In the Lynchburg, Virginia area of Huddleston, a Smith Mountain Lake resort community is making plans for a new waterfront condominium complex.

The Mariner’s Landing Development will construct the new resort, to be known as “Longview at the Pointe”. Plans are to sell the two and three bedroom condo units in four-week intervals, although full ownership options will also be offered.

The Point Is Not Selling Timeshare; It’s Buying Vacation Ownership

Jay White, a marketing consultant whose family owns the resort community, calls it, “…Just another type of ownership at Smith Mountain Lake.”

Good point! The developers didn’t wake up one morning and think: Our business goal is all about selling timeshare.

Instead, they looked at an opportunity (for their business and also for families in need of vacation options), and they considered how they could make vacation property ownership available to more people.

White, in an interview with The Lynchburg News and Advance, called the pricing, “… affordable compard with other offerings at the lake…”

“It’s just another way for people to enjoy the lake and not bankrupt themselves,” said White. “In my mind, the goal is to offer an affordable product someone can buy young and continue to upgrade until they want to retire and get the (vacation) home of their choice.”

Selling Timeshare Probably Started in a Cave

Once upon a time, there were no doubt two cave dwellers who wanted the same rock shelter. In order to accommodate the wishes of both, they decided to share the space, alternate who slept closest to the fire pit, and both contribute by dragging home freshly killed stegosaurus steaks. In every sense of the word, the two were involved in shared ownership, marked by the intervals of whos turn it was to sleep by the fire.

Timeshare shouldn’t be thought of as some suspicious idea, nor should it be viewed as a get-rich-quick plan by anyone in the business. Timeshare is really a very simple concept of shared ownership, enabling people who could never afford the cost and upkeep of sole ownership to still enjoy their little piece of vacation heaven.

Today’s timeshare is an evolved business model that translates to making vacation ownership available to the greatest number of people possible. And every day, through the sale of both new timeshare and of timeshare resales, vacation ownership is happening.

As Jay White so aptly put it in talking about the Smith Mountain Lake property, “This is really becoming a great destination, a great resort, and it needs to be affordable for people to enjoy it. If it’s going to be successful, it’s got to be available to people who can afford $750,000 or $50,000.”

Now let’s throw in the idea of timeshare resale properties, some of which are priced at $5000 or less, and you truly get: Affordable Vacation Ownership.

Follow this link to learn more about Virginia timeshare resales.

Since the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse three years ago, The Timeshare Authority blog has tried to keep you updated on developments in this very sad and mystifying case.

Kesse, then 24 years old, went missing on January 24, 2006, from Orlando where she lived and worked for Westgate Timeshare. All signs of Jennifer seem to vanish around 7:30 AM on a busy Tuesday morning, as she was preparing for work or perhaps had already left.

A massive local and national search campaign has been carried out by her family and friends, turning up remarkably little. The police hold her case as ACTIVE and continue to aggressively search for any information about her disappearance. At one point, David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate timeshare, where Jennifer was employed in accounting, even offered a quarter million dollar reward for information that led to her safe return.

Last week, approximately 70 highly trained professionals searched an area in Orlando near Kesse’s condominium, in response to possible new information from a confessed murdered, currently awaiting sentencing in an Orlando jail.

Anyone with information that might help in solving this case can call the Orlando Police Department at (407) 246-2470 or the Kesse family tip line at (407) 722-2162.

Related The Timeshare Authority Blog posts:

• Remembering Missing Westgate Timeshare Employee, Jennifer Kesse
• Video Recently Released in the Case of Missing Timeshare Company Worker, Jennifer Kesse

Since the disappearance of Jennifer Kesse three years ago, The Timeshare Authority blog has tried to keep you updated on developments in this very sad and mystifying case.

Kesse, then 24 years old, went missing on January 24, 2006, from Orlando where she lived and worked for Westgate Timeshare. All signs of Jennifer seem to vanish around 7:30 AM on a busy Tuesday morning, as she was preparing for work or perhaps had already left.

A massive local and national search campaign has been carried out by her family and friends, turning up remarkably little. The police hold her case as ACTIVE and continue to aggressively search for any information about her disappearance. At one point, David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate timeshare, where Jennifer was employed in accounting, even offered a quarter million dollar reward for information that led to her safe return.

