IFA Yacht Ownership Club (IFA YOC) announced that it will expand its exclusive yacht lifestyle concept to include the Caribbean, taking its total number of cruising zones to five. It is the only yacht ownership club based in the Middle East to offer such a breadth of destinations and services.
IFA YOC caters to those who want to indulge their passion for luxury cruising, in a variety of international destinations, without the stress and costs inherent to multiple yacht ownership. What’s more, it works just like a golf or beach club membership, where members pay an annual fee that grants them access to the club’s services and facilities, which in this case a fleet of professionally crewed and maintained, luxury yachts. Gold and Platinum memberships are available, and each comes with an allocated number of credits that can be exchanged for a combination of peak, shoulder and off-peak, luxury cruising days.
Members of IFA YOC enjoy access to a luxury fleet of three Maiora yachts ranging from 23 to 27 metres. Previously, the IFA YOC’s cruising zones included the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. The decision to expand the Club’s cruising zones to include the Caribbean aims to provide IFA YOC members with the high-end, luxurious cruising options they have come to expect from YOC on a year round basis.
Piaras Moriarty, Vice President Vacation Ownership IFA Hotels & Resorts, said, “By extending our yacht lifestyle concept to the Caribbean, we are in a position to provide an opportunity for boating enthusiasts in this region to experience the very best of year round luxury cruising in one of the world’s top cruising zones.”
“Members can now discover the white and pink sandy beaches of Barbuda, the coral reefs in Antigua and the luxuriant blend of sunlight, sea air and fantastically rich vegetation of Nevis, and St. Kitts. These islands are the most captivating and picturesque of the Caribbean's colonial harbour towns and we’re delighted to offer them to our members,” Moriarty added.
To incorporate the Caribbean cruising zone expansion, the ‘IFA Cannes’, which spends summer in the French Rivera, will now spend the winter in the Caribbean.
“If you already own a yacht or are considering buying one you understand the challenging logistics involved in having your yacht professionally crewed, managed and ready where you want it, when you want it. Imagine you have cruised to the Monaco Grand Prix and would like to have your yacht waiting for you in Antigua the following weekend, with the IFA Yacht Ownership Club it has never been easier,” Moriarty explained.
To arrange a fully crewed, provisioned and ready to cruise an IFA yacht, members need only call the Club’s 24-hour concierge service, and a yacht will meet them at their choice of ports or marinas throughout any of IFA’s five cruising zones.
IFA Hotels & Resorts – www.ifahotelsresorts.com
IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) are leaders in the development of premier integrated and mixed-use hotel and tourism resort projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Indian Ocean region and Africa
Listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, with a market capitalization of US$ 1 billion, IFA HR’s main shareholder is Kuwaiti based International Financial Advisors (IFA). IFA HR listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Feb.27th 2006.
Globally, IFA HR has entered into strategic alliances and Joint- Venture partnerships with leading companies such as Kingdom Hotel Investment Group (Saudi Arabia), Nakheel (UAE), United Investments Portugal, a strategic alliance with RCI (part of the Cendant’s Group) and Moreland Developments (Pty) Ltd (South Africa), Boschendal Ltd, ( South Africa).
IFA HR aims to link its resorts to new parts of the globe, such as the US, the UK, Mauritius, Eastern Europe and the Far East. This will offer investors and tourists access to world class facilities through a network of hotels, residential resorts, vacation and residence club destinations.
IFA HR’s Worldwide Projects:
DUBAI
IFA HR is the largest investor on The Palm Island, Jumeirah.
• Fairmont Palm Hotel & Resort – A 400 room 5 star hotel on the trunk of The Palm, Jumeirah,
• Fairmont Palm Residence - 558 luxury Apartments
(www.fairmontpalmresidence.com),
• The Palm Residence - Al Nabat and Al Haseer - two shoreline residential buildings with 246 apartments on the trunk.
• The Palm Golden Mile development - A Joint Venture with Nakheel, developers of The Palm. A project featuring over 860 luxury apartments, 19,500 sq. meters of office space and 22,000 sq. meters of retail space comprising of boutique shops and restaurants, stretching along a 1.5 kilometre of canal side corniche. (www.thepalmgoldenmile.com)
• A Mixed-Use Resort - A 1,000 room destination on the Crescent of The Palm (adjacent to Atlantis) comprising a Hotel, Vacation Club, Residences and Private Residence Club, to be managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts,
• Laguna Tower – A 40 storey mixed-use tower located in the Jumeirah Lake Towers, next to the Dubai marina, comprising residential apartments and a Hotel – Residence managed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, the Mövenpick Hotel & Residence Laguna Tower Dubai, in addition to retail and restaurants along the waterfront. (www.lagunatower.com)
LEBANON
• Alabadiyah Hills - A luxurious mountainside retreat in Bhamdoun, overlooking Beirut. This 7.5 hectare project will comprise of high end residential villas, town houses, apartments, in addition to a world renowned spa and beauty clinic, which will be managed by Kempinski Hotels. (www.abadiyahhills.com)
• Four Seasons Hotel -IFA HR has a major share in the upcoming development.
PORTUGAL
IFA HR is the force behind the super-premium Sheraton Algarve Hotel (www.luxurycollection.com) and Pine Cliffs Resort (www.pinecliffs.com), part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection.
SOUTH AFRICA
IFA HR listed on the JSE in 2006.
• Zimbali Coastal Lakes & Resort - IFA HR owns a 50% share in the luxurious resort, a 680 hectare prime residential and resort estate located on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. (www.zimbali.co.za)
• Zimbali Lodge - IFA HR owns the exclusive Zimbali Lodge, managed by Sun International Limited. (www.zimbalilodge.co.za)
• Fairmont Zimbali – A new 150 key resort, with 115 Apartments, 17 luxury villas and 10 Fractional ownership units to be managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. (www.fairmontzimbali.com)
• Boschendal Limited – A mixed-use resort development at this historic Cape Estate
KENYA:
• Lonrho Hotels – IFA HR has a majority stake in 5 Lonrho Hotels in Kenya (www.lonrhohotels.com)
ZANZIBAR:
• Mövenpick Resort & Spa – Zanzibar- Located on the historic Tanzanian spice island, with joint venture partner Kingdom Hotel Investments, the new resort will be re-opened in the last quarter of 2006 and will be managed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. (www.zanzibarbeachresort.com)
UNITED KINGDOM:
• YOTEL – IFA HR is the majority investor in the two YOTEL hotels in Heathrow and Gatwick. (www.yotel.com)
Investment And Hospitality Products:
IFA HR programme of brand acquisition and developer partnerships will continue into the future and is evidenced by the ever growing strength of its product range:
• IFA - Hotels & Resorts
• IFA Properties
• IFA - Lifestyle Membership Clubs
• IFA - Vacation Ownership
• IFA - Fractional Ownership
• IFA - Hotel Ownership
• IFA Yacht Ownership
• IFA – Residences
• IFA – Travel & Tourism
This unique product range enables IFA HR to continuously anticipate and deliver to the varying property investment and leisure requirements across the globe.
