Many of the conversations about Marriott timeshare in recent weeks have focused on the company’s launch of a timeshare points based program called Marriott Vacation Club Destinations. In a recent interview with Perspective Magazine, Marriott timeshare executives offered further insights about the new timeshare points program, its impact on the company and its benefits for timeshare owners.

Marriott Vacation Club timeshare recognizes that current and future Marriott timeshare owners will have many questions about the points program, and with this in mind the company will be increasing staffing in order to properly address the concerns and service needs of its more than 400,000 timeshare owner families.

Ed Kinney, vice president of corporate affairs and brand awareness for Marriott Vacation Club, says the company expects the increased level of questions and inquiries to continue for about a year and a half. He also reminds Marriott timeshare owners that although the timeshare points program will be the only form of timeshare the company plans to cell going forward, it is elective for current owners.

Marriott Timeshare Gears Up for the Change

Marriott timeshare, having delayed some technology updates knowing that the conversion to timeshare points was coming, has now made a significant investment in converting the information technology aspects of its business. As Kinney told Editor Matt McDaniel, at Perspective, “Today’s computer technology is able to be somewhat predictive and understand how to best utilize inventory without having to overbuild to accommodate the variations. That’s been one of the biggest things to overcome…”

And Marriott timeshare reminds its timeshare owners that it is not a newcomer to a timeshare points based program having offered only timeshare points in the Marriott Vacation Club’s Asia Pacific region. Through this experience, the company has learned a great deal about its timeshare owner’s desires and usage patterns.

Marriott timeshare sees the transition as a time of educating its owners, a process the company is very committed to do. Kinney says, “So that’s what our owner-services group is going to be doing over the near term: education, education, education.”

Other recent The Timeshare Authority blog posts on the new Marriott timeshare points plan:

• Why Not All Marriott Timeshare Owners are Happy with the New Timeshare Points Plan
• Questions Persist about the New Marriott Timeshare Points Program
• More Details on New Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Timeshare Points
• Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions

The Timeshare Authority blog has been tweeting, twittering, and blogging about the HOT 100 List of timeshare resales and timeshare rentals for nearly two months. We’ve worked our way up through the HOTTEST 10 timeshares on the list and now we are finally down to the timeshare resorts that ranked number one and number two on the HOT List.

Coming in as the number 2 timeshare of the 100 properties ranked is Harborside Resort At Atlantis on Paradise Island, in the Bahamas. This Caribbean timeshare resort is known as one of the most amazing properties anywhere in the world and it is no surprise that it makes the Sell My Timeshare NOW HOT List year after year.

Harborside Resort At Atlantis Timeshare is part of the Starwood Vacation Network and is one of six properties that make up the Atlantis resort Paradise Island complex. When you vacation at Harborside Resort At Atlantis, you have complementary access to all of the facilities and attractions, including the six-story Mayan Temple water slide that drops you—where else—but seemingly into a pool of live sharks.

Whether you choose to swim with the dolphins, snorkel with the marine life, test your luck at the casinos, or indulge yourself at the spa, there is practically nothing you can imagine in a Caribbean timeshare vacation that isn’t available in grand scale at Harborside Resort At Atlantis.

The Number 1 Timeshare on Everyone’s List

Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club is located on the sparkly white sands of Palm Beach, Aruba, looking out at the beautiful Caribbean Sea. This popular Marriott timeshare affords timeshare owners and timeshare guests access to the on-site Stellaris Casino and the Aruba Marriott Resort, as well as the Mandara Spa, waterfall pool and Las Vegas-style entertainment.

With your choice of one, two, or three-bedroom timeshare units, all with separate living and dining areas, plus fully equipped kitchens, Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club is a fantasy destination for family vacations, honeymoons, or just that special escape you’ve been promising yourself. Best of all as a Marriott timeshare owner, the Aruba Surf Club doesn’t have to be a once in a lifetime event; instead you can choose to vacation here year after year, taking advantage of the quality and dependability that is recognized in Marriott timeshare.

Even though The Timeshare Authority is a blog, where opining is permissible, we’ve tried to maintain a journalistic approach to the matter of Marriott Vacation Club’s new timeshare points plan. After all, it is an optional timeshare points program, in which timeshare owners can choose whether they participate or not.

But because there continues to be so many voiced concerns and opinions about the program, we’re going to pass along some of those comments, specifically as they appeared on Bill Marriott’s personal blog Marriott on the Move and on the SellMyTimeshareNOW forum.

Bill Marriott Writes about Marriott Timeshare Points

If you visit Marriott on the Move, published on June 25, 2010 (Providing Our Timeshare Owners with More Flexibility), you can read what Bill Marriott, Chairman and CEO of Marriott International says, including this description of the program:

On that timeshare blog post, you will find many comments about the program, some expressing concern that Marriott timeshare owners who participate in the points program are not receiving a sufficient number of points to allow them to plan vacations at most of the included properties. In some cases, these timeshare owners are saying the ownership they purchased that should have covered a 7-day timeshare vacation, now only converts to enough points to permit them to say 5 or 6 days.

