Are you missing NBA basketball? Or just excited for the start of college hoops?

How does the idea of basketball in paradise strike you? That is exactly what’s happening next week as eight of college basketball’s most distinguished teams square off for the Battle 4 Atlantis College Basketball Tournament, at the amazing Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas.

If you are a sports fan, you need to be there; the pairing of the Bahamas and basketball is just too good to pass up.

Scheduled for November 23-27, Thanksgiving week, each of the 8 teams will play in 3 games over 3 days, giving you a chance to see your favorite teams in a total of twelve, Division I collegiate battles.

Contested in the 50,000 square foot Imperial Ballroom, (converted for the event), you’ll see the men’s basketball teams for:

• University of Connecticut, the 2011 NCAA Champions
• Harvard
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• College of Charleston
• University of Central Florida
• Florida State University
• University of North Carolina Ashville
• University of Utah

The Harborside Resort Caribbean Timeshare

And when you’re not cheering on your team, you’ll be at one of the most luxurious, and entertainment-packed venues in the world, the famous Atlantis Resort.

Located in Nassau, Bahamas, the Atlantis Resort is renowned for its excellent spa, casino and a 34-acre waterscape complete with eleven pools. Now, and throughout the year, you will find great deals on Atlantis Resort timeshares, including the popular, Harborside Resort.

Imagine a Harborside Resort timeshare rental –already a great price–and sharing the cost of the spacious accommodations with your friends? Or a great deal on a Harborside Resort timeshare resale, so that you can come back year after year?

Now imagine spending Thanksgiving Day on the beach in Nassau, poolside at the resort, and in the stands cheering on your team … that has all the makings of a Thanksgiving to truly be thankful for and we can help you make it happen.

The addition of new air service from San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Luis Munoz Marin Airport (SJU) has made getting to the beautiful Caribbean timeshare resorts of St. Maarten easier than ever.

New daily direct JetBlue Airways service to Princess Juliana Airport (SXM) in St. Maarten begins today. David Clarke, director of route planni3ng for the airlines, says, “Puerto Rico has become a very strategic and important market for us; this new route to St. Maarten is a natural add. We’re pleased with how the community has responded with a great welcoming and a lot of support.”

The short (under an hour), new direct service from San Juan is scheduled to arrive once daily into St. Maarten at 2:56 PM. It provides convenient connections from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK); Orlando International Airport (MCO); Bradley International Airport (BDL); Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS); Hartford Tampa International Airport (TPA); Jacksonville International Airport (JAX); and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

“We are very excited about the launch of new daily flights from San Juan as it augments our existing non-stop JetBlue service from New York and Boston and allows travelers from other JetBlue gateways throughout the U.S. to connect to ‘the friendly island’ more conveniently,” says Honorable Franklin Meyers, Minister of Economic Affairs, Tourism, Transportation and Telecommunications.

Easier Access to Caribbean Timeshare Vacations with JetBlue’s Beachy Keen Week-Long Celebration

The new service becomes JetBlue’s second intra-Caribbean route adding to the service between San Juan and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Other JetBlue flights being added this week to enhance US and Caribbean air travel include:

• Westchester County Airport’s only international with the commencement of JetBlue’s new daily nonstop flight to Nassau, Bahamas.
• Twice-weekly nonstop service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to La Romana, Dominican Republic.
• Nonstop flights launch from JFK to Liberia’s new Daniel Oduber Quiros Airport in Costa Rica

Follow this link to learn more about the opportunities of St. Maarten timeshare resales and rentals

Much that is positive, exciting, and invigorating for the timeshare industry has been discussed these last two days at the VOIC Shared Ownership Investment Conference in Orlando, Florida, which is hosted by Interval International. And frank talk has gone on about all the challenges of the industry, the economy, and the ways (both good and bad) that the industry has engaged with consumers in the past.

But some of the most interesting insights about timeshare and fractionals comes from a simple look at the numbers. Very often in business, the numbers speak louder than the words.

