Diamond Resorts International Joins the ICE Portal Network (not ICE Gallery)

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

Diamond Resorts International Joins the ICE Portal Network

ICE Produces & Distributes Rich Content for Diamond Resorts International Diamond Resorts International(R) has chosen ICE Portal, the industry leader in visual content production and distribution, to create and distribute rich media for North American resorts. The filming for the Diamond Resorts International destinations will be produced using ICE's latest photo technology and will be distributed to their network of over 30,000 travel sites. New virtual tours will be showcased via ICE Portal's new hi-resolution super-sized virtual tours show in customized digital brochures.

Diamond Resorts International's decision to select ICE Portal as their content management and distribution partner is consistent with the choice made by other major hotel brands, including Sheraton, Sandals, Ocean Properties, World Hotels, and the Interstate Hotels. With more and more travelers choosing to research and book trips online, the need to display rich content on as many major travel sites and search engines as possible is clearly evident.

Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman and CEO of Diamond Resorts Internatinal, speaks positively about the partnership with ICE. 'We've selected ICE because of their ability to showcase our resorts with great visuals and because of the valuable exposure that ICE Portal can provide for our resorts through their distribution network.'

In addition to receiving unparalleled production and distribution services, Diamond Resorts International will also have access to ICE's intuitive and user-friendly Content Management System (CMS). ICE's CMS system allows hotels to easily view and manage their content and obtain reports on content distribution. Hotel representatives using ICE's CMS system will also be able to update photos, have their property indexed by Google, turn seasonal images on and off, and rearrange the order that their content appears on the digital brochure.

Hoteliers that choose ICE Portal for their rich content production also get a custom-branded digital brochure of their property that can be created using photos, virtual tours, web shows, and information. This digital brochure is then made available to thousands of third-party travel websites, including Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, and Google. Properties with updated virtual tours also have the option of appearing on Expedia.

ICE Portal's President Henry Woodman notes, 'ICE is a one-stop shop for hotels to enhance their visibility online and dramatically improve their look-to-book ratios. The fact that they can customize and manage their content in multiple languages is an added bonus.'

About ICE
ICE Portal is the industry leader in the production, management, and distribution of rich visual content. With a global e-marketing network, ICE Portal technology helps travel suppliers, like hotel chains, tourism boards, and cruise lines, manage and deliver rich visual content to 1,000s of distributors, like Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity. The company either produces or acquires visual media from hotels or other travel suppliers, and then formats, sizes, brands, and delivers this content to travel sites and tour operators. In total, ICE Portal's content can be seen globally on over 30,000 travel-related websites and can be displayed in seven different languages. For more information, please visit ICE Portal online at www.ICEportal.com or call 1-954-893-6778 in Hollywood, FL USA.

About Diamond Resorts International(R)
Diamond Resorts International is one of the world's largest vacation ownership companies with nearly 100 branded or affiliated resorts in key vacation destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean and Europe. With more than 24,000 guest beds and 5,000 team members worldwide, Diamond Resorts International provides owner members with THE ClubSM, a flexible points-based internal exchange system designed to provide members with the greatest variety of vacation choices including resort stays and a range of vacation benefits enabling each member to enjoy a lifetime of vacations in unique destinations around the world.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

THE ClubSM

What's ClubSM? I've wondered how Diamond will rename ClubSunterra & what they will call the points we now call sunoptions.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

THE ClubSM

What's ClubSM? I've wondered how Diamond will rename ClubSunterra & what they will call the points we now call sunoptions.

My guess, unless it's already taken would just be to call it The Club. Otherwise something like Club Diamond with Diamond points or some derivitive would make sense.

Looks like the easy upgrades are occuring fast. We don't have a vacation booked with a DRI resort until April of 2008 and that's as an exchange through I.I. rather then internal (didn't have that option at the time of exchange). I'm curious to see the condition and comfort of the resorts now the DRI is managing the resorts. Especially since we've been told quality will be improving. For us, better bedding, linens and curtains in the bedrooms is a nice start. We've also become accustomed to granit counter tops in the better resorts as well as high quality furnishings.

Change takes time and I understand that. So far it seems as if change has been happening at an accelerated pace and that pleases me. I am anxious for Polo Towers to get it's new and improved remodled rooms done. I only wish they would have been able to put washer/dryer combo's in them but, since the exhaust, water and drainage wasn't built into the towers to begin with I can understand why that will never happen. We've become so accustomed to staying in resorts with washer/dryer combo's it's hard to travel, and pack, for a resort that does not have them.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

THE ClubSM

What's ClubSM? I've wondered how Diamond will rename ClubSunterra & what they will call the points we now call sunoptions.

It is The Club

SM or Service Mark is a trademark-related term often written in elevated smallcaps: ExampleSM

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

ClubSM???

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

DUH! Got it. Thanks, Spence.

I must admit, I do like the fancy linens & w/d in units, etc. I've only stayed at 2 Sunterra resorts (Sedona Summit and Greensprings Plantation) & found them both to be very nice & upscale enough for my tastes. Both were very spacious, clean & well equiped.

Some of the stuff that makes a unit appear fancy are not all that important to me (like granite & whirlpool tubs.) All the granite in the world won't make up for poor construction that results in elephants overhead or kitchen ware that looks like something they bought off the sale table at Walmart. I can make do with free laundry facilities in the building somewhere if need be but I hate it when they want me to shovel in quarters like I'm at the local laundromat. And having nice big fluffy pool towels is a big plus in my book. Marriott made me hike to the lobby to check out pool towels. Sedona Summit had them in the rooms. And they had clean, gas barbeques. That worked. And CD player/radios even in the studio units. And provided a midweek tidy service for no additional fee (although, I'd give that up in a minute to keep MF in check.)

It's those little things that make a place 5 star on my timeshare scale.