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Timeshare Industry News: The Trades Publishing Company Recommits to another Year as WIN Corporate Benefactor

Jason Tremblay — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:00:33 +0000

Teamwork makes the timeshare industry strong and partnerships like this are great to report: Women in the Industry (WIN), an association that supports the role and the advancement of professional women in the timeshare industry, has announced that The Trades Publishing Company has company has committed to another year of support. The Trades was a charter supporter as WIN launched last year, and has been instrumental in promoting and publicizing WIN to a wide audience.

“We signed up as a corporate benefactor at the very inception of WIN,” says David Kerr, Managing Director of The Trades. “We are pleased to be part of its growth because from the get-go we have believed in its mission.”

Women in the Industry (WIN) is a non-profit organization that advocates, educates and connects women in the vacation (timeshare) industry. It is a dynamic, diverse, non-partisan global organization providing leadership, mentoring, philanthropic and educational opportunities to women and those who support women; connecting members locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Georgi Bohrod Gordon is the Board of Directors Member responsible for WIN communications. Georgi says, “Each month The Trades has consistently been generous in donating ad space and editorial copy to help spread the word about us. Their support has continued to help us grow and we are pleased they have made such a positive commitment to help support the organization in reaching our goals in the upcoming year. We now have two important publications getting the word about WIN to the targeted audience we regard as primary to our goals.”

Thanks to promotion from The Trades and the sponsorship of Marriott Vacation Ownership, Bluegreen Resorts, and CustomerCount©, the first WIN Florida Regional Conference Meeting in Orlando (held at the end of January) was a strong success, with nearly 60 attending. WIN will hold their annual networking event during the 2010 American Resort and Development Association (ARDA) Convention in Las Vegas on March 16.

To find out more contact: Cathy Backus at 858.344.2139 or Lani Kane-Hanan at 407.513.6634.

Previous The Timeshare Authority updates on WIN:

The Timeshare Association Conference-It’s All About Working Together

Jason Tremblay — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:00:19 +0000

TATOC, The Timeshare Association, has announced its schedule for the upcoming 2010 TATOC Conference, titled: “Working Together.”

The global event for the timeshare industry will be held at the Nottingham Belfry, Nottingham, England, on March 26 to March 28. Stephen J. Cloobeck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Resorts International® has been announced as the keynote speaker for the event that is expected to draw timeshare sales and timeshare support industry representatives from around the world and to surpass previous conference records for attendance and sponsorship.

The preliminary TATOC Timeshare Association Conference schedule includes:

Friday March 26, 2010
Registration: 5 PM
Reception: 7-8 PM
Dinner: 8 PM

Saturday March 27, 2010
Breakfast: 7AM.
Conference begins: 9 AM with usual coffee breaks and lunch
Conference ends: Approximately 5 PM
Reception: 7-8 PM
Dinner and Speaker: 8 PM

Sunday March 28, 2010
Breakfast: 7AM.
Conference begins: 9 AM
Conference ends: Approximately 11 AM
TATOC AGM: 11:30 AM
Lunch: 1PM

Booking forms are now available to download at www.timeshareassociation.org.

Continue following The Timeshare Authority for more updates on the 2010 TATOC Conference, and all the timeshare news and information.

For more TATOC information:

Telephone 00 44 (0)161 237 3611

Fax 00 44 (0)161 237 3611

Previous The Timeshare Authority posts on TATOC events:

TATOC Announces Guest Speaker for Timeshare Conference
TATOC Announces More Info on 2010 Timeshare Conference

New Westgate Las Vegas Timeshare

Jason Tremblay — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:00:55 +0000

The long-awaited 52-story Westgate residential, vacation ownership, and timeshare resort, PH Towers at Planet Hollywood, officially opened this week. Grand opening of the 1,201-room resort began with room availability to timeshare owners and will be followed on December 28 by rooms available to the general public.

