DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Mark Durliat - CEO/Developer

Mark has been a resident of the Turks & Caicos Islands for over 6 years and has more than 15 years of experience in development and management of hotels, condominium hotels, golf resorts and condominiums.  Born & raised in Colorado, Mark has had an international real estate career, developing in the Turks & Caicos, France, Belgium and South Africa.

Mark serves the role of Chief Executive Officer and co-owner of Providenciales’ luxury Grace Bay Club and its associated residential developments.  In 2001, together with partner John Fair and a consortium of private international investors, Mark negotiated the acquisition of the original resort property.  The team subsequently embarked on an aggressive and highly sophisticated expansion that has increased the resort’s value from its original level of $14M to more than $200M.   Grace Bay Club, through its affiliated residential projects, surpassed all records on Turks & Caicos in average sales price per unit, sales absorption pace and sales price per square foot. 

Durliat oversees all resort development activities as well as residential sales and real estate marketing.  In addition, Mark implemented and launched Grace Bay Club’s own private label branded rental management program, absorbing all condo units into the hospitality operations as managed by the five-star resort.  Durliat also co-owns with John Fair the hotel management company under which the Grace Bay Club operations are managed.  Grace Bay Club is considered one of the premier resort and residential developments in the Caribbean.  It is a member of Leading Hotels of the World and has been listed among the “World’s Best” by Travel & Leisure Magazine, “Top 5” by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine, “Resort of the Year 2006” by Island Destinations, “Most Excellent Resort 2006” by Condé Nast/Johansens and “Best of the Best” by Robb Report.

Durliat was personally appointed to the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board in 2005 by the Premier of the Turks & Caicos and actively speaks on behalf of the TCI Government at regional and international marketing seminars and the Caribbean Investment Conference circuit.  He is an Honorary Member of the Turks & Caicos Aids Awareness Foundation. He also has a residential project under development in the Turks & Caicos which will include the construction of some 60 middle income homes over the next 5 years.

At the age of 27 Durliat founded and operated a boutique development company in Cape Town after an introduction to South Africa by the legendary golfer Gary Player, with whom he had previously worked for several years. Between 1995 and 1999, Durliat’s best-known success was the 126-room Cape Suites Hotel, a condominium hotel development project involving the sale of all condominium units under a structured management program and the securing of an international hotel management brand. This property became one of the best performing business hotels in the destination, earning Durliat respect as an authority in the city’s burgeoning condo-hotel industry.

He additionally developed multiple luxury condominium projects and intimate guest houses in South Africa, and spearheaded several feasibility studies for golf course and residential projects involving Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Prior to moving to South Africa, Mark worked in collaboration with Gary Player in the development of a $30-million golf, hotel and residential project in Belgium, for which Durliat managed all sales and marketing to neighboring European countries plus development of the golf course and residential subdivision.

Mark holds a BS in Business (Entrepreneur Program) from the University of Southern California with a minor in French.  He divides his time between his residences in Miami and Providenciales and also owns a home in Cape Town, South Africa, where he visits regularly.