Growth Soars At Resort Travel & Xchange
(TRAVPR.COM) USA - March 12th, 2015 - Resort Travel & Xchange (RTX) achieved record transactional growth in 2014, with timeshare exchanges soaring 250 percent over the previous year. Year-over-year gains in last-minute getaways were also strong, up 224 percent over 2013.
In 2014, the international timeshare exchange company facilitated 5,000 exchanges and getaways, with the average time to fulfill requests significantly below the industry average at just 4.4 days.
Aside from record-breaking exchanges and last-minute getaways, RTX completed nearly 1,000 discounted travel transactions – such as hotels, cruises, car rentals, dining discounts and attractions – from April 2014, when the company upgraded this service, through the end of last year.
The momentum continues into 2015. In January, RTX had its best month ever for transactional growth, with timeshare exchanges up an impressive 132 percent over its previous best month for exchanges, October 2014. Also in January, last-minute getaways jumped 124 percent versus the company’s former record for getaways booked, set in February 2014.
“RTX offers a fresh approach for owners looking for great value and more travel options,” says Justin Hunter, director of operations for RTX. “Similarly, our services for homeowners associations, resorts and developers are significantly more flexible and cost-effective than the industry standard.
“While 2014 was a watershed year,” Hunter continued, “the future looks even brighter as we continue to enhance our offerings and make a positive difference for timeshare owners and our partners and peers throughout the industry.”
Focus On Member Services
RTX made its debut in 2012 and now boasts 80,000 members. To serve its rapidly expanding member base, the company more than doubled its staff to 80 people in 2014, due partly to the opening of a 5,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art second customer service office in Orlando, Fla.
RTX’s record growth highlights the popularity of its benefits. As part of its strategic plan to enhance value, the company launched Voyages by RTX in 2014, offering discounts on a wide range of travel and vacation products for people who do not own timeshares. Also last year, it introduced an enhanced travel discount program for hotels, car rentals, excursions and other vacation activities exclusively for Premium and Premium Plus members.
The new benefits add to RTX’s array of customer-centric offerings. The company provides flexibility through various membership levels and rewards members for each exchange they make with an offer of up to $40 off their next purchase. Members also enjoy split-week reservations; low exchange fees; the longest deposit period in the exchange industry, lasting up to four years; and great savings on getaway week promotions. Plus, they have access to a variety of travel services beyond exchange such as: air travel, hotels, getaways, cruises, airport lounge memberships, and more.
While RTX is primarily an exchange company, it also upgraded its operational support last year for homeowners associations, resorts and developers. Today, these offerings include cost-effective and personalized member services, assistance with delinquent and unsold inventory, a rental platform and preferred alliance vendor relationship to assist with other areas of resort management.
To best serve members and partners with its ever-expanding roster of benefits, RTX increased staff training in 2014. A low supervisor-to-representative ratio of 1:12 ensures supervisors are constantly aware of staff performance. As part of RTX’s rigorous quality assurance program, supervisors monitor calls and data closely, staying attuned to owner interactions. A real-time queue management and monitoring system helps keep call wait time to a minimum and expedites the schedule of return calls.
With an aim to continually add value through new strategic partnerships, RTX bolstered its participation in industry meetings and conferences throughout 2014 and will maintain a high profile this year as well. The company hosted the most popular event – Speed Networking – at the Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers (C.A.R.E.) spring and fall conferences in 2014 and will continue that sponsorship in 2015.Additionally, RTX sponsors, attends and exhibits at such other key events as: ARDA World Conference, Global Networking Expo (GNEX Conference), Canadian Resort Conference (CRC), National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA) Regional Meetings, as well as events by Timeshare Industry Young Professionals (TIYP) operated by ARDA and Timeshare Association (TATOC).
For more information about RTX visit www.rtx.travel.
About RTX
Resort Travel & Xchange (RTX) is a timeshare and vacation ownership exchange company based in Asheville, N.C. RTX works with a number of resorts and developers throughout the world to provide the best exchange options possible to its members. In addition to exchange services, RTX offers numerous travel benefits to members, such as reservation protection, rebates, travel discounts and more. RTX has approximately 80,000 members.
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