An independent study conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International was released this past week. The study surveyed over a thousand world travelers and thought leaders from Germany, Spain, Brazil, China, France, India, the United Kingdom and the US.

The results showed:

77 percent felt “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace will spread.”

Describing our times as a “Golden Age of Travel,” Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s CEO-elect and current president, reflects, “Travel opens up your mind (and) your heart … This survey shows it is also a powerful form of soft diplomacy in the world today.” Adding that Marriott applauds President Obama’s announcement to reform US visa and entry systems to welcome more international visitors, Sorenson said he believes, “… opportunities to do business and travel abroad are opening up like never before.” (See: Obama in Orlando With Plans to Boost International Tourism).

Timeshares Make it Easier to Explore the World

When you own timeshare, travel planning gets easier. You’ve made the commitment that travel, vacationing, leisure and exploring the world are important in your life. You’ve picked timeshare ownership with timeshare exchange or perhaps membership in a timeshare exchange service to enhance your commitment.

Timeshare owners can explore the world knowing that they have preplanned for accommodations where they will feel safe and comfortable, which makes their international travel planning simpler. With timeshare ownership it becomes easier to focus on the trip ahead; your energy is not consumed by tracking down hotels or condo rentals. Even those who rent timeshare benefit because timeshare rentals, whether in the US or abroad, afford some of the most competitively priced vacation and travel accommodations in the world today.

As part of the vast tourism industry, timeshares provide jobs worldwide, enriching the lives of individuals and families, supporting local economies, and strengthening  local and regional tax revenues. But far beyond the contribution of timeshare to the world’s economic picture are the more important factors of enhancing and encouraging travel and exploration of cultures and countries—they make it easier for people to open their eyes and subsequently their hearts.
As Mark Penn, CEO of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of Burson-Marsteller explains,  “International travelers advance people’s understanding of different cultures and reinforce all that we as humans have in common with each other.”

Timeshares can, in fact, make a big world seem a whole lot smaller.

White Oak Lodge and Resort, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has been recognized as a RCI Gold Crown Resort property by RCI timeshare exchange. White Oak Lodge and Resort is a part of Global Connections, Inc.

Located on 17 acres of wooded land near the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, White Oak Lodge and Resort is a mixed-use property that includes 60 two- and three-bedroom log cabin homes and 12 two-bedroom condominiums. The resort includes a tennis court, nature trails, outdoor grills, clubhouse and swimming pool with two grottos and waterfalls.

Global Connections, a leader in the travel club industry, has more than 170,000 members and is the owner and developer of five resorts, with ownership of multiple resort condominium units throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Tom Lyons, president of Global Connections, says, “We are excited to receive the RCI Gold Crown Resort designation for White Oak Lodge and Resort. This designation confirms not only the high quality of the resort, its design and furnishings, but the personable service offered by the staff to our guests.”

RCI Gold Crown Resorts are awarded and identified as a way to help RCI members identify timeshare resorts that adhere to the RCI standards for accommodations, hospitality and member experience. Gordon Gurnik, president of RCI, adds, “We are thrilled to recognize those who have attained this designation and continue working to offer top vacation destinations to our 3.7 million members worldwide.”

Earlier this week, The Timeshare Authority blog shared with you that Holiday Inn Club Vacations is adding a seventh timeshare resort to its network of outstanding properties (Holiday Inn Club Vacations Expands with Marco Island, Florida Timeshare).

The new addition, Sunset Cove, a 36-unit, Marco Island, Florida timeshare, is already a great resort but will become even more special as Holiday Inn Club Vacations rolls out its planned renovations.

The timeshare units at Sunset Cove will undergo a total of $1.7 million in upgrades. Planned changes call for property and exterior renovations already intended by the resort’s condo association, along with improvements to the interiors of the timeshare units. Holiday Inn Club Vacations member/owners and guests will enjoy ceramic tile flooring in the living and dining areas (perfect for life at the beach); detailed wood ceiling mouldings; stainless steel appliances; granite countertops  and glass tile backsplashes in kitchens and baths and other luxurious finishes and appointments.

Planned in-room amenities will include flat-screen televisions in the bedrooms and in the kitchen area; bedding and bath appointments from the Signature Collection brand; and even a Signature Collection-monogrammed bathrobe. The pool deck area will also be refurbished using upgraded patio chairs and poolside furnishings that coordinate with the Signature Collection color palette.

