Education, Industry Perspective and Networking Highlight Week

(Washington, April 15, 2008)—Las Vegas was home to nearly 4,000 top timeshare industry professionals who gathered to attend the 2008 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention and Exposition, April 6-10, 2008. The annual timeshare convention, hosted at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, showcased 228 exhibitors, including 60 new exhibiting companies.

The convention opened with the Group RCI/AIF Open Golf Tournament. The tournament is projected to raise $95,000 for the ARDA International Foundation (AIF) including $9,500 raised from the “Drive for the Harley” motorcycle contest, sponsored by Equiant Financial Services. Interval International’s Party with a Cause raised $38,000 for the Foundation and showcased the legendary band Styx.

The convention’s opening general session, sponsored by Group RCI, featured Rick Barrera, a nationally acclaimed speaker, marketing consultant, and author known throughout the Fortune 500 for his extraordinary speaking ability and unique approach to brand building. Attendees were treated to an “over-promise and over-deliver” speech relating today’s crowded market to customer loyalty as a key to success.

The week’s events featured a notable line-up of forum and educational sessions with outstanding speakers and entertainers. Highlights of the convention included the Opening Session: State of the Industry with moderator Peter Yesawich, Y Partnership and speakers Don Harrill, The Family of Orange Lake Resorts, Franz Hanning, Wyndham Vacation Ownership, Tracy L. Sherles, Shell Vacations and Stephen Weisz, Marriott Vacation Club Intl.

Others included Fractional and Private Residence Club Forum sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, Sales and Marketing Forum sponsored by Diamond Resorts, and Resales Forum sponsored by SellMyTimeshareNow.

Throughout, industry executives shared industry practices, gained knowledge of the most recent marketing trends and tools, heard state-of-the-industry updates, and witnessed firsthand the impact of timeshare in one of the top resort cities in America. Panel discussions and educational sessions were on a wide variety of topics ranging from hospitality issues, fractional and private residence clubs, fundamentals of finance, cross-industry developments, green management, and e-media trends.

“After spending the better part of a week with the leaders of the vacation ownership industry, I am well aware that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well! From traditional timeshare to fractionals and PRC's the level of innovation and product offerings is any vacationer's answer to what constitutes a dream vacation. Even with the backdrop of the present economic concerns and the residential housing predicament, vacation ownership continues its ascent to the top of the hospitality industry,” said Howard Nusbaum ARDA President and CEO.

Highlights of the program also included Breakfast of Champions, sponsored by iBAHN, featured legendary NFL player Vince Papale who was the inspiration for the movie Invincible. The ARDA Awards Gala, sponsored by Holiday Systems International (HSI), included dinner, the presentation of the annual ARDA Awards and an amusing performance by famed ventriloquist Terry Fator.

The 2008 Signature Sponsors of the Convention included American Express, Diamond Resorts International, The Family of Orange Lake Resorts, Group RCI, Hcareers, Holiday Systems International, iBAHN, Interval International, RedWeek.com, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Textron Financial and VacationGuard, Inc.

The ARDA International Foundation (AIF) conducts research and develops education programming for the timeshare industry. The Foundation’s mission is to support, conduct, and disseminate research and technical studies that will enhance and improve knowledge for the public and the industry, and develop educational resources that will optimize value, operations, acceptance, and service for the industry and the public.