The 2011 ARDA Annual Convention & Exposition will be held March 27-31 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida. This annual timeshare industry event attracts over 3,000 participants from more than 20 countries. The ARDA Exhibit Hall also provides the largest trade show that specifically targets the timeshare resort development industry.

Activities start with the RCI/AIF Golf Tournament on Sunday afternoon, (March 27). Over the next two day attendees can choose from the Luxury Forum; Principles of Timeshare: Parts 1 and 2; the Sales & Marketing Forum; committee meetings; Educational Sessions Wave 1, 2, & 3; along breakfasts, luncheons, an ICE Breaker party, networking events, the Awards Gala with reception and dinner, and much more.

Terry Jones, Founder and Former CEO of Travelocity, Chairman of Kayak.com will be the keynote speaker. Jones offers concise and actionable insights into how leadership is changing in this new technology-driven world.

Signature sponsors for this year’s ARDA Convention are American Express, International, Equiant, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Systems International, International Cruise and Excursions, Interval International, RCI, ResortCom International, Starwood Vacation Ownership Incs, and TimeShareWare.

Sell My Timeshare NOW is a proud member of ARDA and we’ll be at this conference learning, networking, sharing, and be a part of this very special event.

The Trades Publishing Company, Inc, is celebrating two important milestones. The Resort Trades magazine is celebrating 25 years in publication and the Resort Trades’ Management & Operations magazine is celebrating 10 years. Both accomplishments are a measure of true success in the highly competitive world of publishing.

Back in 1985, Tim Wilson, publisher of these and other magazines, was a timeshare and resort developer, who recognized the lack of timeshare industry-specific media resources available. Launching the Resort Trades magazine, was no doubt challenging as Wilson and his staff ventured into uncharted territory with their timeshare publication. Tim explains, “We have worked extremely hard over the years to earn the trust of our readers, and we have always maintained our integrity with our advertisers.”

Wilson continues, “We have a distinct advantage because we are totally independent and that freedom to speak without censorship or limitation is exactly what our editorial policy is based on. Our readers expect our content to come from reliable sources, and we deliver. Our large pool of credible, knowledgeable contributors includes industry experts such as Jason Tremblay, Sharon Drechsler, David Waller, Marge Lennon, Alan Schlaifer and many more.”

Personally, I am very proud to have the opportunity to be a small part of this publication that serves such an important role in the timeshare community.

As a member of Interval International, one of the leaders in providing timeshare exchange and timeshare related travel services, you may not be aware of II’s most prestigious membership level, Interval Platinum. This highest tier in II premium benefits was created for, “discerning vacation owners who desire higher-end travel experiences and personal attention at every step of the planning process.”

Jeanette Marbert, chief operating officer of Interval International explains, “Interval Platinum is the latest evolution of the premium benefit options that we give members. We were the first vacation exchange company to create an upgraded program, now Interval Gold®, and we continue to raise the bar by offering consumers and resort clients the broadest array of membership options in the industry.” Marbert adds, “The consistent message was that they (Interval International members) wanted a high-touch experience and a wider variety of travel benefits. We believe we have delivered on those requests, and more.”

Interval Platinum Level Timeshare Exchange Benefits

With all the opportunities of timeshare exchange as a member of Interval International, it’s hard to imagine that the benefits could be even better. Yet a higher tier of member services is exactly what Platinum membership offers, including the opportunity for II members who are enrolled in Interval standard and Gold programs to upgrade to Interval Platinum at any time.

Here’s a closer look at what II Platinum Membership means (some benefits vary by region.):

