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RESORTDEVELOPER.COM
vacation industry review
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
ITALY
By J.B. Bissell
When it comes to regional promotion, standard operating procedure
throughout the timeshare industry is to advertise virtually every resort
as a four-season destination. Vacation ownership properties situated
in the mountains — obvious ski and snowboard hotspots — are rou-
tinely praised for their hiking and biking potential, too. Those located
on the coast or countryside, where warm-weather outdoor activities
reign supreme, are often lauded for their proximity to shopping,
museums, and other indoor attractions suitable for times when the
sun isn’t shining.
All of this makes perfect sense. Truly, no matter the place, every
season does come with its own array of vacation perks. Still, manage-
ment at a number of Italian resorts has resisted this “there’s-lots-to-do-
all-year-round” marketing trend. Instead, they’ve maintained the more
traditional “come-see-us-in-the-summer” approach.
And it’s not just that summer is the best time to visit Les Sables
Noirs, Residence Kamarina, and Serra degli Alimini 1… it’s the only
time. “In Italy, the great majority of seaside resorts are strictly seasonal
because the main market is domestic,” explains Darren Ettridge,
Interval International’s senior vice president of resort sales and busi-
ness development for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
“Italians are driven by their wish to enjoy and relax on the beach at the
height of the summer during the school holidays from June to
September, so that’s when these properties are open.”
He explains that the whole economy of the seaside destinations is
based on this historic domestic demand and tradition. “This is why the
short seasonality concept continues to work in Italy, and local time-
share continues to offer one of the best ways to holiday,” he says. “The
high level of comfort provides the benefits of owning a second home
without the burden of owning it year-round.”
Perhaps surprisingly, from a business standpoint, the operation and
management is relatively normal, albeit a bit abbreviated. “Most of the
sales and marketing is carried out on-site,” Ettridge says. “The sales
agents use a soft counseling approach and work during the four
months the resort is open to target guests.”
Throughout the rest of the year, developers take advantage of off-
site marketing initiatives and specialized events, and also utilize
directed media campaigns. “Many developers invest their marketing
budget in local channels where there is a particularly high demand for a
specific geographic area,” Ettridge adds. “Those are usually areas a
short drive from the resort locations.”
No matter when or where consumers are purchasing, the bottom
line is that they are purchasing. And with only four months’ worth of
timeshare available, the supply is forever a little scarce. Which means
demand is always up. “These resorts offer the possibility to enjoy
Mediterranean-style hospitality, good food, and in most cases beautiful
beaches,” Ettridge says.
“The fact that they have such a short seasonality typically just drives
prices up and justifies high premiums for the peak weeks,” he adds.
LES SABLES NOIRS, SICILY
42
RESIDENZIALE SERRA DEGLI ALIMINI 1, OTRANTO
Single-Season Resorts Please Owners
and Guests —While the Sun Shines
The
Italian Summer