After three major announcements, Exclusive Resorts will increase its membership fees on all plans by $30,000 on August 1, 2006. Annual dues for Executive, Elite, and Affiliate plans will rise about 10% as well. The chart below indicates the current pricing, new pricing, and percentage increase.

As the leader in the destination club category, Exclusive Resorts carries momentum into the summer, giving it the opportunity to increase fees with its increased demand. Prospective members have just over a month to join before being subject to the higher pricing.

Exclusive Resorts’ membership deposit is 80% refundable. Whether you’re in the club for two years or twenty years, upon resignation you’ll receive 80% of your original membership deposit. For example, an Executive member who joins at today’s $295,000 fee is guaranteed a refund of $236,000.

In contrast, some other clubs offer a refund (ranging from 80% to more than 100%) of the current membership deposit at the time you leave the club, implying potential appreciation in the case of future price increases. The difference is intended to provide some means for the club to share the upside of growth and is also an incentive for you to join early.

The membership appreciation models are intriguing, but we’ve posted before that it’s still too early to know if price increases will occur consistently across all destination clubs. Exclusive Resorts holds a unique leadership position with an estimated 50-60% share of the market. With their recent infusion of capital, 2000 member milestone, and Jack Nicklaus partnership, they can make a compelling case to increase prices. Other clubs must deliver on both service and member/home growth in order to justify similar increases. Time will tell if membership appreciation programs match up with their promise.

Click here to request membership information from Exclusive Resorts or other destination clubs that interest you.