Exclusive Resorts Voted Destination Club of the Decade

By: Destination Club News
Date: January 3, 2010

Reminiscent of an episode of Seinfeld where the actual date of the millennium is debated, the most recent decade may or may not have come to an end Friday morning, but because we like round numbers, we are saying it did. In our weekly vote traditionally reserved for featured properties, we asked readers who they believed was the destination club of the decade, choosing between the world's three largest clubs, Exclusive Resorts, Ultimate Escapes, and Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World.

With over 5,000 members between the three respective clubs, each have their own demonstrable benefits. Exclusive Resorts has more homes than any other destination club while Ultimate Escapes has the most total destinations. Quintess may trail in total homes and destinations, the club does boldly market their commitment to "financial transparency and full disclosure," providing members with audited third party financial statements.

During the past week, our site visitors have voted on their pick for the destination club of the decade and selected Exclusive Resorts, the world's largest destination club.

The longest tenured destination club in operation, Exclusive Resorts sold their first membership on March 1, 2003. From those humble beginnings, Exclusive Resorts has grown to approximately 3,500 members and more than the rest of the destination club industry combined. In 2009, a very poor sales year for the entire destination club industry, Exclusive Resorts still projected 200 new membership sales, more than leading clubs like the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club, M Private Residences, and Equity Estates have in total.

Like virtually every other destination club still in operation, Exclusive Resorts began to make changes in their operational structure in 2009 to help . Lowering their overhead by $30 million last year, beginning next year they will change annual dues to $995 per night for all club members. Exclusive Resorts' two year plan should put the club at a break-even point in 2011. As part of this change, Exclusive Resorts' members will be able to give nights of access to friends, family, and colleagues and members will be able to occupy two residences simultaneously.

With 2009 at an end, 2010 appears to have a light at the end of the tunnel for the destination club sector. The industry's two next largest clubs have made structural changes to their model with Ultimate Escapes becoming the world's first publicly traded destination club and Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World bringing members' annual travel expenses in line with annual dues and fees.

With Exclusive Resorts entering a new generation for their club, we will watch to see if they can maintain the same dizzying levels of success that they have enjoyed to date. Check back frequently for more news on Exclusive Resorts and every other destination club, and if you are currently considering membership, request a free copy of our Destination Club Guide.