RCI Welcomes 22 New Affiliated Resorts to Its Global Portfolio
RCI®, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), announced that it added 22 new resorts to its vacation exchange network in the second quarter of 2010. This includes resorts added to RCI® Weeks, RCI Points® and The Registry Collection® program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program, with seven of the resorts coming from existing affiliated developers and four resorts under development.
These additions bring the total number of new RCI affiliated resorts for the year to 58, further strengthening RCI’s exchange network. New resorts added year to date include Branson’s Nantucket Resort, a lakefront property that offers a view of the Table Rock Lake in Missouri, as well as The Village at Machrihanish Dunes located on the stunning southwest coast of the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland.
“We are extremely proud to affiliate these 22 beautiful timeshare resorts with RCI — resorts that will continue to enhance our members’ vacation experiences across our industry-leading exchange network,” said Geoff Ballotti, CEO, RCI. “These agreements reflect our commitment to offering our members access to the best vacation options around the world, and are a testament to our efforts to provide developers with valuable services to help them increase sales and lower marketing costs.”
In addition to adding these new resorts in the second quarter, the company also launched its RCI Points Platinumsm membership, which offers RCI Points® subscribing members opportunities for automatic upgrades, priority exchange privileges and a myriad of exciting new travel and lifestyle benefits. This new membership was rolled out in June, with a similar program for RCI® Weeks members planned for the future, once again ensuring RCI offers the most comprehensive and innovative programs in the industry.
The second quarter also saw hugely positive reviews for RCI’s technology innovations, including RCI TV, an online network of high-definition videos that showcases resorts and gives viewers information and advice on topics ranging from how timeshare works to where to eat at some of the world’s most popular destinations. RCI TV took off quickly, reaching more than 1 million views in less than six months, a significant milestone showing that people are interested in learning more about timeshare. The RCI YouTube channel has also seen growth with more than 100 posted videos, many showcasing RCI affiliated resorts to show members their vacation options. The videos have received more than 100,000 views from curious timeshare members and non-members.
“Innovation is the heart of RCI, and is part of the promise we make to our members and affiliates,” says Ballotti. “RCI TV and our YouTube channel are components of our continuous plan to deliver the latest and greatest technologies to our customers, and we have received wonderful feedback as a result.”
