You still have time, but only a few hours left.

Today, Monday January 31, is the last day to take advantage of the discounted promotional rate to attend GNEX 2011 global timeshare and fractional industry expo. To be held in conjunction with the inaugural Perspective Magazine Awards Gala at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, the GNEX conference is scheduled for May 11-12, 2011.

Paul Mattimoe, founder and CEO of Perspective Magazine, says, “We’ve gone global because we want to create an event that goes beyond regional and national boundaries. We’re leveraging off of our magazine’s North America, Europe & Middle East, Asia Pacific and South Africa readership regions and bringing in industry leaders who will look at what works and what doesn’t and facilitate discussions that will improve industry best practices and spark new ideas.”

What to Expect from this Timeshare Event

GNEX 2011 will offer attendees two jam-packed, fast paced days of networking events and interactive workshops along with a lavish welcome reception, exhibitions, and areas for individual meetings and networking. Target workshop and session topics include: Technology, Internet Marketing, and Finance.

The Perspective Magazine Awards program will be presenting four “Best In Region” awards along with “Best In The World” honors. As Paul explains, “We decided that the best way to categorize these awards is to make them as accessible as possible to the industry. This is why you’ll see categories such as ‘Best Industry Leader’ or ‘Best Newcomer’ or ‘Best Innovation award’. We didn’t want to be so specific that some people in the industry felt as though they couldn’t participate.”

And all of the fun, learning, and networking will be set to a backdrop of blue sky and blue sea at the Atlantis Resort Bahamas. But tomorrow, signing up to be part of this will cost you over $100 more on your regular registration fee. Clearly the time to act is NOW. Click here for more information and to register

Previous news from The Timeshare Authority blog:

Timeshare Industry’s GNEX 2011 Early Bird Registration

The American Resort Development Association, ARDA, has named Dan Lubner, President of the Hospitality Design Division of Robb & Stucky Interiors, to a three-year term on its Suppliers Council.

Florida based Robb & Stucky Interiors is nationally known for interior design and quality furnishings. The company’s Hospitality Design Division is a leader in the commercial interior design of timeshares, hotels, condos, and fractional resorts. As a member of the ARDA Suppliers Council, Lubner will contribute timeshare industry insights while helping to develop and guide association programs.

The Suppliers Council was established in 2005 and provides education and networking for ARDA supplier members on a range of related subject areas.

Joy Powers RRP, Director of Business Development of Concord Servicing Corp. and Chairman of the Suppliers Council says, “We welcome Dan with his vast expertise in furnishing and renovating hotels and resorts around the globe. His extensive knowledge in this highly specialized field is providing tremendous benefits to our entire Council.”

Related posts on The Timeshare Authority blog:

• Who Decorates Your Favorite Hotels and Timeshares: Frequently it’s Robb & Stucky Hospitality
• Where Do Your Timeshare Maintenance Fees Go?

Earlier this month, Orlando timeshare company Celebrity Resorts, announced it is formally exiting its court-supervised bankruptcy. An attorney for the timeshare company says it is fully intact and has experienced no job losses.

The reorganization and Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection commenced early in 2010, and at the time listed $35 million in debt and $25 million worth of assets. A $4 million financing from a lending subsidiary of Textron Inc, was critical in helping the company through its period of reorganization along with the renegotiation of debts and other legal measures.

Founded in the 1980s to sell Orlando timeshares, Celebrity Resorts and its affiliates, have 13 timeshare properties located across the US, including Hawaii timeshare, Florida timeshare, and timeshare in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and New Jersey.

News from The Timeshare Authority blog on Celebrity Resorts and the related events at David Walley’s Timeshare:

• Updates on Celebrity Resorts Filing Chapter 11
• Great Success in Town Hall Meetings for David Walley’s Timeshare and Trading Places International

In the US, a record number of people turn 65 this year. They represent the oldest group among the Baby Boomer generation, and are the first Boomers to reach the official retirement age, yet with many of them having no plans to retire in any traditional sense.

Some will continue to work fulltime because the economy is pushing them to it; others will work part time or launch that dream career they were afraid to gamble on when they were younger. And yet there are many who feel their economic situation is sufficiently stable to permit them to kick back and let someone else deal with the daily grind while they focus on less stress, more fun, and a time to finally do many of things they have always wanted to do.

