The Hindu Business Line : `RCI efforts to promote gifting holidays fruitful'

IT'S not the conventional gift that one expects to receive for a wedding or an anniversary, but it's as precious as any of those because it promises an experience and some time away from the quotidian.

Gifting holidays has become a big trend, says Radhika Shastry, General Manager (India Operations), RCI, adding that the vacation ownership exchange facilitator has processed over 5,000 gift certificates in the last three years.

Speaking to Business Line, Ms Shastry said timeshare owners would have to pay the exchange fees and the gift certificate fees only, upon which the recipient could enjoy a week at the resort. Gifting a holiday would cost between Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000, she said.

RCI's focus on gifting as part of its marketing efforts is paying off, Ms Shastry said. Gifting holidays exposed a host of non-members to RCI's facilities and offerings. However, it is difficult to track how many guests decided to buy timeshares as these decisions take time, she added.

Holidays were being gifted within the country and outside for various occasions including weddings, anniversaries, to children by parents as graduation presents or by members to their parents, she said.

Ms Shastry said two more resorts had recently been affiliated to RCI.

One is Kairali Heritage in Kannur which offers a total Kerala experience, Ms Shastry said. It is on the Kattampally river and is close to the backwaters. The other is Upper Deck in Lonavala, Maharashtra, which is a "drive-to destination."

Forty-five per cent of timeshare owners registered in RCI are from the Western part of India, she added. Interestingly, Upper Deck is owned by a person who once took a holiday through RCI and later became a member. Both resorts are built to RCI specifications, she added.

RCI now has 60 resorts affiliated in India. Internationally, over 3,725 resorts are affiliated to it. This year, about 15,000 families travelled through RCI in India. Globally, RCI confirmed over 2.5 million exchanges in 2003. While RCI India services 50,000 members, the total global membership is 3.1 million.

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