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PETALUMA, CA (Apr. 17, 2008) — Villas of Distinction, a leading luxury villa rental company, has launched Virtual FAM, a new kind of email that takes travel agents on a virtual tour of villas in destinations around the world.

In the luxury travel market, the growing popularity of villa vacations has led travel agents to sell more villa rentals than ever before. Since each villa is unique in its accommodations and amenities, travel agents have had difficulty learning about villa products and passing on accurate and useful information to their clients. In response, Villas of Distinction aims to help educate agents through its new Virtual FAM – first-hand reports from villa experts on a wide range of villa products. These reports include unbiased, in-depth analysis of inspected villas and the destinations in which they're located. From villa architecture and amenities to local spas and hot spots, the authors leave no stoned unturned. For instance, released in January, Virtual FAM's inaugural edition included a close-up look at the famed destination of Cabo San Lucas and also offered an expert examination of eight luxury villas in the area.

The April 2008 edition of Virtual FAM takes agents to the Lucca region of Tuscany, Italy, and explores and evaluates several Tuscan estates and country houses. Highlights of the villa experts' accounts include a wine tasting in a two-century old wine cellar; a bike ride along the top of the famous city walls of Lucca; gourmet meals courtesy of an award-winning chef who was part of the staff at the villa where the expert stayed; and a tour of Borgo Bernardini, a massive 10-bedroom estate in the area.

"Sharing our own first-hand Villa FAM experiences with agents interested in booking villas helps them become intimately familiar with the villas and destinations we serve," says Bobbi Owen, Sales Manager for Villas of Distinction. "Our Villa Agents who comprise the Villa FAM team are an amazing informational source and have become experts on every aspect of villa vacations. The Virtual FAM is a way to share our knowledge of booking villas and the ability to customize the villa experience by destination, accommodation, and personal services such as chefs, butlers, and maid staff, whether it be for family or group travel."

The Virtual FAM is only available by joining the Villas of Distinction newsletter email list as a Travel Agent at www.villasofdistinction.com/newsletter.htm. The consumer version, Villa Insights, is always available at www.villasofdistinction.com/newsletters.htm where you can read Virtual FAMs on Tuscany, Italy and Los Cabos, Mexico.

About Villas of Distinction
Established in 1989, Villas of Distinction is the pioneer in the luxury villa rental market with villa rentals offered in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Tahiti, Tuscany, Italy, Greece, the South of France and Napa & Sonoma. A villa vacation transcends the privacy and luxury of the residence. These large vacation homes range in size from two to 20 bedrooms and most feature a private pool. Many villas include butler and maid service, and, if desired, a chef to create meals catered to the vacationer's personal preference.

The Villas of Distinction team of reservation specialists can help plan the complete villa vacation experience from selecting the best destination for the traveler's particular preference to satisfying yearnings for a lush Caribbean villa or charming European farmhouse. Villas of Distinction offers discount airfares to all destinations where it has villa properties through airline partners including: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Hertz is the worldwide car rental partner providing the most competitive rates and the largest selection of automobiles. Villas of Distinction Reservations: 800-289-0900, www.VillasofDistinction.com.