In Sunday’s The Timeshare Authority blog, (see: Timeshare Sales Up 55 Percent in Australia Timeshare Holiday Ownership) we looked at the positive growth seen in the Australia timeshare market in 2009. And while the Australia timeshare market looks good now, it has faced many of the same economic challenges that have impacted US timeshare over the past two years. So how did they manage to flourish, given the global economic climate?

The CEO’s of three of the top Australia timeshare companies say the economy has forced them to take some actions that, at the time, felt very aggressive. Action they might not have taken had the tight economy not pushed them in that direction.

Craig Wood, CEO of Accor Vacation Club explains, “At the start of the crisis it was necessary to restructure our business. A combination of a high quality product, world-class service and a fantastic and engaged work-force allowed us not just to weather the initial impact of the crisis but produce a significant increase in profitability due to the austerity measures we implemented during the last year. Two of our key performance indicators, member satisfaction and resort occupancy increased during this year demonstrating the resilience of our business, even in the toughest of economic times.”

Ramy Filo, CEO of Classic Group points to the fact that Australia timeshare survived and by some standards, thrived, over the past two years, as “… an indication of the resilience of the industry … consumer confidence and significant growth in incremental sales.” Classic Group timeshare has more than 45,000 members. The company’s Gold Coast timeshare resorts are operating at greater than 95 percent capacity and regionally, they are at 80 percent (the kind of numbers the hotel industry would love to see). As Filo explains, the Classic Group timeshare product is a great fit with the traditional accommodation industry thereby adding stimulus to their business and expands delivery options to its members.

Barry Robinson CEO and Managing Director of Wyndham Vacation Resorts, is another industry leader who sees the economic downturn as having provided timeshare companies with the opportunity to showcase the benefit of vacation ownership. “Wyndham’s vacation ownership resorts enjoyed average occupancies above 80 percent for the 2009 year, with many Owners commenting that their ownership provided them with a holiday they would not otherwise have been able to take during that time. Having to streamline our operations in the early stages of the GFC has made us focus on becoming more efficient and innovative. Since that time we have experienced a significant increase in our profit margins.”

More than a year ago, here on our timeshare blog we wrote about the then-unfolding economic crisis as a potential challenge for the timeshare industry. Congratulations to these companies and their leaders for rising to meet the challenge. As Craig Wood points out, “John F Kennedy once noted that when written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.”

Follow these links to learn more about the opportunities waiting for you in Australia timeshare resales and rentals: Accord Premier Destination Club timeshare resales; Classic Holiday Club timeshare resales and rentals; and Wyndham timeshare resales and timeshare rentals.

Source: Travel Daily News International

We thought you’d find this interview between Jason Tremblay of Sell My Timeshare NOW and The Timeshare Authority blog and Tim Wilson of AskMando.com very interesting. It was recorded in October during the CRDA Conference in Toronto and released just before the Thanksgiving holidays. (For more information about the conference see: CRDA Timeshare Conference and the Future of Canada Timeshare).

At the time of the interview, Jason had just finished his role earlier that day as part of the CRDA Conference’s speaking panel on the topic of timeshare on the secondary market. The panel spoke candidly about how timeshare resales are an issue for the entire industry in a forum called “Resale Forum, Where do we go from here?”

Here are some of the points made in this discussion:

• The secondary market for timeshares is real, growing, and not going away.
• It is time for the developers to pick a horse by choosing what service they either are going to establish or partner with to provide timeshare owners options regarding resales.
• The industry’s future requires that timeshare developers start working hand-in-hand with the resales companies; the time is now.

As Jason advises, timeshare developers can’t leave their owners to try to sort though the timeshare resale market on their own. Choosing to take no action is in fact, making a choice.

Sell My Timeshare NOW is proud to be an active part of both the Canadian and the US timeshare associations through CRDA (Canadian Resort Development Association) and ARDA. (American Resort Development Association).

