Here’s some timeshare industry good news as Sell My Timeshare NOW releases its July 2009 Year-to-Date Statistical Synopsis, showing continued growth and expansion by our timeshare resale and timeshare rental advertising company.

We’ve increased our staff, opened a new timeshare advertising sales call center in Orlando, Florida, and we are continuing to expand our services. Despite the challenging economy, we have received nearly $240 million in offers to buy or rent timeshare, year-to-date. This accounts for a 15 percent increase over figures through last June (2008) for timeshare resale and timeshare rental offers.

Offers to rent timeshare have been outstanding in 2009, showing a 140 percent increase over year-to-date timeshare rental offers from 2008, and a 79 percent increase in the amount of these offers. As I said in our company’s media release, Timeshare Resale Advertising Leader Sell My Timeshare NOW Releases Business Synopsis Demonstrating Growth and Expansion:

“A tough economy brings an excellent challenge to business to step up your game, deliver more, and work smarter. We think our growth and continued strength verify that what we do works for the timeshare owner and the timeshare industry.”

We are proud of our growth, expansion, and service. We are working hard to fill important needs for people who want to buy, rent, or sell timeshare, as well as, very specific needs within the timeshare industry. And as the economy, the timeshare industry, and the vacation needs of consumers change, we’ll keep adapting our products and services.

Click this link to download a copy of the Sell My Timeshare NOW July 2009 Year-to-Date Statistical Synopsis.

And click here to view our latest media release: Timeshare Resale Advertising Leader Sell My Timeshare NOW

Westgate Lakes Resort timeshare recently told timeshare owner Ray Nix that his shirt had to go. Nix, in an interview with WFTV News Orlando, said that he had paid $15,000 for a Westgate timeshare and that the company had failed to make good on a promise of timeshare exchange at a Park City, Utah Westgate timeshare resort.

As a way of venting his displeasure with Westgate timeshares, Nix had a T-shirt made to read, “Westgate ripped me off,” which he then wore to breakfast at one of the company’s Orlando timeshares.

In a post on the Sun Sentinel’s blog, “Floriduh,” author Barbara Hijek wrote:

“The security surrounded me (Ray Nix) when they saw me with my T-shirt on at the pool. They told me they could charge me $1,000 a day for wearing my T-shirt on the property,” Nix said. Nix took off his shirt and moved his protest to the street corner. But he says the resort still hit him with a $4,000 fine for the violation.”

Is This a Matter for Westgate Timeshare or for the Homeowners Association?

While some say that Westgate timeshare impinged on the timeshare owner’s right to free speech, others point out that free speech protects you from interference by the US government, but doesn’t ensure that any of us can stand at a place of business and say (or exhibit) whatever message we choose to put out there. Whether or not Westgate timeshares as a company had the right to squelch what Nix was communicating, or whether this falls under an issue of the timeshare management or even the homeowners association is something beyond my knowledge of the law. I do question who has the authority to levy fines for such action, unless Nix had previously signed a contractual agreement stating that he understood he could be fined in the event he ever wore an unacceptable T-shirt on the resort property.

But all of those details aside, here’s what jumps out at me. Westgate timeshare had an unhappy client. Instead of seeing the opportunity this holds, they turned the event into bad press and a polarizing situation. This could have been a time for Westgate timeshare to engage with the their dissatisfied client, work with him to resolve the issues, offer solutions or even compromises that he might not have considered, and find a way to turn a very dissatisfied client into a happy customer for life. And in deference to the fact that every story has two sides, none of us knows what, if any, measures Westgate timeshare had gone (prior to this event) in an effort to resolve the dispute.

Marriott Timeshare has made it clear; while they are temporarily changing the way they market their Marco, Island, Florida timeshare resort, they haven’t stopped marketing it, nor do they intend to stop marketing this fabulous beachside resort.

Earlier this month, Marriott Timeshare closed their sales gallery for the Crystal Shores resort, but they certainly haven’t stopped marketing these luxurious timeshares through other channels.

According to quotes in MarcoIslandFlorida.com, Marriott Vacation Club International sees Crystal Shores as filling a need in Naples, Florida/Marco Island vacation accommodations, offering luxury combined with spaciousness. The online publication quoted Ed Kinney, vice president of corporate affairs and brand awareness for Marriott Vacation Club International, as saying, “The property is fantastic, and a lot of owners and visitors are there now enjoying it.”

Construction Continues at Marriott’s Crystal Shores Timeshare

Marriott’s Crystal Shores timeshare is a showpiece resort located on a primo 3-mile strip of beach on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Upon build-out, this timeshare resort will feature four towers, consisting of 219 timeshare villas. Marriott Timeshare believes that this resort appeals to people interested in buying a second home. Kinney said, “Buying a timeshare opens other opportunities for you. You own versus pay the nightly room rate. It is just a completely different vacation experience.”

The company attributes the changes and cutbacks in their marketing approach for this resort to lagging sales numbers for the property and an economy they describe as being in a “bizarre mode.”

When the developer of Westgate timeshare resorts, David Siegel, realized that the restructuring going on at one of his Florida timeshares could yield recyclable materials, he contacted a nearby recycling company to assist him.

