After a long hot summer of economic turbulence and a long hard week in which the eastern seaboard, from the Caribbean to Canada, has dealt with earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding, this Labor Day weekend holiday comes as a welcome respite to many.

As we head into this last traditional weekend of summer, it’s a good time to look at the top timeshare resales and top timeshare rentals in demand with consumers. These resorts that made this list are timeshares that consumers have made popular with their offers to buy or rent as timeshare resales here at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services.

HOT 100 Timeshare Resales and HOT 100 Timeshare Rentals

Download your free copy of the Hot 100 Timeshare Resales Report

Download your free copy of the Hot 100 Timeshare Rentals Report

Who made the top 10 on the Hot 100 Timeshare Resales Report?

1. WorldMark by Wyndham – Multi-Destination
2. Grandview at Las Vegas - Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club –  Maui Hawaii
4. Paradise Village Beach Resort & Spa - Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
5. Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas – Maui, Hawaii
6. Marriott’s Grande Vista – Orlando, Florida
7. Manhattan Club - Manhattan, New York
8. Ocean Beach Club – Virginia Beach,  Virginia
9. Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club – Oahu, Hawaii
10. Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort- Orlando, Florida

Click the image to download the report.

Who made the top 10 on the Hot 100 Timeshare Rentals Report?

1. Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club – Palm Beach, Aruba
2. Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club - Oahu, Hawaii
3. Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas – Maui, Hawaii
4. Harborside Resort at Atlantis – Nassau, Bahamas
5. Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas – Newport Coast, California
6. Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club –  Maui Hawaii
7. Marriott’s Ocean Watch Villas at Grande Dunes – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
8. Manhattan Club - Manhattan, New York
9. Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake’s West Village – Orlando, Florida
10. Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort- Orlando, Florida

Click the image to download the report

Over the next few days we will look at these resorts and I’ll share more information with you about the current trends we are seeing in timeshare resales and rentals.

The Convention & Visitors Bureau of Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast is getting the word out to travelers that the hotels and North Carolina timeshares are open for business and ready to welcome Labor Day vacationers.

Wilmington, North Carolina’s Historic River District & the Island Beaches of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach are all back in business.

Kim Hufham, President/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority, explains, “We are very fortunate that Wilmington, North Carolina and the island beaches of Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville escaped the worst of Hurricane Irene, the eye of which passed offshore on Saturday after it was downgraded to a Category 1. Our destination experienced only minimal damage from tropical storm conditions. Recovery crews went to work immediately and, in a matter of only a few hours, the beach bridges were open, our roads were clear, and the majority of our hotels and attractions were ready to welcome visitors.”

SPM Resort Management timeshares has done an excellent job of keeping timeshare owners and guests updated about the status of its coastal North Carolina timeshare resorts.

As of August 29, 2011, SPM Resorts North Carolina updates include:

The Ocean Club on Smuggler’s Beach is open to timeshare owners and guests.

The Outer Banks Beach Clubs I & II are open however, phone lines at the resort are out. To contact them email Sherri Calvert or call the SPM Resorts corporate office at (843) 238-5000.

A Place at the Beach at Atlantic Beach is open to timeshare owners and guests.

Barrier Island Station-Duck and Ocean Pines resorts are scheduled to open on Wednesday, August 31. For more information call (843) 238-5000.

Special Monday Afternoon edition of The Timeshare Authority Blog

For anyone considering attending the Fractional Summit USA 2011 in Miami this week, don’t let Hurricane Irene’s disruption interfere with your plans!

The event organizers have announced that they will make tickets to the Fractional Summit USA available at the door at no extra cost. Your registration can be as simple as emailing info@fractionalsummitusa.com to let them know you’re planning to attend.

Make the trip; lack of preplanning doesn’t have to stop you from being part of the informational sessions and powerful networking opportunities that are inherent in the Fractional Summit USA.

Miami was unaffected by Hurricane Irene. I am headed there myself, and I invite you to join in; this is a fractional and timeshare industry event you do not want to miss. But you have to act now because the conference gets started tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30 and runs through Wednesday, August 31 at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami.

Follow this link for full conference information about the Fractional Summit USA

Countries that will have delegate representation at the Fractional Summit USA include: Brazil, Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, St Lucia, Mexico, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, United States, Europe and more.What about you??

Be part of the Fractional Summit USA 2011!

