US vacation ownership conference - speakers recommend agents & resort developers to think out the box

US Vacation Ownership Investment Conference on ‘Opportunity in Adversity’ urges innovative management.

The 2009 Vacation Ownership Investment Conference held at The Peabody Orlando in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 14-17 September, was the 11th annual VOIC event, targeting topics of timeshare development, successful project financing, industry branding, resort management, and vacation ownership marketing and selling. This year’s VOIC conference was appropriately titled ‘Opportunity in Adversity’.

Mac van der Merwe, CEO of Zorgvliet Private Residence Club (ZPRC), which includes Zorgvliet Wine Estate, the Riviera on Vaal Hotel and Country Club, King George Hotel, Ka’Ingo Private Game Reserve and Dinkweng Safari Camp, attended the conference and gives his impressions of trends. “The consensus is that world economy leisure drivers are all still in the red. If you just wait for things to turn around - you won't be there to when it does.

Marketing in all spectrums of the leisure industry has changed, and tactics for success are mostly ‘out of the box’ actions. At the same time, all speakers and opinion formers still regard a credible client database and follow up of these as the most important element of the enterprise value of any retail service provider in this arena. “Flat management structures are very apparent, and even in the mid-size companies management is at the forefront of daily sales actions, interacting with and assuring consumers.

'The ivory tower no longer exists!'

The ‘virtual’ management style is deemed a dinosaur; managers saying that they need not be leading by example will be exposed in the new testing environment.” Van der Merwe says that interest in the 2010 Soccer World Cup as a tourism driver event is high on the ‘go to South Africa agenda’. “To put it into perspective, one must appreciate that next to the Olympics the World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world. An expected 400 000 visitors to the country will watch the games in South Africa - but more importantly, an expected 600 000 additional football tourists will come to South Africa without tickets for any matches and still looking for accommodation!.

Historic markets such as England will be paramount since England recently qualified for the finals. Mexico and the USA have good chances to do as well. “It was reported that in a recent study in the USA, 4% of consumers indicated that they want to visit SA in the near future. Although far behind Europe as a preferred destination, this is still a large number of potential visitors.

More than 60% of Americans in the higher income brackets buy vacation ownership and are very interested in experience holidays. “A very interesting development is the addressing of cost structures by all vacation ownership operators. Marketing and sales expenses are being cut by more than 50% as a percentage of revenue. New ways of selling and cutting out parties not adding real value to the consumer is the norm - to the benefit of the buyer. Above all, it was agreed that today is a buyer’s market, and that new standards are being set that will not change in the near future, with the net result that buyers will get more for less.

”He says ZPRC is developing various global alliances which will benefit them beyond the World Cup, and will be announced shortly. Van der Merwe has been invited to speak and/or participate in a number of international meetings between now and the end of December, including Second Home International in Brussels, Shorex in Geneva (speaker) and a panel discussion slot at a meeting of the Resort Development Association in London.

A major feature of ZPRC is its emphasis on conservation and singular experiences, for example hands-on involvement in conservation where owners get up close and personal with the Big Five, or help create their own wines. Van der Merwe is currently in discussion with like-minded global players on responsible tourism packages and associating green facilities with conservation.

For further information contact Hettie de Lange 082 268 4559 or summercourt@mweb.co.za; see also www.zorgvlietfractions.com