Category Archives: Interval International

Interval International celebrates 35 years

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1976 | THE EVOLUTION BEGINS
Three employees, one resort, and shoeboxes of index cards form the first incarnation of Interval International.

1978 | IT’S CATCHING ON …
Consumer membership triples to 30,000, with 130 member resorts.

1980 | AND ON …

An IBM computer system and toll-free telephone lines are installed at Interval. Consumer membership increases to 80,000, with 250 resorts.

1981 | TRAVEL AGENCY OPENS
To serve the extensive travel needs of the growing member base, Interval World Travel — known today as Interval Travel® — is established.

1982 | QUALITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
The Interval International Five Star Award®, the industry’s first quality-recognition program, is created.

1984 | THE BIG 5-0-0
Member resort number 500 is affiliated, and Inc. magazine selects Interval as one of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the United States.

1985 | QUALITY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME, PART II
Membership increases to 225,000. Interval and Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration develop a Quality Rating System for exclusive use by Interval International. A refined version of this system is still used today to measure and maintain the excellence of Interval’s resort network.

1987 | RAISING THE BAR
Interval International introduces WorldCard Preferred, the predecessor of today’s Interval Gold®, and becomes the first exchange company to offer an enhanced membership program.

1988 | DUAL EXCHANGE DEBUTS
Dual Exchange, with the Deposit First and Request First methods of vacation exchange, is successfully implemented, giving members more options and flexibility.

1989 | WORLDWIDE EXPANSION
Interval begins an ongoing major expansion that will continue for years to come, opening offices throughout Europe, Asia, and Latin America, to best serve consumer members and resort clients.

1991 | AND A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Interval launches Worldex Travel Club (now Leisure Time Passport®), the industry’s first product for non-buyers.

1995 | ALIGNING WITH THE BEST
By this time, several renowned hospitality brands, as well as the leading independent developers, have signed on with Interval International, and the company becomes the first major vacation exchange service to establish a presence on the Internet.

1996 | 20 YEARS!
Interval International celebrates its 20th anniversary and creates the first Resort Directory on CD-ROM. Membership approaches 700,000.

1998 | INVESTMENT CONFERENCES DEBUT
Interval spearheads an investment conference, the first of what will become an annual event, today known as the Shared Ownership Investment Conference.

1999 | OVER 1 MILLION SERVED
Interval welcomes its millionth member. Interval Preferred members can take to the seas with the exciting new cruise exchange service, and all members can now book Getaways online.

2000 | A NEW MILLENNIUM
While some Y2K theorists predict that a computer programming flaw will cause the world to go “dark” at the dawn of the next millennium, Interval International introduces real-time online services for booking air travel, hotel reservations, and car rentals.

2001 | SILVER ANNIVERSARY
Interval International celebrates 25 years of exemplary service; and depositing a week, requesting an exchange, and checking on the status of an exchange become as simple as the click of a mouse when Interval debuts online exchange.

2002 | NEW OWNERSHIP, NEW BENEFITS
Interval is purchased by USA Interactive (now IAC), the world’s leading interactive commerce company. Interval Preferred relaunches as Interval Gold, which introduces Interval Options® — an expansion of cruise exchange that includes golf and spa vacations — and the Gold ConciergeSM (now VIP ConciergeSM) personal assistance service.

2003 | THE GROWTH CONTINUES
Interval’s consumer membership exceeds 1.5 million families, and its global network includes more than 2,000 affiliated resorts.

2006 | INTERVAL REACHES 30!
Nearly 1.8 million families around the globe now enjoy Interval membership.

2007 | THE BEST IS ALWAYS PREFERRED
With the Preferred Hotel Group, Interval creates Preferred Residences®, a branded exchange program for fractional, private residence club, and condo-hotel properties.

2008 | GOING PUBLIC
As part of Interval Leisure Group, Interval becomes a public company, and begins trading as IILG on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Shared Ownership Investment Conference marks its 10th anniversary. Interval introduces Dream Vacation Week certificate program to help generate resort tours.