Here is a list of various updates and information available at this time:

Timeshare and Hotel News

Coastal North Carolina timeshares with updated information include:

A Place at the Beach resort in Atlantic Beach, which is open to owners and guests. Contact them at (252) 247-0906.

Barrier Island Station-Duck and Ocean Pines resorts remain closed to owners and guests at this time. The staff is onsite assessing the properties and making any necessary repairs. These resorts both anticipate being open for check-ins by Wednesday, August 31 at noon. Call the SPM Resorts corporate office with any questions at (843) 238-5000.

Outer Banks Beach Clubs I & II are still cleaning up from the storm. The resort hopes to be back up and running by Tuesday, August 30 at noon. The power and phone lines are out at the main office, so if you have any questions, please call the SPM Resorts corporate office at (843) 238-5000.

The Ocean Club on Smuggler’s Beach is open to owners and guests. Should you have any questions regarding this resort, contact them at (508) 398-6955.

In New York City, most guests or timeshare owners at West 57th Street by Hilton Club and The Hilton Club left the city prior to Hurricane Irene reaching the area. Hilton Vacation Club is instructing club members with upcoming August reservations to contact a Club Counselor if they need to arrange cancellation details.

Marriott Hotels and Marriott Vacation Club International announced that its properties along the Eastern Seaboard prepared for the storm, except in areas where evacuation was ordered, in which case, Marriott complied. Marriott posted notice on its website stating that generally, cancellation fees were being waived “for guests holding confirmed reservations at the hotels that are or will be affected by the storm. However, hotels reserve the right to make this decision on a case-by-case basis.”

Travel News

AirTran, American, Continental, US Airways, United, Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest have suspended ticket-change fees for passengers scheduled to fly to or from many cities along the East Coast over the weekend and early next week.

If your travel plans involve any form of public transportation, use of ferries, bridges, toll roads, tunnels, etc. along the eastern seaboard and south into Virginia and North Carolina, assume you should call first to confirm that the systems are operable and travel routes are open.

Above all else … remember to call ahead before you travel and be patient with the weary individuals on the other end of the line, knowing they are likely serving many callers and answering endless numbers of questions.

Last week, popular timeshare company Orange Lake Resorts and its branding partner, Holiday Inn Club Vacations® announced the addition of two new properties to their family of resorts. (See: Holiday Inn Club Vacation Timeshare Expanding)

Here’s a closer look at what each of these resorts has to offer and what they mean for member/owners at Holiday Inn Club Vacations.

New Orange Lake Las Vegas Timeshare Destination

The Las Vegas Desert Club in Las Vegas (formerly a part of Summer Bay Resorts) gives Orange Lake timeshares it first Las Vegas vacation destination and first destination in the western part of the US. Located just off the Las Vegas Strip, the Las Vegas Desert Club features 5 pools, 5 Jacuzzis, premier concierge service and a complimentary shuttle to many of the most popular locations along The Strip.

This three-story resort includes 648 one-and two-bedroom timeshare units. Other on-property amenities include a new, state-of-the-art clubhouse, a convenience store, fitness center, restaurant, bar, putting green and more.

As the folks at Orange Lake Resorts say, they have, “headed west!” with this addition to their resort destinations that already included Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; Panama City, and Orlando, Florida;  Brownsville, Vermont;  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

New Orange Lake Marco Island, Florida Timeshare Destination

With the acquisition of the Sunset Cove timeshare in Marco Island, Florida, Orange Lake Resorts now has a south Florida resort on the Gulf of Mexico. This beautiful property includes 36 three-bedroom/ 2 bath timeshare villas and is located on the Rio waterway in the City Center, Marco Island’s new entertainment, shopping and dining district.

Each timeshare unit ranges from 1,667 to 1,900 square feet and includes views of either the Gulf of Mexico or the Bay. Amenities include a pool with sundeck, a bar and promenade area, boat dock and a fitness center. This property is part of RCI’s distinguished Registry Collection® program and Orange Lake Resorts will be bringing all Sunset Cove units into its upscale “Signature Collection.”

Any way you look at it, it looks like Orange Lake Resorts and the Holiday Inn Vacation Club just keep getting better and better.

The big news in timeshare today is that vacation resort developer Orange Lake Resorts is expanding both to the Gulf Coast beaches of Marco Island, Florida and to the bright lights and glitter of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Joining the Holiday Inn Club Vacations® brand of Orange Lake Resorts will be the Sunset Cove Resort at Marco Island and the Desert Club Resort, which is located just one block off the Las Vegas Strip. Although both resorts have been part of the Summer Bay Resorts network, other properties under the Summer Bay timeshare brand will not be involved in this acquisition.

