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For years=20 we've known that TTT is the best luxury vacation = club in=20 the world, but haven't known how to prove = it. =20 What venue does one use for something like that and = how does=20 one make such a bold statement without sounding so arrogant = that people end=20 up hating you rather than being=20 excited about the fact that they can enjoy the best = possible=20 vacations for the least possible money? =

If you don't want to read the whole = thing,=20 you can "cheat" and skip to the end to see how it = turned=20 out.

If you do = read the=20 debate, you'll see that "DC Traveler" (who has=20 consistently sung TTT's praises on=20 destinationclubforums) has been a member of TTT = for many=20 years. She is also a member of Ultimate Escapes Elite=20 destination club and was formerly a member of Private = Retreats=20 and High Country Club before those two companies went = out of=20 business. I didn't find out who she was until = January 24=20 when I saw a post on destinationclubforums in which = she said=20 she was currently visiting http://www.casataz.com/ via=20 our services (and I knew which of our members was in = Casa Taz=20 that week).

Following is her=20 post:

"I know some of you won't like = this, but we=20 are currently enjoying a trip to a non-Destination = Club=20 property -- and, believe it or not, it's one of the = Trade to=20 Travel properties. (Note: I don't mean that you won't = like=20 that we are enjoying a trip, but not like the prospect = that=20 we did better with TTT than our Destination = Clubs). I=20 was able to book a fabulous home in Cabo with less = than a=20 week's notice. You can see the home at CASA TAZ to get an idea, = although the=20 pictures don't actually do it justice. We have been to = Cabo=20 with 3 destination clubs over the last 5 years and = this home=20 is by far nicer than the highest end Ultimate = Escapes=20 homes. Trade to Travel is primarily for those = with a=20 second home you are willing to share with another = member at=20 least 1 week per year, but they have recently = introduced the=20 Player's Club for those without a second home. I think = it's=20 worth a look. A few of the homes are fractionals or = similar to=20 VRBO homes, but a majority are very high end. I = gravitate to=20 homes with more pictures and especically those with = their own=20 web-sites with loads of details. Current = availability=20 in popular DC destinations is listed for Lake Tahoe. = Palm=20 Desert, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Vail and Winter = Park. Worth=20 a look in my = opinion!

Since "DCTraveler" (the person=20 uniquely qualified to compare our = services to=20 those of destination clubs) says she has done better = with TTT=20 than with her 3 destination clubs and since none of = the=20 characters who debate the mysteries of = destination clubs'=20 business models 24/7 on destinationclubforums can = offer any=20 evidence to the contrary, we now feel we've = completed=20 our "due diligence" on the matter and it's safe = to say=20 that TTT is indeed the best luxury vacation club in = the=20 world. If anyone disagrees, they can state their = reason(s) for disagreeing on the Wealth Report=20 blog and/or TTT=20 Forums. Until/unless someone comes up=20 with one or more facts to dispute our assertions, = we will=20 trust that they are correct.

NEW POLICY: In = order to=20 keep our overhead as low as possible so that we can = keep our=20 fees as low as possible, we have always asked that = members=20 only submit trade requests for properties which = they're=20 prepared to book if/when we let them know that the = property is=20 available for their desired dates. In addition = to=20 helping us not waste time and money, this is=20 extremely important so that we don't bother = members=20 needlessly with inquiries which aren't=20 "serious."

Over the past few months, we've noticed that an = increasing=20 number of members are making trade requests, = having us=20 call one or more (sometimes many) members to see if = their=20 properties are available, and then changing their = minds=20 about traveling. Perhaps this is due to the=20 economy? If so, we certainly understand (we, = too, have=20 been feeling the effects of the economy since our = profit=20 margin is slim during the best of times and these are = far from=20 the best of times). Still, we have to operate as = efficiently and effectively as possible for all of our = members, so our new policy is = that if a=20 member requests a property and then doesn't book = that=20 property if it's available, the member will have half = of the=20 points for the property deducted from his/her TTT=20 account. For example, if a member requests a 20 = point=20 property and then doesn't book the property = if it's=20 available, that member will have 10 points deducted = from=20 his/her TTT account. To avoid this, we urge = our=20 members to please check airfares and coordinate travel = plans=20 with all involved parties before requesting that=20 we arrange a property for you. Thank you so = much=20 for your cooperation in helping us serve you as = perfectly as=20 possible.

PROPERTIES FOR SALE: =20 Occassionally we receive calls = from members=20 asking if we can let people know that their vacation=20 properties are for sale. We're happy to do so = and=20 following is a link to the "Properties for = Sale"=20 page of our website as well as a link to information = on a=20 great Hilton Head property which is owned by a = member,=20 but which isn't on our website because it's = brand=20 new and never lived in. It's a beautiful 7 = bedroom home=20 with a pool and fantastic ocean views (2nd row from = the=20 beach). The price is negotiable.

TTT=20 Properties for Sale

7=20 BR Hilton Head

I hope 2009 has gotten off = to a=20 great start for each of you. Until next time we = wish you=20 all the best!

At your service,
Leah =20 =