The resort’s timeshare units account for approximately 20 percent of the total number of rooms at the property and include studio timeshare units, and one and two bedroom timeshare units. Many feature dramatic city views with floor to ceiling windows, marble accented bathrooms, spa tubs, and other luxury amenities. But perhaps the real draw of Las Vegas timeshare at the PH Towers is its location at the heart of the Vegas Strip, on four acres next to the Miracle Mile Shops. At build out, you’ll find some 170 specialty stores and thirty restaurants in what Westgate timeshares describes as “retail bliss” for the “semipro shopper”.

The PH Towers at Planet Hollywood Resort and Las Vegas Timeshare is a partnership development between Planet Hollywood Resort and Westgate timeshare. In opening the PH Towers, more than 800 hospitality professionals have been hired.

Timeshare Owners Should not be Impacted by Bankruptcy Filing at Consolidated Resorts

Jason Tremblay — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 05:01:24 +0000

…but it is important for timeshare owners at Consolidated Resorts timeshare to continue to make payments and pay dues on the vacation property they own.

Consolidated Resorts, a Las Vegas timeshare company that filed for bankruptcy protection at the end of June, is the developer of the Tahiti Village Resort, the Tahiti Resort, and the Club de Soleil, (all Las Vegas timeshares). They also developed three Orlando timeshare resorts and nine Hawaii timeshare resorts. Almost all of the timeshare units at these resorts have been sold, meaning that the timeshare owners (not Consolidated Resorts) hold deeds to these properties.

According to ReviewJournal.com, the bankruptcy attorney for Consolidated and 12 of its affiliated companies, Lenard Schwartzer, has explained that the people who bought deeds to timeshares at the companies’ resorts should not be affected by the bankruptcy filing. “They (the timeshare owners) are able to call up and get their week as if this bankruptcy never happened,” says Schwartzer.

Since the collective of timeshare deed holders own the resorts, and all of the resorts have enough money to remain in operation, (plus the fact that none of the timeshare resort management companies were involved in the bankruptcy filing) there is really no reason for Consolidated Resort’s bankruptcy to become a problem for the resorts. Unless—and this is a very important detail—timeshare owners take it upon themselves to stop paying their annual fees, or stop making payments. If timeshare owners panic and stop paying what they rightfully owe, the timeshare owners themselves could become the downfall of their own resorts and vacation ownership.

Previous related post from The Timeshare Authority:

Consolidated Resorts Timeshare says Bankruptcy Will Not Affect Timeshare Owners

Sources:

ReviewJournal.com

Timeshare Factoids for the week of 7/20/09

Jason Tremblay — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:15:33 +0000

The latest news for Consolidated Resorts owners, as Director of Communications Steve Luba explains.

Timeshare Is Stronger and Stabler than You Think

Jason Tremblay — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:23:52 +0000

Last week, rumors turned to fact when Consolidated Resorts filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy through the courts in Nevada. And when something like this happens, everyone feels a little concerned about what the future holds—whether you are employed by the industry, you own timeshares, or you are a vendor who serves timeshare resorts and timeshare owners. But as the Wall Street Journal pointed out this week, “So far this year, Consolidated is the only time-share developer to have said it will file for bankruptcy protection.“

Despite some cutbacks, layoffs, and the assorted challenges that the industry faces, timeshare resorts across the US and around the world are still providing timeshare owners and timeshare renters with quality vacation experiences. And when you consider that the timeshare industry has been hit from more different directions than most by the complexities of the weak economy and poor credit market, the very fact that only Consolidated has been forced to make this move says a lot about the strength and solidity already in place.

In quotes that appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Steve Holmes, Wyndham timeshare’s chairman and chief executive, says he anticipates the securitization market eventually will loosen a bit for time-share deals. “I’m not calling for a return to the kind of liquidity that existed 18 months or two years ago, but I think, over time, there will be a middle ground that’s found.”