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) operates the following hotel brands: InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

In September 2008, Holiday Inn Club Vacations was created through a strategic alliance between IHG and Orange Lake Resorts, an established leader in vacation ownership. Currently other Orange Lake Resorts timeshares include: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; Panama City, Florida; Brownsville, Vermont; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee along with Orange Lake’s flagship property in Orlando, Florida, near the vacation destination attractions of the Walt Disney World Resort.

Holiday Inn Vacation Club members enjoy access to Holiday Inn Club Vacations resorts and IHG’s network of more than 4,400 hotels worldwide.

Related News from The Timeshare Authority Blog:

Timeshare CEO of Orange Lakes to become new ARDA Chairman

Another Timeshare Company Honored as a Great Place to Work

Holiday Inn Timeshares Not Slowing Down in this Economy

Another Major Hotelier Entering the Timeshare Resort Industry

Find Hurricane Irene updates here: National Hurricane Center

In a summer marked by economic ups and downs, getting away on vacation this year hasn’t been easy for many people. So if your vacation included this week or this weekend in the Caribbean or along the eastern seaboard, you are no doubt concerned (or maybe backing out all together) because of Hurricane Irene.

Will Hurricane Irene Change Your Timeshare Vacation Plans?

As much as we all look forward to vacation time, don’t put your own or your family’s safety at risk. If you are told to evacuate an area, or even just urged to evacuate, do it. Hurricanes are fraught with uncertainties, and your interests are always best served by erring on the side of conservative action.

Your Timeshare, After the Storm

If you have a timeshare vacation scheduled in the days or weeks after an area has been hit by a hurricane, don’t assume that because the storm is gone, everything is back to normal. Call before you make your trip.

Even if your property is safe, inconveniences such as downed power lines, lack of safe drinking water, or closed roads in the area of your timeshare can make your trip unpleasant. Also, some properties may be accessed for local use as an emergency shelter and not available to timeshare guests and timeshare owners. Two phone calls on your part can answer a lot of questions; make one call to your resort and one call to the area Chamber of Commerce, Red Cross, or even the local Sheriff’s Department. Ask if roads are open and travel is safe.

Timeshare Hurricane Policies

Hurricane policies vary from one timeshare resort to another and may even vary somewhat based on individual circumstances. Check with your timeshare management company or the resort itself to answer any questions you may have about changes to your timeshare vacation plans because of a natural disaster.

Most timeshare resorts work hard to accommodate their member/owners during and after a weather disaster. Resorts will typically help you in all the ways they can. Assume that if the resort could possibly be open, it would be. After all, they want you to get your vacation time in as much as you do. But remember, inasmuch as the storm is not your fault, it is not the fault of the timeshare resort either. Don’t expect the resort to cover your out of pocket expenses for air travel and other related vacation costs, that is what travel and vacation insurance is for.

Below is an example of one timeshare company’s hurricane policy: the Disney Vacation Club.

Disney Vacation Club Hurricane Policy Statement

From June 1 to November 30, 2011, in the event a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island or for the Member’s place of residence within 7 days before the scheduled arrival date, the Member may call Member Services prior to check-in to cancel or reschedule, based upon availability, their Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation without any cancellation or modification penalty.

Note: This policy pertains to hurricane warnings only. Other weather advisory levels are handled on a case-by-case basis and Members should contact Member Services.

Q  & A about Disney Timeshare Hurricane Policy

Q. When does this temporary policy become effective?

A. The temporary policy is effective in the event a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center no more than 7 days before your scheduled arrival date for the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island or for the Member’s place of residence.

Q. What can I do if a hurricane warning is issued?

A. If a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area, Vero Beach area, Hilton Head Island or for the Member’s place of residence no more than 7 days before your scheduled arrival date, you may call Member Services in advance to modify, based on availability, or cancel your Disney Vacation Club Resort reservation without any cancellation or modification penalty.

If you are to be staying on a Member Getaway and a hurricane warning is issued for that destination, please contact Member Services.

Q. Will I be responsible for any cancellation or modification penalties or other amounts?

A. If you have products and services provided by third party suppliers that were not obtained through Member Services, such as airlines, hotels, car rental agencies or vacation insurance companies, you will continue to be responsible for any non-refundable payments, as well as cancellation penalties or change fees assessed by those suppliers. The policy does not apply to certain special events or dining experiences (e.g. Member cruise).