ATHOC is the Australian timeshare (or as they say down under, ‘holiday ownership’) regulatory body. These days, ATHOC is abuzz over the positive timeshare trends revealed by recent industry reports. Latest findings show Australia timeshare is in a time of robust growth as Australians embrace the concept of vacation ownership.

ATHOC, which stands for Australian Timeshare Holiday Ownership Council, says that despite global economic challenges, Australia timeshare sales for 2009 were up 55 percent to $205.4 million. Based on this research, which was commissioned by ATHOC and conducted by AEC Group Limiteds, and in which 78 timeshare properties participated, there are now 152,000 timeshare owner families in Australia, marking an increase of 20 percent over 2005.

As Australia celebrates this positive news about the timeshare industry, no one is overlooking the greater impact this story has. In 2009, timeshare owner families spent an average of $2,027 per travel party, per trip, (up from $916 in 2005) making a vital contribution to local economies. Now pair that boon with the indirect economic benefit the timeshare industry contributes to the Australian economy, an amount Australians estimate to be more than a billion dollars for 2009, and you see why Australian timeshare is making everybody smile.

Women on Their Way by Wyndham Worldwide is recognized as the longest-running branded program dedicated to female travelers in the hospitality industry. The program, known as WYN, is an online resource for business and leisure travelers to find everything they need to plan and book their next trip, targeting the unique needs and preferences of female travelers. Because of WYN, Wyndham resort properties have paid extra attention to the requests of the female travelers including in-room coffeemakers, full-length mirrors and healthier room service menus in their hotels and resorts.

Now, Women on Their Way has released its annual list of top holiday destinations, which they describe as ranging from fun in the sun to frosty winter wonderland. These resorts were selected because they offer women a way to rekindle relationships, relax, lift their spirits, and create memorable moments.

Here is the 2010 WYN Holiday List. Follow this link to learn about accommodations at Wyndham Hotels and branded properties or click on any of the links below to learn about outstanding opportunities in timeshare resales and rentals at these top 10 destinations.

1. Branson, Missouri. Home to live music shows, shopping, and a festive holiday season.
2. San Antonio, Texas. Holidays in San Antonio happen big—Texas style, with everything from Broadway shows, Spanish missions to explore, and the vibrant Riverwalk.
3. Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada. Scenic Lake Tahoe is an ideal destination for vacations in any season, but this time of year is a paradise for winter sports lovers.
4. Denver, Colorado. Urban chic in the Mile High City with a backdrop of majestic mountains.
5. Atlanta, Georgia. Christmas brings parades, holiday festivities, and both southern charm and city lights to sparkling Atlanta.
6. Alexandria, Virginia / Washington, D.C. History, museums, and Christmas in our nation’s capitol… what could be better?
7. Coastal Carolina. Holiday flotillas, candlelight tours, a Dickens Christmas Carol; New Bern, North Carolina and other coastal Carolina towns offer quaint Christmas charm.
8. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ice skating on the frozen lakes, a true winter wonderland, or shop ‘til you drop at the Mall of America.
9. Oceanside, California. Quite beachside town for a relaxing getaway in the sun.
10. The Great Smoky Mountains. Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Celebrate a country Christmas in the mountains of Tennessee.

Here it is Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year and many parents and grandparents are hitting the stores and descending on the malls, often in search of those ‘just right’ holiday toys. So it is fun to learn that Hyatt Resorts and Hyatt Timeshares are thinking about your children and grandchildren and their toys as well.

Hyatt Resorts announces the new Toy Box program designed with both children and their parents in mind. At participating Hyatt properties, vacationers and travelers will now find a stock of age-appropriate toys to entertain children, from toddlers to ‘tweens.

Traveling with children can be challenging and let’s face it, with airport security tighter than ever, and luggage fees piling up, we are all at least a little stressed by the new rules of packing. Sometimes there is simply not room for those favorite toys that will help entertain your children and make family travel more fun.

