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walking distance, “making
the stay enjoyable for the
whole family,” Barrau says.
Onagrup offers
and
Club Interval Gold as part of
its ownership package, and
conducts a campaign to
draw lapsed members back
into the fold. Other owner
perks include free one-year
or two-year memberships
upon deposit of resort time,
and the option to choose
between fixed- and floating-
week programs.
In the floating-week program, owners have the ability to split their
weeks. “Our members find that the floating product gives them more
flexibility when planning their vacations, as they can go to any
Onagrup resort in any season,” Barrau explains.
Seasonality is an important consideration, as the Mallorca resorts
Ona Aucanada in Puerto Alcúdia and Ona Cala Pí Club in Llucmajor are
closed during winter. Ona Dorada el Tarter in Canillo, Andorra, closes in
May and June, after the ski season has ended but before summer.
While some might consider that an impediment to profitability and
choose not to invest in those areas, “We don’t really think that this is a
challenge; it is simply a matter of adapting to the seasonality,” Barrau
says. “Onagrup’s resorts have high occupancy rates, so if resorts are
temporarily closed, we use that time to carry out maintenance and
improvement work, to the benefit of the client.” An added bonus: own-
ers who are confident their accommodations will be everything they
have come to expect.
Focus on
Management
“Onagrup is specializing
more and more in hotel and
resort management,” he
says. The company has
become well-recognized as
a service provider and
source of expertise in this
very specialized type of
management, he adds.
“We have established an
excellent reputation both in
the management of time-
share resorts and also in
traditional hotels. We would
like to keep progressing in
this direction.”
But management is far from the only contributor to the revenue
stream. “We also make profits through complementary services at the
resorts, such as restaurants, supermarkets, gyms, and spas, which also
benefit our members.” The strategy also includes renting unused space
through various distribution channels. Onagrup is an active participant in
Interval’s Getaway program.
A key objective of Onagrup’s evolution is the introduction of the
condo-hotel business model to Spain. The group will use existing
inventory in the beginning. “We have been working on the condo-hotel
product for a long time,” Barrau says, “and we think it’s now the ideal
moment to launch this product. We are very confident that it will be suc-
cessful. We are industry experts and we have all the tools to provide an
excellent service.”
A Mutually Satisfying Association
Onagrup started its relationship with Interval International in 1991, and
in 2001 created Club Estela Dorada (EDO), a floating-weeks club that
was affiliated with Interval. “Our relationship with Interval International
keeps growing,” Barrau says. “We use a large variety of products
offered by Interval International to support our sales and enhance the
value of the Onagrup product.” He is especially enthusiastic about
Interval Platinum and Club Interval Gold, which deliver consistently
high levels of owner satisfaction.
Over the years, since Barrau attended that first timeshare presenta-
tion, Onagrup has risen to become a power in Spain’s hospitality industry,
and the company’s future — steered by a clear vision and willingness to
shift course as the wind changes — seems assured.
See page 2 for currency conversions.
Catherine Lackner, based in Miami, Florida, writes for newspapers,
magazines, and various media, and has been covering the vacation
ownership industry for nearly 10 years.
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Developer: Carlos Barrau, founder
Headquarters: Barcelona, Spain
Product: Deeded; fixed and
floating weeks
Resorts: 14 resort properties in
locations throughout Spain. Units
total 850, and sizes range from
studio to three-bedroom.
Price: €9,000 to €30,000
(US$11,500 to US$38,300)
Website: onagrup.net
fastfacts
Onagrup Hotels &
Resorts
Alanda Club Marbella
Ona Cala Pí