Q. What if I prefer to reschedule my vacation to a different date because of a hurricane warning? Will I be able to get my same accommodations?

A. If you are scheduled to arrive within seven (7) days of the hurricane warning, you may call Member Services prior to check-in to reschedule, based upon availability, without penalty. We cannot guarantee availability of similar accommodations for the new travel dates. The policy does not apply to certain special events and dining experiences.

Jason Tremblay of Sell My Timeshare NOW will be a guest panelist at next week’s Fractional Summit USA 2011 conference.

The conference will be held at the InterContinental Hotel in Miami, Florida and is organized by Fractional Life, the number one consumer lifestyle brand dedicated to growing the fractional ownership marketplace. Dr. Jim Taylor of the Harrison Group, the author of Selling to the New Elite, will be among the featured speakers. He will present recent findings from American Express Publishing’s leading research on affluence and wealth in America, focusing on recent trends in real estate and fractional ownership. Jason Tremblay will be speaking on a conference panel covering fractional exchange, resales and rentals. Other panel members include representatives from RCI and LaTour Hotels and Resorts.

Second Year for the Fractional Conference in the US

In 2010, the Fractional Summit Conference was hosted in the USA for the first time and was highly successful for both attendees and sponsors. As Piers Brown, Founder of Fractional Life, explains, “Fractional real estate now operates in a completely new market paradigm where many of the ‘old rules’ no longer apply. Our US conference is an event which our delegates, speakers and sponsors can be truly proud of.”

Follow this link to read the Sell My Timeshare NOW media release about the Fractional Summit USA and be sure to follow us on @jasontremblay_ and @vacationhotdeal on Twitter and Sell My Timeshare NOW on Facebook, where we will be updating you during the conference.

In a joint venture project between Marriott’s Courtyard and Residence Inn brands, Marriott has announced plans to build New York City’s tallest standalone hotel.

To be located at 1717 Broadway at 54th Street, the hotel will be over 752 feet tall and will become the tallest standalone hotel building (meaning a hotel that does not also contain office or residential space) in New York City. The building is planned to include only Marriott accommodations and amenities, restaurants and shopping.

The property does not call for any Marriott Vacation Club timeshares, a separate company under the Marriott brand. It will include some 378 Courtyard by Marriott hotel rooms on floors 6 through 32 and another 261 Residence Inn by Marriott suites on floors 36 through 64. Additionally there will be floors designated to amenities such as exercise areas, lounges and business centers for each of the two Marriott brands.

New York City Timeshare

Competitive properties for both overnight and extended stays in New York City include urban timeshare at the Manhattan Club, Hilton Club New York, and the Hilton Grand Vacations Club, West 57^th Street.

Currently the new Marriott Courtyard and Residence Inn Manhattan/Central Park is scheduled to open late in 2013.

ARDA Hawaii, (American Resort Development Association) has awarded two Maui students Steve Hirano Memorial Scholarship Awards of $1,000 each. Bronson Maulupe-Kanae and Chassidy Sakamoto are both Travel Industry Management students at Hawaii Pacific University.

Daniel Dinell, Regional Vice President of Sales & Marketing Programs for Hilton Grand Vacations Club’s Asia/Pacific region and ARDA Hawaii Chair, said, “Bronson and Chassidy exemplify the kind of driven and ardent students and young professionals Hawaii needs in timeshare and travel industry management. The generosity of the donors and sponsors who support the scholarship fund make it possible for us to continue helping students pursuing careers in our state’s most prominent industry.”

Each year ARDA Hawaii raises money for the scholarships through its annual golf tournament, which helps underwrite the Steve Hirano Memorial Scholarship fund. Hirano was a long-time supporter of the Hawaii timeshare industry. Over the past 7 years, the program has raised more than $70,000 for the scholarship fund.

About the Student Winners of the ARDA Timeshare Association Scholarship

To be considered for this scholarship award, student must be enrolled as fulltime students at the TIM (Travel Industry Management) program at HPU; be either a Junior or Senior class member and have a minimum GPA of 3.2.

Bronson Maulupe-Kanae, of Kahului, is a 2009 graduate of Maui High School. He is scheduled to graduate from HPU with a bachelor’s degree in spring 2013. Chassidy Sakamoto is a 2010 graduate of H.P. Baldwin High School, a resident of Kahului, and is scheduled to graduate from HPU in the spring of 2014.