Hyatt Toy Box to the rescue with toys recommended by Toy Tips Research Institute for age appropriateness, educational value, and application to the special circumstances of vacations and travel. At participating Hyatt resorts in the US and the Caribbean, families can now review the Toy Box book, which lists 24 available toys a child can checkout and enjoy during the hotel or timeshare stay. And when it is time to head for home, the toys are inspected for broken or missing parts and then cleaned with Toy Tips Toy Cleaner, a non-chemical, eco-friendly cleaner, leaving them ready for the next pint-size guest to enjoy.

Carlos Cabrera, senior vice president of field operations, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, says, “Traveling with children is a unique challenge, and bringing their favorite toys can be even trickier. With the Hyatt Resorts Toy Box, children of all ages can have a fun-filled vacation with toys at their fingertips, helping parents to alleviate the burden of packing and carrying extra luggage.”

On Thanksgiving Day, all of us at Sell My Timeshare NOW and The Timeshare Authority wish for you and your family the opportunity to have time to share together. Whether you spend it at home, with your friends or with other family members, there is nothing to be more thankful for than the gift of family. And for all of us, in our busy and demanding lives, it is easy to let time slip away, with our children growing up faster than we realize.

Share Time with Your Children

What parents mean in the lives of their children is so significantly much more than the role of providing a child with food, shelter and clothing. It’s not about the video games you buy them, the computers, or even that expensive sports equipment, although all of that can have a positive (and sometimes a negative) impact on a child.
Instead, research shows, that it all comes down to the cliché of “quality time”.

1. Studies prove there is a direct correlation between a child’s academic success and the length and frequency of time that child spends interacting with his or her mother.
2. Children who spend time with their fathers doing activities in and around the home have been shown to have better academic performance than children who do not.
3. When parents are involved in the lives of their teens, the adolescent tends to exhibit fewer behavioral problems. Involvement also increases the likelihood of a parent having a realistic awareness of a child’s social group and peers.

So on this Thanksgiving Day, worry less about the turkey and spend fewer hours watching all those football games. Be thankful for your children, your parents and all the blessings of family and time shared together.

Sell My Timeshare NOW wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

Photo credit: Sarah Brucker

New timeshares have a lot to offer, but some of the most popular and memorable resorts come with a little history. Last month, the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort in Carlsbad, California, celebrated its 25th anniversary. Built in 1985, this beautiful resort is a mixed-used property with vacation ownership condominiums (timeshare), a 61-key hotel, retail shops and a restaurant.

As part of the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort timeshare’s anniversary celebration, the property underwent major renovations, which included upgrading the sleeping rooms and improvements to the lobby, public restrooms, and vending areas. The Library and the Sunset Room (formerly Terrace Room) are being updated with lighter wood, and new carpet, paint and lighting. The Sunset Room is receiving a new glass enclosure, affording unobstructed ocean views.

Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort Timeshare Anniversary Party

In celebration, local dignitaries, vendors, hotel guests, timeshare exchange guests, timeshare owners and Grand Pacific Resort Management executives and staff, including, David Brown and Tim Stripe current co-presidents of Grand Pacific Resort Management, were invited to enjoy food, drink and entertainment. Jim Watkins, CEO of Winners Circle Resorts International, who developed the property 25 years ago said, “We had perfect weather and a great crowd of well wishers and team members. Some of the folks who were here were original owners of the timeshare condominiums from 25 years ago; others had worked at the property since it was built and many were new faces enjoying our wonderful location, beautiful grounds and fabulous view.”

Randy Chapin, General Manager of the property adds, “It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves after a whirlwind summer of changes. Our resort looks wonderful and we’re proud to show it off.”

For more information visit: www.carlsbadinn.com

Hollywood stars aside, perhaps this is the week for blogging about makeovers in the timeshare industry. Yesterday’s The Timeshare Authority told you about the new look for the industry publication, The Resort Trades.

