrade programme.
Mike Dörr, the company’s
In a separate development, projects across Karnataka,
Rosetta by Ferns, one of India’s Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
luxury vacation ownership Errol Fernandes, Rosetta by
groups, has affiliated its points- Ferns’ Chairman and Managing
Managing Director, said: “We based membership programme Director, said: “Our motto has
have a strong in-house business ‘Club Rosetta’ to The Registry always been to offer the best
Collection. in luxury to our members.
with existing customers who
The company is currently With this partnership, we will
are upgrading to our luxury
developing its first resort in take a step forward in assuring
products at these resorts.
Sakleshpur, Karnataka, a 100- uncompromised ultra-luxurious
“With its five-star service, The
acre luxury project comprised of experiences for our customers.”
Registry Collection perfectly
matches our high standards,
which means we are able to
provide our VIP customers with
an exchange option that reflects
the top-notch value proposition
we want to deliver.
“All of these resorts offer
luxurious accommodation, long-
Chalet Village Grundlsee
standing employees who care

SkiStar adds its newest Dubai reduces red tape to

resort to RCI network boost tourism
The latest property from SkiStar Resorts to join the
RCI exchange system is SkiStar Vacation Club Åre
Village, located in the popular Swedish winter sports
destination of Åre.
The modern mountain property is within walking
distance of Åre’s piste network and village square and
comprises one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
As well as being a world-class winter resort, Åre
is developing year-round attractions, courtesy of
activities ranging from high-adrenaline mountain
biking to relaxed fishing on its lake. The resort is
the fourth SkiStar property to join RCI’s exchange
portfolio. According to Hafez Tadayon, Area Business
Manager for SkiStar Resorts, one of the reasons for
affiliating was to develop its year-round appeal.
He said: “RCI is the biggest holiday exchange
service provider, having the smartest exchange
concept – the points system. Our goal is to make our
destinations active all year round, and we hope RCI
will help us do that. We also want our owners to be
flexible when they use their ownership, as we know
that if they are flexible they are happier and more
likely to stay with us for the long term.”
Dubai is aiming to boost tourism in and supporting further investment.
the region by waiving some of the HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-
regulatory requirements for travel General of Dubai Tourism, said:
and tourism businesses wishing to “Relaxing regulations in support
set up in the Emirate. of the business community,
Dubai Tourism hopes the move especially supporting start-ups
will enable it to release AED and SMEs, is fundamental for
250 million in bank guarantees sustained sector growth.
previously given by tourism-related “Tourism is a strong contributor
service providers. to Dubai’s GDP and we intend
It hopes the new deregulatory to ensure that we sustainably
measure will see instant liquidity enhance our economic value and
injected into Dubai’s economy, aid the diversification agenda for
lowering the cost of doing business the wider UAE.”
R DO 10 CO N FER EN C E: SAV E T H E DATE
European timeshare trade body, Resort Development Association (RDO)
has announced that its 2019 conference will take place at Don Carlos
Leisure Resort & Spa, Marbella, on 11-12 September 2019. The RDO10
Conference, which is the only event of its type in Europe, will begin
with the organisation’s annual general meeting on 11 September. Visit
www.rdoconference.org for details of its schedule and keynote speakers.

6 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
Dancing
to the
Same Beat
After a 10-year hiatus, Southern Sun Resorts and
RCI have reformed their partnership – reigniting
the opportunity in South Africa, and laying the
foundations for an impressive future in this
diverse and prosperous market.
BY R E B E C C A G O R M L E Y

R CI VENT U RES 7
SHARED-HOLIDAY OWNERSHIP AND SOUTH
Africa have gone hand-in-hand since the 1970s and,
amidst challenging economic and political times, the
market has flourished – boasting a mature 3.5 billion
Rand in annual revenues today.
In a country which offers such diverse and dramatic
landscapes, holiday options for beach, bush and
mountain experiences are vast, while domestic tourism
is thriving – meaning holiday ownership products are
an incredibly popular choice for the local market.
South African industry titan, Southern Sun Resorts,
was one of the first hotel operators to enter the
timeshare market in 1982 and today it is as highly
regarded by its owners and the market itself, as it was
almost 50 years ago.
RCI first established its office in South Africa in
the 1980s – at a time when the company’s footprint
was rapidly increasing – and since then has offered
unrivalled infrastructure and member services in each
of the regions in which it holds a presence.
Today, these giants have aligned themselves
for prosperity and opportunity – cementing their
partnership in the form of a re-affiliation, which came
into force on 4 February, 2019.
“It’s been ten years, but we are delighted to once
again be working with our best business partner, RCI,”
said Adam Fuller, Operations Director at Southern Sun
Resorts.

RCI and Southern Sun Resorts

As part of the re-affiliation, RCI has been appointed as
Southern Sun Resorts’ sole exchange partner, and all
members at SunSwop – Southern Sun Resorts’ premium
holiday exchange service – will be serviced by RCI
South Africa.
Peter Pienaar, General Manager at SunSwop,
believes that now is the right time to align with RCI.
He said: “Our relationship with RCI goes right back
to when we first started. We share a common vision
– focusing on delivering a wide variety of quality
products to members.
 “Over the years our owners have come to expect
high-quality products across all of our offerings
and we need to ensure that this is what we deliver.
It is incredibly important to us to live up to these
expectations, whether it relates to our physical product
– for example, the quality of resorts in our portfolio –
or the manner in which we offer exchange holidays to
our owners.”
Our relationship with RCI
goes right back to when we first
started. We share a common
vision – focusing on delivering a
wide variety of quality products
to members.
– PETER PIENAAR, GENERAL MANAGER AT
SUNSWOP
Through its SunSwop exchange service, powered THE MAGNIFICENT
DRAKENSBERG
by RCI, owners will have access to unrivalled MOUNTAINS:
exchange holiday opportunities for both domestic and Drakensberg Sun
Resort offers guests
international holidays. With more than 4,000 affiliated breathtaking views
in one of South
resorts across the world, RCI is uniquely positioned to Africa's most
offer its members the most choice in exchange holidays picturesque settings.
and accommodation.
Robin Mills, Vice President Business Development,
Europe, Middle East & Africa at RCI Exchanges, said
that RCI is incredibly proud to be working with one of
the leading developers in the market once again.
He added: “The global team at RCI is extremely
excited to bring Southern Sun Resorts back to where
PETER
it belongs, and it is a huge boost to the local team in PIENAAR
South Africa. We’re looking forward to working closely General Manager,
SunSwop
with the Southern Sun Resorts’ team in the coming
months to achieve great things together.
“It is renowned for offering an outstanding service
to its owners, and we are extremely excited to partner
with Southern Sun Resorts to power its exchange
holiday product.”
Through the re-affiliation, RCI will service
SunSwop’s approximate 26,000 owners, retaining ADAM
FULLER
the high-quality service levels they are accustomed to
Operations
through their ownership. Director,
Pienaar continued: “Our renewed partnership will Southern Sun
Resorts
increase the exchange footprint for our members, both
locally and internationally, and our online reservation
functionality will be greatly enhanced as we transition
to RCI’s online reservation platform.
“We are now able to deliver significant exchange

