Is Classic Escapes a Scam or a Fantastic Holiday Experience?

We have been invited to a presentation and promised a prize. What is the catch?

There isn’t one! At the presentation, you will be offered the opportunity to purchase a Classic Escapes membership. You are, however, under NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER TO BUY, RENT OR JOIN ANYTHING. Whether or not you decide to become a Classic Escapes member, we guarantee you WILL receive your prize at the end of your presentation.

If you win a holiday prize, which is valued at approximately $1350, it should be noted that you pay a booking admin fee of $199 - a modest fee when you consider the value of a 7 night holiday. The booking fee is payable only when you book. Your holiday booking is subject to availability.

How can Classic Escapes offer these great prizes?

Our best form of advertising is word of mouth and so instead of spending huge budgets on advertising, we offer you a gift as a thank you for taking approximately 90 minutes of your time to find out about us.

A high percentage of the prizes we offer are travel related (because that's our business); although in some promotions we do give away some feature prizes such as TVs, cash and electronic gadgets (iPads, laptop computers etc). As we are in the travel and accommodation business, we prefer to direct our marketing dollars to subsidise the cost of holidays so many more people can experience our resorts, clubs and services - we think that's money well spent!

How do I know I will receive my promised prize?

Whether or not you decide to become a Classic Escapes member, we guarantee you WILL receive your prize at the end of your presentation. The industry is heavily regulated by ASIC and the rules are very strict, so we cannot lawfully promise you a prize without giving it to you. In addition, Classic Escapes has been operating for over 30 years (since 1978) and I think you’d agree it would be impossible to stay in business that long if we didn’t deliver on our promises.

I have heard that Classic Escapes might be a scam?

The Classic Group has been operating for over 30 years, has over 45,000 member families in Australia and New Zealand and we booked over 70,000 holidays (mostly weeks) last year alone.  This does not take into account the bookings that Classic’s exchange partner completed for its hundreds of thousands of members worldwide.

Sadly, there may be rogue operators scamming people in some areas outside Australia (Asia can be a bit of a hot spot), however the industry is heavily regulated in Australia under the scrutiny of ASIC and the compliance rules are incredibly strict and designed to protect the consumer. If you think about it logically, how could a company that isn’t legitimate and supposedly a "scam" operate for over 30 years, have over 45,000 members, manage 19 resorts/clubs and be responsible for the employment of over 650 people!

I have been told that the holiday prize is for accommodation at sub-standard properties and locations?

100% of the people who attend a presentation are given their prize whether they join or not, and if it is for a holiday it will be at one of Classic’s managed resorts/clubs which are mostly Highrise Apartment Towers in some of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations. These are 3.5 to 4 star resorts on or near the beach, or in other great locations. View our resorts 

Just as an example, on 24 June the 2011 National Accommodation Industry Awards for Excellence were held. Classic’s resorts scooped the pool in the Self Contained 3.5 Star or Superior Accommodation Category, with Gold going to Pacific Palms Resort at Elizabeth Beach in the Great Lakes Region of NSW. The Silver winner was Vacation Village in Port Macquarie; Bronze went to Beach House Seaside Resort in Coolangatta on the Gold Coast. More resorts were also finalists in this category - Beachcomber International Resort, Sandy Point Beach Resort, Tiki Village International Resort, and Surfers Royale, all on the Gold Coast. In the Self Contained 4 Star or Deluxe Accommodation category, Golden Shores on the northern end of the Gold Coast was awarded Silver. All Classic Resorts!