Today’s post is about the ‘facelift’ that has gone on at the ARDA (American Resort Development Association) website: www.arda.org. ARDA’s new website has a clean, crisp look. It’s also packed with more information and an easy to search format.

If you like the photo in ARDA’s new website header the first time you visit the site, wait until you see how much you are going to like it the next time you visit. Website designers have selected an assortment of changing images, each one just as beautiful and enticing as the one before.

The new website offers more information, including a scrolling headline of the latest timeshare and vacation ownership news. You’ll find handy links so you can easily share information via your favorite social media platforms.
ARDA is known and appreciated for promoting the growth and development of the timeshare industry through advocacy, networking, B2B partnerships and bridge-building, outreach, knowledge, and professional development. And now their new website, makes it easier to access their updates and information.

One of the timeshare industry’s oldest and most respected publications, The Resort Trades, is getting a facelift according to the Tennessee-based publisher, The Trades Publishing Company Inc. In continuous publication since the 1980’s, The Resort Trades is considered to be the flagship publication of The Trades Publishing Company, which also publishes: The Golf Course Trades; The Park & Rec Trades; The Landscape Architect Trades; and Resort Trades’ Management & Operations.

Publisher Tim Wilson says, “We have always listened to our readers and advertisers over the past quarter of a century. Beginning with the January 2011 issue, The Resort Trades magazine will transition to the ‘short tabloid’ format, and it will be printed on gloss and Hi-brite paper, which will give it a more vivid, colorful appearance. We do this to maintain our reputation in the industry as the premier news and information source for the vacation ownership industry.”

This Timeshare Publication is More Than a Pretty Face

Tim Wilson goes on to explain, “As a developer, I started The Resort Trades magazine in 1985 because there was no resource available that provided me with valuable, timely and trustworthy information about the timeshare industry. I knew what I needed, so I created it. Over the years, we have worked extremely hard to earn the trust of our readers and we have always maintained our integrity with our advertisers. It’s not enough to be first – we will continue to be the best because we realize the importance of evolving and continually improving, whether it’s content, production or printing. I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. There are, of course, more options for publishers to choose from. Simply put, this new format will enable us to provide a better product for our readers, and that’s been priority one from day one.”

A facelift for this timeshare and vacation ownership publication makes sense in a world that moves more and more away from newspaper formats, demanding slicker, more sophisticated style. But Business Development Director for The Trades Publishing Company Inc., Freda Stemick, points out that the publication, even with a new look, won’t just be another pretty face, saying, “The Resort Trades has always had the strongest, relevant content without fear of approaching controversial subjects and news. The interior of the book will continue to have this solid foundation that separates us from our competitors. The cover of the magazine is improving as a way to reflect the strength and relevance of the content of the publication.”

Are you among the millions of timeshare owners with a happy story to tell? TATOC. The Timeshare Association, based in the United Kingdom (Manchester, England), is looking for your story.

Harry Taylor, TATOC CEO explains, “There is lots of negative publicity about our industry but TATOC is an association of timeshare owners who love their timeshare holidays and visit them or exchange every year. We know we’re not alone so we’d love to hear about the good holiday experiences of other timeshare owners.”

TATOC is focusing on the one the ‘hot topics’ we write about frequently on The Timeshare Authority blog: telling the positive side of the timeshare story. Sell My Timeshare NOW, TATOC and others in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry know it is big story and it rarely receives the attention it deserves.

TATOC, The Timeshare Association Wants to Put You in Print (or is that Pixels?)

TATOC has sent a request to all its members and affiliates, looking for a short story (200 words or less) explaining what, “owners love about their timeshare and where their favourite destination has been.” The request applies to all timeshare owners, whether or not their resort is a member of TATOC.

The association is asking you to email your good news stories and a photo to: TATOC at info@timeshareassociation.org or go directly to the Sharetimemagazine.com website and submit your article.

Featured stories will appear on TATOC’s website: www.timeshareassociation.org and in its Sharetime magazine, www.sharetimemagazine.com.