2009 | BRIGHT IDEAS
Interval introduces a short-term vacation program, as well as ShortStay ExchangeSM.

2010 | APPS, BLOGS, GOLD, AND MORE
Interval rolls out: smartphone and iPad apps for searches of the Interval International Resort Directory ; online Interval Community; and Club Interval GoldSM, points-based exchange for owners of fixed- or floating-week timeshares.

2011 | INTERVAL TURNS 35!
Interval International celebrates 35 years of service. Interval PlatinumSM, an enhanced membership level for discerning travelers, is introduced. Interval’s network includes about 2,600 resorts in more than 75 countries. Through offices in 14 nations, Interval offers high-quality products and benefits to resort clients and approximately 2 million families who are enrolled in various membership programs.

Interval International Welcomes Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort and Spa to Its Global Vacation Exchange Network

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Interval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group , has affiliated the Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort and Spa on Phuket, Thailand’s popular holiday island. From its hillside location near Nai Harn Beach, visitors have a stunning 180o panorama of the Andaman Sea, including four bays and the distant island of Phi Phi.

“Interval members looking for a relaxing holiday will appreciate all that the Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort and Spa has to offer,” said Joe Hickman, Interval’s executive director for Asia Pacific. “The resort borders a national park at the quiet southern end of Phuket. From the balcony hammock of your villa, you are only five minutes from Nai Harn, a white-sand beach that’s never crowded–even during the peak season.”

Situated on just over five acres (two hectares), Mangosteen Resort is home to Phuket’s only Ayurveda spa. Ayurveda originated in India more than 5,000 years ago as a wellness discipline integrating the body, mind, and spirit. After a complimentary consultation with the spa’s certified Ayurvedic doctor, each guest receives a personalized programme that includes rejuvenating treatments and massage therapies, diet, and lifestyle recommendations.

Other on-site amenities underline the organic theme of the resort. The 7,300 square foot (680 square metres) saline swimming pool, with 14 waterfalls set in tropical gardens, is open around the clock. The restaurant’s Asian/Western cuisine uses mostly organic ingredients from small, local farms. The resort also has a fitness centre and an open-air bar and lounge with live music.

All 40 split-level, villa-style units are surrounded by foliage that feels like a private garden. They are spacious and include a balcony or terrace with a sea view. Bedrooms have separate sitting areas and some units include whirlpool tubs. High ceilings, locally made furniture, and al fresco bathrooms with large rain showers add to the boutique feel. Other en-suite amenities include cable TV with more than 60 international stations, Wi-Fi, bathrobes, and indoor/outdoor slippers.

Guests at the Mangosteen Resort are invited to ride the complimentary Thai-style shuttle to Nai Harn Beach. The north end of the beach is known for its exceptional snorkelling and Promthep Cape Viewpoint is renowned for its sunsets. Scooters, jet skis, and parasailing are banned on the beach and, aside from a few local restaurants in the shade of large casuarina trees, there are few commercial vendors.

“You haven’t truly experienced Phuket until you’ve spent some time on the southern end of Phuket Island,” said Hajo Von Keller, managing director of the Golden Tulip Mangosteen Resort and Spa. “We’re very excited about becoming part of Interval International’s quality worldwide exchange network. We think once Interval members arrive at our tranquil, private piece of paradise they will never want to leave.”

The resort is 45 minutes from Phuket airport and close to attractions such as the Big Buddha of Phuket, as well as busier beaches, activities, restaurants, and shopping.

Interval International’s Vacation Ownership Conference Convenes in Orlando

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Hundreds of leaders from the timeshare industry will be convening this week at Orlando’s Peabody Hotel for the annual Vacation Ownership Investment Conference organized by Interval International.

One of the main messages sure to be told is the vacation ownership industry remains as viable as ever.

Indeed, the industry registered $6.4 billion in total sales volume for 2010, a 1.6 percent increase from the previous year, according to the “State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry: United States Study 2011 Edition,” an annual study of the timeshare industry produced by the American Resort Development Association’s  International Foundation.