8 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
fee pricing benefits to SunSwop members, as well as
connecting them to the destinations they want to visit,
which we know ranks highly on their list of priorities.”
Mills said: “RCI has an enormous diversity of
locations – both domestic and international – which
will appeal to SunSwop members and they will also
experience higher quality standards and the highest
level of service when it comes to transacting.”
About Southern Sun Resorts
Southern Sun Resorts has a portfolio of six resorts in
differing locations, each offering high-grade apartments
and amenities for families and couples to enjoy. One of
the company’s key achievements for 2018 was the renewal
of the management contracts at all six of its resorts.
Fuller explained: “Our resorts are set in phenomenal
locations, and each one offers a unique experience,
ranging from beach, to bush, to mountains. In each
location, owners and guests can enjoy the diverse
landscapes South Africa has to offer, and our resorts
are strategically located to cater to all of our owners’
needs.”  international exchange options with RCI.
Located on the sandy beaches of Plettenberg Bay,
the landmark Beacon Island Resort offers owners and
guests luxury seafront accommodation with various
beach and wildlife activities.
Cabana Beach Resort offers a contrasting beach
experience, located in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban, it is
designed in the style of a Mediterranean village with
sub-tropical gardens and cabana suites for owners and
guests to enjoy. Also located in the affluent Durban
area is uMhlanga Sands Resort, a favourite for family
holidays, thanks to the amenities and seafront location
it offers.
Drakensberg Sun Resort, situated high in the Cathkin
Peak area of the Drakensberg Mountains, provides
visitors with breathtaking views and fresh mountain
air. Pine Lake Resort offers well-appointed chalets
with exquisite views of the lake and, completing the
portfolio, is Sabi River Sun Resort, located close to the
world-famous Kruger National Park, appealing to those
looking for sporting activities and nature walks.
“Most of our resorts offer exceptional dining
options, as well as extensive activity schedules
designed for the whole family to enjoy. All resorts have
undergone, or are soon to undergo, refurbishment,
maintaining our incredibly high standards – which set
us apart from our competitors,” said Fuller.
In addition to enjoying holidays at the resorts
in the Southern Sun Resorts' portfolio, owners also
have the ability to select from 50 other South African
resorts through SunSwop, and further domestic and
A market leader
The SunSwop Choices product offers owners even more
flexibility with their ownership – which is key in today’s
market – giving them the opportunity to buy, rent or sell
their timeshare, or exchange into Tsogo Sun hotels or use
its rewards programme.
“This flexibility is completely unique in the South
African timeshare market,” Pienaar explained. “Our
owners have access to restaurants and non-timeshare
hotels, opening up attractive lifestyle benefits with
their ownership, which is completely in line with what
today’s consumer is seeking.”
Southern Sun Resorts’ flexibility, coupled with its
high-calibre accommodation, has been instrumental to
its success in the market.
“Our vision is to honour our owners, who trusted
us with their purchase, with a lifetime of memorable
holidays at our resorts, and to do this we must future-
proof our legacy products for the next generation of
owners,” said Fuller.
The right time to partner
Shared-holiday ownership remains a hugely popular
choice for the domestic market, and the industry has a
significant footprint in the South African tourism and
hospitality sectors.
Alyson Benjamin, Vice President of Operations,
RCI South Africa, explained: “We have approximately
170 affiliated-resorts in the RCI South Africa portfolio,
and exchange holidays are a key component of their
product offering.
“A high proportion of our RCI members view
timeshare exchange as a mechanism to travel overseas,
given the volatility of our currency, giving them an
excellent opportunity to visit new destinations and stay
at RCI-affiliated resorts worldwide.
“Partnering with Southern Sun Resorts not only
gives their owners the opportunity to enjoy exchange
holidays at high-quality RCI-affiliated resorts, it also
provides our RCI members with the ability to exchange
into their resorts in sought-after locations in South
Africa. It’s a fantastic opportunity for both parties, and
it will allow us to take advantage of the opportunities in
this market.”
The timeshare industry in South Africa comprises
almost 430,000 weeks – of which 52 per cent are owned
by holiday clubs and 48 per cent owned by timeshare
members.
Tony Ridl, Chairman of the Vacation Ownership
Association of Southern Africa (VOASA), believes that
shared-holiday ownership offers the best value for
lifelong family holidays.
He said: “South Africa is widely known as one of the
most sought-after destinations in the world – thanks
to its abundant natural beauty, pristine coastlines,
exciting wildlife and mountain experiences, fantastic
T H E I N D U ST RY AT A G L A N C E
• 27,000 employees
• More than 190 resorts
• Over 400,000 owners
• 90% of sales offices sell club memberships;
8% sell a combination of club memberships
and weeks; 2% sell weeks exclusively
• Approximately 90% year-round occupancy
for beach properties
Source: VOASA
UMHLANGA weather and its unique rainbow nation of diverse message that many of our affiliate partners, including
SANDS RESORT:
Left: Ocean views cultures that are steeped in history. Southern Sun Resorts, offer an impeccable level of
and fantastic
amenities make this
“These unique experiences are sought out and service to their members, going above and beyond to
resort a popular promoted within the timeshare properties, making ensure they meet their needs as consumers.”
choice for families,
year after year. them the number one factor when picking a destination Unlike many of the shared-ownership markets,
for both international and local owners, as well as club including Europe, South Africa has retained its
BEACON ISLAND
RESORT: members. preference for weeks-based products, with less resorts
Right: Sun-kissed
beaches, natural “Due to the favourable climate, particularly on in the market offering points-based products.
forests and coral
the east coast, beach properties run at year-round Fuller added: “We are in the fortunate position that
reefs await guests
at this spectacular occupancies in the 90 per cent range, with bush/safari there was very little focus or impact on conventional
resort.
and mountain occupancies close behind.” timeshare products. The industry participants affected
by the report are all working to ensure that they
Uneasy waters     accommodate all of the recommended changes and I
While the timeshare industry in South Africa is certainly believe that, in the long term, this will be very positive
thriving, as with many of the markets in the shared- for the entire timeshare industry in South Africa.
holiday ownership industry, it has not been without its “We firmly believe that the future looks good for
challenges. conventional timeshare products. I suspect that there
ALYSON
BENJAMIN Before the close of 2018, the National Consumer will be a consolidation of the industry following the
Vice President of Commission (NCC) released a new report on South report, however, this consolidation will create great
Operations,
RCI South Africa
Africa’s timeshare industry, following an inquiry it opportunity, especially for reputable brand operators.”
conducted in 2017. Both RCI and Southern Sun Resorts, like many of
The report called for fair and transparent the companies operating in South Africa’s shared-
operation of timeshare organisations, to better holiday ownership space, ensure complete adherence
improve consumer protection in the industry. Several with VOASA’s Code of Conduct, which sets out the
recommendations were made to change the service highest standards of ethical behaviour in the industry,
delivered to consumers, ensuring that their rights were and promotes a reputable trading environment.
TONY RIDL protected on items such as exit programmes, sales Ridl said: “VOASA plays an integral role in ensuring
Chairman of
the Vacation
and marketing. the improvement and growth of a sustainable industry.
Ownership Mills explained: “While the report shed a negative The Association’s proactive government lobbying
Association of
Southern Africa
light on some of the resorts operating in the shared- will be instrumental in advocating the appropriate
(VOASA) holiday ownership space, it reinforced the positive regulation of the industry over the next two to three

R CI VENT U RES 1 1
 THE I N D UST RY B OASTS A MAT U R E
R3.5 BILLION
PER ANNUM IN REVENUE AND TOTALS
158 5 430,000
exchange weeks
resorts
systems
of which 52% are owned by holiday clubs and
48% are owned by timeshare owners.
Source: VOASA
years to create a better balance between regulation,
consumer protection and holiday ownership
development.”
Creating advantage  which use OTAs and run in conjunction with timeshare
While the NCC’s report may have caused a shift in the
industry, it has certainly been viewed by many as an
opportunity to lay the foundations for a strengthened
shared-holiday ownership market – which is why this
point in time is also incredibly exciting for the partnership
of two world-class industry giants.
Mills explained: “We have a fantastic opportunity
here to leverage the renewed partnership between
1 2 Q1 /Q 2 2 01 9
RCI and Southern Sun Resorts to deliver unrivalled
exchange holiday and membership options to owners
and RCI members.
“Following the NCC report, consumers will seek
conventional ownership opportunities with reputable,
renowned brands in the market, and together we can
ensure that we meet these demands and, in turn,
strengthen the shared-holiday ownership industry in
South Africa.
“Points-based products are now almost non-existent
in South Africa, which is also a result of the changes
in member profiles. The newer products coming
onto the market are similar to those in the European
market, including termed products and mixed-use
opportunities, but there is certainly a preference
among consumers for upmarket products which offer
a higher level of luxury – which Southern Sun Resorts ROBIN
and many other affiliated resorts in the market deliver.”  MILLS
Vice President,
Mills continued: “Revenue-centric rental pools
Business
Development
EMEA, RCI
products are also common place, and many of the
Exchanges
developers in the market are using these to leverage
their marketing, as well as optimising the breadth of PROSPERITY IN
marketing channels available to them.” THE MARKET:
Opportunity in South
The shared-holiday ownership industry is certainly Africa is unparalleled,
with many beach
integral to the tourism market in South Africa, properties operating
contributing more than 27,000 jobs in the tourism at 90 per cent
occupancies year
sector. round.

We are very excited about
the future prospect of timeshare
in South Africa, and with this in
mind, we are currently exploring
further development
opportunities.
– ADAM FULLER, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AT
SOUTHERN SUN RESORTS
A recent study conducted by VOASA highlighted
the industry’s impression on shared-holiday ownership
in the wider leisure real estate market, comparing the
number of timeshare apartments to the number of
hotel rooms in three of the country’s most popular
tourism regions – namely beach, mountains and
bush/safari.
Ridl explained: “It is interesting to note that the
survey found that timeshare had the advantage of
offering more availability and choice in accommodation
than any other vacation offering operating in those
regions.
“Vacation ownership comprised 63 per cent of
the beach apartments, 60 per cent of the mountain
apartments and 70 per cent of the bush/safari
apartments – which clearly indicates that timeshare
continues to represent a significant portion of the
leisure real estate industry.”
Plans for expansion
Southern Sun Resorts also believes that the country
is ripe with opportunity for shared-holiday ownership
products. With many of its resorts sold out, the company
has turned its attention to new opportunities.
“We are very excited about the future prospect
of timeshare in South Africa,” said Fuller. “And with
this in mind, we are currently exploring further
development opportunities within our resorts where
we still have unused development rights, as well as
additional management opportunities within the
South African timeshare space.
“Going forward, whatever we decide to do from
a new product point of view will take into account
changing usage patterns to ensure that the product
which we develop and sell is current and relevant.
“We are very aware of the successful role a branded,
reputable timeshare product could play in this market
for many years to come.”
The company’s diligent management and
transparency has ensured that its owner base remains
incredibly loyal and satisfied with their ownership – a
feat which is not always easy to achieve when consumer
preferences are changing at a significant rate.
Pienaar added: “Our core product hasn’t changed,
but it has evolved. Let’s not forget that our resorts
were among the first timeshare properties launched in
South Africa, where the global trend at that time was
fixed-week, fixed-unit timeshare.
“That model is still employed across all of our
resorts, but we have introduced options to bring
flexibility beyond that of traditional timeshare. Our
owners are also able to use their timeshare week to
exchange into more than 100 Tsogo Sun hotels across
the country – a unique benefit which many in the
market are unable to match.”
Many industry stakeholders in South Africa and
across the European region are now looking at new
ways to engage the next generation of buyers. While
flexibility and access to assets remain essential on
their list of priorities, millennials are also seeking
accommodations in locations offering experiential
holidays – something that Southern Sun Resorts is
well placed to deliver.
Fuller said: “I foresee that the big brand operators
will play an increasingly important role and that the
products brought to the market will be relevant for
current and future buyers’ needs. We understand the
need for shorter term products – from both a buyer
and developer point of view – but we have also seen
that conventional timeshare ownership, similar to
that which we launched more than 30 years ago in this
country, still has a place.
 “We achieve high owner satisfaction levels because
we consistently deliver on our promise to our owners,
which is the reason they purchase with us in the first
place. We ensure that we provide fantastic locations,
quality accommodation and invariably high service
standards, while listening to owners, and in turn they
remain loyal, engaged and satisfied.
“It is this strategy that will ensure we inspire and
engage future generations of owners.”
In closing, Mills said: “The opportunity in South
Africa is unparalleled. It has everything that today’s
consumer is looking for, which makes it extremely
attractive for domestic and international markets.
“The future of the shared-holiday ownership
industry is incredibly exciting, and with the right
product, investment in this region is sure to pay
dividends.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the prosperity that
the future will bring through our new partnership with
Southern Sun Resorts and our existing partnerships in
the South African market.”
T I M E S H A R E R E P R E S E N TS A N
I N T E G R A L PA R T O F T H E
L E I S U R E S E C TO R
63% 60% 70%
beach mountain bush/safari
apartments apartments apartments
Source: VOASA
 Team Effort:
R AC I N G F O R S U CC E S S

