Your C.A.R.E. QuickConnects Newsletter

JULY 2020

MONTHLY NEWS & UPDATES

Hello Friends!

Well, that’s a wrap! At least it is for C.A.R.E. in 2020. No conference for us due to the continued (multi-level) threat of this coronavirus ravaging our industry and the world we live in. When it came time to start digging into the real planning phases of our once postponed conference in October, the board was not comfortable risking time and money with so many unknowns about what level of threat this pandemic would carry into the next several months (through the end of the year). The first concern was…what will this cost us to cancel all together?

When we moved the conference from April to October the hotel and all our contracted vendors/speakers were completely on the same page with us and agreed to move their engagement without penalty. But this time around we were in the dilemma where current closures and stay orders don’t carry into October at this point, as they were when we postponed the April event dates. Thankfully the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District agreed to move our 2020 commitment to 2022 without penalty or change to our previous agreements and all other vendors/speakers followed suit quickly and have been very cooperative. We had begun seeking proposals for other locations in 2022, but the current contract in Philadelphia was hands down the best financial option for the association.

While this is grim news for all of us that enjoy our C.A.R.E. conferences and the comradery they bring, it is the most prudent thing to do not only financially, but also in supporting and encouraging the safety of our valued members and attendees.

I hope you all are safe and healthy and keeping your businesses moving forward. We’ve been featuring some great monthly feedback from C.A.R.E. members on how their businesses are navigating through COVID19. Let us know if you’d like to contribute to a future issue of QuickConnects. #CARESTRONG

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C.A.R.E.'S 68TH CONFERENCE POSTPONED

UNTIL MAY 2021

When C.A.R.E.'s Board of Directors made the difficult decision to reschedule its 68th Conference, originally scheduled for April, to October 24- October 27, 2020, it was hard to fathom that the COVID-19 Pandemic would make it impossible to hold the conference in October. Yet here we are again.

Lock downs might be over or easing, many businesses may have reopened, some of our owners and members may be travelling, yet the virus is still spreading and is still a threat. As a result, the C.A.R.E. Board decided it was in the best interest of our valued member representatives and the organization to forego having a conference in 2020.

The good news is that the Board was able to work with representatives at the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District and reschedule the conference to April 9- April 12, 2022 without incurring any financial penalties. Contracts with speakers and other venues that were to host networking events were also renegotiated or rescheduled, without penalty.

C.A.R.E. is appreciative of its 2020 Conference Sponsors that will continue to be promoted on C.A.R.E.'s website and numerous e-blasts leading up to the conference. C.A.R.E. 2020 Sponsors (now 2021 Conference Sponsors) will continue to make it possible to provide valuable educations sessions and memorable networking opportunities while allowing conference registration fees to remain affordable.

Conference registration fees will automatically be credited towards the conference in Sarasota, Florida from May 1- May 4, 2021. The Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District will cancel room registrations that were made through C.A.R.E.'s room block and cancellation notifications will be e-mailed soon. Any questions regarding conference or room reservations should be forwarded to C.A.R.E.'s Board of Directors or Administrator .

In the meantime, we'll look forward to a happy reunion and celebration of C.A.R.E. when we gather at The Westin, Sarasota, Florida from May 1- May 4, 2021. Until then, stay safe and well.

C.A.R.E. MEMBERS RISE TO THE

COVID-19

CHALLENGE

By: Tina Dowd, Co-Founder and Owner, Sundance Vacations, Inc.

As a result of the governor’s orders in our state we were forced to shutter our sales and marketing division back in March and reduce the back office staff to a small team working from home to answer client questions. The majority of our work recently has been fielding calls to cancel vacation reservations.

The pandemic certainly changed consumer reservation behavior. Historically, our travelers have their summer vacations secured for the highly sought beach destinations before the end of April. With government orders changing by the day, travelers are waiting till the last minute to decide if they can travel safely. Even clients booking in June for a July departure are finding their plans disrupted by last minute quarantine requirements being placed on vacationers returning from hot spots.

We are offering our travelers unprecedented flexibility regarding cancellation. Sundance Vacation Protection, which we call SPF14, enables travelers to cancel their upcoming reservation up until 14 days prior to the check-in date for $99. We offer a 100% refund if the client is unable to travel due to government orders.

We are also educating our travelers about the benefits of condo type vacations during the pandemic. Maintaining social distance is easier to do when reserving a private condominium/ townhouse or cottage instead of a hotel room. Kitchens and kitchenettes enable travelers to avoid crowded bars and restaurants while still escaping from the four walls of their home and enjoying a change in scenery. We are offering touch-less check in and directing travelers to proceed directly to their vacation unit with a lock code to minimize interaction. And of course, the housekeeping staff have all been given additional COVID-19 cleaning guidelines with additional focus on sanitizing high touch points like light switches and remote controls.

We are experiencing a greater demand for drive-to destinations this summer. Woodfield Manor, our boutique resort in the Pocono Mountains, is at full capacity. Travelers like the separate cottages and the opportunities to engage in mountain activities that are naturally socially distant like hiking, biking, and boating activities.

We have tried to use the pandemic downtime to invest in the future

of the company. We are replacing our legacy software with Salesforce. When the sales and marketing teams are able to return to work they will return to new tools that will further improve productivity and the customer experience.

About Tina Dowd:

Tina Dowd co-founded Sundance Vacations in 1991 with her husband,John. In her 29 years with the company, Tina grew Sundance Vacations from a small start-up telemarketing office to a leading provider of affordable worldwide vacations. Tina’s award winning vision has guided the growth of the company straight to the Inc. 500/5000 Fastest Growing Companies List along with several Stevie Awards and Best Places to Work recognitions through the years.

HOW HAS YOUR COMPANY HAS DEALT WITH THE

COVID-19 PANDEMIC?

SHARE YOUR STORY IN SEPTEMBER'S ISSUE OF QUICKCONNECTS.

CONTACT BONNIE KOSCO FOR MORE INFORMATION

C.A.R.E.'S 68TH CONFERENCE

THE WESTIN SARASOTA

SARASOTA, FLORIDA

MAY 1- MAY 4, 2021

REGISTRATION COMING JANUARY 2021

C.A.R.E. WELCOMES MILLENNIUM INVESTMENTS LIMITED dba ENCORE RESIDENCE CLUB

RESPONSIBLE PARTY :

JOHN DOYLE

WEBSITE :

www.encore.club

NATURE OF BUSINESS :

DEVELOPER; RESALE/RENTAL; WHOLESALER/

EXCHANGE COMPANY; TRAVEL CLUB

COMPANY DESCRIPTION :

Encore Residence Club builds, manages, rents and sells luxury timeshare accommodations in Barbados. Through exchange affiliations with vacation clubs around the world, we are able to provide direct access to over 60 destinations globally for our Members and Partners, at incredible value.

FOR CONTACT INFORMATION :

Visit C.A.R.E.'s

ONLINE DIRECTORY