Hawaii Timeshare

The 5th European Tourism Forum was held November 16 and 17 in Cyprus at the Hawaii Grand Hotel & Resort, a five-star property in Lemesos (Limassol). The European Commission, the Finnish Presidency and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus co-hosted the forum, said to be the largest annual tourism event conducted by the Commission.

Prominent industry leaders, academics and policy makers were represented at this year’s forum. Planning sessions and workshops were scheduled to give attendees the opportunity to speak out on issues of consumer security, electronic reservation systems, timesharing, public-private partnerships and cruise tourism, along with other concerns of the travel and hospitality industry.

Key topics included new trends in the tourism industry, specifically the consumer trends to take more and shorter holidays and to be more brand loyal and less price conscious. Other key topics of discussion looked at online travel booking trends, a market that will reach $70 billion in the US alone by the end of 2006. The European Tourism Forum is especially concerned with boosting travel, tourism and timesharing in Europe, all of which have lagged behind the US in recent years. The slower growth is partially attributed to a slower increase in internet usage in European countries as compared to the US or in Asia Pacific countries, where it is growing exponentially.

Trendwest by WorldMark makes the list of best places to work in Hawaii

Hawaii Business Magazine (interestingly the oldest regional business magazine in the US) and the Best Companies Group have recognized Trendwest Resorts, Inc., as one of the “Best Places to Work in Hawaii”.

Congratulations to Trendwest Hawaii, who received this honor in the category for small to medium companies (25 to 249 employees). The company is recognized for creating and supporting a rewarding work environment, providing a progressive benefit program, and promoting organizational values. And as we all know, happy, well cared for employees translate to well-run resorts that timeshare owners and timeshare renters can own and enjoy with confidence.

Currently there are more than 50 Trendwest WorldMark condominium resorts in the United States, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and Fiji. The four Hawaii Trendwest timeshare resorts are at Kapaa Shores on Kauai; Kihei and Valley Isle on Maui; and Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. All are fantastic vacation destinations that you know before you go will be safe, luxurious, and convenient to the amenities you and your family want to enjoy.

More hotel properties in Hawaii are being converted to timeshares and condominiums, according to a recent study.

On October 27, the Hawaii Tourism Authority released a study, “Analysis of Trends in Accommodations Supply, with Focus on Condominium and Timeshare Conversions“. This study describes how a number of existing hotel units are expected to undergo conversion to timeshares or condominiums within the next several years.

What does this mean? Here are my thoughts:

-For a while, timeshare industry professionals have been saying that Hawaii timeshares are growing in popularity. Now, these claims appear to have been substantiated.

-The study predicts more Hawaii timeshare developments to crop up in the months and years to come. Consequently, more Hawaii timeshares will be available for purchase on the resale market.

-This study is a clear indication that Hawaii’s government is not ignorant of the income-generating potential of timeshares. Vacation tourism is a huge portion of Hawaii’s economy, and timeshare owners make up a significant number of Hawaii’s visitors. Local authorities are no doubt pleased to see an increase in projected tax revenues. For more, visit my post “New Timeshare Taxes on Hawaii’s Big Island“.

-I think this survey could also indicate an overall change in vacation habits. Visitors to Hawaii might be looking to timeshare as a cost-effective alternative to paying top dollar for less-than-ideal hotel accommodations.

Timeshares on the Hawaiian Islands prove especially stimulating to the local economy, according to recent findings.

According to a recent article, Hawaii’s tourism industry is experiencing record growth this year. What is more interesting to note is that timeshare owners receive much of the credit for this development.

This article went on to state that the number of timeshare owners who visit Hawaii annually is estimated to be around 500,000. The average price of a Hawaiian timeshare was given at $26,000, which may seem a bit low, though data here might reflect prices in the resale market.

A high-level Hilton Grand Vacations Club representative remarked that the level of occupancy in time-sharing unts can sometimes surpass that of hotel rooms/suites rented on a nightly basis. He also remarked on the exchange value of Hawaii timeshare, which is more valuable than timeshare in any other location in the world. Local residents even buy Hawaii timeshares, often solely for their exchange value.

Timeshare is becoming more and more entrenched in tourism-based economies everywhere. In a few years, it could become the backbone of Hawaii’s tourism industry. Under the aegis of a number of large resort companies, new Hawaii timeshare resorts are scheduled for construction in the years to come. This reflects the growing number of large hotel brands realizing the profit-making potential of timeshare, and increased consumer confidence in the product itself.

For more on this, visit the article at:

 http://khon.com/khon/display.cfm?storyID=6640&sectionID=1156.