Press Release
July 4, 2001
ORLANDO, FL -- A new concept for international marketing of luxury travel services in the vacation resort club
industry was launched this year at the 2001 ARDA International Resort Development Convention and Exposition. Positioned
as a "private residence club," The World's Finest Resorts was created by U.K. Resort development strategist
Russell Bragg and will include 100 of the world's most exclusive five-star independent resorts and their owner
members. Member resorts are currently being invited on a highly selective basis to benefit from a global marketing
and sales strategy that greatly enhances their properties' sales position while providing owner members with an
extensive array of travel services ranging from airline tickets and private jet charters to luxury cruise arrangements
and accommodations at other member resorts.
The World's Finest Resorts, taking advantage of the latest communications technology combined with the highest levels of personal service, will operate with offices in the UK and North America. The operation is based on a proprietary, state-of-the-art web-driven multi-lingual reservations system in which services and accommodation availability are posted in real time. No access to member properties and the services of The World's Finest Resorts will be granted to non-members.
"The independent five-star resort catering to vacation home owners has never had a worldwide marketing network that reflects its luxury positioning and truly benefits its owners," said Bragg. "The World's Finest Resorts offers a "private residence club: concept that enables the finest independent resorts to offer their owners exceptional, value-added travel and vacation opportunities -- in essence the chance to travel in style and vacation at the most extraordinary resort destinations in the world, in full assurance that their experience will be on a par or exceed the quality of their own first-class resort ownership. We have had an excellent response to this initiative and expect to sign up additional resorts at ARDA with special incentives to become founding members."
Among those resorts already committed to the program as founding members are Underscar and Langdale in England's Lake District, the Madeira Beach Club and Carlton Palms in Madeira, part of the Pestrana Hotel Group. Others in the process of joining include Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in the Lesser Antilles, Leela Palace in Goa, the Donatello Hotel in San Francisco and more than a dozen other properties around the world.
Resorts may join The World's Finest Resorts by invitation only after meeting stringent member resort selection criteria, according to Bragg. These include an independent review of the property and evaluation of its location, accommodations, facilities and service standards. Among the top priorities are a high demand location in one of the world's most appealing destinations, a demonstrated high level of guest satisfaction and compliance with the code of ethics of ARDA (in the United States) or OTE (in Europe).
"The World's Finest Resorts is of exceptional value to independent resorts because it provides their member owners with an unparalleled range of services and travel opportunities," Bragg continued. These include:
To highlight the launch of The World's Finest Resorts, resorts joining as Founding Members before July 31, which coincides with the organisation going fully operational, will receive several extra benefits. These include:
The Member Resort Joining Fee is $10,000, with reductions based on shares held in the company. Pricing for resort owner members is based on the principle that they should pay for only what they receive. The Owner's Joining Fee is $50, with an annual subscription of $100. Reductions in the annual subscription are available based on payment in advance and the enrollment of all members of a resort. A $175 transaction fee is only paid when the transaction is confirmed.
For further information on The World's Finest Resorts, contact Russell Bragg, 9 Duke Street, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1HP, telephone 011-44-208-940-9406. Fax: 011-44-208-332-6115.