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Press Release: ARDA
April 28, 2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Record crowds of resort industry professionals convened in Las Vegas to attend the 2006 American
Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention and Exposition. The annual timeshare convention drew 4,000 top
timeshare industry professionals and showcased a record-breaking 233 exhibitors, including 78 new exhibiting companies.
Convention highlights included the successful fundraising events of the ARDA International Foundation (AIF), which
provided attendees entertainment and opportunities to purchase interesting items, while supporting the Foundation’s
research and education programs. This year’s AIF Open Golf Tournament, sponsored by RCI, is projected to raise
$80,000 and the AIF auction $50,000. Housed in the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, the industry show featured an
impressive line-up of speakers and entertainers.
“The record-setting crowds and exhibitors at this year’s ARDA convention are testament to the event’s prominence
as a true marketplace for the hospitality industry, and likewise the timeshare industry’s position as a growing
leader in the travel and tourism sector,” said Howard C. Nusbaum, ARDA’s president and CEO.
Hospitality executives from around the globe gathered to network, learn the latest operational and marketing technology,
hear regulatory updates, and witness firsthand the impact of timeshare on one of America’s favorite resort cites.
Through panel discussion and educational sessions, they explored a wide range of hospitality issues, including
mixed use development, resort management, condo-hotels, demographics and marketing, e-marketing, cost controls,
finance, marketing fractionals, opportunities in China and Mexico, outsourcing, on-site food service, and many
more.
The convention’s general session, sponsored by RCI, showcased keynote speakers best-selling author Neil Howe and
noted playwright, theater director, and performer William Strauss, who provided insights into what motivates today’s
very different generation span—and how best to market the vacation product to each age group. The Breakfast of
Champions, sponsored by iBAHN, featured legendary Notre Dame football player and author Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger,
whose life was immortalized by TRISTAR Productions in the 1993 blockbuster film Rudy. The ARDA Awards Gala, titled
Portraits of Excellence, was sponsored by Holiday Systems International (HSI). The grand affair included an elegant
dinner, the presentation of the annual ARDA Awards, and a performance by famed Las Vegas entertainer Jean Francois
Detaille.
The 2006 Signature Sponsors of the Convention included American Express, FONATUR, Holiday Systems International,
ICE, Inc., Interval International, RCI, RedWeek.com, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Textron Financial, VacationGuard,
Inc., and Whirlpool Corporation.
The American Resort Development Association is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing
the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has nearly 1,000 members
ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in
shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs),
resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC).
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.”
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CONTACT: Lou Ann Burney, ARDA, 202-207-1156, lburney@arda.org Ellen Yui, Yui+Company 301-270-8571, ellenyui@yuico.com Elizabeth Grace, Yui+Company 561-989-9855, lizkgrace@aol.com