virna2015aprjun

32 / 62

RESORTDEVELOPER.COM vacation industry review
APRIL – JUNE 2015
make the flight, and Divi Vacation Club gives them the flexibility to
vacation closer to home.”
Interval’s app has found an appreciative audience
in Divi’s sales centers. “We’ve become much more tech-saavy,”
Galaverna says. “Now, we’re using iPads and Surface Pro tablets,
which is nice becuase as we make any changes, everyone’s presen-
tations are automatically updated.”
For Interval, the affiliation brings an influx of Caribbean inventory,
which is always in demand. “Divi has a high-quality product, and
the Caribbean is the number-one requested international destination
for our U.S.–based members,” Ten Broek says. “Having Divi as an
affiliate is strategically important for us and
shows that the resources we have put into the
Caribbean are paying big dividends.”
Vacation Upgrades
So what makes a resort a Divi resort? Galaverna
points to three key characteristics. “The first is
our talented and dedicated staff members, who
come from and are based on the islands, giving
them vast knowledge and expertise to share
with guests,” he says. “The second is our beau-
tiful resort locations, each offering a relaxed
Caribbean vibe and proximity to the islands’
best attractions and features. The third is the
loyalty of our owners and transient guests, who
have made lasting and meaningful friendships
on the islands.”
The resorts offer an all-inclusive option,
used by about 20 percent of timeshare guests,
as well as extensive activity programs, which
are tailored to the destination and season. On
St. Maarten, for example, there’s nightly musi-
cal entertainment featuring local steel pan
bands. On Bonaire, guests, including children,
can learn to dive at a PADI five-star facility. On
Barbados, a miniature golf course caters to
families. On Aruba, guests can improve their
golf skills with lessons at The Links at Divi
Aruba golf course.
Casinos come into the mix at the
on Bonaire, on St.
Croix, and the Alhambra Casino on Aruba. “Our
casinos are favorite attractions among guests,
with the Alhambra on Aruba being the largest,”
Galaverna says. The casinos are owned and
operated by Divi companies, and they also engage Biloxi, Mississippi–
based Treasure Bay LLC to provide specialized gaming expertise.
The product improvements at Divi aren’t just in usage; many of the
resorts have seen significant changes as the company has invested
millions in improvements over the past few years. In 2008, Divi Village
Beach Resort underwent a major expansion to create what is now
called which includes the newly built
golf course.
Four additional high-rise towers have been added at the
which is located on Palm Beach, adjacent to
the Bubali Bird Sanctuary. Rooms in the tower building were renovated
and the resort’s exterior was enhanced.
In 2014, new restaurants were added at
Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort and Divi
Southwinds Beach Resort. Divi Little Bay Beach
Resort underwent major renovations, including
building an entirely new lobby with sweeping
ocean views, renovating one of the restaurants
and the market, adding new furniture to the
rooms, and bringing in new poolside furniture.
This year, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort is under-
going a multimillion-dollar renovation, which
includes updating the rooms, the restaurants,
and the resort exterior and adding a new beach
for guests to enjoy.
“We have a commitment to put a certain
percentage of revenue into renovations,”
Galaverna says. “We’re always adding ser-
vices and amenities as we invest back into
our properties.”
As great as the properties are physically,
there’s another factor that’s critical. “The staff
is what makes our transient guests’ and time-
share owners’ vacations special,” Galaverna
says. “We’ve had waiters who have been here
20 years in the same position. We treat our staff
with respect; we won’t tolerate managers who
don’t. When you have happy staff, you have
happy guests.”
Having risen through the ranks himself,
leaving and returning, Galaverna understands
why other employees who leave often come
back. “This is a special place to be,” he says.
See page 2 for currency conversions.
32
Developer: Each resort is developed
independently. Divi Vacation Club is developed
by the Divi Caribbean Club Ltd., a Cayman
Island Company
Headquarters: Reservations, customer
service, and related services are provided by
Divi Hotels Marketing Inc. in Chapel Hill,
North Carolina; Divi Vacation Club is based in
the Cayman Islands
Product: 40-year right-to-use contractual
rights and vacation club membership
Resorts: Aruba: Divi Aruba Phoenix
Beach Resort, Divi Village Golf & Beach
Resort, Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort, and
the Alhambra Casino
Bonaire: Divi Flamingo Beach Resort &
Casino
Barbados: Divi Southwinds Beach Resort
and Divi Heritage Beach Resort
St. Croix, U.S.V.I: Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive
Beach Resort & Casino
St. Maarten: Divi Little Bay Beach Resort
Websites: diviresorts.com,
divivacationclub.com
Social Media: facebook.com/divivacation
and facebook.com/DiviResorts
twitter.com/divivacation and
twitter.com/diviresorts
pinterest.com/diviresorts/
instagram.com/diviresorts
Divi Resorts Group
fastfacts
DIVI RESORTS
GROUP
DIVI CARINA BAY
DIVI CARINA BAY ALL-INCLUSIVE BEACH RESORT & CASINO, ST. CROIX