Marco Island Timeshares and Holiday Inn Club Vacations

Marco Island timeshares are already some of the most distinctive beach destination resorts. Sunset Cove Resort will now make it easier than ever for Holiday Inn Club Vacations members to enjoy this popular Florida Gulf Coast destination.

Vacation rentals in a private home or condo are a great idea … except for all the ways they are not a good idea at all.

And nothing illustrates this more clearly than a recent issue that is brewing on Florida’s Anna Maria Island and Holmes Beach.

Located just south of St. Petersburg,  Anna Maria Island and Holmes Beach are the quintessential Florida beach communities. Charming, beachy, with quaint restaurants and shops, these two island villages are true residential communities.

People live here year-round; lucky people, because the views of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and to the east, Tampa Bay beneath the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, are spectacular. Some of the residents are retirees, but many are working families that commute across the Manatee or the Cortez bridges to jobs in nearby Bradenton or other cities in the area.

Residents love their island lifestyle, the fishing piers, their low-rise buildings and unobstructed views. Although they value tourists and appreciate the revenue of a limited number of vacation rentals… they want to keep that number limited.

This is so much the case that last week’s Popcorn & Politics meeting held outside the  offices of the local newspaper, The Islander, focused much of its attention on the topic of vacation rentals and what it described as, “the accompanying problems for residents.”

These Florida coastal residents see vacation rentals as a quality of life issue.

Why Timeshares Instead of Vacation Home Rentals

Typically, timeshares, like hotels, are built in areas zoned specifically for multi-use, vacation housing. When you rent or buy a timeshare, you are taking vacation ownership in a locale that is designed to accommodate and host vacationers.

Timeshare rentals and resales make an important contribution to local economies and are generally highly welcomed in areas where they are built. Timeshares also afford you peace of mind in many ways that renting a private home does not.

You know when you vacation in a timeshare resale or timeshare rental that the resort maintenance staff will be available to serve you should your timeshare unit or condo have plumbing problems, a faulty air conditioner, or any other problem that can crop up in the real world. But when you rent a private home for vacation, how do you know that these problems will be easily and quickly resolved?

When you rent a private vacation home you really don’t know about the maintenance, the security, the service or any of the other details that can be critical difference makers in your vacation experience. And while timeshares are built to be your vacation home away from home, they still afford you the privacy of not vacationing in a stranger’s house.

Renting a private vacation home can work out great. But it can also come with a lot of challenges. Do you want to vacation in a community that may see you as one tourist too many? Do you want to deal with an absentee-owner who may or may not respond quickly to your needs? And do you really want to share a stranger’s sock drawer?

… Or do you want to enjoy a timeshare vacation where the details are taken care of for you and the deals are irresistible?

Today begins the VOIC regional conference in Orlando, Florida at the Peabody Hotel.

VOIC (Vacation Ownership Investment Conference) is hosted by Interval International and targets:

• Timeshare resort developers
• Developer looking to become involved in shared ownership products
• Lenders and those who want to network with lenders
• Those already in the timeshare industry who are looking for capital, new development ideas and opportunities
• Everyone who wants to learn about the latest trends in shared ownership and vacation ownership

This is the 13^th Annual VOIC Conference. Every year the event attracts timeshare resort developers, timeshare and fractional executives, condominium developer, hoteliers, hospitality investors, lenders, investment bankers, shared ownership consultants, builders, architects, designers, law firms, media and government tourism officials affiliated with or interested in the opportunities of shared ownership. It affords a time of idea exchange, networking, and learning for all who participate.

Timeshare Conference Schedule

The conference starts this afternoon with the opening delivered by David C. Gilbert, Executive Vice President, Resort Sales and Marketing, Americas, Interval International.

At 2:00, Industry experts, including representatives of STR and ARDA, the American Resort Development Association, will present a snapshot of today’s shared ownership and lodging markets in the State of the Industry Presentation.

This link will take you to the informational flyer for the event, for a full schedule of activities: https://www.regonline.com/custImages/239071/Mailer2-Domestic.pdf

For more on the conference, check The Timeshare Authority blog this week and be sure to follow @JasonTremblay_ on Twitter.