For more than 30 years, the Anfi Group has focused on its
vision to deliver a ‘home-from-home’ holiday experience.
In this case study, we explore how Gran Canaria-based Anfi
Group has gained positive results through collaboration with
owners and its partnership with RCI, to enhance its product
and sales strategy.
BY C L A I R E WA D D I N G TO N

A WINNING COMBINATION OF HIGH-QUALITY
apartments, location and personalised service, sets us apart from
our competitors,” explained Stefan Mende, Sales Director at Anfi
Group. “We are fortunate to be located on a fantastic island with
a warm and balanced climate. It’s easy for our customers to travel
here; only a few hours away and they can truly feel at home.”
Alongside its high-quality apartments, Anfi now offers a
concierge service to cater for guest needs, from booking activities,
such as private sailing boat trips, to organising a dream wedding on
its famed heart-shaped island.
“We also try to maintain a healthy balance between technology
and the personal touch,” continued Mende. “Our customers tell
us that even in this age of digitalisation, they still want to talk to a
human being. Each Anfi customer is a name and not a number, we
want everyone to receive attention and feel important. Our owners
delight in this, and look forward to seeing a friendly face.”
The Anfi customer first approach extends to its sales. Mende
said: “Many members of our sales team have been employed
with Anfi for some time. Our existing owners know and trust the
team, and this is part of the reason they buy. I put a big emphasis
on spending time with our customers and being transparent and
honest. We also appreciate fresh ideas, so it’s great to have a mix of
new and experienced staff.”

1 4 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
 Adapting for the next generation
Sales and marketing go hand-in-hand in any business,
and customer preferences have changed over time. Celia
Fonseca, Marketing Director at Anfi, explained: “Social
media is now more important than ever, which is why
STEFAN we have invested in our website and digital channels. We
MENDE understand the importance of personalisation, and have
Sales Director,
Anfi Group
built this into our guest experience.
“Working with high-profile celebrities, such as
Manchester City footballer David Silva, not only
endorses the Anfi brand, it also increases engagement
with our owners. Born and raised in Gran Canaria, David
grew up with Anfi, and his mother even worked here.
Members and guests identify with David: he is well-liked
and truly part of the Anfi family. Press events raise the
Anfi profile, and inspire new guests. The partnership
with David completes our marketing strategy.”
CELIA Today’s consumer is looking for a luxury product,
FONSECA
Marketing with maximum flexibility and ease of use. “Anfi ensures
Director, that it meets this demand by asking for customer
Anfi Group
feedback,” said Mende. “When we design new products,
we actively seek ideas from members and guests,
because it’s so important to listen to your customers.”
Maintaining product relevancy is critical in every
industry, and shared-holiday ownership is no different.
Fonseca added: “We have to balance meeting the
demands of prospective owners and changing travel
trends. The original timeshare products are not flexible more focused on accommodation and price. Now it is
CARLOS enough for younger generations, who often favour just as much about experience and flexibility, making
MORENO- last-minute travel and low commitment. We’ve had to exchange an important part of our product offering.
MARTIN
Affiliate Sales adapt, and it keeps us on our toes.” “Anfi offers a product that the customer can see,
Manager, Anfi is increasingly focusing on experiential travel, use and enjoy coming back to. RCI unlocks the world
RCI Exchanges
and is seeing particularly strong growth in sporting for our members and offers exchanges into quality
holidays. This has been so successful that Anfi now accommodation, together with an array of destinations
attracts professional cyclists from November to January and experiences. For example, skiing is a popular
for training on the island. Fonseca said: “It is noticeable activity for our customers, and RCI has resorts in ski
that many holidaymakers no longer want to lie by the destinations across the world.”
beach or the pool. They want activities and experiences,
and we need to keep expanding our offering. Knowledge is power
“We have four generations of customers with Product training is known to increase the effectiveness,
different needs, so we constantly need to evolve.” motivation and performance of a sales force,
which positively contributes towards profitability,
Flexibility is key sustainability and customer satisfaction.
Mende is enthusiastic about the benefits of an exchange A joint Anfi-RCI workshop initiative was launched
product. He said: “There is a clear generational in 2016, with the aim of educating sales staff as to the
difference in preferences – in the past, consumers were exchange benefits available through RCI, in a fun and

SPORT IS
THE NEW
SUNBATHING:
Top: Flyboarding
is one of the many
adrenaline-fuelled
activities Anfi offers.
Below: An Anfi-RCI
sales workshop.
 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRODUCT TRAINING AND LEARNING

Increase in RCI Boost in productivity The estimated cost

membership enrolments and performance of ineffective training
+44% on Anfi sales decks from +24% in high-performing $13.5m per year, per 1,000
2015 to 2016* learning organisations** employees***

*RCI Reporting. **According to the Towards Maturity Driving Performance and Productivity Report – In Focus Report April 2018, produced in partnership with CIPD, which surveyed over 700
learning and development leaders.*** In a survey by Grovo: Training Gets a Trim: Microlearning for a New Workforce. 

informative format. The workshops include external The workshops have proven to be a success, and
speakers and team-building activities, and an RCI session demonstrate how a resort developer and exchange holiday
is led by RCI’s Carlos Moreno-Martin and Ovidio Zapico. provider can collaborate to benefit their customers and
Carlos Moreno-Martin, Affiliate Sales Manager at RCI achieve sales targets. Both companies are now keen to
Exchanges, said: “The idea for the sales workshops came ensure that the workshops continue, and that an RCI
from seeing the increasing relevance of holiday exchange product refresher remains a key part of the agenda.
and flexibility. 
“Stefan Mende had recently been appointed as Sales What is next?
Director at Anfi, and put great importance on his team Mende is eager for the workshops to keep evolving.
understanding RCI. A key component of the sessions is He said: “RCI product knowledge is a core part of
showing the team how, where and when Anfi owners our training and we expect all team members to go
travel with RCI. It brings to life a concept they talk through this with every customer – it is extremely
about every day.”  important. We have over 100 staff attending
Mende added: “The RCI team is very the workshops and there are always
flexible, tailoring the content to make it
Every new Anfi new people with less knowledge and
completely relevant. The majority of owner is enrolled with RCI experience. The workshops need to
our customers purchase to come back and it is very important that continue to be interactive, fun, and
to Anfi, year after year. However, also challenge people to get out of
exchange is key to our product
our representatives have the their comfort zones.”
offering because we know that our very best product knowledge. Anfi Group has exciting plans
members want to be flexible, so The workshops are fun and for 2019 and beyond. Fonseca said:
we must make sure our product “2019 is set to be a great year for us
caters for them for many years and
educational, and we also like
as we work to enhance our products
generations to come. to invite guest speakers to and grow our partnerships. We will
“Every new Anfi owner is enrolled break up the day. continue to invest in digital channels
with RCI and it is very important that and explore new technology, such as
our representatives have the very best – STEFAN MENDE virtual reality.”
product knowledge. The workshops are fun The Anfi sales and marketing strategy
and educational, and we also like to invite guest will include a focus on lead generation through
speakers to break up the day.” B2B partnerships, online and offline promotions, and
The results communicating with prospective customers through
Mende did not anticipate how successful the first multiple channels. “Everything needs to be available
workshop was going to be, but he instantly saw an impact. online and personalised, but we will never lose the human
“The workshops are very well-received,” he said. touch,” said Fonseca.
“We get some fantastic feedback and no matter the staff Moreno-Martin said: “Anfi’s sales approach is
tenure, they learn something new every time. We really successful, first and foremost due to a high level of
notice the positive impact of the workshops on staff trust with their customers. They focus on operating a
morale and motivation. transparent and ethical sales operation. 
“Ovidio and Carlos have become members of the Anfi “The Anfi holiday experience is exclusive, the
family and are excellent RCI ambassadors. We love that accommodation is high quality and all of this is offered
our staff have been able to get to know them. It puts a in fantastic locations. The clear success of the workshops
face to the RCI name and increases team engagement.” has highlighted the benefits that an innovative approach
Fonseca and her team also attend the workshops. can drive.”
She said: “It helps to build and grow a strong team, Mende concluded: “We keep adapting our strategy
while people increase their knowledge. If our owners are and RCI will continue to be part of every sale. We want
better informed, it helps them to maximise their use of to enhance our customer experience and we’re excited
RCI services and benefits. It’s great to take a different about what the future has to offer. We look forward to
approach – an interactive one – and of course it had a continuing our partnership with the RCI team into 2019
positive impact on sales as a result.” and beyond.