Las Vegas Timeshare Was Expanding

What’s especially sad for Consolidated Resorts is that they were expanding one of their three Las Vegas timeshare properties, the Tahiti Village on Las Vegas Boulevard at Interstate 215. The property has 860 timeshare units but room for expansion, space the other two Las Vegas locations, the Tahiti and Club de Soleil did not offer. Completion of the expansion would have given the company more timeshare to sell, something it needed greatly as its existing inventory was low.

The bottom line is that none of us knows exactly what the bottom line will be in this economy. But timeshare companies, developers, and timeshare resales companies are stepping up their efforts, and scrutinizing how they can improve their product, their services, and their business models. Some of the details may change, but your opportunity to enjoy vacation ownership through timeshares and timeshare resales, remains.

Consolidated Resorts Timeshare says Bankruptcy Will Not Affect Timeshare Owners

Jason Tremblay — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:01:11 +0000

Consolidated Resorts Inc., a Las Vegas based timeshare company along with its affiliated companies, has commenced the process of filing for Chapter 7 protection this week in Nevada bankruptcy court. A Chapter 7 liquidation filing means that trustees will sell the timeshare company’s assets and then apply the proceeds to repay debtors.

Last month Consolidated Resorts Timeshare Company announced it was closing its sales and marketing offices but that the resorts would remain open for timeshare owners. Consolidated spokesman Ken Chupinsky told The Las Vegas Sun, “…timeshare interval owners will continue to have full use and enjoyment of the resorts.”

According to officials at Consolidated Timeshare Resorts, a management company that has not filed for bankruptcy protection will run the condominium associations that are responsible for each resort, adding that resorts are owned by the timeshare owners. Ken Chupinsky was quoted in The Las Vegas Sun as saying, “This has nothing to do with the timeshare owners. The timeshare owners are in fine shape.”

The timeshare company pointed to lack of financing available to timeshare owners to purchase new timeshares and a dwindling inventory as contributing to the problem. Consolidated Timeshare Resorts includes 14 timeshare properties; 3 that are Las Vegas timeshare resorts, 1 Orlando timeshare resort and 9 Hawaii timeshares.

It is hard to predict what the immediate or long-term responses will be by timeshare buyers and sellers.

Here are links to timeshare resales at Consolidated Resort’s 9 Hawaii timeshare properties:

Sources:

Hawaii Timeshare in Maui, California Timeshare Near the Beach, and Desert Beauty in a Las Vegas Timeshare Resort

Jason Tremblay — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:11:19 +0000

As the countdown on the Sell My Timeshare NOW HOT 100 list continues, we look at three HOT timeshares, each distinctively different from the other. HOT 100 List timeshare number 20 is the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas North. Hot List timeshare number 19 is the Grand Pacific Palisades in Carlsbad, California. And Hot List timeshare number 16 is the Wyndham Grand Desert in Las Vegas. Three ways to vacation; three timeshare resorts to enjoy.

A Lush Hawaiian Isle Westin Timeshare Resort

Designed with luxury in mind, the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas North is one of two Westin resorts on Ka’anapali Beach. Enjoying a primo location on North Ka’anapali, (a beach that has been recognized as one of America’s Best Beaches) timeshare owners and timeshare renters at this Hawaii timeshare resort can choose verdant island views or stunning ocean vistas from their private balcony or patio. At the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort, studio and one or two-bedroom timeshare villas offer an equipped kitchen, a whirlpool tub, and a relaxing living and dining area.

Located in Lahaina, on the island of Maui, if you watched the season finale of the CBS reality show, The Amazing Race, (this past Sunday night,) you saw enough beautiful views of Maui to make you long for a Hawaii timeshare.

California Timeshare Close to the Beach

Grand Pacific Palisades California timeshare offers you a totally different perspective of the Pacific Ocean than the one you’ll get in Lahaina, Maui, but equally as spectacular. North of San Diego (about 40 miles), and south of Anaheim (approximately 60 miles), Carlsbad has Southern California desert appeal in a location so perfect for family fun it is even located across the street from LEGOLAND®!

