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 (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.