• Airport Lounge Membership. Complimentary membership in the standard Priority Pass ™program, with access at over 600 airports.
• Companion Airline Certificate. Companion air ticket when members book airline tickets to select cities.
• Complimentary Exchange and Getaway Guest Certificates. Certificates make it easy for you to share the gift of travel with friends and family.
• Getaway Discounts. $50 discounts on already reduced Getaway vacation rentals.
• Hertz #1 Club Gold®. Free membership providing expedited car rentals at more than 1,000 Hertz car rental locations in 23 countries.
• Hotel, Dining, and Leisure Discounts. Over 75,000 premium discounts from Entertainment® through IntervalWorld.com.
• Interval Options®. Options you can exchange for the purchase of a cruise, golf, or spa vacation.
• Platinum Escapes. Emailed invitations for enjoy deeply discounted Getaways.
• Platinum Service. Highly trained advisors to assist with your vacation planning.
• Priority Getaway Access. Priority viewing and booking of Getaway vacation rentals.
• Private Jet Program. Discounts on private charter flights, as well as other Delta flight benefits through Delta Air Elite.
• ShortStay Exchange. The option to exchange weeks or points for short-stay vacations (2-6 night vacations).
• VIP Concierge. – 24/7 personal assistance to assist you with tee times, concert and show tickets, making dinner reservations, and much more.
• Plus all the rewards and benefits Interval International’s Standard and Gold members already enjoy.

The bottom line is simply this: Interval International timeshare exchange is timeshare, and a whole lot more.

TATOC, the European Timeshare Association, has released new information on the growing success of its consumer helpline. In 2011, the helpline has already received over 1400 inbound calls through the month of February along with nearly 250 emails. This marks an increase of 264 call over the same period in 2010.

Harry Taylor, TATOC CEO explains, “The majority of the calls and e-mails received by the helpline were enquiries by consumers looking for advice, support and information which we supply via e-mail or through the website. The subject of re-sales generates most of these enquiries. The remaining calls were complaints but interestingly the statistics show that these were mainly about non-timeshare products such as the sales and marketing techniques by non-timeshare companies and unsolicited cold calling.”

TATOC is a non-profit limited company that works to safe guard and enhance the timeshare experience for owners and prospective timeshare owners. Last year, the association’s hotline (new in 2010) handled a combined total of 9183 inbound calls or emails.

Perhaps the most important takeaway here is that the complaints and concerns tend to focus on the way the product is sold or resold, and not on the timeshare concept itself.

Past The Timeshare Authority news on TATOC’s hotline:

Timeshare Association TATOC Launches Sharetime Online

In February, Visit Orlando released a revised projection for the number of people who vacationed in Central Florida in 2010—a record setting 49.8 million. Based on this number, that’s a 6.9 percent increase over 2009, according to Tourism Economics of Wayne, Pennsylvania.

The original projection for Central Florida tourism in 2010 was 48.7 million vacationers, which would have been a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year, but as Daryl Cronk, director of research at Visit Orlando says, “The good news is the recovery is coming faster than many expected.”

Although a final count for 2010 will not be released until May, speculation is that it will show Orlando tourism on track to become the first US destination to receive 50 million visitors in a single year, perhaps seeing over 51M in all.

Orlando Timeshare Resale and Orlando Timeshare Rental

If you own Orlando timeshare, or timeshare anywhere in the Central Florida area, and you are interested in reselling timeshare or using your property as a timeshare rental, then this comes as good news to you. Florida has more timeshare resorts and more individual timeshare units than does any other destination in the world, and Orlando, Florida specifically, tops the list for the vacation spot with the greatest number of timeshares.

The abundance of timeshare in the Central Florida area means two things to timeshare owners: 1. Orlando, Florida timeshare is a popular destination, and 2. Each Orlando timeshare is competing with many other properties for the attention of potential timeshare buyers or renters.

So what steps can you personally take to help rent or sell your Orlando timeshare, given the good news that tourism is strong in Central Florida? Select a timeshare resales option or timeshare rental service that can provide you high visibility on the internet. When your potential buyer or renter might be located on the other side of the world, you need a marketing outreach that is both effective and global.

The LPGA Tour’s RR Donnelley Founders Cup, played at Wildfire Golf Club at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona is only a week away. Scheduled for March 16-21, the pro-am will take place on Thursday, with the first round of play to commence on Friday March 18.

This exciting LPGA golf event not only features the competitive play of the top names in women’s golf, but just as importantly, this event is played without a purse… with all proceeds going to fund the Girls Golf program supported by the LPGA and the USGA. In 2010, LPGA USGA Girls Golf served more than 6,600 girls in the US.

In addition to helping fund the future of the next generation of women to play the game, this special tournament honors the women who paved the way for women’s professional golf. LPGA Founders Louise Suggs, Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork along with LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame members, Nancy Lopez, Patty Sheehan, Betsy King, and Pat Bradley will make special appearances at the tournament with Bradley, King, Sheehan, and Lopez playing an 18-hole exhibition match on Friday. This unique tournament will enable fans to see today’s stars while also watching some of the legends of the game.

