Press Release
December 14, 2001
NORTHBROOK, IL -- Shell Vacations has recently been named a Master Broker by RCI, enabling the vacation ownership
developer to become one of a handful of companies sanctioned by RCI to sell RCI Points. Shell will initially concentrate
on selling RCI Points to RCI members and owners of weeks at sold out resorts affiliated with the program. Launched
in December 2000, RCI Points currently has nearly 100,000 members and about 300 participating resorts.
According to Tracy Sherles, Executive Director for Shell Vacations and architect of Shell's point-based Shell Vacations Club, "As the first vacation club to affiliate with RCI Points, we believe in the RCI points product and that exchange has never been more flexible for the consumer. While some may think RCI Points competes with our Shell Vacations Club, we believe this alliance deeply enhances our product."
Added Sherles, "Several months ago, we executed an agreement that will not only enable Shell members to use RCI Points, but will allow our sales people to affiliate new RCI Points resorts by functioning as RCI Points sales agents, converting owners of sold out Home Owner Associations (HOA) into RCI Points. Generally, these are resorts without any sales staff or the ability to convert members. Additional strengths are Shell's comprehensive developer support services in inventory control. Shell can also offer creative programs that will enable HOAs to obtain additional funds for property related expenses."
RCI has identified independent developers selling traditional weeks and Home Owner Associations as a primary market for RCI Points. The boards and owners (frequently of fixed week resorts sold many years ago) quickly recognize that the RCI Points product provides incredible benefits. And RCI recognizes that few companies know and understand points - and the often complex changing of documents - the way Shell does.
According to Frank A. Morrisroe, Senior Vice President of RCI, "Shell Vacations has always been a pioneer and on top of opportunities in the marketplace. As one of our initial developer brokers, they continue to set record sales while offering HOAs an incredible value proposition.
Owners who convert to RCI Points will now be able to use their traditional fixed week as they have done in the past, exchange it through RCI's non-point exchange, or redeem their weeks for points and travel at other RCI Points resorts. This affords them the flexibility provided by points, which includes stays of less than a week, or the redemption of points for other travel benefit such as air fare, car rentals, cruises, etc.
In converting their own owners to the Shell Vacations Club, Sherles adds, "To date, statistics have revealed that of every ten people who own a traditional Shell timeshare, 5.1 convert into the club. From this group, a little over 89% buy more points. Clearly, owners are recognizing the extensive benefits and value to a point-based vacation product."
With ten Off-Site Preview Centers and 14 resorts located in Hawaii, California, Arizona and Canada, Shell Vacations LLC is one of the nation's largest independent vacation ownership operators serving close to 60,000 owner/members. The company is expected to reach annual net vacation ownership sales in excess of $100 million in 2001.
SOURCE: Shell Vacations, LLC