Hospitality and Timeshare Industry Stepping Up to Help Haiti

Today’s edition of The Timeshare Authority is Part II of a special blog post on some of the Haitian relief efforts within the hospitality, timeshare, and hotel industries; it includes information about ways you can get involved in the relief efforts, too.

Part II of II

Haitian relief efforts from those in the hotel and timeshare industry are taking many forms (See Part I: Hospitality and Timeshare Industry Stepping Up to Help Haiti). One simple, but valued effort is underway from some Florida hotels, where soap is being sanitized for reuse. Hotel Biba in West Palm Beach, Jupiter’s Ritz-Carlton, and the Breakers in Palm Beach, are among hotels collecting hundreds of pounds of used soap to be sanitized and redistributed in Haiti. Through “Clean the World,” an aid group that collects and sanitizes used bars of hotel soap, the Breakers is expected to donate nearly 1,500 pounds of used soap this month alone. Other hotels known to participate include these resorts in the Tampa and St. Petersburg area: Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, Shepard’s Beach Resort, the Holiday Inn Beach Resort & Suites and Sandpearl Resort.

Here’s a look at what other hotels and timeshares are doing to help:

Rosen Hotels & Resorts

Orlando-based Rosen Hotels and Resorts has teamed up with the First Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando, the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, Tekontrol, the Consulate of Haiti in Orlando, and the offices of two Florida Senators, to raise $1 million in Haitian relief money. Checks can be made to the Harris Rosen Foundation, memo: Haiti Relief, and mailed to 9840 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819.

Choice Hotels

Members of Choice Hotels loyalty programs can donate to the American Red Cross (as well as two other worthwhile organizations that are not involved in Haiti relief) by clicking here: ChoicePrivileges. 1,000 Choice Hotel points equals $5; 2,000 points equals $10; 3,000 equals $15; 4,000 points equals $20; and 5,000 points equals $25. You can also learn more about donating Choice Hotel points by calling: 888-770-6800.

Choice had recently announced plans to build two hotels in Jacmel, Haiti, becoming the first major hotelier to expand there in many years.

Hilton Hotels and Hilton Timeshare

Hilton HHonors members can donate their points. For every 10,000 points donated, Hilton will send $25 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. You must specify “Haiti Relief Efforts” on your donations. To donate to the General International Federation of Red Cross Fund, mark your donation as “IRFCDR.” To target your donation specifically for Haiti, use the code “RDCRHT.” You can email your request to: [email protected] or go to: Donate Your HHonors Points.

Wyndham Hotels and Wyndham Timeshare

A Wyndham Rewards donation of 5,500 points equals $25; 10,500 points equals $50; and 20,500 points equals $100. Wyndham’s program offers some 100 charities from which to choose for making your donation. The Wyndham Montréal Airport hotel is serving as a staging area for some of the first victims arriving into Canada from Haiti.

Additional Helpful Information about Haitian Relief

• The UN World Tourism Organization has offered its support to revive tourism in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. The Travel Mole blog reports that the UN has said it will, “collaborate in the assessment of the damage caused, especially in the tourism sector.”
• Members of TUG are posting on the Timeshare User Group bulletin board about ways to assist with Haitian relief.
• Danielle, who writes for ExtraordinaryMommy.com, has compiled an excellent list of resources for information about helping the people of Haiti. Her post includes links to The American Red Cross, Unicef, Care and other credible relief efforts.

Important to remember: donations of loyalty points are typically not tax deductible (consult your tax preparer or tax advisor). Also, do not confuse loyalty points with timeshare exchange points or timeshare ownership points. While there is overlap in some programs, typically these are not considered the same by most hotel and timeshare companies. Consult your resort for clarification.

Loyalty programs of many types, from restaurants, to airlines, to your favorite movie theater, frequently allow you to redeem your points in the form of a charitable donation. Contact these programs directly to learn more.