And the following week, when the hospitality tents are gone and the LPGA Tour is headed to its next tour stop, guests and timeshare owners will be other enjoying the same challenging golf course the pros were playing only days before. Marriott Golf manages 59 golf courses at 43 locations, all of which are at or near a Marriott resort or Marriott timeshare. As Claye Atcheson, Vice President, Marriott Golf explains, “The entire team at Marriott Golf, from the property level to corporate, is very excited to showcase our first-class golf courses and resorts to the world, while challenging the game’s best golfers in three high profile championship events. …we are excited to host the new RR Donnelley Founders Cup event at Wildfire, where we expect players and fans alike to have an amazing experience.”

Marriott’s Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge Timeshare Resales

Marriott’s Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge timeshare is adjacent to Desert Ridge Marriott Resort and Spa. These spacious timeshare villas offer two-bedroom units with fully equipped kitchens. In addition to enjoying great golf at the Wildfire Golf Course, timeshare owners who vacation at Canyon Villas often find themselves enjoying the famous Desert Ridge Spa with its nearly 50 special treatment rooms.

On property, there’s also a lap pool, pool with waterfall and a lazy river for relaxing when you come off one of the best resort golf courses in the country.

Previous The Timeshare Authority blogs in this series:

• Marriott Timeshare and Ritz Carlton Timeshare Hosting PGA and LPGA Golf Events
• Ritz Carlton Club Timeshare and Fractionals, Luxury the Affordable Way
• Marriott Timeshare and PGA Tour Golf at Doral Resort

Carnival Cruise Lines has named Bluegreen Corporation, owner of Bluegreen Timeshare, as one of six ‘Funtastic’ travel partners of 2010. Each year, Bluegreen books almost $5M in cruise business for their owner/members. And Bluegreen timeshare owners rank their level of satisfaction with cruise bookings through Bluegreen and Carnival as “high”.

Each year, Carnival selects Funtastic’ partners from each of Carnival’s four US sales territories based on nominations from Carnival’s team of business development managers. Bluegreen Corporation represents Carnival’s Central Region, which has offices based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Selection criteria includes 1. year-over-year growth: 2: improvement in key performance metrics; and 3. overall partnership strength.

Wendy Poe, Senior Vice President of Club Services and Customer Care of Bluegreen Corporation, says, “We are truly honored that the Bluegreen Travel Services team was selected as one of six top travel partners in 2010 by Carnival Cruise Lines. This is a very prestigious award and we look forward to growing our successful relationship with Carnival in 2011.”

Joni Rein, Vice President of Worldwide Sales for Carnival Cruise Lines says, “We congratulate our ‘Funtastic’ travel partners on the many accomplishments they’ve achieved throughout the past year and thank them for their tremendous support. These partners exemplify the reason why so many of us chose to work in the travel industry–to have fun, be successful and help people realize their vacation dreams. We’re inspired by their partnership and by the many valued travel partners we work with every day.”

In 1979, The Osborne Club was established as one of the first English timeshare resorts. Located on five and a half acres within the tranquil gardens of Hesketh Crescent in Torquay, today this elegant English timeshare resort offers 46 one, two, and three bedroom timeshare units.

But The Osborne Club, a mature timeshare, with loads of English charm, is by no means behind the times. This UK timeshare resort just selected Merlin Software for Vacation Ownership to provide software for its resort operations.

As Sarah Smith, resort manager, explains, “As a mature resort our focus is on providing the best possible service to our owners and guests and the software we choose to run our systems will help us with this. From tracking ownerships and running our rental programme to management fee billing and owner reservations, Merlin can support all of our activities. We are delighted that Merlin works with all types of resorts from the newest start ups to mature resorts like the Osborne Club and are very impressed with their professionalism.”

Merlin is the only software available that is intrinsically web-based and served totally over the internet. It is considered to be a state of the art Business Application Software, incorporating modules for sales, marketing and front and back office.

Next week, professional golf heads to one its most popular events at an equally popular resort and timeshare destination, the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami, Florida and Marriott’s Villas at Doral (Miami). Scheduled for March 10-13, the World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship, is one of four World Golf Championships sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours.

