ORLANDO, Fla., April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Marriott
Vacation Club (MVC), the vacation ownership brand of
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, (NYSE:VAC), proudly
celebrates 30 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. Thirty years 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 over 415,500 Owner families at more
than 52 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 MVC a
worldwide leader in the vacation ownership industry.
"This year marks an exceptional milestone and one I am very
proud of - the 30th anniversary of our Marriott Vacation Club
brand," said Stephen P. Weisz,
president and CEO of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation.
"We're in the business of fun, and it's been amazing to watch MVC
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 Quality Component
Marriott Vacation Club marks its first 30 years with an impressive
91 percent customer satisfaction rating. With more than 50 percent
of the company's business coming from Owners purchasing additional
time and referring friends, the common denominator for many is
Marriott Vacation Club's signature quality and service.
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; oversized shower with multiple
shower heads in master suite; washer/dryer; balcony; and wireless
high-speed internet access.
"Over the next 30 years we'll evolve and
experiment with our product form as it continues to set industry
benchmarks for innovation," Weisz continued. "We'll seek to give
our owners more flexibility and will continue our legacy of
creating unforgettable vacation experiences."
About Marriott Vacation Club
Marriott Vacation Club is a global leader in vacation ownership
with over 415,500 Owners, a diverse portfolio of 54 resorts and
more than 11,900 timeshare villas throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Marriott Vacation Club is a brand of
Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, a leading global
pure-play vacation ownership company. For more information please
visit www.marriottvacationclub.com or nightly rentals visit
www.marriott.com. Follow us on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/MarriottVacClub and find us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/marriottvacationclub.
Visit Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: VAC) for
company information.
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SOURCE Marriott Vacation Club