-Harnessing the power of a multi-faceted sales and marketing program  to assist upscale resort clients wishing to target the affluent demographic concerning rental, sales and management opportunities-

DENVER, CO -October 22, 2009 - The Society and La Sarenne Luxury Properties today announced the debut of their newest online marketing opportunity, The Diamond Affinity Program, a turnkey luxury resort marketing and sales platform.

“The Diamond Affinity Program has been designed and executed to overcome a major void in how resorts market and sell their products.” said Bruce Cuthbertson, partner with La Sarenne Luxury Properties, a California-based resort development firm adding, “The present economic malaise has impacted many resorts which have relied on antiquated sales and marketing tactics to achieve their goals. The Diamond Affinity program is a whole new sales and marketing platform designed for today, tomorrow and the future. We did not replace the tools in the toolbox, we designed a whole new container, inside and out.”

The Diamond Affinity Program is an all-in-one resort sales and marketing package. Using a multi-pronged approach, The Diamond Affinity Program harnesses the power of:

• Online Marketing: targeting the affluent and luxury lifestyle audience.
• CRM Tracking: including initial contact to close concierge assistance.
• VIP Events: in select markets to provide prospective clients in-person introductions.
• Public Relations: focused on the lifestyle, consumer and business marketplace.  

“No other entity in the industry has brought together the expansive marketing relationships, leveraged media purchases and targeted demographics combined to deliver not only large quantities of highly qualified prospects but exceeding close-rates above the industry standard,” said Michael McFadden, co-founder of The Society, a Colorado-based marketing firm representing hospitality and vacation oriented companies. McFadden added, “The economy has dictated the call for new ways to market luxury resorts and the Diamond Affinity program beckons that call.”

The Society and La Sarenne came together to leverage their resources to create the Diamond Affinity Program. “It just made sense to create this program jointly, taking advantage of our complimentary services to best serve the resort client desiring to turn lookers into bookers and visitors into owners.” said Cuthbertson.

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Contact: Bruce Cuthbertson   
La Sarenne Luxury Properties, LLC  
1-877-336-3942     
Bruce@LaSarenne.com    

Contact: Michael McFadden
The Society
1-866-789-8222 X1
Mike@TheSociety.com

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, buyers of condo-hotel properties are heading to court across the country arguing that developers who sold such units violated securities laws. Of interest, the court filings began as the real estate bubble started to deflate. For many buyers, condo-hotels seemed like a great idea. Hotel developers could offset construction costs by selling rooms to individuals then share the rental income with the owners every time a room was booked. However, instead of the lucrative venture some buyers claim they were promised by developers, condo-hotels have turned out to be one of the worst investments in decades. What is an owner to do?

Each condo-hotel development is unique and one must review their condominium by-laws, specifically concerning rental and management programs. Some may prohibit an owner from soliciting rentals on their own i.e. all rental and management must go through the managing agent to more liberal policies allowing owners to procure renters and just pay cleaning charges.

The following are a few options to consider if 1) you own a condo-hotel unit and 2) are looking for opportunities to increase rental activity and income generation.

• VRBO: Vacation Rental By Owner is one of the largest sites for owners and managers looking to rent their vacation or similar properties. We would suggest as much detail as possible including location, amenities, rate, pictures and always negotiable (see below for description and text).
• Craigslist: This free on-line bulletin board is an excellent option to capture local/regional traffic as well as national/international viewers. Best to mention condo building identity and address in headline to capture a click-through.
• Global Bundle: For deluxe and luxury vacation properties, The Global Bundle is an excellent option to harness the power of the internet while target marketing to the affluent traveler. Offering placements on WSJ.com, LuxuryRealEstate.com, The Robb Report, HomeAway and other sites. The Global Bundle can be tailored to match prospective travelers with your vacation residence. Costs associated with marketing may be tax-deductible, please consult with your tax advisor.
• Local Tourism Bureau or Reservations Service: Many major tourism destinations will have a “central reservations” office or similar associated with their Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Bureau. Contact directly to see if your vacation rental can be posted on their site(s).

The Society.com has commissioned several reports and articles to assist our property management firms, vacation homes owners, estate representatives and vacation rental partners to navigate through the challenges facing those in the hospitality, tourism and vacation home rental industries. The first of several publications is entitled “Salvage the Summer Rental Season and Beyond” and written by Joseph Sobin, CTC/CTIE.

INTRODUCTION

As we enter the prime vacation season of the year, all of us in the transient lodging industry are concerned about present and future bookings. The downturn in bookings and subsequent decrease in RevPAR (revenue per available room) has not been seen since the immediate months following the attacks of September 11, 2001. While the attacks of 9/11 sent a chill into the hospitality industry, the rebound was spectacular as business and leisure travel increased in line with the expanding economy. Hotels and resorts were generating record revenues. The sale of 95% of Four Seasons Hotels Inc, a management firm for $3.8 Billion to Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was the symbolic crescendo of the marketplace.

The first signs of trouble for the hospitality industry started during the summer of 2008 with record high prices for commodities across the board from oil (fueling cars and planes) to corn (increasing the cost of basic food staples).  Followed by the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the questionable fiscal health of large money-center banks, the world entered a deep recession, the worst since the worldwide depression of the 1930’s.

Yet, all hope is not lost. Hotels and resorts have been cutting room rates to attract business (both leisure and corporate). With commodity prices stabilizing and the belief the worst of the economic downturn is behind us, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The following article looks at the changing zeitgeist of the vacation culture. A movement towards “last-minute bookings”, a renewed interest in travel to relax and enrich, the desire for quality time with family and friends, a shift in attitude from materialistic boasting to value orientation. Of particular interest, the growing popularity of vacation home rentals.

To download the entire 9 page report including 16 tips to salvage your summer rentals,  submit your information below. Once you’ve submitted your information the page will refresh and a link to the pdf will appear where the form was.

When LuxuryRealEstate.com was founded in 1995, many pundits questions the “logic” of a website with such specific and discriminating standards allowing only the top 10% of property listings in any given market to have access to the site. Well, the pundits must be embarrassed as our Global Bundle partner, LuxuryRealEstate.com just secured their 1,000,000th listing, a stunning waterfront Belle Epoque villa in Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, France along the Cote D’ Azur.

When TheSociety.com developed the Global Bundle, targeting the affluent demographic was paramount. LuxuryRealEstate.com was pursued as a partner entity for the Global Bundle as a leader in not only the high-end real estate marketplace but also at the forefront of technology, all focused on the luxury niche market which has been able to endue the present economic downturn with little effect on their travel, leisure and real estate spending habits.

What does this mean for affiliates of TheSociety.com acquiring access to The Global Bundle? The most tangible benefit is a listing on LuxuryRealEstate.com, the most-viewed luxury real estate specific website in the world. However, we at TheSociety.com would suggest considering peer entities who provide the listings and editorials for LuxuryRealEstate.com. The content is generated and continually updated by members of the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate network which includes 1,500 of the world’s finest real estate companies and individuals with properties in over 100 countries. The following visitor statistics are sure to impress:

• Daily Hits: 1,700,000+
• 25-54 Age Range: 82.5% of visitors
• Traveled in the Prior Year:  91%
• Plan to Travel in Next 12 months: 94.7%
• Travel via Business/First Class/Private Air: 59.2%

What do the statistics above mean for a Global Bundle Partner?  Many, affluent, educated, qualified viewers and word of mouth marketing all providing qualified leads to your posted content.

For additional information, be sure to check out the LuxuryRealEstate.com Press Kit.