Dr. Auliana Poon, head of Tourism Intelligence International, describes the age 65’ers, saying, “They are more aware, active, Internet savvy and environmentally conscious and are also adventurous (soft, medium and hard) and willing to learn and experience new things unlike the senior citizens of the past.”

But don’t try to make too many generalizations about Boomers. They range in age (currently) from 44 to 65, and there are credible differences in those who grew up in the 1950’s compared to those who grew up, or were teens, in the 1970’s and even early 80’s. The over-fifty timeshare buyer has always been important to the vacation ownership market, but the timeshare industry has to resist the temptation to ‘clump them all together’ as a demographic or to view them as a stereotype.

5 Facts about Boomers that Impact Timeshare Sales

• Boomers have money to spend. According to USA Today, “People 50 and older will inherit an estimated $14 trillion to $20 trillion during the next 20 years.”
• Boomers represent the fastest growing demographic in social media. Social networking among 50-plus Internet users nearly doubled last year, going from 25 percent to 47 percent.
• Boomers buy technology, with estimates indicating they spend more on techie toys and electronics than does any other segment of American society.
• Boomers represent the first generation to be a target market “since birth.” Prior to there being televisions in every home, buying decisions regarding consumer goods in a child’s life were generally made by the parent. But with television advertising, companies could speak directly to children, tempting them with Barbie™, G.I.JOE, and the fastest sneakers on the block. Boomers have been making consumer buying decisions longer than any other demographic.
• Boomer research published in the book Boomer Consumer: Ten New Rules for Marketing to America’s Largest, Wealthiest and Most Influential Group by Matt Thornhill and John Martin, points out that Boomers see old age as commencing at around age 73, meaning that they do not perceive themselves to be “old.” The challenge for timeshare sales and timeshare resales companies is to be certain that their own marketing departments don’t see this segment of the population as old either.

 

Topics: Timeshare Blog, Timeshare Buyers, Timeshare News, Timeshare Sales

If you missed using your timeshare last year, chose a staycation, or just couldn’t work it into your schedule, you may be in for a pleasant surprise on your next visit.

Although media perception has tried to convince the world that timeshare and timeshare resorts were in a total downward spiral, here’s an update from Florida-based, Winter Park Construction (WPC), that paints a very different picture.

Jeff Forrest, President of WPC, explains, “In spite of the economy, our firm stayed very busy throughout the entire year handling large and small renovation projects for the timeshare industry’s major developers. Our clients included Starwood Vacation Ownership, Hilton Grand Vacations Company, Orange Lake County Club, The Berkley Group and Wyndham Vacation Ownership. Their resorts were located in Orlando, Kissimmee and Plantation, Florida, as well as in Myrtle Beach, SC; Newport, RI; Lake Geneva, WI and Cancun, Mexico.”

This past year, Winter Park Construction has been busy remodeling timeshare sales buildings, and making hurricane damage repairs and interior refurbishments for over 740 timeshare units. According to Forrest, “Many of our clients know us for building new projects, but refurbishment and renovation work has been a core segment of our business for 37 years. We expect this to grow even more in the future.”
One of WPC’s most fun (or perhaps challenging) timeshare related projects was the construction of a $4 million Fantasy Surf attraction for the Vacation Villas at FantasyWorld Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. Creating the environment to house a surfing simulator, which is designed so that riders “pretend” to ride the Hawaii surf, called for unique construction considerations.

The simulator offers the look of surfing and wakeboarding in a safe and controlled environment. Fantasy Surf features a FlowRider™ Double, designed to allow approximately 30 surf rides per hour. With padded walls, floor and beach all covered by a 3-inch sheet of water, the cushioned surface is surfable but still kind to surfers if they have a ‘wipeout’. While not their usual project, Forrest acknowledges that Winter Park Construction takes such challenges in stride, adding that the Central Florida area is filled with highly imaginative people.

The company, founded in 1974, and known as one of Florida’s largest construction management and general contractors, does not limit its business to construction and renovation in the timeshare industry. WPC’s portfolio include multi-family housing, commercial real estate, military housing, senior living markets and other projects.

For the fourteenth consecutive year, Marriott International (Marriott timeshare) has been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Additionally, Marriott is one of only thirteen companies to have made the list every single year, since FORTUNE began awarding this honor in 1998.

