The Ayrshire Golf Company has announced plans for a £60M golf development with timeshares, to be constructed on Irvine Bay, on the coast of North Ayrshire in west Scotland.

Detailed plans for the development will  be unveiled to the public next month, with a public presentation at the  Harbour Arts Centre on Wednesday, January 11 followed by  a formal planning application to North Ayrshire Council.

Funded by Prudential insurance and investment, the development is planned to include an 18-hole par 71 golf course with clubhouse and pro shop; a 50-room hotel and spa; and 150 two-bedroom timeshare suites. Plans additionally call for a conference center and restaurant.

Ayrshire Golf director Brian Keating said, in an exclusive interview with the Irvine Herald, “The development will attract new investors and new retailers to the town. We want guests at our hotel – to be known as ‘The Ayrshire’ – to be able to visit a vibrant town centre. Our development coupled with Irvine Bay’s intentions for the town centre will do just that. We hope to be able to start work late next year after we carry out some preparatory work on the site. Some of it was in industrial use so we will need to take it back to what it was years ago.”

The golf course is projected for completion in one year, while total build out will take three to four years. Keating described the project as “high-risk” and “long term.”

Americans have always enjoyed vacationing in Europe. According to US government travel research, 5.2 million US travelers visited Europe between January and July of this year, accounting for 18 percent of all US outbound international travel.

But during the first 6 months of 2010, US travelers to Europe accounted for 25 percent of the outbound travel, indicating not a decline in the overall number of travelers but a drop in the number of US travelers headed expressly for a European vacation.

Other parts of the world dropped by percentage as well. Fewer Americans are visiting South America, with a 17 percent decline in US outbound tourism there during this same period. While South American visitors to the US continue to climb, the trend is not reciprocal, with South America being the destination with the greatest decline in number of US visitors.

So, where are we going when we travel, vacation, and enjoy timeshare holidays abroad?

Well, travel to the Middle East is on the rise. With some 665,000 US travelers visiting the Middle East during the first six months of 2011, this region saw an 11 percent gain. We are also vacationing abroad but staying in our own backyard by heading more and more frequently to the Caribbean. 3.2 million US travelers visited the islands of the Caribbean in the first six months of this year, accounting for a 3 percent gain in US travel to this area.

And it makes sense. Travel to the Caribbean is easy from much of the US with great air and cruise connections, competitive prices and deals on travel, and overall ease of access. The Caribbean is also considered a safe destination, friendly to US travelers and easy to enjoy with English spoken throughout the islands.

On top of this, much of the Caribbean has been involved in extensive campaigns to attract US vacationers, a plan that seems to be paying off well.

Big news yesterday when the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) announced their new marketing alliance.

Under this new cooperative working alliance, ARDA and RDO will share industry information and will work collectively on issues of common concern for the purpose of advancing the growth of the timeshare industry worldwide, the interests of each of two group’s members and the consumer who are served by the groups.

Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, explains, “Establishing a better exchange of information with RDO will bring value to our members who have resorts around the world and to owners who are increasingly looking to destinations abroad for their timeshare vacations,”

Richard McIntosh, chairman of RDO, says, “The underlying basis for the working relationship between RDO and ARDA is to establish in the eyes of our respective memberships, a stronger partnership between the two organizations, whilst both retain their full autonomy and financial independence.”

ARDA and RDO Will Share with Relevant and Useful Information

As a result of the agreement, ARDA and RDO will:

Explore opportunities for both organizations to share industry information with its respective developer communities and prospective travelers.

Cooperatively identify opportunities at both organizations’ upcoming international-themed conventions—ARDA World and RDO 3—to reach new members and address relevant topics.

Jointly approach jurisdictions that do not yet have timeshare legislation or an effective trade association, and joint marketing opportunities.

To learn more about ARDA, visit www. arda.org and to find out more about the RDO, visit www.rdo.org

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!

At one time, the “hottest” central Florida theme park destination was Cypress Gardens. Opened in 1936, in Winter Haven, just west of Orlando, Cypress Gardens was known for its ski shows, Southern Belles in vintage dresses, and well… its cypress gardens, those manicured grounds of beautifully landscaped floral gardens and stately cypress trees.

