Fractional Ownership News
Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes Launch New Brand
Ultimate Resort® and Private Escapes® officially launched the new brand, Ultimate Escapes — with an integrated luxury travel offering designed to provide consumers more value, choices, destinations and properties. The launch announcement will be made by co-CEO’s Jim Tousignant and Richard Keith at the 2nd Annual Destination Club & Private Residence Industry Symposium this week in Miami. The fusion of these leading brands creates the industry’s fastest growing and most diverse family of destination clubs, combined portfolio of 140 exclusive club properties in 50 global destinations.
Ultimate Escapes becomes:
#1 Destination Club with Properties in the $1 Million Range (Premier Club)
#1 Destination Club with Properties in the $2 Million Range (Signature Club)
#2 Destination Club with Properties in the $3 Million Range (Elite Club)
#1 Destination Club Regarding Number of Destinations
“The fusion of two powerful brands, Ultimate Resort® and Private Escapes®, enriches membership travel options for our growing base of existing club members,” said Mr. Keith, co-CEO of Ultimate Escapes. “It also creates a highly attractive and flexible membership offering to best compete in the growing and ever changing luxury vacation market.”
“We are in the business of delivering luxury travel experiences that are memorable and enduring,” said Mr. Tousignant, co-CEO of Ultimate Escapes. “We offer our members distinctive experiences in beautiful locations that create a sense of awe and leave a lasting impression. Today’s luxury travel consumers are not just looking for the best homes in the best places — they are looking for one-of-a-kind experiences, like fishing in a remote part of Costa Rica or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The new Ultimate Escapes is in a unique position to meet those experiential needs.”
Ultimate Escapes members will now have access to more than 140 private club residences in 50 global club destinations, including highly coveted locales such as Belize; Big Island, Hawaii; Breckenridge, Colorado; La Buscadora Yacht, BVI; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Turks & Caicos; and Tuscany, Italy among many others.
Ultimate Escapes members also have exclusive access to The Ultimate Collection, with over 135 luxury boutique hotels, as well as a growing array of preferred member amenities and club benefits including Bruce World of Travel®, which provides customized tours with 24 hours notice, American Express® Double Membership Reward benefits and Bombardier Flexjet and Skyjet charter flights and jet cards.
Ultimate Escapes will position itself as THE ultimate luxury travel experience, educating consumers about highly experiential, one-of-a-kind destinations with the tagline, “Experience the Vacation of a Lifetime, Every Time”. Advertising visuals will depict a beautiful location with the caption “You are SO Here,” underscoring the expert advice and local character provided by on-the-ground Ultimate Local Hosts and Escape Planners. A highly targeted marketing campaign will utilize social networks, professional associations, alumni associations, country clubs, luxury goods and service providers, events, print and online media and direct mail. Ultimate Escapes will also publish its own magazine, called EscapesTM, which will be distributed through high-end luxury hotels and consumer outlets, private country clubs, limo services and strategic partners. Ultimate Escapes will also execute a “Member Champions” referral ambassador program as part of the expanded outreach.
Mr. Tousignant and Mr. Keith will serve as co-CEO’s through August 1, 2008 to ensure a seamless launch of the Ultimate Escapes brand and thereafter, Mr. Tousignant will serve as the CEO of Ultimate Escapes and Mr. Keith will serve as Chairman of the Board. Ultimate Escapes will operate the corporate and operational offices from Orlando, FL, Fort Collins, CO, and Kansas City, MO. Ultimate Escapes will continue to embrace the same sustainable and scalability business model that has proven successful for both Ultimate Resort® and Private Escapes®, ensuring the combined members have flexible access to the world’s broadest array of club destinations and member services. Ultimate Escapes is committed to providing high member property availability and flexibility while also maintaining a low equivalent member-to-property ratio, a winning strategy that has led to strong growth over the last few years while maintaining consistently high member satisfaction ratings.
