DC4MS

This is a Press Release that was sent to me.

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"Trade to Travel" Poses Threat to Destination Clubs

Trade to Travel, the original vacation home exchange, offers more luxury properties for far less money than Exclusive Resorts, the world's largest destination club.

May 31, 2008 ( PowerHomeBiz ) - Richmond, VA -- Due to the current state of the U.S. economy, Leah Powell, president of Trade to Travel, has recently been contacted by both CBS News and CNBC's "High Net Worth" to participate in stories on ways Americans can save money on travel and "House Swapping for The Rich." When preparing information for the two news organizations, Leah wrote a cost comparison which dramatically contrasts the costs of Trade to Travel to those of Destination Clubs (see below). The comparison explains that not only does vacation home exchange save members large sums of money, it is also "green." So, via Trade to Travel, owners of fine properties (whether wholly owned or fractional ownership) save 80% on luxury travel worldwide and help save the planet at the same time.

Destination clubs have been "king of the mountain" in the luxury vacations industry for about a decade, but may soon be dethroned by Trade to Travel (TTT).

Here's why:

Trade to Travel vs. Destination Clubs

Exclusive Resorts' membership fee for 60 days/year is $479,900. Trade to Travel's membership fee for unlimited days is $2495.

If you don't currently own a vacation home, you can get into the luxury property exchange game by owning as little as 1/10 of a luxury property (it's called "fractional ownership" and it's currently the hottest trend in luxury real estate in the U.S.). Last year, for the first time, luxury fractional sales exceeded whole ownership sales in Aspen. Plus, fractional ownership and vacation property exchange are both "green," so not only does TTT save its members enormous sums of money, it's playing a role in saving the planet. Trade to Travel says, "Let's Share."

Exclusive Resorts' annual fee for 60 days is $59,900. Trade to Travel's annual fee for unlimited days is $99.

TTT charges 20% of the value of the accommodation each time we arrange for you to enjoy a fabulous property. You save 80%.

Exclusive Resorts charges an extra $59,000 if you want a major holiday. Trade to Travel charges NOTHING extra for holidays.

Exclusive Resorts charges $19,900 if you would like to let your adult children, parents, or siblings enjoy a property without you or your spouse present.

Trade to Travel says, "Are you KIDDING???"

Trade to Travel has more properties in more countries valued between $1M and $20M than Exclusive Resorts. The average value of Exclusive Resorts' properties is $2.5M. TTT currently has 25 properties valued at $4M - $20M.

TTT has been in business for 17 years and the combined value of its members' properties is over $1 Billion.

Several years ago, Michael Espindle, Managing Editor of Elite Traveler magazine said, "Trade to Travel is the biggest news in the luxury travel industry since the advent of destination clubs." But it's even better than that. TTT wasn't born after destination clubs, it was born before them. Trade to Travel has been in business for nearly two decades and they know what they're doing. So, the only real question is, "Where to?"

For more information on Trade to Travel, you can call 1.800.922.6001 or visit Luxury Vacation Home Exchange | Luxury Holiday Home Swap | Fractional Ownership Exchange | Fractional Property Swap

About Trade to Travel,

LLC Trade to Travel is "The Worldwide Club" for owners of exceptional residences and vacation homes, motor and sailing yachts, staffed and unstaffed villas, chalets, castles, estates, enchanting inns and boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, flats, spas, penthouses, private aircraft and private islands.

LTTravel

This is some SPIN on the value of Trade to Travel!

It is amazing how they don't mention what your cost of owning a vacation home or fractional is that you must have to trade. And it also neglects the headaches of second home ownership.

The whole point of a DC is to eliminate the headaches and risks of second home ownership. How many times must we look at the costs of second home ownership?

A 3 million dollar home:

20% down(if you're lucky): $600,000
Closing costs: $30,000
Mortgage at 6% (if you're lucky) $57,600+
Taxes: $15,000-$60,000
Utilities, repairs, insurance etc etc etc $$$$$$

So trading your home is cheaper than joining a destination club? and there are fees associated with trading??

Nice SPIN on costs!

Kagehitokiri

the amanpuri owner has pulled their villa from trade to travel.

TradeToTravel

Hello, LTTravel, your comments only refer to whole ownership, which entirely misses the point. What Trade to Travel is saying is that membership in TTT + luxury fractional ownership is currently the most intelligent ownership model for those who do not wish to deal with second, third, fourth or tenth vacation homes, but who DO wish to travel the world in style for a small fraction of what they're accustomed to paying.

Destination clubs (in my opinion) are only attractive when compared to paying for a vacation home, having it sit empty the vast majority of the year, and managing it yourself. (Though we know one heck of a lot of people who LOVE owning their own vacation home(s) and leveraging it/them to enjoy spectacular residences and vacation homes, motor and sailing yachts, staffed and unstaffed villas, chalets, castles, estates, enchanting inns and boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, flats, spas, penthouses, private aircraft and private islands worldwide).

Luxury fractional ownerships range from approximately $50k to $1.5 M, so there's something for everyone. 1/10 ownership in a $2.5 M home (the average value of Exclusive Resorts' properties) is approximately $250,000 plus various additional costs (which don't come CLOSE to the various additional costs associated with destination club memberships).