During the spring, you can enjoy Carlsbad’s famous Flower Fields® where more than 50-acres of vibrant flowers bloom on a hillside overlooking the ocean. Year-round, Grand Pacific Palisades timeshare tempts you with an ideal location for enjoying golf, the beach, or any of the nearby attractions.

Timeshare units at this beautiful California timeshare resort include one and two bedroom units as well as two bedroom lockouts.

This Las Vegas Timeshare is No Gamble, It’s Always a Winner

The Wyndham Grand Desert in Las Vegas is located only a quarter mile from the glittering Las Vegas Strip, but features a Mediterranean-style ambience. Timeshare owners at the Wyndham Grand Desert enjoy the resort, not only for its style and amenities, but because it makes it easy to balance your vacation between the casinos and nightlife of the Las Vegas Strip with a relaxing resort that offers plenty of entertainment for the whole family.

Considered a flagship property of Wyndham Resorts, Wyndham Grand Desert timeshare units are available in one, two, and three-bedroom units, as well as timeshare lockouts.

Like so many other great Las Vegas timeshare properties, the Wyndham Grand Desert makes it easy to explore both the natural wonders of the Nevada landscape and then take in the shows, dining, and unmatched glitz of Las Vegas after dark.

To learn more about opportunities in timeshare resales and timeshare rentals at these great HOT 100 destinations and many more exciting vacation spots, talk to the timeshare resales specialists at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Mexico Timeshare, Hawaii Timeshare, Las Vegas Timeshare … It’s all HOT 100 at Sell My Timeshare NOW

Jason Tremblay — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:28:42 +0000

Too much timeshare news! The past twelve months have been an active time for the timeshare and vacation ownership industries. There has been a lot that has happened in areas from timeshare development, new timeshare publications, and then the news that is not so upbeat, such as lay-offs at timeshare companies, cutbacks, and other challenges of the economic environment.

Even with all this activity, there is no excuse for the situation we find ourselves in at The Timeshare Authority. We realized that in covering the HOT 100 List for 2008 for timeshare resales and timeshare rentals at Sell My Timeshare NOW, even though it is almost time to release the new list, we have been remiss in our quest to tell you about all 100 timeshare resorts on the current list. Most notably, we have yet to cover the top 30 timeshare resorts on the list! So with our apologies we are jumping back into it with a deluxe edition of today’s blog.

HOT 100 Timeshares at Sell My Timeshare NOW

Let’s look at the timeshare resorts that ranked 26 through 30 …

Villa del Palmar timeshare resort in Cabo San Lucas, HOT 100 resort timeshare number 30.
Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Hilton Hawaii Village, HOT 100 timeshare resort number 29.
Hacienda Del Mar Resort timeshare in Cabo San Lucas, HOT 100 timeshare resort number 28.
Marriott’s Grand Chateau timeshare resort (Las Vegas) HOT 100 timeshare resort number 27.
Palace Resorts at Moon Palace Golf and Spa timeshare resort, (Cancun, Mexico) HOT 100 timeshare resort number 26.

Three Hot Mexico Timeshare Resorts

Starting with the three Mexico timeshare HOT properties first; two are Cabo San Lucas timeshare resorts and one is on the Mexican Riviera in Cancun.

Villa del Palmar timeshare resort in Cabo San Lucas is a Cabo San Lucas timeshare designed to give almost unlimited ways to relax and relax and relax …

Located on the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, near both San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, this beautiful timeshare resort is designed to help you recapture your serenity or build your passion—and hopefully do both! Pamper yourself in Villa del Palmar’s European Day Spa, relax at the timeshare resort’s swimming pools, stroll Medano beach, or soak in a two-person jetted bathtub. This seaside timeshare resort is the right backdrop whether you are there for the golf, sport fishing, or your own romantic wedding.