VOIC Conference for Timeshare

Through a multi-year contract extension, Interval International, a worldwide leader in timeshare exchange and vacation services, has expanded and extended its relationship with King’s Creek Plantation LLC. The agreement covers all three phases of King’s Creek Plantation in Williamsburg, Virginia, and any resort properties developed during the duration of the agreement.

Interval International timeshare exchange will also be assisting in the design and launch of the new King’s Creek points-based vacation club, to be known as Club Explore.

David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for Interval International, says, “We are very pleased to take our relationship with the King’s Creek team to the next level and collaborate with them as they enhance their already successful business. Long known for delivering unique vacation experiences, King’s Creek now also offers its owners the ultimate in flexibility with the addition of its points-based club.”

King’s Creek Plantation is an 98-acre timeshare resort that includes The Cottages, The Townes, and The Estates. Designed to emulate the desirable features of a great residential community, King’s Creek Plantation includes cottage timeshare units, condos and estate homes, all with charming front porches and roomy decks. On-property amenities include a fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, a jogging trail, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, a pool and a conveniently located general store. A tram keeps it easy for timeshare owners and guests to move around the timeshare resort.

Check The Timeshare Authority blog this week for more about this popular Williamsburg timeshare resort and the benefits of Club Explore. And follow these links for great deals on King’s Creek Plantation timeshare resales and timeshare rentals:

King’s Creek Plantation cottages and townhomes

King’s Creek Plantation Estates

King's Creek Plantation Timeshare

Earlier this month, the timeshare industry lost a great man and a part of its history.

Robert “Bob” Burns, Chairman and CEO of Vacation Internationale, died peacefully at his home in Sun Valley, Idaho on September 3, 2011, at the age of 87. He is missed by his wife of 33 years; his 7 children; his 24 grandchildren; and all who knew him or had the pleasure of working with him.

A passionate outdoorsman and skier, Burns was still skiing Mt. Baldy into his eighties.

A Pioneer in Timeshare and Vacation Ownership

In the early 1905s, Burns, along with five other families, jointly purchased and maintained a ski cabin condo in Washington. The property slept 25. Together the families restored the condo and enjoyed shared ownership, which they described as creating deep friendships and special memories.

Drawing on this experience, Burns, with business partner, Bob Ringenburg, developed the first non-hotel timeshare project in the US, selling beachfront leasehold condos at the Kaua’i Kailani on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

In 1974, Burns and Riggenburg founded Vacation Internationale in Seattle, Washington, a company credited with founding the original timeshare points system. Vacation Internationale expanded from Burn’s first condo venture to include the acquisition of a 72-unit motel which it converted to a 40-year right to use timeshare. Later the company added properties on four of the Hawaiian islands.

Bob Burns was the inspiration and initial backer of Les Saisons Resort, Sun Valley’s first fractional ownership project. His son Michael is the founder of Private Residence Resorts of Sun Valley.

Source: Resort Trades; Inside the Gate and others.

Did you know that the state of Maryland has a public park that is accessible only by water?

St. Clements Island State Park is a 40-acre park that memorializes the spot where the British sailing ships, The Ark and the Dove, dropped anchor in 1634, and whose passengers became, essentially, the first residents of the state of Maryland.

A 26-passenger boat, the Water Taxi II, is US Coast Guard certified for touring and available for boat tours to and from the historic St. Clements Island State Park every weekend from June through September. The water taxi departs from the St. Clement’s Island-Potomac River Museum on a regular schedule throughout the day.

But St. Clements Island State Park is only one of the many unique experiences you and your family can enjoy during a Maryland timeshare resale or Maryland timeshare rental vacation.

Every summer, Maryland hosts wonderful seafood festivals along its shores, with many still ahead for the Summer of 2011. Seafood lovers may want to look into: the Annapolis Crab Feast (August 5, 2011); the Havre de Grace Seafood Festival (August 12 – 14, 2011); the Seafood Feast-I-Val (August 13, 2011; the Chesapeake Crab & Beer Festival (August 20, 2011 at the Waterfront at National Harbor) and the Maryland Seafood Festival (September 10-11, 2011 in Annapolis) to name only a few.