Here is a look at some recent research about Interval International member/owners:

• US resident members of II own approximately 1.9 weeks of shared ownership vacation time or its equivalent and travel an estimated 22 nights per year solely for leisure purposes.
• They report household income of approximately $121,175 per year.
• Twenty percent expect to buy additional vacation time in the future.
• Timeshare owners are attracted to warm-weather locations (Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, South Carolina timeshares and Caribbean timeshares) and family-style accommodations.
• Most are interested in, or have a preference for, two-bedroom timeshare units. Just under ten percent prefer three-bedroom timeshares.

And this may be the most industry-relevant factor of all: 83 percent of Interval International’s US members say they are satisfied with their timeshare ownership.

As David Gilbert, Interval International, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing, says, “Even in challenging economic times, it is very encouraging to see that the appeal of vacation ownership remains strong among our members.”

The Cayman Islands Department of Environment and Marine Conservation, partnering with Cayman Island brewery, CayBrew, has launched the world’s first conservation lager project.

Recognizing that the world’s sharks, and of particular concern the world’s largest species of sharks, are rapidly declining in numbers, this collaborative project seeks to underwrite the cost of research to help protect the species. This is a first of its kind project and is motivated in part by alarming statistics that show up to 90 percent decline in some shark species.

For every can of its White Tip lager that is sold, CayBrew is donating a nickel to the Sharks and Cetaceans Project. Additionally, when consumers scan a bar code on the can using their smartphone, they connect with the Cayman Islands Department of Environment website and gain information about, and updates on, the project.

Your Cayman Islands Timeshare

Of course, to enjoy the beers crafted by CayBrew, you really need to go to the Cayman Islands. Right now at your house, the leaves are turning and the crisp smell of fall is in the air, but you know the pleasant days are short lived. A few months from now, sleet, snow, and its-so-cold-my-car-won’t-start will be part of your daily routine.

Yet in the Cayman Islands, the sun will be beaming, the sand will be pristinely white, and the Caribbean waters will be warm and sparkling. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that at a Cayman Island timeshare there was a beachside chair waiting for you, perhaps one with an icy cold CayBrew beer sitting beside it?

Ten Reasons to Plan a Cayman Islands Timeshare Vacation Today

1. 7 Mile Beach Resort Timeshare, 2 bedroom, 2 bath condos with a fabulous on-site dive shop.
2. Castaways’ Cove Timeshare, offers access to private, serene beaches.
3. Coral Sands Resort, Grand Cayman Timeshare, a small resort located close to downtown Georgetown with easy walking to shopping, restaurants, and nightlife.
4. Grand Caymanian Resort Timeshare, located on the majestic North Sound, adjacent to the award-winning Links at SafeHaven 18-hole golf course.
5. Morritt’s Grand Resort Timeshare, located on the secluded East End of Grand Cayman Island with amazing ocean views from your private patio.
6. Morritt’s Tortuga Club Timeshare, offering a complete diving, snorkeling, and windsurfing program.
7. Morritt’s Tortuga Seaside Timeshare, for days snorkeling through the coral reef and five-star dining in the evenings.
8. Plantation Village Beach Resort Timeshare, ideally located on south end of famous Seven Mile Beach.
9. Royal Reef Resort Grand Cayman Timeshare, 1600 feet of white sand beachfront.
10. And because the sharks are counting on you.

Royal Reef Resort Grand Cayman Island timeshare

The Lubner Group has recently completed the second phase of a five-year renovation project on the Las Vegas timeshare, the Carriage House.

Located only a block off the “Strip” in Vegas, the Carriage House has 155 timeshare units, ranging in size from 350 to 1,800 square feet. Renovations include new flooring, complete kitchens with cabinetry, appliances and fixturing. The timeshare unit redesign also includes new headboards, nightstands, a custom crafted wall unit that both houses the flat-screen TV and serves as a space divider between two areas of the timeshare, and new case goods and soft goods. Of the 17 units included in this phase of the redesign, two were completed as ADA units.

