Contact: CI Contact:John R. Barrows
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RCI ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL SPONSORSHIP
OF INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PEACE
THROUGH TOURISM

- RCI and IIPT Issue Joint Message of “Hope Through Travel” -

PARSIPPANY, N.J.– RCI, the leading global provider of value-added services to developers, owners and associations in the vacation ownership industry, today announced a new alliance with the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT), and issued a joint message of “Hope Through Travel” to consumers.

The IIPT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, and through these initiatives, help to bring about a peaceful and sustainable world.

The joint statement, issued by RCI President and Chief Executive Officer Ken May and IIPT Founder and President Lou D’Amore, is as follows:

“In these uncertain times, we recognize that travel and tourism is a worldwide cultural phenomenon that brings together and broadens people of all nations, and is one of humanity's few truly global sources of understanding.  We believe travel is not just an opportunity for some, but a right for all.

“We are thus committed to keeping the flame of hope through travel alive, no matter what. We look forward to the day when this world will again be at peace, so that people everywhere can begin rebuilding bridges of understanding between our world's extraordinary societies, cultures and landscapes.”

“Like the IIPT, RCI is a global organization that serves the interests of all our members, hailing from 200 countries around the world,” said May.  “We understand that these are difficult times for those who travel, and we therefore support the IIPT and its mission to communicate the role of travel and tourism in making the world a better place.”

“Our vision is that travel and tourism, the world's largest industry, has the potential to become the world's first global peace industry, and that every traveler is potentially an ambassador for peace,” said D’Amore.  “The support of companies like RCI will help us in our mission to mobilize the travel and tourism industry as a leading force for cultural understanding, open dialogue, poverty reduction, sustainable tourism, and many other areas in which travel can have a tremendous positive impact on our world.”

IIPT was founded in 1986, the UN International Year of Peace, with a view towards a travel and tourism industry response to the peaking of terrorism during that time, much of which was aimed at the travel industry; the continued tensions of East and West; a deteriorating global environment; and the growing gap of “have and have-not” regions of the world.  Since it's founding, IIPT has brought together global leaders from all sectors of the travel and tourism industry, as well as the areas of culture, environment and development, to build a foundation for furthering its mission.

“We know that there are some who are waiting for the world to be restored to the way it once was,” said May.  “I believe, on the other hand, that we’ve entered a new era which  we must bravely face.  Travel will always play a central role in the lives of families and individuals, and our alliance with IIPT is a step towards viewing travel in a new light, the light of hope through travel, and the promise of a better world.”

RCI: Our Business is Travel.

RCI is a global provider of leisure travel services to businesses and consumers, with market leadership positions in vacation property exchange, rental and resort management.  As a growth partner to its business clients, RCI leverages core competencies in branding, networking and partnering to unlock the value of leisure assets in vacation ownership, real estate, hospitality, travel & tourism, and with affinities.  RCI is a business unit of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD), a provider of travel and real estate services.

For more information in IIPT visit www.iipt.org; media contact, Karen Hoffman, the Bradford Group, (212) 447-0027; bradfordmktg@aol.com

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International Institute for Peace Through Tourism