Among companies with 100,000 or more employees, Marriott was ranked number 2, and among companies of all sizes, Marriott ranked 71, overall. Moreover, FORTUNE magazine is not the only workplace honor Marriott has received, having also been recognized by Working Mother, LATINA Style, Executive Travel, Computerworld, BusinessWeek, DiversityInc magazines and numerous other publications and associations. Three hundred eleven companies took part in this year’s FORTUNE magazine competition. Scoring includes the results of the Institute’s Trust Index survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company.

Two-thirds of a company’s score is based on the results of the survey responses regarding how employees feel about job satisfactions, camaraderie, and management’s credibility. The final third of a company’s score is based on how the company itself responds to detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, internal communications, training, recognition programs and diversity.

David Rodriguez, executive vice president of Global Human Resources says, “Marriott opens doors to a world of opportunities, wherever your journey takes you. Our company’s enduring “spirit to serve” culture provides associates a family environment of teamwork, trust, and cooperation where we value the contributions of our diverse global workforce.”

A complete list of all the companies honored by FORTUNE will be available in the February 7 issue or online at http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2011/index.html

Related Marriott timeshare news from The Timeshare Authority blog:

• More Awards for Marriott as a Great Place to Work
• Marriott Timeshare Owner Services is Honored as a Great Place to Work

Think you can’t afford a romantic weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year?

…Maybe you can!

In 2011, February 14 falls on a Monday, perhaps increasing the likelihood that you can turn the day into a long-weekend getaway for you and the one you love. And while some hotels will be offering weekend rates with elegant dinner packages, even at a bundled price many of these hotel getaways are not all that budget-friendly.

Have you considered a timeshare rental?

Why Timeshare Rental Works So Well

Timeshare is easier than you think it is to rent; it is often available even at the last minute, and frequently, deeply discounted. Discounts on timeshare rental are not in place because there is anything ‘wrong’ with the timeshare; on the contrary, timeshare rentals can be highly desirable destinations, beautiful timeshare units, and amazing opportunities.

But for a timeshare owner, who finds he or she cannot use the property this year, and for any number of reasons either cannot bank it for future use or prefers not to, using it as a timeshare rental is an obvious and beneficial option. The timeshare owner stands to recoup some or all of his annual fees on the timeshare unit or perhaps some or all of his monthly mortgage payment. For the timeshare owner who was about to let the week slip away, unused, the option of renting it to you is a great deal. For you, the opportunity to enjoy the resort at a great rate, maybe even check it out in case you want to buy timeshare there yourself, is also a great deal. Timeshare rental is truly a case where everybody wins!

Where Does White Castle Fit in Your Plans for a Valentines Timeshare Rental?

So where does White Castle and its famous square, steamed hamburgers fit in to your plans for a romantic getaway on a budget? Select White Castle restaurants across the country are offering a special Valentine’s Day 2011 promotion. You can actually make reservations for a candlelit dinner at White Castle complete with table service and Valentine’s themed décor. You will even receive a collapsible White Castle vase to take home with you.

This quirky take on how to spend Valentine’s Day is not offered at all White Castle restaurants. (Click here to check availability) and if you can’t match up a timeshare rental with a White Castle reservation, you do have other options. You could: plan to dine at a restaurant at or nearby your timeshare resort or prepare a romantic dinner for two at your timeshare (most units offer an equipped kitchen plus dining area) that might even start with picking up a box of White Castle burgers in the frozen food section of most grocery stores. Either way, you’ll be making memories that last.

This week, Dial An Exchange (DAE) is hosting another of its popular Vacation Education Seminars. The first seminar was held nearly two years ago in Arizona and was attended by 150 timeshare owners. Fermin Cruz, VP of North American Business for DAE, says, “The owners loved them (the seminars). They asked tons of questions ranging from how their maintenance fees are spent to how they can rent their week out to the public.”

Scheduled for January 28, at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center at the Florida Mall, Orlando, DAE’s third Vacation Ownership Seminar will draw over one hundred timeshare owners, many who live in the Orlando area or own Orlando timeshare. The approximately 2-hour event is designed to help timeshare owners become more knowledgeable about their timeshares, the benefits of timeshare ownership and what’s really going on in the timeshare industry today.

Not a Timeshare Sales Presentation

Although timeshare owners in attendance will receive a free gift, the event is not a timeshare sales presentation, and no sales “pitch” will be presented by any of the speakers. Instead, the format includes featured speakers followed by a lengthy opportunity for timeshare owners to ask questions and receive ‘straight talk ‘answers. As the founder and CEO of SellMyTimeshareNOW.com, I am honored to be one of the speakers, along with Ed Hastry of the National Timeshare Owners Association; and Lisa Ann Schreier, author of “Timeshare Vacations For Dummies.”

