Visit the Marriott newsroom
for the latest news from Marriott Vacation Club.
MARRIOTT VACATION CLUB CELEBRATES
25 YEARS OF UNFORGETTABLE VACATIONS
Orlando, Fla. – April 15, 2009 - Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), the vacation ownership division
of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR), proudly celebrates 25 years of preserving one of the oldest family traditions—the
family vacation.
“Frankly, it’s changed our lives,” says Peter Pfiel, an Owner at Marriott’s Monarch at Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island,
S.C., since 1984. Pfiel and his family made the trip from Cincinnati to Marriott’s very first vacation ownership resort every
summer. A quarter-century later, Pfiel and his wife are retired just three miles from their Monarch villa, where they keep
two weeks so their grown children can visit. “The joy of being able to turn over the keys to my son and his family … that’s
the fulfillment of a different dream than we had when we bought,” Pfiel admits.
Today the Pfiels are among nearly 400,000 Owner families at more than 50 distinct Marriott Vacation Club resorts throughout
the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Like the Pfiels, many would never have guessed that they would play a vital role in
helping make MVCI a worldwide leader in the vacation ownership industry.
“This year marks a great milestone and one I am very proud of - the silver anniversary of Marriott Vacation Club International,”
said Stephen P. Weisz, president of Marriott Vacation Club International. “On the business side, it’s been amazing to watch
MVCI revolutionize an entire industry. On the personal side, it’s exciting to think of all of the families who are creating
a lifetime of vacation memories through Marriott Vacation Club,” continued Weisz.
A History of Innovation
In 1984, Marriott became the first branded hospitality company by nearly a decade to enter the timeshare industry with the
acquisition of American Resorts and its 184-villa project which became Marriott’s Monarch at Sea Pines. With just 7,000 Owners
at the end of its first year, the division lost no time making its mark on the fledgling timeshare industry.
Marriott Vacation Club boasts an unprecedented number of industry-firsts that have changed the face of vacation ownership
by bringing increased credibility and setting an example for other branded hospitality companies to follow. With the launch
of its premiere resort, Marriott Vacation Club replaced industry-standard fixed weeks and units with seasonally-based, floating
time and property use.
In 1996, Marriott Vacation Club laid down its first European footprint with the opening of Marriott’s Marbella Beach Resort
on Spain’s Costa del Sol. A decade later, a new Asia Pacific Regional Office and sales gallery in Singapore opened to serve
an emerging market already enamored with Marriott’s Phuket Beach Club in Thailand.
The American Business Awards has taken notice of Marriott Vacation Club International’s winning ways, naming MVCI “Best
Sales Organization” three times in the last six years and “Best Customer Service Organization” in 2007.
Hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars,” The American Business Awards’ Stevie is the first national, all-encompassing
business awards program honoring great performances in business and positive contributions in the workplace.
The Quality Component
Marriott Vacation Club marks its first 25 years with an impressive 91 percent customer satisfaction rating. With more than
50 percent of the company’s business coming from Owners purchasing additional weeks and referring friends, the common denominator
for many is Marriott’s signature quality and service.
“Every Marriott is a five star to us,” says Joseph Slane, a Marriott Vacation Club Owner for the past 25 years. “Every
time a new resort is built it’s more upscale than the last one. That’s what we love about Marriott Vacation Club.”
A typical Marriott Vacation Club two-bedroom, two-bath villa includes a fully-equipped gourmet kitchen with granite countertops
and stainless steel appliances; generous living and dining areas; multiple flat-panel televisions with DVD players; oversized
shower with multiple shower heads in master suite; washer/dryer; balcony; and wireless high-speed internet access.
“Our villas are very current, very fresh,” says Weisz. “It’s all about trying to make sure that the product stays relevant,
yet immensely comfortable for people going on vacation.”
“Over the next 25 years we’ll continue to experiment with our product form,” Weisz continued. “We’ll continue to understand
how we can give our customers more flexibility and work with the best of the best to make sure the physical product is current
for generations to come and will continue our legacy of creating unforgettable vacation experiences.”
MG-09-114