The resort, a Haines City, Florida timeshare, is eliminating its banquet facilities and kitchens, while reconfiguring and renovating other areas of the property. So Westgate resorts timeshares began working with Robert Wallick of Winter Garden, Florida, who not only took on the job, but added a humanitarian twist.

In addition to the piles of electrical wire, aluminum and other recyclable materials that he will process at his recycling plant, Wallick also loaded up kitchen items, floor lamps, light fixtures, books, and over 300 telephones (many equipped for the hearing impaired). He is making the home furnishing items available to the public to purchase, with proceeds from the sales going to benefit the Russell Home for Atypical Children.

As Wallick explained, “There’s so much stuff; it hurts me to see it being thrown away.”

Thanks to a little extra effort by Westgate timeshare resorts and by Robert Wallick and Associates, Inc., tons of metal, wire, and other materials are being recycled, saving our natural resources and reducing the load on the environment. In addition, furnishings from the timeshare units, which could have wound up in a landfill, are being purchased and put to use by thrifty consumers, benefitting a home for special needs children in the process.

Timeshare exchange is one of the reasons timeshare owners love their vacation properties. It’s hassle-free vacation ownership with the opportunity to enjoy a different location every time you travel.

Trading Places International is a timeshare exchange company with over 35 years of experience in helping timeshare owners just like you. Best of all, you don’t have to pay an annual membership fee to take advantage of many of the timeshare exchange opportunities they provide.

With hundreds of timeshare resort destinations in their inventory, Trading Places International offers an easy way for you to exchange your timeshare, paying only an internal exchange fee (swapping timeshare at your own resort) or an external exchange fee when you want to vacation at a different resort. Fees range from approximately $109 to $159, depending on location and the type of exchange. You can also bank your timeshare through Trading Places International, meaning that you can “turn in” your timeshare now and enjoy a different timeshare resort in the future, up to three years from the date you make your deposit.

If you have more specific timeshare exchange needs, Trading Places International offers paid membership benefits, further expanding your timeshare exchange opportunities.

Timeshare Owners Have Choices When it Comes to Timeshare Exchange

In addition to Trading Places International timeshare exchange, there are other companies, including the two largest, RCI (Resort Condominium International) and II (Interval International). There are also timeshare exchange companies that specialize in properties in a certain region as well as several companies that, like Trading Places International, offer a no annual fee option.

With so many choices available to you, anyone interested in timeshare exchange should be able to find a company that fits his or her needs and vacation desires. As a timeshare owner (or prospective timeshare buyer), remember that timeshare exchange is a benefit of ownership you can really make work to your advantage; it is flexible and available in a variety of formats to fit every vacation need.

Orange Lake Resort, a Four Corners, Florida timeshare resort (just outside of Orlando), is hiring for positions in marketing, operations, sales, and the corporate office. The jobs to be filled include administration, contracts, IT, telesales and telemarketing/call center representatives, timeshare sales consultants, OPC managers and consultants, collections, golf attendants, golf sales managers, maintenance managers, guest series representatives, groundskeepers and housekeeping.

With more than 60 timeshare positions open, the news is welcomed in the area where some Orlando timeshare resorts and timeshare sales offices were forced to cut back staff earlier this year. But it is also good news for the timeshare industry and is a tribute to Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshares, clearly a successful result of the branding agreement between IHG hoteliers and Orange Lake Resort that was initiated last September.

In a media release this past week, the company said, “Holiday Inn Club Vacations is more than a place to work. It’s an exciting community that fosters creativity and career growth. Valuing diversity and empowerment, their more than 2,700 team members represent more than 60 countries from around the world and are committed to delivering consistent, exceptional service.”

Additional job opportunities with Holiday Inn Club Vacations are expected at the Holiday Inn Club Vacations South Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Contact Carolyn Argo, 407-905-1456, to learn more.

Previous The Timeshare Authority blog posts about Orange Lake Resort and the Holiday Inn Club Vacations:

• Orange Lake Timeshare Calls it Operating in the Sweet Spot
• More Orange Lake Timeshare Resorts Join the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Brand
• Holiday Inn Timeshares Not Slowing Down in this Economy
• Another Major Hotelier Entering the Timeshare Resort Industry.

Source: The Orlando Business Journal

…but it is important for timeshare owners at Consolidated Resorts timeshare to continue to make payments and pay dues on the vacation property they own.

Consolidated Resorts, a Las Vegas timeshare company that filed for bankruptcy protection at the end of June, is the developer of the Tahiti Village Resort, the Tahiti Resort, and the Club de Soleil, (all Las Vegas timeshares). They also developed three Orlando timeshare resorts and nine Hawaii timeshare resorts. Almost all of the timeshare units at these resorts have been sold, meaning that the timeshare owners (not Consolidated Resorts) hold deeds to these properties.

According to ReviewJournal.com, the bankruptcy attorney for Consolidated and 12 of its affiliated companies, Lenard Schwartzer, has explained that the people who bought deeds to timeshares at the companies’ resorts should not be affected by the bankruptcy filing. “They (the timeshare owners) are able to call up and get their week as if this bankruptcy never happened,” says Schwartzer.