Carriage House General Manager Amy Lowell says this of the Lubner Group, “We wanted to work with a company that could handle the entire turnkey project. They helped us with design, fabrication, installation and warehousing of materials. Throughout the entire process, they have been extremely well organized and highly responsive to our needs. We continue to be impressed with their services and the quality of their furnishings.”

Among the many renovations done by the team at The Lubner group are:

• The Breakers Palm Beach
• City Centre in Las Vegas
• Projects at Disney World
• Multiple Bluegreen timeshare resorts
• And many popular timeshare and fractional properties in Branson, Jamaica, Anguilla, and Costa Rica

Related news from The Timeshare Authority Blog:
Timeshare Industry Welcomes Newly Launched Lubner Group

Find great deals on Carriage House timeshare resales and Carriage House timeshare rentals.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! The Timeshare Authority blog hopes you are enjoying a “labor-free” Labor Day holiday.

Writing today’s blog post was a bit like writing a back-to-school essay titled, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” except, we’d have to call this, “What Everyone Did on Their Vacation.”

Last week we published the new Hot 100 Timeshare Resales report and the Hot 100 Timeshare Rentals report.

These reports list for you the top 100 timeshare resales and the top 100 timeshare rentals to receive offers to buy or rent at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services. The lists provide you a true overview of how consumers are allocating their vacation accommodations dollars.

Download these two free reports and study them for yourself. Among the trends and vacations patterns you will observe is this information about the top 20 most in-demand timeshare rentals:

1. Included in the top 20 timeshare rentals are 8 Marriott Vacation Club International resorts: Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club; Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club; Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas; Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club; Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes; Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club; Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club; and Marriott’s Grande Vista
2. In addition to the three Marriott Hawaii timeshares listed above, two other Hawaii timeshares ranked among the top 20 rental destinations: Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas and Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas North
3. Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake’s West Village; Disney’s Beach Club Villas and Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort are the three Orlando timeshares on the hot properties rental list.
4. Three Mexico timeshares made the list of most in-demand timeshare rentals: Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta; Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach and Palace Resorts at Moon Palace Golf and Spa
5. The remaining four timeshare resorts among the top 20 are the Manhattan Club; the Ocean Beach Club – Virginia Beach and Harborside Resort at Atlantis along Harborside Resort at Atlantis II

Find out more here:

Timeshare Resales http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/media/pdf/HOT-TIMESHARE-RESALES-2011.pdf

Timeshare Rentals http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/media/pdf/HOT-TIMESHARE-RENTALS-2011.pdf

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.

Jamaica is hot.

With a 5 percent increase in visitor numbers in 2010, and a larger growth percentage expected this year, Jamaica is proving that even a challenging economy doesn’t stop a hot vacation destination.

This fall, the World Travel Awards will honor Jamaica, nominated as a great travel destination, in a VIP ceremony with the awards event, scheduled for—where else—Jamaica! The ceremony will take place at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Graham E. Cooke, president and founder, World Travel Awards, said this of Jamaica, “Jamaica has proven one of the tourism stars of the global downturn because of its boundless appetite for reinvention – a spirit exemplified by our event host, Sandals Resorts. We are honored that our ceremony forms part of this iconic brand’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The Caribbean is also capitalizing on the tremendous opportunities afforded by BRIC [Brazil, Russia, India, and China] nations, especially with traditional source markets stuttering.”

As popular as Jamaica has proven to be among travelers, it is, however, facing serious competition in the category of “Caribbean’s Leading Destination.” Aruba, Barbados, Bahamas, St. Lucia, and Turks & Caicos are among the other competitors for the top honors.

Jamaica Timeshare Vacations

Jamaica is leading the way as the Caribbean rebounds from the challenges of the global economy. Beautiful Jamaica timeshare resorts are certainly among the reasons it remains such an attractive vacation destination.

