Dubai-based developer IFA Hotels & Resorts is continuing to expand its private residence club offerings around the world as it experiences sustained demand for the model.

IFA HR is planning to launch two private residence clubs in Dubai , and another in South Africa over the next year, as well as condo hotel units in both countries and a vacation club across all its resorts. The launches will follow the opening of three private residence clubs in Thailand this October.

The company has seen a sales slowdown for its private residence clubs during the recession, but not as much as for its whole ownership products, said Piaras Moriarty, VP client management.

“In our existing South African development we’ve actually raised prices by 40% in the last six months,” he told OPP. “There is still appetite for private residence clubs in this market, although we expected to grow in this area anyway – we aren’t doing this because of the downturn.”

IFA HR’s strategy is to develop units with flexible designs that can be used to launch different sales models, he added. “If we were to focus on just one product then we’d suffer the lows and peaks of the market. So we’re creating different products to meet the different demands of buyers.

“The market has changed substantially. For example, customers who were looking for large units they could buy and sell quickly are now looking for smaller units to hold onto for a few years, so our condo hotel products meet that demand. You need to listen to the customers in front of you and build according to their demands.”