1 6 Q1 /Q 2 2 01 9
The Importance of
Guest Intelligence
& Personalisation
At a time when an online review paints more than a
beautiful picture, resorts are under pressure to make
a personal connection with guests, even before they
step foot in the door. Several experts share their
views on building brand reputation online.
BY N ATA S H A H E G A R T Y

R CI VEN T U RES 1 7
CURRENTLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRENDS
in the hospitality industry, is using guest intelligence to
personalise holiday experiences to deliver an exceptional
service to customers. This is to ensure great reviews are
left on the likes of TripAdvisor, which will inevitably
increase bookings, and consequently, revenues.
There are countless ways in which resorts and hotels
can deliver a better service to their guests, by being
more intuitive to their wants and needs and giving
them that ‘wow’ factor. Hotels and resorts need to
invest in guest intelligence to work smarter, to keep
guests returning year after year, and also book their
trips directly with them online.
Real-time surveys
One of the most immediate ways of improving guest
satisfaction is using in-resort surveys. Importantly,
this will identify any issues which might be negatively
impacting a guest’s experience while they are on
resort, giving you the chance to head off a possible
negative review and turn it into a positive by finding an
immediate resolution.
ReviewPro, the world leader in guest intelligence
solutions, has over 55,000 hotels relying on its
innovative cloud-based guest intelligence platform,
Guest Experience Improvement Suite, to gather
intelligence.
ReviewPro stresses that in-resort information is key
to improving guest satisfaction.
RJ Friedlander, CEO at ReviewPro, said: “We see
more of our clients implementing in-stay surveys and
this is great for both leisure and business travellers alike.
“During their stay they can provide feedback on
what is and isn’t working for them, and that to me, is
the most powerful real-time opportunity for hoteliers,”
he said.
Friedlander believes that bad reviews aren’t
necessarily a problem, it is how they are dealt with
by the hotel or resort which is critical in reputation
management.
“It’s not often that something unforgiveable
happens,” he said. “However, if the guest wasn’t given
the opportunity to provide feedback while they were at
the resort, or if they did and the hotel didn’t respond,
it’s that lack of acting which manifests itself in a bad
review.”
Pearly Grey Ocean Club in Tenerife uses guest
intelligence to drive customer satisfaction, by making
sure they collect the right kind of data, to be used in
the right way, at the right time.
“We have an in-house survey that requests feedback
from all guests staying at Pearly Grey and this is
completed before they leave the resort,” said Justine
Banister-Day, General Sales Manager at Pearly Grey
Ocean Club.
“It uses a rating system which covers all aspects of
a guest’s stay, from the food in the restaurants to the
service delivered by the sales team. A comments and
feedback section is also available so that guests may
leave us their individual comments.
“We use this information, together with the
1 8 Q1 /Q 2 2 01 9
comments from TripAdvisor, RCI’s comment cards,
Google+ and various OTA surveys, to form the basis of
our self-assessment and improvement programme.”
Pearly Grey Ocean Club also prides itself on its use
of social media to make a personal connection with
guests online before, during and after their stay, which RJ
helps to drive their high online review score rankings. FRIEDLANDER
Banister-Day believes there is a direct link between CEO, ReviewPro
a strong social media presence and trust between the
resort and guests.
“We ventured into social media years before other
resorts in our industry did, with the support of John
Beckley, an expert in this field,” she explained. “We
encourage the in-house sales team to connect with
their owners.
ALEX
“We have a Facebook page for the resort and a HUNTER
community of owners who keep in contact with Creator, Attaché
each other after meeting here. It is a great way of
communicating with staff too.
“Our social media platforms give families and
couples coming to visit Pearly Grey for the first time a
great opportunity to get a feel for our resort and engage
with us and our online community, meaning they arrive
with a positive outlook.”
JUSTINE
BANISTER-
Customer service is key
DAY
Banister-Day adds that this only works well if you are
General Sales
posting truthful content: “Of course this would not be Manager at Pearly
Grey Ocean Club
possible if the business you conduct is not transparent.
If your owners aren’t happy, it would be a totally
different scenario!”
Investing time and money in gathering guest
intelligence is redundant if the product is below par
and failing on basic things, unless, of course, you
have every intention of improving the service and/or
product.
“Using social media and online communication for
patching over bad service is dangerous, and this just
annoys guests even more,” Alex Hunter, creator of
award-winning online travel show Attaché, said: “You
need to get the fundamentals right and do what you say
you’ll do.”
Hunter suggests that staff need to be given the tools
to solve issues themselves, as well as more autonomy
to take initiative, without going through management
to get permission to make every decision. Time of
response and resolution is of the essence.
Giving your brand warmth and personality is also
important, especially in issue resolution, as Hunter
clarified: “Give frontline staff the authority to go off-
script now and again, especially when things go wrong.
They are the people being approached to fix a problem,
so let them do that. This could be as simple as giving
the guest a free drink while they look into an issue.”
Hunter, who has a successful career, including
heading up the digital strategy for Virgin, believes
there needs to be a balance between online and offline
customer service.
“Businesses have made things much more
complicated than they need to be – they have been
ruined by the internet. The human touch is so much
more important than people realise.”
 He explained: “Viewing online and offline as two
separate services is dangerous – they go hand in hand.
The Four Seasons Group do this well. If they have an
online conversation with a guest, they’ll leave a card in
the room acknowledging it. It is very powerful.” TO P T I P S
Friedlander adds that having the right staff F O R I M P R OV I N G O N L I N E
in customer-facing roles is key to continuous R E P U TAT I O N
improvement. He said: “There is no substitute
• Introduce an in-resort survey, to
for hiring the right people who love their job. As
immediately resolve any guest issues
customers, we value being treated well and there’s a or queries
long-standing emphasis on remembering people you’ve
• Respond to reviews quickly, and aim for
interacted with. The key is to hire people with good
a 90% response rate within 24 hours
customer service skills.”
• Resolve any common issues with your
Personalisation leads to profit product, instead of presenting it as
Hunter suggests that it’s not just about having the data, something else
you need to use it properly to impress guests outside of • Utilise the guest intelligence you already
their standard transaction. have – surprise your guests on their
“There needs to be a built-in culture to surprise and birthdays
delight,” he said. • Include your resort name when
“If you know it’s a guest’s birthday while they’re responding to reviews, to increase SEO
staying at the resort, jump on that and leave them visibility of positive reviews
a note in their room, or make a point of celebrating • Never underestimate the power of the
it in some way. There’s no point gathering the guest human touch – align your online and
intelligence data if you’re not going to act on it.” offline customer strategies
He points out that there are some brands which
are ahead of the game when it comes to offering a
personalised service. These brands are going back to
basics, but using technology to get there.
“I was a guest recently at the Shangri-La hotel in
If you know it’s a guest’s
Hong Kong where I had an amazing experience. I got birthday while they’re staying at
the elevator up to one of the top floors for breakfast the resort, jump on that and
SURPRISE AND and walked to the podium to be seated, and the server
DELIGHT YOUR
addressed me by name,” he said. “I have no idea how
leave them a note in their room,
GUESTS:
Recognising an
online interaction
she knew my name in such a large hotel, but it was or make a point of celebrating
by leaving a note
in their room;
most impressive.” it in some way. There’s no point
Using a customer’s name during an exchange is
surprising your
guest on their such a small thing, but very powerful.
gathering the guest intelligence
birthday or by
simply using their “Airlines are pretty good at implementing data if you’re not going to act
name during an
exchange can personalised service, especially the South East Asian on it.
vastly improve airlines, by addressing passengers by their name. It’s a
guest satisfaction
and online reviews. small gesture, but very significant,” Hunter continued. – ALEX HUNTER, CREATOR OF ATTACHÉ