Since the collective of timeshare deed holders own the resorts, and all of the resorts have enough money to remain in operation, (plus the fact that none of the timeshare resort management companies were involved in the bankruptcy filing) there is really no reason for Consolidated Resort’s bankruptcy to become a problem for the resorts. Unless—and this is a very important detail—timeshare owners take it upon themselves to stop paying their annual fees, or stop making payments. If timeshare owners panic and stop paying what they rightfully owe, the timeshare owners themselves could become the downfall of their own resorts and vacation ownership.

Previous related post from The Timeshare Authority:

• Consolidated Resorts Timeshare says Bankruptcy Will Not Affect Timeshare Owners

Sources:

• ReviewJournal.com

The National Timeshare Owners Association will host an informational seminar on Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM in Venice, Florida. The NTOA conducts these information-packed educational seminars throughout the year and around the US to provide timeshare owners and interested timeshare buyers with insight and updates from vacation ownership experts.

The 2009 series of conferences has focused on buying and selling timeshare and on tips for avoiding timeshare scams. You must be a member of the National Timeshare Owners Association to attend these sessions, but the valuable information presented in the seminars is only a small part of the members’ benefits you receive by joining NTOA.

This year is the National Timeshare Owners Association’s 12th anniversary and marks its largest enrollment ever for new members. Since January, the association has conducted meetings in Venice, Florida and Baltimore, Maryland, with upcoming meetings scheduled in October for Cherry Hill, New Jersey and Orange County, California.

For more information about the National Timeshare Owners Association call 410-536-0064 or email Ed Hastry, President at: hastry@aol.com

http://www.nationaltimeshareownersassoc.com/

Recent The Timeshare Authority posts or Sell My Timeshare NOW media releases about the National Timeshare Owners Association:

• The National Timeshare Owners Association and Sell My Timeshare NOW
• The Secret to Happy Timeshare Owners
• National Timeshare Owners Association Seminar
• Timeshare Resales CEO Part of Speakers Panel for National Timeshare Owners Association

Listen as Steve Luba of Sell My Timeshare NOW, interviews NTOA President, Ed Hastry:

• Interview with Ed Hastry, President of the National Timeshare Owners Association

The latest news for Consolidated Resorts owners, as Director of Communications Steve Luba explains.

 

 Timeshare Factoids for the week of 7/20/09: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Over the past year, we have written a great deal about the “green” efforts at Marriott timeshare to reduce, recycle, and reuse at their administrative offices, timeshare sales centers, and timeshare resorts. And while they are not the only timeshare sales company or timeshare developer stepping up to this important responsibility, they are certainly setting a pace for exemplary environmental responsibility.

But a recent Letter to the Editor in Timesharing Today® makes the point that perhaps timeshare resorts are not doing as much as they could to help the environment. In a letter titled, “Need ‘recycling’ in Resort ratings” Joan Carr points out that recycling should perhaps be one of the areas for which a timeshare is rated by timeshare owners and timeshare guests. As she explains, “Everywhere we go, I always ask if the resort recycles. I have never come across one yet that does. We always had to go out of the resort to recycle.”

Excellent point. Timeshare vacationers need the opportunity to recycle at the timeshare resort. They may be on vacation but they haven’t taken a holiday from environmental responsibility. No timeshare owner or timeshare guest should have to spend part of his or her vacation time in search of a recycling station. And when you consider that timeshare vacationers, using travel-size containers and disposable products, possibly generate a higher quantity of waste for recycling than they would at home, recycling becomes an even more important issue for timeshare resorts.

Ms. Carr wants to make recycling a topic on timeshare report cards and she is right. Kudos to her for bringing up this point and to Timesharing Today for spreading the message!

Eye-Opening Facts about Recycling that Effect All of Us (From: Planet Green)

• 544,000: Trees saved if every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100 percent recycled ones.
• 20 million: Tons of electronic waste thrown away each year. One ton of scrap from discarded computers contains more gold than can be produced from 17 tons of gold ore.
• 9 cubic yards: Amount of landfill space saved by recycling one ton of cardboard.
• 315 kg: Amount of carbon dioxide not released into the atmosphere each time a metric ton of glass is used to create new glass products.

Recycling opportunities for timeshare owners and timeshare guests will change when we all speak out about this. Tell your timeshare resort that you want to recycle! Discuss this with your timeshare home owners association.

Recycling not only helps save the planet, it saves money, too, and conserving cash is a type of “green” that’s on everyone’s radar these days.

Past news about timeshare developers and timeshare sales companies taking environmentally responsible actions:

• Three Marriott Timeshare Resorts Earn Special ‘Green’ Designation as Environmentally Conscious Resorts
• Part II: Marriott Timeshare Resorts Earn Special ‘Green’ Designation from State of Florida
• Part III: Marriott Timeshare Resorts Recognized by State of Florida with Green Lodging Program Designation
• A Timeshare Sales Company Taking an Important Environmental Stand
• Marriott Timeshare Is Turning Green