Jamaica timeshares offer so much more than white sand and turquoise water, with plenty of water sports, sport fishing, parasailing and of course, the rhythm of rock and reggae bands under the stars each night. From historic sugar plantations to horseback riding, to spelunking or rappelling in the Blue Mountain caves of northeastern Jamaica, there’s plenty to keep travelers happy when they vacation in Jamaica; after all, it’s Jamaica Mon!

More about the World Travel Awards: The prestigious World Travel Awards events are held around the world. This year’s competitions include events in Dubai, UAE; Antalya, Turkey; Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; and Bangkok, Thailand, all building up to the Grand Final to be held in Doha, Qatar, in November. Event partners include Sandals Resorts and WeClickMedia, National Geographic Traveler, eTurboNews, Focus on Travel News, Breaking Travel News, JaxFax and Travel Daily News.

Next week, Bluegreen Corporation and Bluegreen timeshares will celebrate twenty years at their Boca Raton, Florida location. Marking the milestone with a weeklong celebration, Bluegreen will host a ribbon cutting on August 15, commemorating the company’s growth and success in the timeshare, resort management and real estate industries.

Boca Raton was not the original home to Bluegreen Corp, which was founded in 1966 by Harry Patten as the Patten Corporation, and was then based in Vermont. In 1996, the company changed the name from Patten to Bluegreen as it positioned itself for long-term growth in the timeshare, vacation ownership and golf industries.

John Maloney, President and CEO of Bluegreen Corporation, explains, “As Bluegreen has grown to include some 222,000 owners, over 50 resorts and an additional 4,000 resorts are available through our exchange network, we are proud to say we have achieved and maintained an honorable standard of work and ethics. I am humbled by Bluegreen’s success over the past 20 years in Boca Raton, and look forward to watching the company grow and prosper for decades to come.”

Today, Bluegreen offers dozens of popular resorts in the US, including Bluegreen Hawaii timeshares, and in the Caribbean the Blue Water Resort at Cable Beach at Nassau, Bahamas and La Cabana Beach and Racquet Club in Oranjestad, Aruba.

Last week was the first annual Global Networking Expo & Perspective Magazine Awards Gala, held at the Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas—also known as, “The GNEX Conference.”

This new event to the timeshare industry brought opportunity for learning, networking, connecting. It also offered the perfect venue for looking at some of the “BURNING ISSUES” of timeshare. I enjoyed speaking on a panel, along with Ross Perlmutter, President, Canadian Resort Development Association; Ramy Filo, CEO, Classic Holiday Group; Harry Taylor, Executive Chairman, Timeshare Association Timeshare Owners Committees, Robert Webb of Baker and Hostetler; and Bryan Lunt, Chairman & CEO, Absolute World Group of Companies.

Burning Issues of Timeshare Sales and Timeshare Resales

We didn’t sidestep the difficult questions or shy away from the challenges our industry faces. We looked seriously at the consumer issues of timeshare; media perception (and misconception) about vacation ownership; and weaknesses in the both the timeshare product and its delivery to consumers.

Here are some of the points that were made in our Timeshare Burning Issues Panel:

1. Timeshare has to change its marketing model. Fewer and fewer people are willing to “be sold to” at a timeshare sales presentation.
2. The timeshare industry must accept the fact that consumers will comparison shop. The industry can’t be afraid of that or back off from it. Consumers in control, comparison shopping, is the reality of a web-connected world, where people are “armed” with iPods, iPads, and Blackberries.
3. Timeshare sales are an international product, sold to an international market. Seventeen percent of the timeshare resales and rentals at Sell My Timeshare NOW involve international clients.

4. Demand for timeshare sales, timeshare rentals, and timeshare resales via an online inventory and an online transaction is already high. As fellow panelist, Rob Webb, an attorney who specializes in real estate and hospitality law, says, “In five years, the timeshare product will be sold on the Internet. If a company is not ready for that, they’ll be out of business.”

We covered a lot of very important territory at the conference. By the way, here’s a photo from the event which shows all of us on the Burning Issues panel.