At Villa del Palmar Cabo San Lucas timeshare, you can choose a studio unit, one-bedroom timeshare, two-bedroom timeshare, two-bedroom deluxe, or three-bedroom, three-bath timeshare unit. All offer additional queen-size sofa beds, and both the two-bedroom deluxe and the three-bedroom timeshare unit feature the private in-room Jacuzzi tubs.

Hacienda Del Mar Resort timeshare is another great Cabo San Lucas timeshare resort. The resort describes itself as being, “between the shadows of the mountains and the endless expanse of a sapphire sea in beautiful Cabo San Lucas.” It’s hard to capture Hacienda Del Mar timeshare any better than that.

The resort includes 234 low-rise timeshare villas all designed in the style of old-world Mexican haciendas. With choices of ocean, golf, and garden views, every villa includes a patio or balcony. The Hacienda Del Mar timeshare villas are classified as: Junior, Luxury, Master, Executive, Presidential, and Penthouse and offer fine Cabo San Lucas timeshare accommodations ranging from studio to spacious three-bedrooms.

Heading from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, you find a distinctively different but equally beautiful coastline for Mexico timeshares in Cancun on the Mexican Riviera. Discover the amazing Palace Resorts at Moon Palace Golf and Spa timeshare resort.

The Palace Resorts at Moon Palace Golf and Spa timeshare welcomes you to an all-inclusive timeshare resort. With elegant accommodations, outstanding dining, complimentary transportation, and full service concierge staff, you can feel like you are really getting your money’s worth, all for one pre-paid flat price.

Mexico timeshares are among the few timeshare destinations to offer all-inclusive timeshares and for many vacationers, one-price dining and entertainment makes a lot of sense.

Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort timeshare is located only a convenient 5 miles from the airport in Cancun, yet its peaceful south shore setting makes you feel like you are miles away from it all. Situated between 120-plus acres of lush tropical foliage and a secluded white sand beach, you can’t do a better job in your search for relaxation than Moon Palace Golf and Spa.

The timeshare resort offers 2,103 units, all with either ocean or garden views. And while this may seem like the perfect Mexico timeshare for your romantic getaway, with a kid’s club and lots of onsite activities, it makes just as much sense for your favorite family vacation.

Heading for a Favorite Hawaii Timeshare

Honolulu’s Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Hilton Hawaii Village is HOT 100 timeshare resort number 29.

Grab your ukulele, this Hilton timeshare resort means classic Hawaii vacation fun. Located on Waikiki Beach, the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Hilton Hawaii Village is an all suite resort on 20 acres of prime Honolulu real estate with one of the best beach areas around. The expansive resort offers you a place to scuba, snorkel, or tour undersea on the Atlantis submarines.

With four swimming pools, including a super pool with a lazy river, a salt-water lagoon, the fabulous Mandara Spa and Holistica Hawaii Health Center, and a children’s program, you and your family can experience a vacation of a lifetime, that you have the opportunity to experience year after year.

Viva Las Vegas Timeshare

Marriott’s Grand Chateau timeshare resort in Las Vegas takes us to an inland destination at a primo location on the vibrant Las Vegas strip.

The Grand Chateau timeshare offers master timeshare villas with fully equipped kitchens, separate living and dining area, and a washer and dryer. All units include a 42-inch flat-screen TV, DVD player, and they range from Deluxe Guest suites to one, two, and three-bedroom timeshare villas, with the three-bedroom units designed to accommodate up to ten of your best buddies or family members.

Favorite nearby locations to Marriott’s Grand Chateau timeshare include all the gaming, dining, and shows of the Strip, Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, and the Cirque de Soleil. And while Las Vegas timeshare was once seen primarily as a grown up vacation spot, with all of the fun of places like the Secret Garden at the Mirage, the Lion Habitat at MGM Grand, and Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef, it has clearly become a vacation favorite for ‘children’ of every age.

Okay, that’s a whirlwind tour of five HOT timeshare resort destinations for timeshare resales and timeshare rentals and great evidence that timeshares are as diverse as the people who enjoy them. In view of all the opportunities in today’s resale market, you can find a timeshare that not only fits your vacation dreams, but fits your vacation budget as well.