Fermin Cruz explains, “Dial An Exchange has long been aware of the need for new as well as seasoned timeshare vacation owners to have a better understanding of their purchase and how to leverage their ownership. Our complimentary seminars have been created to help timeshare owners better utilize their existing vacation time and provide information on renting, reselling and other use options of which they may not be aware.”

For information on the seminar, call 800-468-1799. Admission is free.

At this year’s TimeShareWare Client Conference, Bluegreen received honorable mention for its Corporate Social Media strategy.

Marketing the brand as “a leading provider of Colorful Places to Live and Play,” Bluegreen has been successful in spreading its message via social media. Social media expert Chicke Fitzgerald, recognized Bluegreen for both its social media presence and its successful branding of Bluegreen products and services. Fitzgerald says, “I was really impressed with Bluegreen when doing my research … (Bluegreen) is leading the way in the timeshare industry when it comes to social media and an overall, integrated online strategy.”

VP of Creative Marketing for Bluegreen, Izzy Pycher, says that the company is using progressive online strategies, necessary in today’s world and points to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube as, ‘perfect vehicles for owner communication.’

“The owners’ conversations on Facebook speak for themselves,” says Pycher. “Social media allows them to share experiences, get recommendations on resorts and ask each other questions, knowing they’ll get authentic feedback. It’s a win-win for the owners themselves as well as for the company overall.”

Bluegreen Timeshare and Other Timeshare Social Media Resources

In an industry awash with armchair critics, many in timeshare sales and timeshare resales are stepping tentatively into social media. And that’s understandable. But as timeshare companies put themselves out there, prepared with the knowledge that the naysayers will likely pop up, the thought leaders in timeshare that move into social media can also feel good about what they are doing. They are blazing new territory, opening doors and giving timeshare buyers, timeshare sellers, renters, and prospective timeshare vacationers a venue to learn, share, and explore.

It’s a brave new world for business, but it is also an exciting time to be involved.

You will find Sell My Timeshare on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SellMyTimeshareNOW
And on Twitter @JasonTremblay_ and @VacationHotDeal and @RentTimeshares

Following up with our Friday The Timeshare Authority blog post, here’s a little more information on Shell Vacations Club timeshares.

Shell Vacations Club Timeshare Points

Timeshare points may be the best choice for vacationers who like to choose a different destination with each trip or prefer to plan multiple shorter getaways. Shell has four Home Club options in which you can buy Shell Vacations Club points:

• Shell Owners Club – Americana (SVC Americana)
• Shell Owners Club – Hawaii (SVC Hawaii)
• Shell Owners Club – Pacific (SVC Pacific)
• Shell Owners Club – West (SVC West)

Each Owners Club represents a geographic region of Shell Vacations Resorts. When you have a Home Club membership, you are automatically entitled to a Shell SVC membership, which serves as your ‘internal’ timeshare exchange and reservation system. You will also enjoy priority booking at your Home Club, which means you can request your reservations up to one year in advance of your check-in date. For Shell Vacations Club resorts outside your Home Club, you can still request your reservations approximately nine months in advance.

Deeded Shell Vacations Club Timeshare Ownership

But flexibility is not on everyone’s priority list; many timeshare owners prefer the security of consistency. They like to know that they own deeded timeshare ensuring that they can vacation at the same resort during the same week, year after year.

Shell Vacations timeshare offers over twenty luxurious timeshare resorts where you can choose to become a property owner. Features such as spas, spacious rooms and onsite amenities make Shell timeshare extremely attractive. Your only challenge will be in selecting your favorite one out of the nearly two dozen enticing vacation resort destinations. And even if you buy deeded Shell Vacations Club timeshare as a fixed interval, you always have the option to convert, for a fee, to Shell Vacations Club points in the future. Even Shell’s fixed timeshare comes with the flexibility to change!

No one in the timeshare resale industry is better trained to help you learn more about the opportunities of timeshare resale and timeshare rentals at Shell Vacations Club timeshare.

Sell My Timeshare NOW is your Authorized Shell Reseller for Shell Vacations Club, offering you the ways to save thousands on a Shell timeshare resale and to join SVC’s extensive network of resorts. Find out more today: