It may only be Oktoberfest but first snow has started falling in the ski resort destination of Breckenridge, Colorado. Although it wasn’t enough snowfall on the still-warm earth to accumulate, it serves to remind us that ski season at Breckenridge is just around the corner.

Whether you go for the great powder on the slopes or to sit by the fireside and sip a hot drink, Breckenridge timeshares put you in the heart of Rocky Mountain ski country. And the nice thing about Breckenridge timeshares is that you can enjoy a great ski vacation in the winter months, or go for the hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor activities of spring and summer.

Wherever you are this busy Monday, take a mini-vacation right now. Grab your coffee mug or tea cup, sit back, and watch this video of the first snowfall of the 2011-2012 ski season in Breckenridge, Colorado. Listen to the peaceful silence it brings to the mountainside, and then promise yourself and your family that you will carve out time this year to savor the winter majesty of Breckenridge firsthand.

Among  the many excellent options for a Breckenridge timeshare ski vacation are: Grand Lodge on Peak 7 Rentals; Grand Lodge on Peak 7 Resales; Grand Timber Lodge Rentals and Grand Timber Lodge Resales.

This week the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) announced its support for the Florida Timeshare Resale Accountability Act of 2012.

This proposed legislation was presented by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and drew support from both ARDA and the AARP.

Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, explains, “ARDA and the ARDA Resort Owners’ Coalition (ARDA-ROC)  have long been concerned by the growing number of fraudulent companies tainting the timeshare secondary market and have worked together to provide consumers with reliable resale information. We salute General Bondi for tackling this important issue.”

The Impact of Florida Timeshare

Calling Florida a bellwether state for timeshare regulatory standards, ARDA says that if passed, the proposed timeshare resale act will protect consumers and promote an ethical and effective secondary market for timeshare resales.

ARDA points out that the proposed timeshare resale and timeshare transfer regulation will:

• Require timeshare resale companies to disclose the terms and conditions of services being offered.
• Provide a reasonable rescission period.
• Provide for the regulation of timeshare transfer and rescue companies.
• And will provide for penalties for companies that engage in misleading and fraudulent practices.

ARDA deserves much credit for the accountability it has helped promote in the timeshare industry. Additionally, the timeshare Model Resale Act developed by ARDA, which provides guidelines on selecting a timeshare resale services company and consumer advisories to caution owners about specific predatory business practices, no doubt helped inspire parts of the  new direction proposed by Florida’s Attorney General.

Efforts by ARDA and industry leaders to address the inconsistencies in the secondary marketplace include the development of the Model Resale Act, guidelines for selecting a resale services company and consumer advisories

For more information, visit http://www.arda-roc.org/resales. More from The Timeshare Authority here: Important Timeshare Resale Industry Legislative Changes in Florida

According to recent research conducted by Ernst & Young, nearly half of all timeshare buyers have rented timeshare first.

This makes sense. What better way to come to understand the timeshare product than to experience it firsthand, in a relaxing vacation environment? When you rent timeshare you don’t have to attend a timeshare sales pitch; you simply enjoy the resort the way you like to vacation.

The American Resort Development Association (ARDA), acknowledges the growing interest in timeshare rentals. ARDA created its VacationBetter.org website to help highlight the fun and the need to vacation regularly, whether you do it as a timeshare owner or a timeshare renter.

ARDA President and CEO, Howard Nusbaum says, “We developed VacationBetter.org as a resource to help consumers learn about the value of taking regular vacations and to share why vacation with timeshare is a better vacation. We encourage people who enjoy vacation, want to get more ‘bang for their buck’ and have the comforts of home to visit the site.”

Enjoying Timeshare Rentals

Timeshare rental vacations are easy to plan and easy to enjoy. They make it affordable for large families, along with anyone seeking the comforts of home, to vacation in spacious accommodations at affordable rates.

Skip the cost of dining out for every vacation meal. Enjoy the equipped kitchens and dining areas in your timeshare unit that make it easy and affordable to eat what you like, when you like, including those midnight raids on the refrigerator.

Pack lighter. Lug less luggage along on your trip and save the money you would have paid for extra baggage on an airline. Simply throw those swimsuits and kids clothes in the in-room (or in some cases on-property) washer and dryer and be ready to go again tomorrow.

Your Best Resources for Timeshare Rentals and Information

Before you commit to another family vacation with everyone cramped in the same room, sharing one bath and one remote control  for the television, you should seriously consider the affordable prices on spacious, well-equipped timeshare  and condo rentals.

Learn more about better vacation options at ARDA’s consumer website at http://www.VacationBetter.org.

And visit Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services for the very best deals on timeshare rentals or to speak with a timeshare rental specialist to help you get started.

RCI, the worldwide leader in timeshare exchange, has awarded VSA Resort’s three properties, Ocean Key, Ocean Sands and the Atrium the prestigious Silver Crown award.

According to RCI, “Resorts that provide outstanding vacation experiences for RCI exchange guests receive the RCI Silver Crown Resort award. Each resort receiving this distinguished designation has met quality and service standards.

Selection is based on ratings from RCI Subscribing Member Comment Cards submitted by members after their vacations. Resorts receiving the RCI Silver Crown Resort award have demonstrated a consistent, impressive record of satisfying RCI guests and have met the standards in each of the five categories of evaluations. Comment card data in each of these categories is compiled over a 12-month period for each affiliated resort to determine eligibility for this award.”

The comment card criteria includes Check-in/Check-out experience, Hospitality, Resort Maintenance, Unit Maintenance and Unit Housekeeping. The award represents an elite status within RCI as only 13 percent of over 6,000 resorts achieve the Silver Crown designation.

Monday, October 4, 2011, the State of Florida made a very positive and significant timeshare industry announcement. We at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services wholeheartedly embrace and support the plan that the resale industry will be more strictly regulated.

In striving to make the timeshare industry, and timeshare resales, specifically a safer, more transparent, and better regulated service for consumers, the Attorney General of Florida, Pam Bondi, has put forth a plan that will result in new legislation in place in Florida, regarding Florida timeshare resales.  The final iteration of the proposed legislation is expected to be in place in 2012.

While no company jumps at the idea it may be dealing with additional demands of compliance with new governmental regulations, Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services have always led the way in providing safe, structured timeshare resale opportunities that support and protect the interest of timeshare buyers, renters, and timeshare sellers.

Beneficial changes, such as these discussed in Florida,  are necessary to the health of the resale market and resales process and are great news for timeshare owners and the timeshare industry.

If you are planning an Orlando timeshare vacation between now and Halloween, here’s a partial list of activities you will want to check out:

Universal Studios celebrates Halloween Horror Nights on select evenings, starting Sept 23 through October 31. Now an Orlando tradition for twenty-one years, Halloween Horror Nights is not for the faint at heart. Expect, a labyrinth of bloodcurdling chills in haunted house, scare zones and live shows, designed to haunt your long after Halloween is past.

Should your family prefer a tamer taste of Halloween fun, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party is celebrated on select nights between September 13 and November 1. The “not-so-scary” festivities include Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade and the bewitching Happy HalloWishes fireworks show.

The Central Florida Zoo is offering the Zoo Boo Bash on October 22, 23, 29, and 30. Zoo visitors are invited to come in costume or get your face painted at the park. The Zoo Boo Bash is another family-friendly way to enjoy your Orlando timeshare vacation, without missing out on the season fun of Halloween.

And of course, for Halloween, even Shamu gets in the act. Every weekend in October children at SeaWorld can enjoy the underwater “fantasea” which includes trick-or-treat, both silly and spooky shows, sea-themed arts and crafts, or dance with whimsical sea creatures.

The American Resort Development Association of Hawaii (ARDA-Hawaii) has launched if first annual Timeshare with Aloha Awards.

Seeking to find the most outstanding Hawaii timeshare and resort industry employee from each of the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui and Oahu, ARDA-Hawaii is accepting nominees now through October 31, 2011.

