SEPTEMBER 2019
Monthly News & Updates
Hey Everyone,

Sorry we're late with the publication this month, but here it is just in the knick of time before month's end!

Have you given any thought to my call for volunteers? We appreciate those that have and look forward to their contribution of time. 

I've just returned from VoCon19, the Canadian Vacation Ownership Association Conference in Whistler, BC and will share more on that event next month. I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, let us know if you have any ideas or stories for future issues.
By: Sarah Ferguson,
Director of Marketing
VacationCondos.com
If we travel together to the 90s, we can recall direct mail pieces, referral marketing and traditional print advertisements. Who remembers looking forward to the Sunday paper for the ads? During this same time was the creation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) enacted by the Bush Administration which ensured equal opportunity for people with disabilities across all industries including public accommodations.

At the same time, the internet was coming into its own and establishing a crucial role in our everyday lives as consumers, businesses, and government agencies. Now, only a couple of decades later, we carry the internet in our pockets. This raises the question: Are we as businesses required to meet the same ADA standards on our websites as we do at our properties and our offices?

The unprecedented case of Gil v. Winn Dixie (2017), the first ADA website accessibility case in which Winn Dixies was found in violation of Title III of the Am ericans with Disabilities Act. The verdict stated, “where a website is heavily integrated with physical store locations, courts have found that the website is a service of a public accommodation and is covered by the ADA”. Consequently, this established the Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.0) used by web developers today to maintain compliancy.

We must ask ourselves; are our properties an extension of the services we offer? Does our company’s website meet the following core principles of WCAG 2.0?

·     Perceivable. Can all users perceive the information being presented?
·     Operable. Can all users operate the interface?
·     Understandable. Can all users understand the information as well as the operation of the
user interface?
·     Robust. Can all users access the content as technologies advance?

I challenge you to pose the question, are we at risk? This information does not aim to be a scare tactic but more so, an opportunity to evaluate one of the most tangible elements of your business: your website. We also want to make sure everyone who encounters our brand has fair and equal access. We work so hard to promote ourselves and standout from our competitors, so why not have the best website we can that is accessible by all?

I encourage all of you to continually monitor future legislation as we do with many other aspects of our business and don’t be afraid to ask your marketing department, web development team or agency what your ADA compliance level is. To learn more about automated solutions and reach your ADA compliance goals; here are a few platforms to help you get started. SiteImprove, AudioEye, AccessiBe, among others. These various tools help companies mitigate risk with solutions that can be tailored to meet your individual business needs.

To access the full verdict for Gil v. Winn Dixie, please click here. CLICK HERE.
THE WESTIN SARASOTA CHOSEN BY C.A.R.E. MEMBERSHIP AS 2021 CONFERENCE SITE  
Soaring over the Sarasota Bay and downtown, The Westin Sarasota is situated moments from top destinations such as St. Armand's Circle, Mote Marine Aquarium, Siesta Key Beach and Lido Key Beach and will serve as a perfect location for C.A.R.E.'s 69th Conference from May 1 - May 4, 2021.

During the conference, attendees will discover the hotel's intuitive amenities designed to enrich guests' well-being from the inside out. Attendees will have the opportunity to take advantage of an invigorating workout in the well-equipped fitness center before heading to the on-site spa. Attendees will also surely enjoy the hotel's signature restaurant offering soul-warming comfort food prepared with healthy ingredients as well as the rooftop bar that serves refreshing poolside cocktails while they're soaking up the sun.

Attendees will rest well in the hotel's modern rooms and suites featuring cozy bedding, flat-panel TVs and floor-to-ceiling windows, creating an inviting ambiance. Whether attendees are taking a few moments of R & R to sunbathe or networking with fellow conference attendees, their stay at The Westin Sarasota will redefine perceptions of luxury.
C.A.R.E'.S 69TH CONFERENCE


MAY 1-MAY 4, 2021
In addition to receiving a competitive room rate, C.A.R.E. conference attendees will receive:
  • Complimentary wireless internet in guest rooms and public areas
  • $20 spa credit on services over $100 in The Westin Spa & Salon
  • 2 complimentary drink vouchers per day
  • Business services
  • Morning newspaper
  • Complimentary 24-hour WestinWorkout®
  • Spectacular heated outdoor rooftop pool with towel service
  • Complimentary bicycle use at hotel
  • Complimentary shuttle service to St. Armand's Circle, Lido Key Beach, local restaurants and attractions based on availability

Authorized Member Representatives of C.A.R.E. General Member Companies in good standing cast their proxies and overwhelmingly chose The Westin Sarasota. A big "Thank You" goes out to all C.A.R.E. Authorized Member Representatives that cast their votes and participated in the selection process.
EXHIBITOR AND MEDIA MARKETPLACES TO BE OFFERED AT C.A.R.E.'S 2020 CONFERENCE IN PHILADELPHIA
Conference attendees at C.A.R.E.'s 2020 Conference in Philadelphia, PA will once again have the opportunity to participate in Exhibitor and Media MarketPlaces.
All Exhibitor MarketPlace participants will receive:
  • Priority speech allotments of five minutes in front of a captive audience at Meet the Members (Members Only)
  • Placement of your company flyer (as provided by company) in each attendee's "Welcome" packet
  • Special Exhibitor Table of Contents in Conference Attendee Booklet
  • Your company description and logo in an article highlighting conference exhibitors in the 2020 Edition of Connections Magazine
  • Single space packages include one dressed 6' table, two chairs and ONE FULL CONFERENCE ATTENDEE FEE
Media MarketPlace participants receive:
  • Fifteen-minute allotment to show a media presentation to conference attendees during regular conference agenda
  • Placement of your company flyer (as provided by company) in each attendee's "Welcome" packet
  • Special Exhibitor Table of Contents in Conference Attendee Booklet
  • Your company description and logo in an article highlighting conference exhibitors in the 2020 Edition of Connections Magazine
  • ONE FULL CONFERENCE ATTENDEE FEE included with registration
Additionally, Exhibitor and Media MarketPlace participants will have the opportunity to purchase enhanced marketplace packages that include:
  • Facebook Blogs
  • SMS Messaging
  • Private "Exhibitor Area Only' area reserved outside of exhibit area with tables for networking and meetings.
Several events will be included in the conference itinerary to enhance traffic to Media and Exhibitor MarketPlace events. A limited number of spaces are available, so contact a MarketPlace Committee Co-Chair today to reserve your spot!
BRANDY WEST
828-691-7827
AMANDA WAINWRIGHT
855-365-5997
SARAH FERGUSON
828-348-2500 ext. 4512
HAVE YOU VISITED C.A.R.E.'S UPDATED WEBSITE LATELY?
a major face lift that was unveiled earlier this year. At that time, most of the changes had been made on the homepage only.

However, over the course of the year, all of the 45+
sub-pages have been revised and now blend aesthetically with our homepage. Additionally all content has been updated and is now current.

Not only is C.A.R.E. contact information available through the online directory and inventory information is available through the state-of-the art Supplier Search System, but many other features are available at the touch of your fingertips.

Make sure to take time to visit the website today to take advantage of all of the information and tools available through C.A.R.E.'s new and improved website.

WYNDHAM PHILADELPHIA HISTORIC DISTRICT
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
APRIL 4-7, 2020

REGISTRATION OPENS JANUARY 2020

C.A.R.E. Wants to Feature You!

Contact us now to find out how your logo, linked to your site, can be right here!

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