In the study, conducted by Ernst & Young, there were about 329,200 timeshare intervals sold last year at an average price of $19,300. The average maintenance fee charged per interval was $731, up more than 9 percent from 2009. The average fees were $588 for studios, $619 for one-bedroom units, and $840 for units with two or more bedrooms.

Meanwhile, average occupancy was 79 percent in 2010. By comparison, hotel occupancy increased just 58 percent in 2010, according to Smith Travel Research. Timeshare occupancy includes about 65 percent who were either owners or exchange guests and 13 percent who were renters and/or marketing guests.

Other interesting findings from the study:

  • Smaller resorts have higher average prices than large resorts; larger resorts have higher maintenance fees.
  • About 95 percent of resorts had annual sales of less than $25 million — about 55 percent reported no sales volume. Sales price and maintenance fees tend to be higher for resorts with greater levels of sales volume.
  • The most common resort type is the beach resort. Golf and theme park resorts tend to be the largest; island resorts are the most expensive and have the highest occupancy.
  • Florida continues to have the most resorts, and resorts there tend to be much larger than in most other regions. California resorts, like Marriott Vacation Club’s Newport Coast property shown in the accompanying photo, have the highest interval prices; Pacific resorts have the highest occupancy rates.
  • Resorts with higher average sales prices also tend to have higher occupancy and maintenance fees.

Overall, there were 1,548 timeshare resorts in the United States as of December 31, 2010, representing about 197,700 units for an average resort size of 128 units. There were 8.1 million intervals owned.

The compounded annual growth rates for sales price and maintenance fees from 2006 to 2010 were one and seven percent, respectively. The average resort size has been relatively flat during this period; except for an increase in 2010 that is mainly attributable to changes in the respondent pool.

Respondents expect little in the way of new construction. They anticipate building about 1,900 new units in 2011 and 1,500 in 2012 or beyond. Only six new resorts are planned for construction in 2011, with another three on tap for 2012 and beyond.

Resort Suites at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa Selects Interval International

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Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), has affiliated Resort Suites at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa located near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city. It is part of the spectacular 800 acre (324 hectare) Sunway Integrated Resort City, which attracts 30 million visitors a year and houses more than 7 million square feet of world-class facilities.

“We are extremely proud to welcome the high-quality Resort Suites at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa to our global vacation exchange network,” said Joe Hickman, Interval’s executive director for Asia Pacific. “Surrounded by Sunway Pyramid, Malaysia’s first themed mall, the multi-award winning Sunway Lagoon, named ‘Asia’s Best Attraction’ for the past four years, and the Balinese-inspired Mandara Spa, our members are sure to enjoy incredible vacation experiences.”

Resort Suites at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa’s 36 timeshare units are studio apartments with kitchenettes, living, and dining areas. Unit amenities include Wi-Fi and room service. From this luxury home base, guests have easy access to the swimming pool complete with waterfall and poolside bar and a fully equipped 24-hour fitness centre that holds a variety of classes. Tucked in the tropical landscape overlooking the resort grounds, the Mandara Spa offers an oasis of calm and relaxation, with its menu of aromatherapy massages, wraps, and facials, as well as cutting-edge skincare technology from Elemis Spa Therapies.

Guests can also choose to spend the day shopping at more than 800 specialty stores at the Sunway Pyramid mall and then dine at one of five on-site restaurants, featuring cuisine ranging from Pan-Asian to Italian-American. Sunway Lagoon is a destination in itself, housing the region’s largest manmade surf beach, an interactive wildlife zoo, and extreme sports venues. After dark, the place to be is the exclusive Ministry of Sound – Euphoria, a dance and music club.

“Resort Suites at Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa is the first vacation ownership project and flagship development of the Sunway brand,” said Cirioco Publo Raj, CEO of Sunway International Vacation Club. “Our members and guests enjoy a one-stop vacation here, along with access to exceptional resorts around the world. We look forward to a long relationship with Interval International.”

Sunway International Vacation Club is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sunway Group, which started as a small tin-mining company in 1974. Sunway Group is now one of Malaysia’s most widely recognized and diversified conglomerates with a multitude of established businesses, including construction, property development and investment and hospitality.