RCI AND THE REGISTRY COLLECTION SPONSOR SHARED OWNERSHIP FRACTIONAL SUMMIT

RCI’s vice president of Business Development, Dimitris Manikis, to speak on timeshare and shared ownership industries

DUBAI (Oct. 30, 2011) — Following a successful inaugural event in Abu Dhabi last year and a series of sold-out fractional events in London and Miami, Fractional Life, a global fractional ownership brand, is hosting a second Shared Ownership Fractional Summit for the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region at the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai on Nov. 21, 2011. RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange, and The Registry Collection® program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program, will be sponsoring the event.

The 2011 Shared Ownership Fractional Summit Middle East has been designed to bring together the most experienced players and innovative minds in the global fractional industry to explore the new opportunities and advantages afforded to both established and new developers. The conference agenda will cover topics including fractional real estate, co-ownership of hotel rooms, religious timeshare, destinations and private residence clubs. Expert presentations and panel sessions will investigate a range of topics relevant to fractional and shared ownership operations, including resort financing and design, branding, marketing, sales, and management.

RCI and The Registry Collection, which are both part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands, are again proud Platinum sponsors of the event and are delighted to have Dimitris Manikis, vice president of Business Development, Europe and the Middle East, RCI as one of the featured speakers, sharing his knowledge of the business with delegates. Manikis has more than 20 years of experience in the timeshare and fractional industry, having served with RCI in many regions including Turkey, India and the Middle East.

“The Middle East region has huge potential for shared ownership in all its various forms,” said Manikis. “The region’s wealth and its proximity to some of the strongest consumer source markets in the world today, such as India, mean it has the potential to be hugely influential in the growth of the shared-vacation ownership industry in the MENA region and far beyond.”

“Economic downturn will always create opportunity for the long-term strategists who have the financial strength to capitalise on the market conditions as they are right now,” continued Manikis. “This conference gives both experienced industry professionals and potential newcomers to the fractional sector the very rare chance to get together, make new contacts, share experiences and, importantly, identify valuable synergies between our business operations so that we can come together to create something so much greater than the sum of our individual parts."

Joining Manikis on the speakers’ platform will be Shafi Syed, RCI’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, alongside industry leaders Chris Allen of Citadel Trustees and Ioannis Verdelis, senior consultant at The Best Group. Allen has more than 18 years of experience in the shared ownership leisure industry, while Verdelis is responsible for creating the first fractional project in Dubai.
Fractional Life founder Piers Brown said: “The event is the ideal place to get up to date with the changing market. The obvious global appeal of the conference has attracted renowned speakers and international experts, making it the perfect platform to network, learn and exchange knowledge.”

About RCI

RCI is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange with over 4,000 affiliated resorts in approximately 100 countries. RCI pioneered the concept of vacation exchange in 1974, offering members increased flexibility and versatility with their vacation ownership experience. Today, through RCI® Weeks, the traditional week-for-week exchange system, and RCI Points®, the industry’s first global points-based exchange system, RCI provides flexible vacation options to its 3.7 million RCI subscribing members each year. RCI is part of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals and the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN). For additional information visit our media center, rciaffiliates.com or The RCI Blog. RCI also can be found on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

About The Registry Collection

The Registry Collection® is the world’s largest luxury exchange program comprising over 33,000 members and more than 160 affiliates on six continents. More than 180 properties are available through The Registry Collection® program and are either accessible for exchange or under development. From condo hotels and high-end fractional resorts to private residence clubs and fractional yachts, The Registry Collection® provides members with access to an elite network of the finest vacation properties at some of the world’s premier destinations, as well as personal concierge services that are available 24 hours a day. The Registry Collection® is offered by RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN). For additional information visit our media center or theregistrycollection.com.

# # #

Media Contact:
Katherine Revett
+971 (0)4 361 6910
katherine.revett@rci.com