Other complaints include the difference in the points values for some resorts as compared to others, as well as the fact that the program is currently limited to North American timeshare properties.

Timeshare Owners Speak Out

On the SellMyTimeshareNOW Timeshare forum, you will find comments about the Marriott timeshare points system under the subheading: Timeshare Exchange and Points Systems. One Marriott timeshare owner wrote, “One thing that left me a little bit annoyed was the points to get into one of my home resorts in the same season was slightly more than the number of points they give you. For example, my Barony Beach week was worth 3250 points but (if) I wanted to use it for the same season in the same property it was something like 3400 points.”

Another Marriott owner looked at the new system in terms of dollars and cents, writing, “So as I see it, we only get 85.74% of our current value under the new point system (6 nights in lieu of 7) OR We pay a premium of 26% ((1,000 points at $9.20 = $9,200 / our current investment of $35,000.”)

Finding Answers that Work for Timeshare Owners and Developers

While everyone understands it is impossible to create one system (on any topic, but certainly on that of timeshare points) that works for everyone, it is important that a timeshare points program be effective for the majority of timeshare owners who participate in it. Today’s business world is consumer driven; everyone who succeeds in any field or niche of industry must respect that.

Right now is an exciting time to be part of the timeshare industry because developers, timeshare brokers, and timeshare resales companies are writing new pages in the story of timeshare ownership, setting higher standards for customer service and then striving to exceed them whenever possible. In the history of timeshares, it has never been more important than it is right now, for the stories of timeshare ownership include lots of ‘happy endings’.

Other recent posts on The Timeshare Authority blog addressing Marriott Timeshare Points:

• Questions Persist about the New Marriott Timeshare Points Program
• More Details on New Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Timeshare Points
• Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions

Women in the Industry (WIN) is a non-profit organization created to promote, educate and connect women in the vacation and timeshare industry. In May, WIN launched its second annual Travel Auction that offers WIN members and their friends and families the opportunity to bid on donated vacation weeks beginning at $200 and including timeshare vacation opportunities at resorts worldwide.

The auction raised $9,348 in support of The Auskell Medical Clinic, located on Abaco Island in the Bahamas. Donors included Bluegreen, Island One, Festiva Resorts, Hawaii Vacation Club, ResorTime.Com, Interval International, RCI Endless Vacations, Dial an Exchange, San Francisco Exchange, Vacations Only, Lagonita Lodge/Alderwood Advantage, Marriott Vacation Club, Massanutten Resort, Shell Vacation Club, American Resorts International, Pollard Brook and Ron Jon Cape Caribe, Condominium Travel Club.

A Lifesaving Effort

This year’s target was to raise money to help fund the purchase of a mammography machine for The Auskell Medical Clinic. Because of the efforts of the women of WIN, five women have been saved through early detection provided by a previous mammogram machine that WIN replaced.

With a threefold purpose to unite and ignite combined strengths; to offer education scholarship and research opportunities; and to partner with charities that support the health, education and welfare of women and adolescent girls in need, the women of WIN represent the timeshare industry well.

To learn more about WIN, go to www.womenintheindustry.org

Changes to the Marriott timeshare points program were the subject of much speculation long before the new program came into effect late last month. Marriott timeshare owners and prospective owners, however, continue to have questions about how the program actually works.

While there is no indication that guidelines for the program will be revised again in the future, let’s assume that no timeshare program is written in stone and there is a possibility that Marriott could make changes to it. But unless Marriott does implement such changes, future timeshare resale owners cannot participate in the new timeshare points program.

Are You Already a Marriott Timeshare Resale Owner?

If you owned your Marriott timeshare resale before June 21, 2010, then you have the option to join the new points program. Anyone who buys Marriott timeshare resale after that date cannot enroll, and the restriction appears to apply even to anyone who closes on a Marriott timeshare resale after June 21, 2010, even if the transaction commenced before the deadline. You can still buy and sell Marriott timeshare resales, getting great deals and ideal vacation opportunities, but at the time of resale, any Marriott timeshares that are part of the new points system and are closed after the cutoff date, simply revert to deeded timeshare.

Follow this link to learn more about Marriott Vacation Club points through the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations program and remember that while not all Marriott timeshare owners are happy with the new program, it is not mandatory to enroll in it, neither is it the only Marriott points program option.

More from The Timeshare Authority Blog:

• Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions
• More Details on New Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Timeshare Points

As the summer speeds past, we don’t want to miss the chance to fill you in on all of the timeshare resales and timeshare rentals that made the Top 10 of this years’ HOT 100 List. These are the timeshares that consumers voted (with their dollars) as the most popular timeshares advertised with Sell My Timeshare NOW. In other words, vacationers, like you, made more offers to buy or rent timeshare at these resorts than at any other resort destinations we marketed.

