Feature

Timeshare and more

Established a decade ago, Club Mahindra Holidays has constantly endeavoured to evolve with changing demands. Reema Sisodia talks to Ramesh Ramanathan, the managing director, about the renewed strategy that the company plans to explore

Ramesh Ramanathan Managing Director

Think of Mahindra & Mahindra and it immediately conjures images of heavy-duty utility vehicles. But add the word 'Club' to it and all it translates into something fun, relaxation and family holidaying.

Club Mahindra Holidays has over the years been successful in providing brand recall among its customers and it was its strategy that did the trick. Ramesh Ramanathan, its managing director says, "It was important for us to retain the Mahindra brand name but at the same time soften the product, hence the word 'Club'. I can say with confidence that Club Mahindra Holidays today has achieved what it had set out to do. Our brand is associated with the concept of holidaying with family." As one of the leading players of the timeshare segment in India and an affiliate of RCI (Resort Condominium International), Club Mahindra Holidays has chalked out ambitious growth and expansion plans for the coming years.”

New look, new line

To begin with, the company has changed the tagline with its logo. 'Holidays for a Lifetime' is now changed to 'Fun, Family, Forever' owing to its renewed emphasis on positioning its product as a complete family holiday brand.

With 80 per cent of its inventory dedicated to timeshare clients, Club Mahindra Holidays also has One Time Holiday (OTH) packages on offer. They are designed keeping in mind the essential elements of a holiday - fun, entertainment, adventure, indulgence and relaxation. This allows guests to holiday with the company even without a membership. While timeshare lifetime members can stay a week every year at any of its resorts or any RCI-affiliated resort in India for 25 years, they also automatically get a three-year membership with RCI that allows access to more than 3,700 locations around the world - at Indian rates.

Product restructure

With an objective of providing customer-friendly investment payment options, products and holiday combinations, the experts worked out various combinations and permutations during the initial period.

Ramanathan says, "We took a year to formulate the products. Our aim is to offer flexible products to people so that they could get the real value from timeshare. We worked towards loosening the concept making it more customer-friendly. We also provided a 30-day recession period for buyers or members to make up their minds regarding their timeshare. Our membership has shown growth over the years, which can be attributed to quality service and customer friendly holiday options. Our objective is clear, providing holidays designed specifically to cater to all ages and specific recreational facilities to ensure that every holiday is special."

As one of the leading players of the timeshare segment in India and an affiliate of RCI, Club Mahindra currently has 14 properties within its fold in various destinations including Goa, Munnar, Binsar, Manali, Mussoorie, Kufri, Bangkok, Corbett, Poovar, Coorg, Pattaya. Apart from this it also has villa-style accommodation at Ooty, Kodaikanal and Binsar.

Expansion extravaganza

As per the plans, the company aims to set up approximately 10 to 12 more properties in potential regions within of India in the next three to four years. This year will see three more additions - one in Rajasthan, one in Himachal Pradesh and a signature property at Corbett. The property in Rajasthan is a complete buy-out deal and will have villa-style accommodation coupled with other highlights for the family. The investment in HP will be a lease agreement and will also have villa-style accommodation. The facilities in Rajasthan and HP are scheduled to be operational by the first half of 2006. Corbett on the other hand is scheduled to open by the end of 2006.

The latest addition on the Club Mahindra list of properties is the one at Coorg called Club Mahindra Kodagu Valley Resort that has 62 apartment units. Apart from these destinations, the company is actively surveying other regions in India including Jammu & Kashmir and Goa for potential investment. Club Mahindra is also contemplating to extend its brand name further on the international circuit. Though the set is already taken, the company intends to expand its base in the Asia-Pacific belt. Ramanathan says, "All Club Mahindra properties are in the nature of `mixed use properties' which means that even non time-share members would get a chance to holiday at the hotel, which allocates a percentage of rooms for regular hotel bookings. All future properties will also follow this module, which provides clients a chance to experience the product before deciding to buy timeshare."

The company has its investment strategy in place. It places faith in the catalogue value of the place, which in turn decides the inventory and number of projects to be launched in the region. Nature of the place, its ambience and its market demand will decide whether the investment will be a small or big, villa-style accommodation or a regular hotel style resort. Concludes Ramanathan, "India is no doubt on a take-off stage in the area of tourism and the future will only witness an increase in demand for holidays. Road tourism is yet another facilitator that would further boost traffic on the Indian domestic scene. Club Mahindra's mission is to enrich and enliven people's lives by making family holidays a part of their lifestyle and we are confident of achieving it."

Club Mahindra Holidays is the only Lifetime Holidays Company that has been authorised by the Department of Tourism, government of India to host the 'Incredible India' campaign on its website. Two of its properties - The Club Mahindra Varca Beach Resort, Goa and Lakeview Resort, Munnar - have won an RCI Gold Crown Award each year since its inception.