R CI VEN T U RES 1 9
“Rather than just a transactional encounter, frontline
staff, from the check-in desk to onboard, are given
access to data to acknowledge passengers and make
their experience a little more special.”
Reviews = rankings
Using guest intelligence to ensure customers are having
a fantastic stay is only the first step. Acting on this data,
replying to reviews in a timely manner and ensuring
problems are solved, will result in a higher online
ranking score.
Banister-Day said: “Everyone checks out online
reviews to see what the general consensus is about any
location or venue, whether it’s a restaurant, a hotel or
a resort.
“The way we make choices now is largely based on
recommendations and reputation, so having a positive
online reputation is vital in today’s marketplace.
“When potential guests can see that we engage and
respond in the online community, it portrays trust and
respect. Once your brand is trusted, a potential guest is
more likely to turn into a confirmed guest.”
Friedlander agrees that review sites are so important
when it comes to ensuring potential guests book to
stay at your resort. A high review score means that
guests will even pay a little bit more, if they have the
confirmation they will get an experience which matches
the price point.
He said: “TripAdvisor is the brand that people
always have in mind when it comes to hotel reviews, as
it has the biggest database, however, its market share
has been dropping for the last three years.
2 0 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
COMMUNICATING
The way we make choices WITH GUESTS:
Pearly Grey Ocean
now is largely based on Club engages with
its owners and
recommendations and prospective guests
on its social media
reputation, so having a positive
channels to add
further credibility to
its brand.
online reputation is vital in
today’s marketplace.
– JUSTINE BANISTER-DAY, GENERAL SALES
MANAGER AT PEARLY GREY OCEAN CLUB
“Google and Booking.com are on the up, whereas
TripAdvisor is evolving into more of an activity-based
and restaurant review site. It is still a very important
brand and hotels should be aiming to get a high ranking
on that platform, but note that it isn’t the only one out
there.”
An important aspect of guest satisfaction, is
communicating with guests after they have left the
resort, by ensuring any reviews are answered – good,
bad and neutral – as quickly as possible.
Banister-Day shares that Pearly Grey Ocean Club
has a process in place to deal with any negative reviews
that might arise, so any issues can be rectified for the
complainant, and for future guests.
“Of course, dealing with positive comments is a
far easier process and, in truth, those are the vast
majority of our reviews. On the rare occasion we
receive negative feedback then inter-departmental
communication is vital,” she explained.
DRIVING
POSITIVE
RESULTS: By sending an in-stay survey in addition to
The Library Hotel a post-stay survey, hotels and resorts can
Collection's Hotel
Aria in Budapest improve their overall score by an average
has seen its direct of 13.8%, according to ReviewPro.
bookings increase
by five percent
Guests are willing to spend 240% more on
after working with
ReviewPro to gather a great experience, rather than risk taking a
and utilise guest
intelligence. bad holiday, according to the Harvard Review.
“Before we post a response to the guest, the
department manager responsible for the area of
criticism is consulted, giving all involved a resolution,
and a clear understanding of what happened so that our
reply is both accurate and respectful.”
Using guest intelligence for continuous
improvement
Friedlander adds that using the data gained from guest
intelligence saved one of ReviewPro’s clients a lot of
money on renovations. All they did was to consult their
guests before making significant changes to their resort.
“We had a client who owned a 700-room hotel and
was looking to make a multi-million euro upgrade to
the rooms,” he said.
“They narrowed the room design down to two
options, and instead of going with what they initially
liked the most, they built both rooms and asked guests
for feedback on both over a certain period of time
through surveys.”
This had a huge impact on guest satisfaction as it
showed guests that their opinions were important and
being taken into consideration. Friedlander explained:
“The feedback from the survey resulted in the room
that wasn’t initially the developer’s preferred choice
being chosen by guests. This was also the room design
which was the least costly to redesign and refurbish.”
ReviewPro has experienced phenomenal success,
working with brands to improve their guest satisfaction.
It has worked with The Library Collection’s Hotel
Aria in Budapest, giving it the tools needed for it to
deliver an amazing customer experience.
“Using the data supplied by our Guest Experience
Improvement Suite and implementing the changes
based on the data, direct bookings for the hotel have
increased by five per cent,” Friedlander said.
“Direct bookings result in higher profits and this
is the ultimate aim. Hotel Aria now receives 25,000
unique visitors to its website per month, and traffic
is also up by five per cent. It has been extremely
successful.”
Collating guest intelligence is paramount in
ensuring guests are satisfied with their experience at
hotels and resorts. The hospitality industry faces tough
competition, so each hotel must ensure it has a high
online ranking score. By using tools such as in-stay
surveys and timely issue resolution, you can turn a
potentially bad review into a positive one.
And remember, a little often goes further than
you might think when it comes to personalisation.
Making simple changes, such as addressing guests by
their name to personalise their stay, will give them a
positive experience, increasing a customer’s propensity
to book.
R CI VEN T U RES 2 1
 Can we get over
CO
anvw
eretogeutroisvm
er ?
Overtourism?
Congestion, increased
Congestion, increased costs, environmental and social
costs, environm
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2 2 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
“TOURISTS GO HOME”, “YOUR LUXURY TRIP
is my daily misery” and “Why call it tourist season if we
can’t shoot them?”. These are just a few of the slogans
that have been chanted by an increasing number of
protesters, and daubed across walls in some of Europe’s
most popular tourist cities. In the past three years the
likes of Venice and Barcelona have seen protests against
unbearable levels of tourist arrivals which have been as
predictable in timing as the holiday season itself.
All this is far from the welcome people anticipate and
signposts a transformation in the relationship between
tourists and the people living in the places they want to
visit. But the extent of the problem goes much further.
Overtourism has become the buzzword for a number
of environmental, economic and social challenges being
faced by destinations around the world. An October 2018
report prepared for the European Parliament’s Transport
and Tourism Committee (TRAN Committee) defines the
phenomenon as: “The situation in which the impact of
tourism, at certain times and in certain locations, exceeds
physical, ecological, social, economic, psychological, and/
or political capacity thresholds.”
The report provides 41 European and global case
studies, including many examples where the cultural and
natural heritage of a place is at risk, or the cost of living
and property have increased so much it is causing
a decline in quality of life.
The impacts of overtourism, the report claims, could
cause the loss of authenticity and implies a significant
risk to the future attractiveness of a destination.
Meanwhile uncontrolled tourism development can result
in considerable damage to landscapes, seascapes, air and
water quality, as well as the living conditions of residents,
causing economic inequalities and social exclusion, to
name just a few issues.
Sensationalism versus reality
The situation for some destinations is grave. But where
does tourism end and overtourism begin? To what extent
is overtourism a scourge fuelled by the travel industry, or
merely the latest moral panic?
“There’s no such thing as overtourism – it’s a term that
makes headlines,” argues Professor Dimitrios Buhalis,
Head of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality at
Bournemouth University in the UK.
“What there is, however, is an exceeding of the capacity
of destinations and facilities, which puts pressure on
them. For example, if you were to visit St Mark’s Square, in
Venice, on a summer afternoon and it was thronged with
people, you could say that it was exceeding the capacity of
the destination. But if you were to visit it at 6am, it could
have 30-40 per cent fewer people and you would have an
entirely different experience. So ‘overtourism’ is a made
up phrase to communicate this issue.
“The danger is that by demonising places as
‘overtouristed’ you can destroy the only economic
opportunity that they have. We need better management
and better planning. We need to examine supply and
demand at a granular level.”
Professor Marina Novelli, one of the 14 authors of the
report for the European Parliament’s TRAN Committee
and Professor of Tourism and International Development
at the UK’s Brighton University, takes a different view. She
said: “The claim that excessive, unplanned tourism and
overtourism is harming the landscape, damaging beaches,
putting infrastructure under enormous strain, and pricing
PROFESSOR
residents out of the property market is a fact and one
DIMITRIOS
BUHALIS which has been studied by academics since the 1970s.
Head of Tourism The recent ‘overtourism' media bubble has simply made
and Hospitality,
Bournemouth
these issues accessible to the masses.”
University Academics’ opinions on the use of the term may differ,
but they agree on one thing – there is intense pressure at
certain times on some destinations and their resources,
all of which requires careful planning and management
strategies to maintain their sustainability and future.
Novelli believes that addressing overtourism requires
custom-made policies devised through the cooperation
of a destinations' various stakeholders and policymakers.
PROFESSOR “There needs to be measures to influence travellers to
MARINA think more responsibly about where and how they go
NOVELLI
on holiday,” she stated.
Professor of
Tourism and
International Can overtouristed destinations recover?
Development,
Managing the overtourism phenomenon is complex,
Brighton
University requiring stakeholders to work jointly in a destination to
solve existing and emerging issues, and it’s at this point
that resort developers can play their part.
There are already a number of success stories emerging.
Boracay in the Philippines re-opened in October 2018 after
a six-month government-imposed closure to clean up its
beaches, reefs and seawater, improve infrastructure and
implement limits on tourist activity, including a ban on
JANINE single use plastics.
FLUYT Maya Bay, in Thailand, remains indefinitely closed to
Corporate
Communications
visitors while the Thai Government works to allow the
Spokesperson, environment to regenerate after decades of high daily
amsterdam&partners
tourist numbers left the fragile ecosystem on the edge of
destruction.
After UNESCO warned Dubrovnik that its World
Heritage Status was at risk in 2016, due to the
overwhelming daily influx of tourists it accepted from
cruise ships, the city restricted visitor numbers to 8,000
per day and has plans to reduce that further to 4,000 a day
from this year to allow the old city to ‘reset’.
We need to look at how
tourism can create change for
good in a destination and to
focus on the responsibilities of
all stakeholders involved.
– PROF. NOVELLI, Professor of Tourism and
International Development, Brighton University
Novelli, who is also co-author of an upcoming book
on the subject, said: “Overtourism is primarily rooted in
a lack of innovative planning strategies and sustainable
management approaches. Much of the success of tourism
is measured according to the number of visitor arrivals,
rather than the short-, medium- and long-term positive and
negative impacts that it brings to a destination. The current
tourism growth paradigm does not work anymore.
R CI VEN T U RES 2 3
C AS E ST U DY: DA M M I N G TO U R I S M regulations. As the city dealt with issues created by Airbnb,
P R E SS U R E S I N A M ST E R DA M shop lets, hotels, tourism tax, bicycle rentals, and cruise
terminals, amsterdam&partners undertook other measures to
“Tourism is part of our DNA and our international character,” manage the city’s overtourism issue by presenting, for example:
explained Janine Fluyt, Corporate Communications • Amsterdam area as a whole, rather than focusing on the
Spokesperson for amsterdam&partners, formerly Amsterdam
city’s icons. Guiding visitors to other regions. Promoting a
Marketing. “For centuries, people all over the world have come
neighbourhood campaign presenting unknown places in
to our city due to its strategic position, our harbour, culture and
well-known areas and little-known neighbourhoods to
entrepreneurial spirit, and our open and tolerant character.”
broaden visitor experience.
Last year the city, with a population of around 800,000,
• A different image of Amsterdam, revealing that it is so much
received 18 million visitors, while research from 2015 revealed
more than its famed Red Light District. It promotes a city
that 50 per cent of Amsterdam’s guests come from abroad.
full of museums, theatres, parks, nature, architecture, music,
Fluyt continued: “Of course we benefit from tourism
fashion, restaurants, festivals, sports and more.
economically, and it brings with it energy, creativity and
new ideas. • The city itself under the slogan ‘Visit Amsterdam, see
Holland’ (an area including Haarlem, Zaandam, Edam,
“But we see the positive sides of tourism being overshadowed
Lelystad, and the beaches), encouraging repeat visitors
by the negative - the increased crowds, and a growth in
to see other cities, such as Leiden, The Hague and
nuisance factors such as drunkenness, soft drugs, noise,
Rotterdam, thereby spreading tourist numbers while
pollution, litter and bad behaviour, such as people urinating
supporting other destinations.
in public.”
• The launch of campaigns to influence bad behaviour
The city also suffered from an imbalance between short-stay
stemming from specific groups of visitors, with the threat of
inhabitants and people who worked and lived in Amsterdam.
fines for those caught flouting its rules.
Another negative impact was the drive to feed the tourist
economy leading to a ‘monoculture’ in the city’s shops, many The outcomes are difficult to measure at this stage as hard
of which started selling identical lines in tourist tat and drugs- numbers are not yet available, but we are already seeing:
related paraphernalia, doing little to reflect the city’s varied
culture or improve the offerings available. • One out of every four visitors travelling to other places in
the area as a whole.
“We needed a new equilibrium, in which residents were put at
the centre, while visitors and companies remained welcome,” • A growth in the awareness of what we view as unacceptable
explained Fluyt. behaviour in the target groups.

amsterdam&partners is a semi-public independent organisation • Campaigns driving visits to other cultural institutions leading
focused on the city’s reputation management, while the to an increase in sales and visitor numbers in participating
city council of Amsterdam is responsible for legislation and institutions, such as Haarlem, The Hague and Leiden.

