Exclusive Resorts Details Design of Once in a Lifetime Process

By: Destination Club News
Date: February 21, 2011

Since Exclusive Resorts created their Once in a Lifetime program in 2008, the world's largest destination club has sent more than 2,000 members and guests to every corner of the world, touching down on every continent. Exclusive Resorts veterans Melissa Hansen, Gina Russo, and Anne Marie Kelley are the principle team behind the popular vacation addition, crafting between six and eight experiences each year, dedicating months of research, negotiation, and more than their fair share of airline miles to develop each and every trip. The trio has detailed the extensive process they undertake to create these journeys, beginning two years prior to the departure date.

The process begins with a focus group of staff members throughout the organization, where a list of potential destinations is formed based on member survey responses, ideas from the member services department, and input from other channels. The Once in a Lifetime team then compares the suggestions to their criteria: will the trip give members a chance to visit a fascinating area of the world, where the club’s expertise would be particularly helpful in ensuring a world-class experience? Can the trip be scaled so that it can be offered to a significant number of members, while maintaining a distinctive service approach? Can all the little "Exclusive Resorts extras" be maintained to guarantee that these trips are just as exceptional as every other club vacation? If the proposed trips meet and exceed these high standards, the group moves forward to the next stage.

Once the Once in a Lifetime team decides on the initial slate of trips for the year, the process of working with the selected partner and researching the destination begins. As the experiences are conceptualized, the team visits the destinations to fine-tune the details, testing multiple accommodations and frequenting attractions to better understand all of the options available.

We'll soon profile the 2012 collection of Once in a Lifetime experiences, including unique trips to Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Brazil, and more. Check back soon for more information about Exclusive Resorts and the rest of the destination club sector.