Archive for February, 2010

According to the Stevie Awards, “Organizations that focus on their customers can survive and thrive in tough economic times.” Sundance Vacations proved the focus is clearly on our customers after recently accepting a Stevie Award at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, Fl on February 22nd. Sundance Vacations won the award for Sales Department of the Year-Hospitality and Tourism at the 4^th Annual Stevie Awards for Sales and Customer Service. This is the second consecutive year that Sundance Vacations was honored with this award. The company was also a finalist for Sales Director of the Year (Assistant VP of Sales-Shane Lewis) and Contact Call Center of the Year (Over 100 seats). More than 500 entries were submitted to this year’s competition, which includes 27 categories for customer service and 41 categories for sales.  Congratulations to Sundance Vacations!

Do you think companies who are more customer oriented have a better chance at survival in a recessed economy?

According to the U.S. Travel Association’s website (www.ustravel.org) the organization sent a letter late last week to Senate leaders with proposals to help put people back to work as part of its continued push to use travel as a means to create jobs and stimulate the economy. The recommendations include travel-related tax deductions, hiring of additional consular officers and creating a promotion program aimed at attracting more international travelers.

Travel is directly responsible for 7.7 million American jobs, and another 10 million jobs are indirectly related to travel, making it one of the largest employment sectors in the country. According to the U.S. Travel Association, the industry lost nearly 400,000 jobs the past two years, but current modest projected growth of two-to-three percent this year will create about 90,000 jobs.

For more information and to read the letter visit:  http://www.ustravel.org/news/press-releases/us-travel-delivers-job-creation-proposals-congress

Sundance Vacations certainly supports the U.S Travel Association’s proposal. What do you think? Does travel have the ability to stimulate the economy?

Do you love all of the snow that has recently hit Pennsylvania? If so, Sundance Vacations has a property in the Pocono’s, PA. The Woodfield Manor is a snow lover’s dream come true during the winter months. Just minutes away from some of the best ski slopes such as: Jack Frost Mountain, Alpine Mountain, and Camelback Ski Resort the Woodfield Manor is the place to stay during the cold winter months. Don’t like to be adventurous? Stay inside and eat beside the fireplace at the Chophouse restaurant right on site. Sundance Vacations guests have wonderful things to say about the Woodfield Manor. “We had a delightful time at the cottages on the property. They were very clean and cozy. The gas fireplace was such a great asset to keep the relaxed atmosphere. Dinner at the Chophouse was beyond words. Food was mouth wateringly delicious! Especially the dessert of the hour, peach cobbler. Everyone was so nice and kind. I have nothing bad to say! We will be coming back as soon as we can,” explained April K. of Allentown, PA. We know that many people have raved about the Woodfield Manor, but you know what they say, “you just have to see for yourself.” www.woodfieldmanor.com

Maybe you are sick of the snow and just want to go somewhere warm and sunny? One can dream right? Well, stop dreaming and make it a reality. Check out the numerous Sundance Vacations properties at www.planwithtan.com

Have you ever vacationed with Sundance Vacations? Did you stay at the Woodfield Manor? Let us know about your Sundance Vacations experience.

Sundance Vacations will host the Northeastern Pennsylvania Customer Service Consortium quarterly meeting at their corporate headquarters at 264 Highland Park Blvd. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702. The meeting will take place on February 10^th from 8:30am-11:00am.

The keynote speaker for the meeting will be Dennis Bonvie, former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey player and owner of Bonvie’s Blue Chip Gourmet at University Corners, downtown Wilkes-Barre. Bonvie will discuss the integral role customer service plays in building and sustaining business, how he views customer service in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and what lessons from his hockey days he has carried with him as an entrepreneur.

Don’t miss the opportunity to talk with some of the best customer service teams in NEPA. To register for the meeting go to: http://nepacsc.ning.com/events/nepa-csc-quarterly-meeting

How would you rate the customer service department at Sundance Vacations?

Although Sundance Vacations President John Dowd has been attending the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) meetings for the past 18 years, he recently joined the organization. ARDA is a Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA has approximately 1,000 corporate members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate.

ARDA promotes the growth and development of the timeshare/vacation ownership industry through a variety of capacities: Advocacy, Networking, Business Partnerships/Bridge Building, Outreach, Knowledge, and Support and Development.

Sundance Vacations wasn’t a member of ARDA in the past, simply because it was more focused on timeshares. The industry is constantly changing, and ARDA now fits the Sundance Vacations product better. ARDA is redefining leisure travel. According to ARDA, “With today’s evolving vacation home market, consumers have an increasingly diverse marketplace and options in leisure travel; the growing variety of vacation home options includes Timeshare/Vacation Ownership; Fractional Ownership/Private Residence Clubs; Destination Clubs; Condo Hotels; and Traditional Second Home Ownership.”  

For more information visit www.arda.org