24 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
 “Overtourism is the shared responsibility of different
stakeholders, such as city administrators and destination
managers. The tourism value chain involves a complex
governance system based on transport and mobility,
housing, public space, direct and indirect employment
and other daily social practices, so it requires the input
of all parties.”
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing
overtouristed products and destinations, instead it
requires strategic and difficult decisions.
“For example,” explained Novelli, “it may be too
optimistic to think that strategies based only on tourism
de-growth measures could cope with the underlying
complexity of global tourism flows.”
For Buhalis, the timeshare and fractional traveller
already unwittingly contributes to the sustainability of
tourism in certain destinations. “Many timeshare owners
will be regular travellers to a destination, semi-locals if
you will. They know when a place will be at its busiest
and will avoid it at those times, choosing, for example,
to eat their main meal in the square at lunch rather than
at dinner,” he explained. “And these types of travellers
should be encouraged. What is really required to tackle
overtourism is for stakeholders to take a granular
approach to the problem – delving into tourist flows
of each particular place metre by metre and second by
second to develop a strategy that fits that destination.”
There is a temptation to point the finger at one source
of the problem. In certain cities it might be Airbnb, in
other locations, the cruise industry, but one of the key
issues is the quantity of tourists versus the benefits that
tourism brings to destinations.
Novelli said: “Local and national governments and
tourist boards have long believed that ‘more is better’.
A ‘successful’ year in tourism is generally considered to be
one in which numbers have increased substantially.
“We need to look at how tourism can create change for
good in a destination and to focus on the responsibilities
of all stakeholders involved. For instance, how travellers,
local authorities, residents and businesses behave and
whether they are truly benefiting from a fast-growing
sector such as tourism.”
OV E R TO U R I S M - C AU S E S & E F F E C TS
An important consideration is that increasing
numbers of people are moving to our cities to
live and work. Research estimates that by 2050
more than 70 per cent of the world’s population
will live in cities. Current causes and effects of
overtourism include:
•• Proliferation of low-cost airlines encouraging
multiple short-haul flights each year, making
travel more affordable.
•• Traditional tourism policies focused on
promoting volume.
•• Increases in international arrivals.
•• Strong seasonality bringing numbers to
unsustainable levels.
•• Gentrification and increasing prices in city
centres and neighbourhoods.
•• Sharing economy platforms and unregulated
tourist accommodations, such as Airbnb,
forcing up rents/property prices and changing
the residential mix.
•• Temporary low-paid tourism jobs that are
casual or insecure.
•• Emerging markets with additional tourist
numbers travelling internationally and
domestically.
Overtourism may be the latest hot-button issue,
but it is impossible to ignore when the travel industry’s
fundamental commodity is at stake – pleasant
destinations that attract visitors. As sustainable strategies
have proven not just cost-effective, but profitable to
the travel industry, working to prevent the impacts of
overtourism and maintain a sustainable future for a
destination is the next challenge the planners, developers
and others must face.
R CI VEN T U RES 2 5
Changing Trends:
TUR NI N G THE TA B LE S ON T R AV E L

In today’s world, service providers are no longer able to

present consumers with what they think they want. Shrewd
travellers are now defining exactly what they want, but will
the industry be able to deliver?
BY LO R R A I N E LOV E L A N D

IT WASN’T SO LONG AGO THAT TOUR Euromonitor International’s latest Megatrends

operators and travel agents could lure customers in with
the promise of golden beaches and sunshine.
Fast forward to today, and it’s a completely different
picture. The product should now comprise the
experience your customer envisages, which the travel
provider must craft.
Report* presents a number of shifts in consumer
behaviour which travel players should get onboard with
if they are to remain relevant and profitable. These
include the shift towards ethical lifestyle products and
an increase in the number of customer touch points to
enhance positive brand experiences.

2 6 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
 Three leading stakeholders in travel agreed to share
their insight into the ways they are shaping experiences
for their customers, and what it all means for the future.

Give the best of both worlds

G Adventures is the world’s largest independently-owned
BRIAN
company for small group adventures, sending more than YOUNG
200,000 travellers on holiday every year. EMEA Managing
Director,
Centred on authentic experiences, G Adventures G Adventures
provides the opportunity to see new places in a
sustainable fashion, something which its EMEA
Managing Director, Brian Young, believes is the shift
change that should become the industry standard.
He explained: “Three decades ago, the travel market
was saturated with fly and flop packages, before the boom
in cruise and the entrance of low-cost breaks, which all
worked very well at the time.
“Holidaymakers may still like relaxing on the beach,
but that is just a small part of their experience. They want G ADVENTURES: creating new pathways for youth and empowering women,
The group
cultural immersion through culinary experiences and adventures
to make travel more sustainable for everyone involved.
interactions with locals for something more original, and company works The Lost City Trek in Colombia was recently
with Planeterra
with meaning. to support social redesigned by G Adventures and Planeterra to work
enterprises in
“Even the adventure travel concept has been blown retaining their
with the indigenous communities in the Sierra Nevada
out of the water. It’s no longer just backpackers wanting cultural identity, region, to ensure locals were benefitting from the tourists
and ensuring they
to bungee jump in Australia. It’s going offbeat and benefit from tourism. visiting their sacred site and allowing them to share their
Above: The Lost City
doing something different, regardless of your age or Trek in Columbia
customs and history.
inclination.” works with local “This tour is completely unique, travellers even
people.
G Adventures’ tour options are extremely diverse, Below: Local people partake in cleansing ceremonies before entering the
in the Sierra Nevada
catering to demographics from 18-year-old gap-year region share their
indigenous village, as part of the five-day experience to
adventurers to active 80-year-olds with spare time for a sacred sites. give them that rare, inside look at tribal life. It’s a life-
golden age expedition. altering experience which allows customers to develop
“The holidaymaker mindset is ever-changing and stronger emotional connections with the world and
focused on life-altering experiences to achieve more the people around them,” said Young. “Working with
fulfilment,” Young added. “We still have a large cross local enterprises and guides is important to keep as
section of millennials; those who love to post and boast much money in the local community as possible. This
about their latest travels on Instagram, as well as the symbiosis is vital for the future.”
older segment, all looking to unplug and enjoy immersive Young reports that, as part of an ongoing project,
experiences to achieve the best of both worlds, thus tours are measured according to a Ripple Score so
eliminating the fear of missing out.” purchasers can see how much money is spent in
Subsequently, G Adventures recently launched its destination with locally-owned companies.
new ‘Wellness’ travel styles, to combine adventure and “Of course, we pride ourselves on our innovations,
wellbeing in one trip. Categorising by travel style, such as but this isn’t something we want to guard for ourselves.
active, marine and family, allows purchasers to pick and We want sustainability to be the norm, not the exception.
choose their activities according to their motivations, The tourism industry has a prosperous future if we all
rather than destination. play a responsible role in it,” he added.
“It’s not so much about price point for travellers
anymore, but whether the holiday fits with what they
want. It must be flexible, allowing them to do their own
thing, unlike off-the-shelf tour arrangements which are
hectic and cookie-cutter-style experiences.
“We listen to our customers to curate and innovate
their experiences accordingly. But we also have a duty of
care to the destination too - being socially responsible to
ensure that these unique discoveries can be enjoyed for
decades to come.
“Overtourism is a huge issue. To preserve the industry
we must adjust to being as environmentally and socially
responsible as we can be - otherwise there will be
nothing left.” HAFEZ
The tour company works closely with its non-profit TADAYON
Area Business
partner, Planeterra, to support social enterprises and Manager, SkiStar
help retain the cultural identity of local communities by Resorts
Put customers at the heart of your operation
Hafez Tadayon is Area Business Manager for SkiStar
Resorts, which has lodgings in seven notable ski
destinations across Sweden, Norway and Austria.
“Technology has made destinations even more
accessible, and with the ability to custom build
holidays, it requires us to be more transparent with our
fractional ownership and rental operations,” he said.
“As consumers, we are all very adept at planning our
own breaks, spending hours researching the best options.
“When we receive information requests for SkiStar
ownership, invariably these enquirers have already done
their research, to the point that we only need to show
them a resort, not sell it to them.
“Prospects now want individual conversations with
the SkiStar team on their exacting needs, rather than
us having to present them the reasons why they should
choose holiday ownership. They are already sold on the
concept, it’s now just down to the finer details, and that
wouldn’t have been the case a decade ago.
SKISTAR
RESORTS:
By putting
customers at the
heart of their
operation, SkiStar
has witnessed a
shift in the sales
approach, with
more personalised
conversations with
prospects and
customers creating
advocates for their
brand.
2 8 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
“It’s because we are committed to being transparent
- not only during the sales process but throughout the
customer lifecycle. We even provide ‘Safe Ownership’
to ensure that selling their timeshare in the future is an
easy-in, easy-out process, so that the exit process is just
as simple as buying it in the first place.”
As is often seen in other industries, new customers
are attracted by appealing offers, while the loyalty of
long-term customers goes unrecognised. The Megatrends
Report also reveals that increasing your customer
interaction beyond the traditional touch points is
important, given the choices customers have and the
consequent fragility of brand loyalty.
SkiStar nurtures its whole customer journey. Owners
are given previews of new apartments on a first refusal
basis and, subsequently, they enjoy being involved in the
product development process.
Tadayon explained: “We invite our owners to provide
their feedback on the resort experience so we can deliver
exactly what they want, but also to give them their say in
the ways that maintenance fees are allocated.”
During SkiStar’s last annual meeting, owners
requested a number of items, such as premium cutlery,
and the provision of welcome baskets with the essentials,
as well as an extra cleaning day on resort.
“These are very straightforward requests, but it
illustrates that today’s travellers want flexibility and
convenience. You just have to listen to them and let them
be part of your brand - they should be your advocates,”
he said. “We have also upgraded units with Swedish
YouBeds for a comfortable night’s sleep which is crucial
after a day on the slopes.”
Visitors also have access to the MySkiStar App for the
ultimate convenience so they can see what’s going on in the
area, check the weather and locate their friends on resort.
The majority of the SkiStar owner base are Swedish
millennials. However, with the opening of Scandinavian
Mountains Airport this December, it will open up the
brand to a wider audience across Europe.
“We’re planning to open a full-service hotel and ski
lodge. There’s also another ski lift being constructed, so
we’re expecting big things over the next few years and it’s
because we put the customer at the heart of what we do.”
Blur industry lines to evolve the customer
experience
If one thing is clear, it’s that you must never stand still in
business. You must search regularly for ways to provide
new and improved experiences for your customers, built
on quality, value and flexibility.
Perry Newton is Managing Director of Azure Malta,
one of Europe’s most successful memberships, with a
portfolio that includes five-star resorts, supercars, yachts,
villas, lodges and, most recently, cruises. Its members
access this range of high-end assets through the Azure X
programme.
“Consumers want no-holds-barred freedom to enjoy
their holiday purchase, without restrictions of season or
geography, while being safe in the knowledge that they
are getting value for money,” said Newton.
“On the open market, a family could easily spend
£15,000 on a holiday, but resorts will provide standard
hotel rooms which makes you question whether it’s truly the Golden Sands Resort in Malta allow staff to show
good value. members the range of benefits and experiences, and the
“That’s why we believe in drawing on the unique ingenious ways they can enjoy them to maximise their
features of shared-holiday ownership assets, without ownership.
forgetting about the basic product fundamentals. Rather Yachts, supercars, spas, motorhomes, cruises…
than hotel rooms, we sell suites with a range of board PERRY it seems the range of Azure experiences is vast and
options to make it work for our owners.” NEWTON value for money is vital.
Managing
Newton believes that the timeshare model is as viable Director,
today as it has ever been – but it needs to evolve to meet Azure Malta
Customer first
the demands of customers who want an experience as Despite travel industry sub sectors having their own
much as a holiday. They also want to travel when they unique business models, one trend remains the same.
want, for how long they want, and with whom they want. The customer and their needs come first, so the
Azure offers five different levels of membership, destination and experiences must fit their lifestyle
depending on people’s taste and budget, with a variety of aspirations. It should not be the other way round.
flexible contract terms which give owners ample time to For business operations to survive and thrive,
experience all the benefits of holiday ownership – a far whether you’re a tour operator or a resort developer,
cry from the days of in-perpetuity contracts. you cannot afford to have the mismatch of a square peg
Members are also offered ways to accelerate their in a round hole. It’s time to get a clear profile of your
usage of XP, a unique e-currency based on the latest ‘pegs’ (customers) and shape your brand and products
blockchain technology. to fit them perfectly.
“We offer a variety of ways for owners to burn their
XP (value assigned to their leisure assets), whether it’s an * Euromonitor International: Shaping the Future of Travel
afternoon on a yacht, in a supercar or on a spa experience Report presented by Wouter Geerts November 2018
back in the UK, or a hotel stay with one of our partners
AZURE MALTA:
- it becomes more than just a week’s holiday in Malta,” Working with other
Newton explained. industry partners,
this company has
“Essentially it’s a luxury-branded leisure asset elevated the whole
experience for
membership with way more to enjoy, and it’s why we Azure members
have blurred the lines by forming partnerships with other using the Wildcard
programme.
brands and experiences such as Champneys Health Spas. Below: AutoXotica
and Champneys
“There are a lot of synergies to be found through Forest Mere
Shepherd's Huts in
collaborating with different industries and we offer these the South Downs,
experiences as part of our Wildcard programme which UK, are examples
of the diverse
comes free with ownership. experiences offered.
“The Wildcard is a member rewards programme,
which offers a range of experiences and benefits,
including giveaways for VIP events, exclusive concert
tickets and romantic getaways.
“Unlike traditional loyalty models, Wildcard is not
reliant on customers spending on products. It’s a ‘money-
can’t-buy’ experience programme which provides a range
of experiences and benefits which are tailored to their
tier of membership.
“These experiences are complimentary and include
travel expenses, as we didn’t want to be a loyalty
programme with a catch. There’s so much of that out
there such as ‘win a week in a luxury resort but pay for
your own flights’. It’s disingenuous and makes it more of
an assault course for your customers – that’s not what we
are about.”
Wildcard is also an outlet for members to share their
experiences and build excitement. Interestingly, it is
features such as these – which transform the premise
of annual membership fees into more of a subscription-
based model – which allows membership to give your
customers access to a community with exclusive benefits.
“This fits much better with today’s market and
changes the mentality and positioning of membership
renewal fees,” Newton added.
Naturally, with so much going on at Azure, education
is key and the Experts' Sessions held twice-weekly at
Domina:
Building an Empire
The Domina brand
reflects its distinctive
Italian values, which have
secured its popularity
in the local market for
decades. Now, taking
inspiration from Italy’s
fashion powerhouses,
EUGENIO PREATONI
plans to take the brand
to the global leisure
market, making the
EUGENIO PREATONI
Italian dream a reality CEO, Domina
for all.
BY R E B E C C A G O R M L E Y