In 2010, Cypress Gardens closed its doors for the last time, overshadowed and overwhelmed by the Disney, Sea World and Universal Studios parks in Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa. But you just can’t keep a good theme park destination down for long, because before 2011 is over, the 150-acres of the former Cypress Gardens will be reborn as Legoland Florida.

Plan Your Next Florida Timeshare Vacation and Catch the Opening of Legoland

Last week, Legoland officials announced that the park—planned as the world’s largest Legoland park, will officially open on October 15, 2011. Built to cater to children ages 2 through 12, Legoland Florida will offer over fifty rides, including roller coasters and race cars.

Legoland Florida sales manager Todd Andrus says, “Guests (callers) have been all but begging to know the date, so they can book their flights and accommodations, and purchase admission tickets.”

And with its plan for family-friendly shows and attractions, there is no reason to think that Legoland Florida won’t be at least as successful as the Legoland parks in Denmark; Windsor; England, Germany; and Carlsbad, California. And just like a Grand Pacific Palisades California timeshare offers you the ideal venue for your trip to Legoland California, you can count on an Orlando timeshare resale or Orlando timeshare rental vacation making it fun, affordable, and easy to enjoy your trip to Legoland Florida.

Click here to learn more about Legoland Florida.

And follow this link to get started planning your Orlando timeshare vacation.

More about timeshares and a visit to Legoland: Hawaii Timeshare in Maui, California Timeshare Near the Beach, and Desert Beauty in a Las Vegas Timeshare Resort

According to Hotels.com, online searching for European vacations accommodations is extremely strong, but it may have as much to do with a quirk of the calendar as it does the upcoming Royal Wedding itself. Although travel agents are reporting from 30 to 56 percent increases in interest in their holiday packages and Hotels.com says that the number of people searching for holidays for the week ending April 29 has increased by 212 percent compared with the same time in 2010, Prince Harry and his bride-to-be, Kate, don’t get all the credit.

This year, thanks to Easter coming unusually late in the season, the European bank holidays for Good Friday and Easter and the holiday for May Day will fall closer together than ever. Combine that with the holiday for the Royal Wedding, and many vacationers are looking at an atypically long spring break.

By taking only three days off, April 26 to April 28, most Brits can enjoy eleven days of continuous holiday or vacation time.

And while some people are headed to London for the Royal Wedding, just as many Londoners are scheduling to leave the area and enjoy sunny vacation days in destinations such as a Spain timeshare. Paul Furner of TravelRepublic.co.uk, says, “Sales are up by an astonishing 59.3 percent over the same period last year.

According to Furner, “The run of bank holidays and the fact that the royal wedding is being screened and celebrated in lots of places outside the UK, has been too much to resist.” But Furner adds, “We are also seeing strong demand from those wanting to escape the ­celebrations completely.”

Demand for Europe Timeshare Resales, Rentals and Timeshare Exchange

The Royal Wedding is only the starting point of a year of British festivities leading up to and including Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympic and Paralympic Games which are both scheduled for 2012.

How this translates to the demand for Europe timeshares is easy to anticipate. If you own Europe timeshare you want to sell, now is likely to be a good time to advertise it as a timeshare resale. If you’d like to hold on to that Europe timeshare, but don’t plan to take in the festivities yourself, then using it as an England timeshare rental is another very strong option.

And if you do wish to be part of the history and pageantry of 2011-2012 in the United Kingdom, then lucky you, because you hold accommodations at the primo destination for European travel.

TATOC, The Timeshare Association has announced key changes among executives. During TATOC’s Annual General Meeting, March 13, 2011, the TATOC Board of Directors approved Harry Taylor, the current Chief Executive Officer of TATOC, as the new Executive Chairman, replacing David Eastburn.

Harry Taylor, says, “We would like to thank David for his hard work and efforts over the past years. TATOC has grown as an organisation both in the number of members and in prestige during his time on the board.”

Also, the TATOC Timeshare Association board approved the appointment of Richard Coles to join the TATOC Board of Directors. He is a retired capital accountant and is chairman of the owners committee at Cameron House, a De Vere resort located on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland.

The Timeshare Association (Timeshare Owners and Committees)

TATOC was formed in 1989 and is the only elected consumer association representing the interests of European timeshare owners. TATOC works to safeguard and strengthen the timeshare holiday or timeshare vacation experience for both existing timeshare owners and prospective owners. TATOC is recognized as a voice of the timeshare consumer in Europe and an informed point of contact.