The goal of this contest is to find those Hawaii timeshare employees who exemplify service and excellence as part of the thriving Hawaii timeshare industry. Candidates will be judged on their dedication in the workplace, relationship with coworkers, extraordinary customer service, and community volunteerism.

ARDA-Hawaii Chair Daniel Dinell, Regional Vice President of Sales & Marketing Programs at Hilton Grand Vacations, explains, “We want to recognize those who make Hawaii such a special place to visit, beyond what we have to offer in terms of sand, sun and surf. By truly embodying and living the aloha spirit in what they do each day, contenders for the Timeshare with Aloha Award create an unforgettable experience for visitors to our islands.”

There is no application fee to nominate a Hawaii timeshare  industry employee and nominations may be made either by companies or by individuals. A narrative of fewer than 250 words should accompany each nomination application, explaining why this nominee should be considered.

Nomination forms are available at http://www.arda.org/alohaawards or by contacting timeshare@brightlightmarketing.com.

Each of the winners will receive a two-night stay at a Hawaii timeshare resort and $1,000 in cash.

ARDA-Hawaii

A lot has changed in the 40 years since Disney first launched its Disney World theme park in Orlando. In October of 1971, Disney World opened for business with only 26 attractions and one park, the Magic Kingdom.

Back then, there were two Disney hotel properties and of course, no Disney Vacation Club for Disney timeshare. Disney moved into timeshares with the 1991 opening of its Old Key West Resort.

Today the Walt Disney World Resort features Epcot (added in 1982) and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (both added in 1989). Other popular attractions at Disney World include Typhoon Lagoon; Blizzard Beach; Downtown Disney; Disney’s BoardWalk; Disney’s Wedding Pavilion; the ESPN Wide World of Sports; and the Walt Disney World Speedway, not to mention the excitement surrounding Disney’s recent announcement of the addition of an attraction based on the movie, “Avatar”.

There are also more than thirty resorts located on the Disney property, with some 27,000 hotel rooms. Disney’s newest major hotel, the Art of Animation Resort, is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2012.

As one of the most visited vacation destinations in North America, millions of people have a special Disney World memory they recall, whether it’s from a family vacation, class trip, honeymoon or anniversary celebration. This year, as Disney World turns 40, isn’t it time you and your family experienced Disney magic all over again, enjoying a new adventure and making new memories?

Learn more about the opportunities in Orlando timeshare resales and rentals.

In the September issue of The Resort Trades, Jason Tremblay shares interesting insights on how a changing internet affects the timeshare industry and contributes to a healthier, more transparent relationship between the industry and the timeshare owner.

Here are interesting excerpts from “Google Panda puts the emphasis on user-driver technology” reprinted with the permission of The Resort Trades.

From customized apps to integrated software, there is a lot going on in technology that makes it easier for the vacation ownership industry to deliver faster and more effective services to its clients, improving the timeshare ownership, fractional or rental experience. Yet one of the most far-reaching  and substantial changes for the industry, the timeshare consumer, and web users as a whole, has occurred, not with the release of a new app or software management system, but through the most recent changes Google has made to the algorithms that direct search engine results in response to user queries.

With implementation beginning as early as February and continuing through major adjustments made in July of this year, Google changed much of the methodology it has used in the past for ranking websites. The rollout of the new search engine strategy is being called, “Google Panda,” presumably in tribute to Google software engineer, Navneet Panda.

The goal of Panda was to improve Google’s effectiveness in returning to the web user, search results that focus on high quality websites with well-founded content. While the changes have shaken up search engine results for many websites, the rationale behind Google Panda is one that should ultimately benefit both businesses working to keep their websites and blogs high in the search engine rankings and timeshare buyers, renters and sellers seeking reliable, quality information about vacation ownership.

…This user-centered approach speaks to the heart and soul of new media. It is one more way that business is no longer be driven by ad campaigns built by agencies in ivory towers but instead, in the way that it always should have been, by consumers themselves.

You can find this article in its entirety in the September issue of The Resort Trades magazine and online at http://www.resorttrades.com