For activities that may take you away from the Maryland shoreline look for hubs of culture and creativity in Maryland that will be identified to you by the designation: “Arts & Entertainment Districts.” In these charming locations, expect to find outstanding art, theater, art, dining and shopping. Click here to find a complete list of officially recognized Maryland Arts & Entertainment Districts

A Timeshare Vacation in Ocean City, Maryland

Maryland is a unique state for planning a timeshare vacation. Many Maryland timeshares can be found in the seaside resort town of Ocean City. Bordered on three sides by water, Ocean City timeshares are ideal for a classic beach vacation experience with plenty of water sports and boardwalk activities.

But Maryland offers a range of terrain and environments, and with that, a great variety in the types of vacations you can plan there. Whether you choose an Ocean City timeshare resale, or you vacation in the Appalachian Mountains, or anywhere in between from charming small towns to historic venues, Maryland is great (and sometimes overlooked ) place for planning a family vacation or a weekend getaway.

According to a feature article this week in the Summit Daily News, business is simply “booming” for Breckenridge Grand Vacations timeshares in Breckenridge, Colorado.

Breckenridge Grand Vacations chief financial officer Nick Doran, observes, “We are encouraged by the continued growth in our owner base, and we believe our product fits the needs of our clients who want deeded ski-in, ski-out ownership without paying millions of dollars for it.”

Timeshare Sales in a Slow Economy

Even in a vacation destination as desirable as Breckenridge, Colorado, condo sales have lagged and sales of new timeshares at many resorts have dipped over the past two years. Yet from 2009 to 2010, Breckenridge Grand Vacations saw an 8 percent increase in gross sales.

Of the three timeshare resorts the company operates in Breckenridge: Grand Timber Lodge, Grand Lodge on Peak 7, and Gold Point Condo, the newest is the Grand Lodge on Peak 7. There are approximately 3500 timeshare owners of the new property, even though construction on the project’s south building will not be completed until December, and on the north building, will not finish until Spring of 2011. In all, there are over 17,000 timeshare owner/members at Breckenridge Grand Vacations.

Breckenridge Grand Vacations was formed from Gold Point Lodging & Realty, Inc., which managed Gold Point Condo, and later Grand Timber Lodge, for 25 years. Brothers Mike and Rob Millisor own the company.

Sell My Timeshare NOW is the only Authorized Reseller for Breckenridge Grand Vacations.

More information about Breckenridge Grand Vacation timeshares on The Timeshare Authority Blog:

• Breckenridge Grand Vacations Timeshare Receives $10MM in Funding
• Timeshare Sales Good News for Grand Lodge Timeshares in Breckenridge, CO
• Grand Timber Lodge Timeshare Resort

Many will be surprised to learn that in an assessment recently released by an expert for the Gerson Lehman Group, the future of timeshares appears bright. Despite bankruptcies by Celebrity and Island One, most timeshare companies have been able to effectively cut costs, reduce payrolls, and sell more efficiently—taking much the same approach to living leaner that many individuals worldwide have used with their personal finances.

And for the timeshare industry, this belt tightening appears to be paying off. According to the GLG report, 12 to15 percent growth is a viable forecast for the timeshare industry over the next twelve months. While money for new timeshare construction may still be tight, the natural balance that so often comes to play in the economic world is evening things out, providing a ready-made inventory for timeshare expansion.

As residential and vacation condo development has become more available to acquire, (in the form of ‘failed condo projects,’) timeshare companies have been able to step in and creatively ‘shop’ for desirable properties in all stages of development—often at very attractive prices. On top of the developer’s capability to ‘bailout’ other construction projects, timeshare ownership itself has proven to be a much-needed stabilizer to the tourism industry. The author explains it, saying:

“One interesting point about this two-year dip in the economy, while many people postponed or shortened vacations, for the most part, they didn’t stop taking vacations. Those who owned their timeshare already, were able to use their previous purchase to minimize their vacation costs in this poor economy. Owning timeshare in this economy has been an advantage for many people.”

Ironic, isn’t it, that although the mainstream mindset is often critical of timeshares and timeshare ownership, in the end, the need for timeshare developers to expand to new properties and the stability of timeshare owners to continue to vacation, is proving to be an important contributor to the restoration of our economy.