ARMANI, VERSACE, VALENTINO, PRADA,
Dolce & Gabana, Gucci, Moschino – these are some of the
names which come to mind when one thinks of authentic
Italian brands with a dominating global presence.
These brands need no introduction, and this level
of global recognition is the aim for Italian leisure
brand, Domina.
“What we want to do is to become the next Armani.
Our brand is made in Italy, and we want people from
all over the world to recognise Domina as the next
Italian powerhouse.
“The Domina hotels and resorts are extremely
well known to the Italians. They love what we do and they
know what we offer,” explained Eugenio Preatoni, CEO of
Domina and President of tour operator, Domina Travel.
Delicious cuisine, glistening coastlines and dramatic
history make Italy a destination popular with tourists
across the world.
However, the Italian leisure market comprises smaller,
domestic brands and international hotel chains. As yet,
Italy has no clear brand for the international tourist to go
to for an authentic Italian travel experience.
With all the right ingredients in place to scale up the
brand from domestic to international, Preatoni plans to
open new sales lines to new markets, as well as opening
additional resorts outside Italy.

30 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
Domina’s inception
Domina has been established in the Italian leisure
industry for more than 30 years.
Preatoni said: “I was only five years old when my
father launched Domina’s timeshare offering. There were
many real estate projects which preceded this under the
Preatoni name, and this continues to be an important arm
of the business – we recently built a 200-metre skyscraper,
now named the Preatoni Tower, in the heart of Dubai.”
After successfully building a career in the banking
industry, Ernesto Preatoni, Eugenio’s father, turned to the
real estate market – firstly by acquiring vast plots of land
in the USA for development, at the same time as operating
in the Italian stock market, which included a number of
takeovers of established Italian banks.
In 1988, Ernesto Preatoni established Domina Vacanze,
and in time revolutionised the concept of timeshare in
the Italian market by offering co-ownership of luxury
four- or five-star hotels. Today, Domina offers 27 business
and leisure destinations in iconic locations around Italy
and worldwide, and has serviced more than 30 million
consumers to date.
Eugenio Preatoni explained: “Domina Vacanze
launched during the golden age of the timeshare product,
when there was a huge opportunity in the Italian market.
“Around 99 per cent of Domina’s timeshare owners
were Italian, and we knew exactly what they wanted. You
see, the secret to happiness for the typical Italian was the
ability to purchase a tangible product, in the destinations
they loved to visit, such as Sicily and Sardinia – all of those
idyllic vacation spots.
“Italians were extremely happy with the timeshare
product, as they had the right to access a holiday property,
year after year,” added Preatoni.
Today, Domina is the largest Italian company to offer
shared-holiday ownership products. However, 30 years on,
much has changed in the industry.
Preatoni continued: “Of course, once we reached the
millennium, things began to slow down in the market. We
saw some of the larger companies go bankrupt, and the
same happened with others across the European region.
“As the market slowed, companies did little to react.
There were some deep misconceptions in the industry –
and within Domina – and the existing management teams
did little to adapt the product. AUTHENTIC ways to take advantage of the shift in consumer desires to
“Then of course we hit the financial crisis in 2008 – ITALIAN
LUXURY: engage prospective buyers with the Domina product.
consumer priorities had radically changed and buyers Top: Domina
In order to facilitate change in the Domina brand,
were spending less money – yet there was still a market Residence Borgo
degli Ulivi, the Preatoni took the decision to replace the resort
out there with untapped potential, we just didn’t have the latest resort to
affiliate to RCI. management teams with new staff with a fresh outlook,
right tools to engage with it.” Below: Interior of
the new Luxury so that they could help to drive the brand forward.
The Eugenio effect Suite Collection at “We need to feed the market, and to do this we had to
Domina Coral Bay.
It was at this time that Preatoni took the decision to move away from ‘the old Domina’. The service we provide
drastically change Domina, and take the brand in a today is of paramount importance. Yes, buyers are still
new direction. looking for the basics – sun, sea, and a comfortable bed –
He said: “I call it Domina 2.0. Today, consumers have but it’s no longer a luxury to have a piano bar, or singer, or
a completely different attitude to life. Every business now dancing show, or even a range of restaurant options.
provides a service. For example, we all have iPhones – they “These are all part of the service, and as we know,
are no longer a luxury item, and soon, people won’t even we are in the age of the entertainment industry – we are
own their own cars anymore – these will become a service.” entertainers, not hoteliers,” said Preatoni.
With his entrepreneurial spirit, Preatoni sought new Domina's D Club was launched as part of Domina 2.0.