Bottom line? You save HUGE and live LARGE via TTT.

Btw, Amanpuri was listed as a member of TTT many years before I took over the presidency of TTT 6 years ago. It didn't drop out, it was purged from our system last year when we deleted all properties which haven't been requested in the past 3 years (due to the tsunami, only recently have we begun to again receive requests for Thailand, and since we already offer great properties there without having to contact Amanpuri, contacting Amanpuri has simply not risen to the top of my endless list-o-things-to-do. Whenever I have time (which might be awhile given that I work 80-100 hours/week), I will get back in touch with them. Meanwhile, I have a zillion other super-exciting projects on my plate, so stay tuned for all that's coming up in the wonderful world of TTT.

All the best,
Leah Powell, president TTT

Kagehitokiri

welcome to the forum Leah, glad to have you.

the amanpuri villa wasnt added by the owner?

TradeToTravel

Hi, Kagehitokiri, thanks for the welcome :0)

I'm not sure who originally enrolled Amanpuri into TTT because it occurred before the advent of the internet and those old paper files are boxed in fireproof storage outside of our offices (though I can certainly access them if necessary). Is there a particular reason you're interested in Amanpuri? If so, please let me know and I'll see what I can find out for you.

Bourne

You are missing the key element of luxuty vacation industry. As much as the home matters, it is the service around it that counts

__________________
The Nile is a river in Egypt......

TradeToTravel

Hi, Bourne, what service(s) can destination clubs offer which TTT can't?

Kagehitokiri

Leah,

does your site have a page for the "25 properties valued at $4M - $20M" ?

ER (since were in this forum and you made the comparison) has almost 400 properties with average value of $3MM > $4MM. (increasing due to luxury property values, plus they buy in bulk at discount.) they also have once in a lifetime offerings, although the value there is arguable. (OTOH the seabourn charters are a unique offering.)

ER owns those properties, and they are exclusively for member use.

TradeToTravel

Hi, Kagehitokiri, we don't have the $4 - 20 M properties broken out separately, but if you'll click the following link, it'll take you to 242 of our nicest properties and 25 of those are valued at $4-20 M.

http://tradetotravel.com/PropertySea...NameFieldName=

Kagehitokiri

how much would it cost to have an onsite local host available during one's stay in a TTT property?

TradeToTravel

Hi, Kage (I hope it's ok if I call you this since I've seen others use your nickname), I'm not currently sure how much it would cost to have 24/7 concierge services in all of the world's major destinations (I do know that it will not cost NEARLY what dc's charge for these perks).

I'm now in the process of partnering with one of the world's most esteemed concierge companies (to be announced soon) and have also begun the process of opening TTT offices in all of our most-requested destinations (with London, Los Angeles, and NYC opening in the next 2-3 months and others opening within 6 months). Meanwhile, we do have agreements in place in MANY destinations with individuals and agencies who are able to cater to just about any need/want/wish a member could possibly have.

Kagehitokiri

i should only have said local host not concierge, sorry, thats really what i was referring to.

also BTW lusso's concierge company would cost $50K/yr if one wanted an individual membership.

i just saw that it was possible to join with a 20 point ($8K/wk) property, buy 60 points for $6000, then pay $4800 for a week in a 5BR villa at amanpuri.

thatd be ~$11K instead of current high season rate of $62,732.95

(of course its fine to use Kage )

DC4MS

I am moving this thread to the main Destination Club Forums.

The main reason for this is that the Exclusive Resorts subforum is there for their users and posts specific to ER properties and news.

While the concept of Trade to Travel is novel, they created the press release comparing themselves to Exclusive Resorts. I am not saying if one is better than the other, I just want to keep the discussion comparing the two in the main area and not in the ER subforum.

Kagehitokiri

ive merged in the comments from the other thread.

TradeToTravel

Hi, Kage, would you like me to get in touch with Amanpuri to see if they'll host you? If so, when would you like to travel? Also, property T459 on our site is EXTREMELY cool and has lots of availability. Might you be interested in that property? Here's a link to it: Surin Hill,*Thailand—Trade to Travel Property #T459

Also, the owner's website has spectacular new photos which we haven't uploaded yet. Here's its link:

http://www.phuketland.com/villa_for_...ela/header.htm

TradeToTravel

Hi, Kage, in post #10 above, where you wrote, "ER owns those properties, and they are exclusively for member use," in my opinion, that's the largest part of the problem with destination clubs (at least the way that almost all of them are currently structured). To quote Halogen Guides, membership in most dc's is parking your money in someone else's garage. To quote my friend James Pruett of FractionalMarkets.com, dc's are the greatest possible way to overpay for a property you don't own. It's awfully nice of dc members to give dc's large sums of money to build gigantic real estate portfolios in which they have NO ownership and NO legacy (and awfully nice of the dc's to let dc members USE the dc's properties). The annual dues alone for many dc's are enough to RENT properties equivalent to dc properties (so what are the exhorbitant membership fees for except to make the dc's wealthier). So, even if Trade to Travel didn't exist, I STILL wouldn't understand why people buy into dc's.

Btw, for those of you reading this thread for the first time, please note that it's quite a few pages long (meaning you'll need to click on "page 2" below DCTraveler's last post at the bottom of this page in order to read all of the pages of this debate).