Played on the famed Blue Monster at Doral, this par 72/7,266 yard course can be a humbling experience for even the best golfers. Last year’s champion, South African golfer, Ernie Els shot a 270 (-18) to take home the trophy. But let the wind kick up, as it so often does at Doral and you’ll see scores creeping higher, like the 278 with which Tiger Woods won in 2007.

But windy or calm, for both for the pros and for recreational golfers, visits to Doral Resort just keeps getting better. Recent upgrades and amenities in place or soon to be completed at the resort include:

• The new Jim McLean Signature Course.
• Upgrading the Great White and Gold golf courses with TifEagle greens
• Forming a partnership with the PGA Tour’s TPC to rename the Blue Monster: TPC Blue Monster at Doral
• The $5 million renovation of The Spa at Doral
• And the Bossa Nova lobby bar, Latin-inspired steakhouse, featuring a new executive chef

Marriott’s Villas at Doral Timeshare Resales and Timeshare Rental

Marriott’s Villas at Doral timeshares are spacious 2-bedroom, 2-bath timeshare villas, with your choice of golf course or lake view. Villas have dining areas with full kitchens, washers and dryers, and either a private balcony or patio. Marriott’s Villas at Doral timeshare resales offer a truly affordable option for vacation ownership at sunny Florida, year-round destination, where the golf is always outstanding and the nearby nightlife of Miami Beach is legendary. Now throw in the beautiful beaches of south Florida and you have a vacation destination that is perfect by almost everyone’s standards.

Marriot Golf and Marriott Timeshare

This is the second great golf/great Marriott timeshare combination we’ve looked at this week, and we still have one more to go with the LPGA’s RR Donnelley Founders Cup, taking place March 16-21 at Wildfire Golf Club at the beautiful JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona.

Follow these links to read the first two posts in this series on Marriot Golf and Marriott Timeshare:

• Ritz Carlton Club Timeshare and Fractionals, Luxury the Affordable Way
• Marriott Timeshare and Ritz Carlton Timeshare Hosting PGA and LPGA Golf Events

With spring unfolding across the South, you know it is almost time for the 64th Annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens in the garden. Last week, Bluegreen Corporation issued a reminder about how very convenient it is to stay in the Charleston, South Carolina Bluegreen timeshare resort, The Lodge Alley Inn, while you attend the festival.

Running from March 17 through April 16, Charleston’s Annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens gives visitors the opportunity to explore Charleston’s charming architecture, gardens, history and culture, while staying within walking distance at The Lodge Alley Inn.

Bluegreen Timeshare’s Lodge Alley Inn gives timeshare owners and guests a chance to enjoy a collection of 18th century warehouses that have been restored as modern, comfortable timeshare villas with lots of charm.

Selected by the Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 Event, the Annual Spring Festival of Houses and Gardens includes private tours of private homes and gardens in Charleston’s historic neighborhoods, along with an oyster roast, antique show, period music concerts, boat cruises and wine tastings. Additional features this year will include Harbor tours, Plantation tours, and the Luncheon Lecture Series offering three-course meal menus, book signings and presentations by Charleston authors and historians. As Gregory L. Overmier, General Manager of The Lodge Alley Inn explains, “We here at Bluegreen welcome visitors who attend the festival each year. The Lodge Alley Inn boasts a prime location that makes walking to the festival convenient and enjoyable.”

Lodge Alley Inn Timeshare Resales and Timeshare Rentals

Vacationing at this popular South Carolina timeshare resort affords you the chance to step back in time with an authentic Charleston experience. Lodge Alley Inn timeshares feature reproduction eighteenth century furnishings, fireplaces, full kitchens in many units, Jacuzzi tubs, and a lovely, shared open-air courtyard. While you are there, you’ll enjoy the High Cotton Restaurant and Lounge, a complimentary afternoon sherry as well as complimentary evening turndown service.

And since you may not want to spend all your time touring and browsing, don’t forget to pack your tennis gear when you visit Charleston, the town the United States Tennis Association (USTA) named as the 2010 Best Tennis Town in America.

Learn more about the festival at The Historic Charleston Foundation.