Ultimate Escapes
Members

Some clubs in the destination club sector grow primarily through mergers and acquisitions while others are proud of their organic growth models. Ultimate Escapes has a successful track record of both while establishing themselves as the second largest destination club in the world in terms of members.

The union of Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes, the club that would eventually be known as Ultimate Escapes, was first announced in September of 2007. The two respective clubs brought two vastly different growth models to the combined club, bring each to the new club's growth structure.

Ultimate Resort launched in February of 2005 as "the most affordable luxury destination club on earth." By August, the young club had sold out of their Charter Memberships before acquiring the assets to one of the most prized clubs in the destination club industry.

Tanner & Haley, the club that largely was responsible for the creation of the destination club model, had grown to nearly 1,000 members due in part to a model that allowed for unlimited annual travel, guaranteed reservations, and a low annual dues structure. Unfortunately, to meet the needs of members, a large portion of the club's properties were short term leases with associated costs far above the revenue brought in by member's dues. In July of 2006, Tanner & Haley filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Many rival destination clubs looked into the acquisition of Tanner & Haley with Ultimate Resort edging out the competition with a $100 million bid. Tanner & Haley members were offered preferred membership terms at the new club with the vast majority electing to continue traveling with Ultimate Resort, then the second largest club in the sector.

Private Escapes launched their club in August of 2004, just six months prior to Ultimate Resort. Similar to the club they would eventually join with, Private Escapes branded their club as the "first and only affordable luxury travel destination club." The low cost model proved successful as the club would quickly launch a companion club Private Escapes Platinum to join their initial offering. In time, Private Escapes would also add an elite level club branded as Private Escapes Pinnacle with their total membership base appoaching the 500 member mark.

Following the announcement of the Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes merger, Ventures Equity Vacation Club was acquired with just under 20 members joining the club in February of 2008. In October of 2009, Ultimate Escapes would also announce an agreement with the conservation themed destination club Everlands to provide members of the club preferred membership terms on an Ultimate Escapes membership.

Ultimate Resort's Jim Tousignant and Private Escapes' Richard Keith both continue as leaders at the club, bringing their divergent growth structures to Ultimate Escapes that have combined to establish Ultimate Escapes as the second largest destination club in the world.

If you are a member of Ultimate Escapes and would like to comment on your experiences with the club, please feel free to contact us at contribute@destinationclubnews.com to share your insight.