Time Magazine Profiles Timeshare Resales as a Buyer’s Market

Jason Tremblay — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:59:09 +0000

In their Business and Tech News, Time Magazine (dateline April 30, 2009) describes timeshare resales as a “buyer’s market” … and in many ways, they are so right!

Time took a long look at the timeshare resale market. They spoke with timeshare industry experts and even profiled a recent timeshare resale buyer at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

“When 67-year-old Gary Furbee and his wife Rose decided to go shopping for a time-share vacation home in Hawaii, they couldn’t believe the bargains. The couple had rented a two-bedroom ocean-view penthouse unit at Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club on Oahu in 2007, liked it and resolved to watch for resales. The Furbees thought the recession might flush out some distressed sellers, but they were stunned by how far prices had plunged. ‘At Marriott, it was [listed] for between $50,000 and $60,000, but we paid $18,400,’ Gary says. He bought their time-share through SellMyTimeshareNow.com one of a number of resale sites. ‘We don’t know if the person was in financial problems or needed the money, but we thought we would take advantage of it.’”

What the Experts Had to Say about Timeshare Resales

Scott Berman is a widely known expert on hospitality and leisure trends for PricewaterhouseCoopers. He explains in the Time article that even he has been surprised by how swiftly the timeshare sales industry has felt the impact of the current troubled economy. Berman says that timeshare sales have been influenced by the tight credit market resulting in less money available to consumers to borrow for buying timeshares and at the same time, there being a “glut” of properties available to buy as timeshare resales.

Yet adding an interesting twist to Berman’s insights is his own personal story of buying timeshare. In 1997, Berman bought a Colorado timeshare for less than $40,000. Today, that timeshare sells for $125,000 on the resale market. That’s right, contrary to the warnings you hear from consumer groups, governmental agencies, and even from us, here at Sell My Timeshare NOW, telling you to never buy timeshare with the idea that its value will appreciate, there are some timeshares that do increase in value.

Howard Nusbaum, president of ARDA, the American Resort Development Association cautioned prospective timeshare buyers in the Time article, “Don’t buy it to flip it.” Nusbaum warns that even when timeshare resales are temptingly inexpensive, know what you are buying before you sign on the dotted line; timeshares are “vacation plays, not investment plays.”

Timeshare Resales: Opportunities Abound

The Time magazine article says that Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Orlando have some of the largest inventories of timeshare resales on the market and are therefore places to shop for exceptional deals in timeshare resales. All three locations have long been popular vacation destinations. The first timeshares in the US were built in Hawaii where timeshare particularly suited a local culture that wasn’t eager to permanently sell their homeland to people from outside the islands. And Hawaii timeshares have had to deal with the added challenge of rising travel costs leading many US vacationers to bypass the expense of airfare to Hawaii and opt for a mainland vacation.

Orlando is year-in and year-out one of the top family vacation destinations in the world, while Las Vegas is one of the leading grown-up vacation destinations … it makes sense that you would find many timeshare resorts in both places. Since both locations offer nearly year-round climates, it makes sense that you will find plenty of timeshare, both new and timeshare resales available in both cities.

But for all the abundance in the market, there are still major timeshare developers moving ahead on new Orlando timeshares, new Hawaii timeshares, and new Las Vegas timeshares, even though the rate of development has slowed. Development is also moving ahead in other locations. If you are shopping for a great deal on a timeshare, don’t assume your options are limited to areas where timeshares abound.

There are great deals to be had in timeshare resales across the market, in “hot” destinations as well as in urban timeshares, regional vacation spots, and places that are truly off the beaten path. The bottom line is that for a variety of reasons, there are excellent opportunities available now in timeshare resales around the globe. And as the Furbees discovered, there is no one better than Sell My Timeshare NOW to help you find that ‘just-right’ timeshare.

Follow this link to read the full article online or look for it in the May 11 print edition of Time Magazine, available at your local newsstand soon.