TATOC, the European Timeshare Association, has released new information on the growing success of its consumer helpline. In 2011, the helpline has already received over 1400 inbound calls through the month of February along with nearly 250 emails. This marks an increase of 264 call over the same period in 2010.

Harry Taylor, TATOC CEO explains, “The majority of the calls and e-mails received by the helpline were enquiries by consumers looking for advice, support and information which we supply via e-mail or through the website. The subject of re-sales generates most of these enquiries. The remaining calls were complaints but interestingly the statistics show that these were mainly about non-timeshare products such as the sales and marketing techniques by non-timeshare companies and unsolicited cold calling.”

TATOC is a non-profit limited company that works to safe guard and enhance the timeshare experience for owners and prospective timeshare owners. Last year, the association’s hotline (new in 2010) handled a combined total of 9183 inbound calls or emails.

Perhaps the most important takeaway here is that the complaints and concerns tend to focus on the way the product is sold or resold, and not on the timeshare concept itself.

Past The Timeshare Authority news on TATOC’s hotline:

Timeshare Association TATOC Launches Sharetime Online

In 1979, The Osborne Club was established as one of the first English timeshare resorts. Located on five and a half acres within the tranquil gardens of Hesketh Crescent in Torquay, today this elegant English timeshare resort offers 46 one, two, and three bedroom timeshare units.

But The Osborne Club, a mature timeshare, with loads of English charm, is by no means behind the times. This UK timeshare resort just selected Merlin Software for Vacation Ownership to provide software for its resort operations.

As Sarah Smith, resort manager, explains, “As a mature resort our focus is on providing the best possible service to our owners and guests and the software we choose to run our systems will help us with this. From tracking ownerships and running our rental programme to management fee billing and owner reservations, Merlin can support all of our activities. We are delighted that Merlin works with all types of resorts from the newest start ups to mature resorts like the Osborne Club and are very impressed with their professionalism.”

Merlin is the only software available that is intrinsically web-based and served totally over the internet. It is considered to be a state of the art Business Application Software, incorporating modules for sales, marketing and front and back office.

Citadel Trustees has announced it will be a sponsor of Fractional Summits in the US, Europe and the Middle East. This is an exciting and significant commitment of sponsorship by Citadel Trustees, known as one of the leading providers of trustee and stakeholder services in the shared ownership and fractional real estate industry.

Piers Brown, founder of Fractional Life says, “It’s generally accepted that we raised the bar for fractional real estate conferences with the successful launch of our USA and MENA events in 2010 and are very happy to have signed this deal with Citadel. Our mission is to grow the fractional ownership marketplace, and for a company of their stature to show this level of commitment by sponsoring all our conferences this year, and the 2012 London event demonstrates significant confidence in what we are trying to achieve, as well as offering proof that Citadel shares our goals. We are delighted to have them on board.”

Chris Allen, Director, Client Services & Business Development for Citadel Trustees adds, “Sponsorship of the Fractional Summit conferences is essential to raise our company profile as we reach out for new business opportunities throughout the world. We sponsored the very first Fractional Summit and have been pleased with how the conference has grown during these challenging times. The fractional conferences are a great opportunity for the industry to get together and exchange knowledge and best practice, as well as providing a networking opportunity which is ideal for making new business contacts. We are pleased to be able to support such useful industry events across three continents, and look forward to a successful partnership with Fractional Life over the coming year.”

Fractional Summit Europe Underway, USA and Middle East North Africa Upcoming

This year’s Fractional Summit Europe is currently underway at the Marriott Grosvenor Square in London. Fractional Summit USA is planned for August 30-31, 2011, at the InterContinental Hotel, Miami, Florida and the Fractional Summit Middle East North Africa is in the planning stages with a destination and dates to be announced. Follow this link to learn more about Fractional Summit Europe: Fractional Summit Europe is Only 10 Days Away.

Fractional Life a leading consumer lifestyle brand dedicated to growing the fractional ownership marketplace. The company has three divisions: interactive, b2b fractional conferences and consumer exhibitions.

Additional information related to fractional ownership: Fractionals Could Offer Unique Opportunities in Real Estate and Vacation Ownership