Last week, approximately 70 highly trained professionals searched an area in Orlando near Kesse’s condominium, in response to possible new information from a confessed murderer, currently awaiting sentencing in an Orlando jail.

Anyone with information that might help in solving this case can call the Orlando Police Department at (407) 246-2470 or the Kesse family tip line at (407) 722-2162.

Related The Timeshare Authority Blog posts:

• Remembering Missing Westgate Timeshare Employee, Jennifer Kesse
• Video Recently Released in the Case of Missing Timeshare Company Worker, Jennifer Kesse

When Shawn Lacy, an employee of Marriott Vacation Club International (Marriott timeshare) and her boyfriend Brian Middleton planned an afternoon of ziplining on the zipline attraction at Florida Eco Safaris, she wasn’t expecting it to be a life changing event. But Brian, a Seminole County, Florida firefighter, had other plans.

On their last zipline of the run, Brian popped the question, proposing to his girlfriend of five years. Lacy describes the moment by saying she was screaming in mid-zip, when he shouted, “Will you marry me?” She thought he was joking, but when the two got their feet back on firm ground, Brian dropped to his knee and asked again, presenting her with a ring.

While Florida Eco Safaris says the zipline proposal is a first, the attraction, which is home to some 200 species of birds says that they are glad to add “love birds” to their list.

Wonder if the couple is planning to honeymoon in a Marriott Vacation Club International timeshare?

Your Next Florida Timeshare Vacation with Marriott Vacation Club International

While no one can guarantee that a Marriott timeshare vacation will result in ‘happily-ever-after’ it is a safe bet that you and your family can count on a fulfilled and relaxing vacation.

The Central Florida area is home to eight outstanding Marriott timeshare resorts, all perfect for enjoying a family vacation or the honeymoon of a lifetime.

• Marriott’s Cypress Harbour timeshare resort.
• Marriott’s Lakeshore Reserve at Grande Lakes timeshare resort.
• Marriott’s Imperial Palm Villas timeshare resort.
• Marriott’s Harbour Lake timeshare resort.
• Marriott’s Grande Vista timeshare resort.
• Marriott’s Royal Palms timeshare resort.
• Orlando World Center Marriott Resort
• Marriott’s Sabal Palms timeshare resort.

Second quarter earnings reports are out for Wyndham and Starwood, as Director of Communications Steve Luba explains.

 

 Timeshare Factoids for the week - 7/31/09 [3:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands at Lake Tahoe is scheduled to open on December 9 of this year, meaning that you could plan now and be skiing in Tahoe this winter at your own Ritz Carlton Club vacation ownership timeshare. One of the reasons this new vacation ownership property is so exciting is because it is the first new-build resort to be constructed in the Lake Tahoe area in decades. And one of the reasons vacation ownership is always so exciting is because once you “own” your vacation, you are not likely to bypass it, no matter what the economy looks like.

Here’s how the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) explains it, in a recent article by Howard Nusbaum, which appeared on Hospitality Net:

“No matter what the state of the economy may be, if you own your vacation, you will take it—pure and simple. The prepaid nature of our vacation product is very much a part of its magic, as it provides a disciplined means of guaranteed use. The consistent quality and assurance that your vacation will be what it was intended to be adds to that magic factor. Because of this, timeshare owners have become the “Cheshire Cats” of the Monday morning office water-cooler chats, as they tell coworkers of their travels and adventures from the previous week. Quite simply, they bought and paid for their vacations at a set rate, so now they are recession-insulated when it comes to taking annual holidays.”

Lake Tahoe Luxury at the New Ritz-Carlton Highlands Timeshare

Sitting slopeside between Lake Tahoe and Truckee, the resort will include 170 regular guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton Residences, and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club fractional ownership residences. With a 17,000 square feet spa, yoga and spin studios, fitness center, and ski-in, ski-out access at Northstar-at-Tahoe, this luxurious timeshare resort is an ideal year-round vacation destination.

…And who among us wouldn’t like to be a “recession-insulated Cheshire Cat” enjoying a Lake Tahoe vacation?

