ARDA World Day in Review: April 8

ARDA World is under way!

April 9, 2013 by Matt McDaniel - article courtesy of RCI Ventures

The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) World Convention & Exposition – the biggest timeshare convention of the year – has kicked off at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida.

The annual event brings together more than 3,000 vacation ownership developers and professionals from over 35 countries for five days of educational, networking and social opportunities.

Before the real business of the week got under way, some convention attendees took part in the 12th annual RCI/AIF Open Golf Tournament held at the Westin Diplomat’s, 18-hole golf course, which features eight acres of lakes and fairways. RCI sponsored the event, which raises funds to support the ARDA International Foundation (AIF) and its effort to produce research, studies and educational programs that advance the industry.

Exhibition stars

A virtual rendering of the RCI booth

The first full day at the annual convention of the American Resort Development Association was what ARDA called ‘Key Constituent Day’ – meaning Monday was when most forums and committee meetings took place. The day also featured a brand-new fundamentals track with four targeted sessions.

The undeniable star of the event’s exhibit floor was RCI’s 50 x 90 foot, state-of-the-art booth, which offers visitors a truly interactive and engaging RCI experience. It features dynamic and robust RCI content and information at every booth touch point – whether showcased on a luminous 24 x 12 foot main-stage screen, on one of many 50-inch, high-definition televisions, within kiosks or on our custom-built iPad tables.

The booth enabled RCI’s top clients and prospective future affiliates to truly see the company’s complete portfolio, from its enhanced Online Tour Generation offering to its rich and customizable technology innovations, to the latest RCI iPad app for affiliates, and beyond. The ARDA event also saw the unveiling of the brand-new RCI Affiliate Access program, which includes offering our affiliates customizable solutions for revenue management and marketing data services.

Kicking back

In the evening, at the All-Delegate Kick-off Party by ICE & RCI, the two companies joined forces to host ‘The Opening Night’, the premier event of this year’s meeting. Celebrating the South Florida venue (in what typically be an ‘Orlando year’), delegates gathered beneath the stars alongside the water’s edge at the Diplomat Landing at the Westin Diplomat host hotel to sip cocktails while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and good music.

With additional reporting by Steve Adams