R CI VEN T U RES 3 1
Membership is granted to owners at Domina and their
families, giving them access to services including special
reserved areas at pools and beaches, a personal travel
agent at their service, and membership of RCI Platinum –
the highest tier of RCI membership, which includes travel
and lifestyle benefits and exchange holiday options at
more than 4,000 resorts across the world.
Domina’s product is also unique in the shared-holiday
ownership market – owners only pay resort maintenance
fees when using their ownership, or exchanging it for a
holiday with RCI.
Preatoni added: “We’re confident our members will
use us, and only then will we charge them the fee.
Our first priority is for our members to be satisfied and
keep coming back, and if they choose not to, then rental is
always an option.”
The invention of Sharm El Sheikh
It is impossible to refer to the Preatoni Empire without
discussing its legendary success of Sharm El Sheikh.
Hailed as the inventor of the iconic Egyptian destination,
Ernesto Preatoni seized an opportunity when he
‘stumbled upon a bay of dreams’ in 1991, which later
became home to Domina Coral Bay in 1994, Egypt’s
largest resort development.
To date, 16,000 units, 2,500 whole-ownership
properties — including 200 villas and penthouses —
have been sold at Domina Coral Bay, with European
buyers flocking to Egypt for its coral reefs, blue waters,
and year-round sunshine. The resort also houses a casino,
a spa, and the only diving centre with a private pier in the
park area.
However, harsh and challenging times plagued the
destination when difficult political situations heightened
in Egypt.
Preatoni explained: “It was an incredibly challenging
time, the resort was empty. The media gave Sharm and
Egypt a very bad image.”
Today however, it is a different story. Domina was
32 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
forced to reinvent the wheel, and did so by offering
chartered flights from several Italian cities direct
to Sharm, to connect the Italians directly with
the destination.
“Sales at Sharm increased by an infinite amount
– approximately 15,000 per cent in two years. It was
incredible. After starting flights for our D Club members
only, in 2018 we flew approximately 50,000 passengers
from Italy to Sharm. D Club members get benefits, such
as upgrades.
“The image of Egypt improved, but what has really
driven our sales is the services we can connect our
members to.
“We introduced a Beach Club and our owners
absolutely loved it. We created new areas which are
exclusively Domina D Club members only, we gave them
access to the big music events and we changed the way we
presented our services.
“At a time when no one thought it was possible,
we reintroduced the spark to Sharm El Sheikh, and
our occupancy levels are extremely high. Even in low
season, we are at 65 per cent occupancy, which is why
we’re exploring new areas for development to grow our
footprint in Egypt,” added Preatoni.
Domina 3.0
Preatoni’s vision for Sharm is unparalleled. The Domina
Coral Bay Resort even has its own bespoke time zone,
created by Domina, so that guests can begin their
day at sunrise and get maximum enjoyment from the
sunlight hours.
Domina’s footprint at Sharm El Sheikh is vast. With
1.8km of private beach, eight hotels and 11 restaurants,
one wonders what else could be done to take it to the
next level.
Cue the new Luxury Suite Collection. Preatoni said:
“To say that the Luxury Suite Collection is an enhanced
version of the apartments we already offer, would be an
incredible understatement.
 “Each single new suite cost approximately $150,000.
We sold 50 per cent of ownerships off-plan.
“Everything in the suite, from the television to the air
conditioning, is operated by voice control and artificial
intelligence. No one else has imported this level of
technology into Egypt – it’s completely advanced.
“Another first for us was importing bottles of Dom
Pérignon to the resort. The import taxes were incredibly
high – no one ever risked it before – but we sold out and
had to order more within weeks. The demand for luxury is
clearly there from those who are willing to pay for it.”
Achieving Armani status
With resorts in four continents, the Domina brand is
certainly heading in the right direction for global presence.
“The next step for Domina is expansion abroad. We are
currently evaluating another plot in Egypt, and looking
at opportunities in Thailand and Ibiza. Each of these
destinations are ideal for family holidays and offer year-
round sunshine and beautiful beaches – which makes them
the perfect setting for the Domina brand,” said Preatoni.
In line with increasing the number of Domina resorts
across the world, Preatoni also plans to open new sales
lines in the UK and Scandinavian markets.
“We know that people adore the Italian way of life. We
want to export our Italian attitude to these resorts first,
and then widen the net. There is only so much scalability
in the Italian market, and we know we have the products
The next step for Domina
is expansion abroad. We are
currently evaluating another
plot in Egypt, and looking at
opportunities in Thailand
and Ibiza.
– EUGENIO PREATONI, CEO, Domina
1.8 KM OF to successfully engage other European source markets.
PRIVATE BEACH:
Domina's Coral Bay “On the surface, humans want the same things –
Resort boasts coral
reefs, blue waters
sunshine and a great experience – but the purchasing
and year-round methods in each market are quite different.
sunshine.
“The UK and Scandinavian markets are more advanced
– they are adept with finance options to leverage their
lifestyle choices, whereas the Italians would usually make
purchases with savings, taking less financial risks.”
Preatoni intends to leverage Domina’s D Club to
engage the UK and Scandinavian clientele, marketing a
membership lifestyle product which offers the bespoke
Domina brand experience in sought-after locations.
Preatoni continued: “Once we have successfully
engaged these other markets, we can look to opening up
more of our resorts to these clients. This will be the later
phase in our plans, but we are fortunate to have existing
properties that aren’t necessarily as popular with Italians
– such as two of our hotels in Venice – which will prove
hugely popular with international markets.”
Sales at Domina’s active resorts, including the recently
RCI-affiliated Domina Borgo degli Ulivi at Lake Garda, are
steadily increasing year on year, and Preatoni believes this
is a result of Domina’s product offering through its D Club.
“Shared-holiday ownership has certainly changed in
recent years, which is why we made so many changes
to Domina. Today we connect our members with
leisure and lifestyle services which go beyond their
holiday expectations.
“It would be impossible to enter the industry today
and be successful without packaging ownership products
with the experiential services that consumers are seeking,
and this is how we will continue to engage the next
generation of buyers.”
With such exciting projects in place, the eyes of the
shared-holiday ownership industry will surely be fixed
on Domina as it strives to establish a global brand
presence, in order to become the ‘Armani of the leisure
real estate market’.
R CI VEN T U RES 3 3
A FINAL THOUGHT

Thinking Central
The Nordics and Central-Southeast Europe represent a
strong sales and development opportunity for shared-
ownership, and yet it remains largely untapped by most
European players. VASSILIS THEMELIDIS, Regional Director,
Business Development - RCI Exchanges, highlights several
trends he has identified as being positive market indicators.

I BELIEVE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY home-swap platform, will definitely have a part

in Central Europe, in Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Hungary and Croatia, as both
source and resort development markets. The
trend for mini-vacations in these markets
makes them attractive drive-to destinations.
In Germany and Austria it is clear from the
product development of several RCI affiliates
that there is a consumer appetite to spend on
quality products. RCI affiliate, MONDI, has
invested significantly in resort development,
having affiliated three luxury projects to
The Registry Collection, the luxury leisure
property exchange programme. It is interesting
to play in the Hungarian market, as developers
look for alternative services to enhance their
product offerings.
The Nordic customers are very engaged
with the concept of the sharing economy,
from sharing bicycles to holiday homes.
At the same time they are extremely
demanding when it comes to service
fulfilment. Holiday Club Resorts and SkiStar
are two RCI affiliates that have successfully
offered the right mix to become trusted
VASSILIS THEMELIDIS
brands in these demanding markets. Regional Director, Business Development
In Southeast Europe, RCI affiliate, Balkan - RCI Exchanges

that MONDI is expanding into the luxury
segment of the shared-ownership market,
with two projects in the Austrian Alps, in Bad
Gastein and Grundlsee, plus a third resort in
Oberstaufen, Germany. MONDI is marketing
primarily to German-speaking markets and is
looking to further expand its sales operation.
Despite its success in the open market rental
sector, MONDI sees shared ownership as
a very resilient product in uncertain times
and indispensable within its mixed-use
portfolio. Falkensteiner Residences is another
RCI Exchanges' affiliate with upscale resort
properties in Croatia, Austria, and one under
development at Jesolo Beach, very close to
Venice. It is also selling whole ownerships with
membership of The Registry Collection.
Hungary is one of the region's most
prominent opportunities, having seen a boom
in its real estate sector over the last few years,
with Budapest being the main attraction for
international investment in Central Europe.
Love Home Swap, an RCI Exchanges'
Jewel in Bansko, is putting Bulgaria on the
RCI map, having launched sales of an RCI
Weeks-based product to both domestic and
international markets. Bansko is a popular ski
resort, with the benefit of year-round visitor
attractions. Greece and Cyprus have also been
in the touristic spotlight with a recent record
increase in tourist arrivals and receipts. As
these markets see a more balanced growth,
the opportunities for mixed-use developments
will surface. There is already a strong
investment interest in these destinations from
international shared-ownership developers.
Turkey is an especially exciting market as
its tourism bounces back aggressively. As a
result, the local developers are moving from
a focus on thermal resorts, catering largely
to the domestic market, to developing the
internationally popular coastal areas. We find
that hotel operators in Turkey understand the
benefits of the shared-ownership models and
are looking to expand their sales operations to
international source markets.
A B O U T VA S S I L I S
THEMELIDIS
Vassilis wrote his postgraduate
thesis on timeshare development
in Greece, a concept then in
its infancy in Greece. With a
degree in Tourism Management
from the UK's University of
Surrey, he joined RCI in 1995
for a six-month training period
in Member Services and, after
completing two years' service
in the Greek Navy, he returned
to RCI to manage RCI business
relationships across its accounts
in Greece and Cyprus. Based
in Athens, today he has an
expanded role overseeing an RCI
Business Development team for
a region that spans the Nordics,
Central-Southeast Europe, the CIS
and the Middle East.

34 Q 1 /Q 2 2 01 9
 14 ٣
DAYS OF VACATION
Per Year? %

$300
AVERAGE COST
Per Night?

20 3
HOW MANY YEARS ADD INFLATION
Will you vacation for? %

TOTAL SPEND TOTAL SPEND

with inflation added

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