Additional opportunities for Ritz-Carton Club vacation ownership at timeshare resale prices:

• Ritz-Carlton Club timeshare and residences in San Francisco.
• Ritz-Carlton Club Bachelor Gulch timeshare and residences in Avon, Colorado.
• Ritz-Carlton Club St. Thomas timeshare and residences in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (U.S.).
• Ritz-Carlton Club, Aspen Highlands timeshare and residences in Aspen, Colorado.
• Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa, Jupiter, Florida.

Are we appreciating our vacations more, now that times are tougher? Or are hoteliers and timeshare resorts stepping up their game, becoming better listeners and doing a better job of serving their guests and timeshare owners? Perhaps the answer is: both.

According to the J. D. Power and Associates 2009 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, guest satisfaction at four of six types of accommodations within the hotel industry improved for this year, compared with 2008, when guest opinion remained stable across all six types. Only extended stay properties (and these are extended stay hotels, not timeshare resorts or vacation ownership) saw a decrease. The six areas or types of hotel properties evaluated by the study were: (1) luxury, (2) upscale, (3) mid-scale full service, (4) mid-scale limited service, (5) economy/budget, and (6) extended stay hotels.

Satisfied Timeshare Owners

The timeshare industry uses various types of studies to measure timeshare guest or timeshare owner satisfaction. The State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry: United States Study 2009 prepared primarily from data provided by timeshare resorts, timeshare developers, and management companies, (through a survey commissioned by the ARDA International Foundation (AIF) and conducted by Ernst & Young LLP) showed demonstrated owner satisfaction with timeshares. One fact cited by the study pointed out that forty-one percent of timeshare sales are from timeshare buyers who already own a timeshare with that developer. The AIF report also showed that timeshare resorts were able to add timeshare units and that timeshare occupancy rates have actually increased, with approximately 67 percent of resorts being at least eighty percent occupied, and 40 percent having occupancy of at least ninety percent, according to the Ernst & Young LLP study for the ARDA International Foundation.

Hoteliers and Timeshare Companies Rising to the Challenge

Michael Drago, director of the global hospitality and travel practice at J.D. Power and Associates, says, “Many hotel brands have successfully focused on guest satisfaction, despite steep rate discounts, staff declines, reductions in in-room amenities and a halt on renovations.” He points out that the hoteliers know that “… providing extraordinary guest service in a consistent manner, in both good times and bad, is a recipe for continued success.”

The hospitality industry has long been a vital part of the US economy. When hotel guest and timeshare owner satisfaction climbs it is evidence that hotels and timeshares are building stronger client relationships despites these tough times, working, as Drago says, “to provide extraordinary guest service.”

Follow this link to read our July 2009 Business Synopsis, which shows an increase of 15 percent year-to-date in offers to buy or rent timeshares advertised with Sell My Timeshare NOW.

The Palm Desert, California timeshare, Marriott’s Shadow Ridge resort, has completed phase 7 of a 14-phase development plan. Phase 7 construction at the timeshare resort included 2 buildings and 73 two-bedroom Marriott timeshare villas. At this time, 19 buildings have been completed, housing 523 timeshare villas, of the planned 972 timeshare villas.

Phase I development on this California timeshare property began in 1999, when a timeshare sales office and maintenance facility were started. Today the property includes the clubhouse, restaurant, spa, registration center, 2000 square foot pool with bar, grill and children’s beach, along with the timeshare units. The additional golf amenities are particularly outstanding including a golf pro shop with swing studio, lockers, club fitting, and golf admin center, adding to the pleasure of play and practice at Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Golf Club and the Faldo Golf Institute by Marriott, both part of the overall resort.

Construction on Phase 8 at the 300-acre resort is not scheduled to begin until 2010, at which time R. D. Olson Construction will resume their work to complete the rest of the planned development at Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Timeshare Resort.

“This project allowed us to use our inventiveness and skills to build a desert resort with one-of-a-kind design elements that create intrigue and entertainment,” said Robert Olson, CEO/president, R.D. Olson Construction.

Click here to read the Olson media release about the work at Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Timeshare: http://www.prweb.com/releases/construction/resorts/prweb2675244.htm

And follow these links to learn more about vacation ownership opportunities at this beautiful desert oasis, just perfect for golfers or spa and poolside relaxation in a California timeshare:

• Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Shadow Ridge Timeshare Rentals