If you have been following the Sell My Timeshare NOW HOT 100 List, then you may already know that six of the top ten timeshares on this year’s list are Marriott Vacation Club International properties. In today’s post, we are focusing on three of those six—the timeshares that came in as numbers 6-7- and 8 on the list.

All three are US timeshare but are located in very different parts of the country: (6) Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club (Maui, Hawaii); (7) Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas (Newport Coast, California); and (8) Marriott’s Grande Vista (Orlando, Florida).

Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club timeshare resales and rentals is a past nominee to Travel & Leisure’s prestigious list of “Top 25 Hotels in Hawaii. Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas timeshare resales and rentals offer Mediterranean styling in the heart of Orange County, California. And Marriott’s Grande Vista timeshare resales and rentals are located in the vacation favorite destination of Orlando, Florida, with easy access to great golf and all of the theme parks.

If you are considering buying a timeshare, then the strength of Marriott timeshare resales should give you great confidence that you are buying a vacation ownership product other consumers consider to be among the best.

If you are considering buying a timeshare, then the strength of Marriott timeshare resales should give you great confidence that you are buying a vacation ownership product other consumers consider to be among the best.

• Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas North, a HOT Hawaii Timeshare Destination
• You Could Be on a Timeshare Vacation at Marriott’s Oceanwatch Villas at Grande Dunes

Marriott Vacation Club International timeshares are unquestionably popular. When Sell My Timeshare NOW published this year’s HOT 100 List of timeshare resale and rental properties that received the most offers to buy or rent, six of the top ten were Marriott timeshares.

Coming in as number ten on the list is Marriott’s Oceanwatch Villas At Grande Dunes timeshare in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This favorite resort is located beachside on the famous Myrtle Beach Grand Strand and features two-bedroom, two-bath timeshare villas that accommodate up to eight adults.

You can choose your vista from oceanfront, ocean side, ocean view or garden view, all with private balconies, full kitchens, and a separate living and dining area. Plan a Myrtle Beach timeshare vacation and play golf at over 100 nearby courses and explore the shops, restaurants and theme park activities along the Grand Strand. But you can also take it easy on the beach or poolside without ever leaving this beautiful resort.

Marriott’s Oceanwatch Villas at Grande Dunes are an excellent choice when you, or some members of your vacation party, want to truly relax and gear down from the daily grind. Onsite amenities include The MarketPlace Convenience Store and Grill, the Sand Dollar Pool Bar (seasonal), Pizza Hut Express, Starbucks, and The Woodsy Grill & Pool Bar. Best of all, you can enjoy a Marriott Oceanwatch Villas at Grande Dunes timeshare by a buying timeshare resale at a great price or taking advantage of a timeshare rental.

Click here to view the full 2010 Sell My Timeshare NOW HOT 100 List.

Last week, Marriott Vacation Club timeshare announced its new timeshare points program called, Marriott Vacation Club Destinations.

Lee Cunningham, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Marriott Vacation Club, North America, explains, “… we have successfully evolved our product offering based on Owner feedback, and the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations program reflects a tradition of Owner involvement and was designed specifically for both current and future Owners.”

The news of this new program, long rumored to be coming, has brought on a great deal of discussion, speculation, and questioning by the timeshare community, specifically Marriott timeshare owners and all those who are considering buying Marriott timeshare and timeshare resales.

In profiling the new Marriott program. Sara Clarke, writer for the Orlando Sentinel, wrote:

The Timeshare Authority blog promised you information as we confirm more about the program. Here is some general information and some updates:

• Marriott Vacation Club Destinations is designed to offer expanded opportunity and flexibility to new Marriott timeshare owners.
• Current Marriott timeshare owners will have the option to choose to participate in the program or to stay in their current plan, without losing ownership privileges.
• Each year, Marriott Vacation Club Destinations members will receive timeshare points that they can use, bank, borrow against, or add to by purchasing more.
• Marriott Vacation Club Destinations focuses on four Vacation Collections: the Marriott Vacation Club Collection; Marriott Collection; Explorer Collection; and the World Traveler Collection.
• Membership in the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations entitles you to access the services of a personal Vacation Ownership Advisor. Your personal Advisor can assist in travel arrangements within the four Collections.
• Those who enroll now receive bonus points at the time of enrollment.
• Marriott Vacation Club Destinations members have the option to check in on any day of the week or season of the year.
• The annual membership fee in Marriott Vacation Club Destinations is $165 (in most cases) and provides members the flexibility to change reservations, change their length of stay, and to select the accommodation size that best fits their needs.

As with any timeshare or vacation club, one size never fits all. Marriott Vacation Club Destinations will be more valued by some Marriott timeshare owners than by others, and at the moment, has some Marriott timeshare owners questioning whether the program will help or hurt them. As it stands now, Marriott timeshare owners who bought their timeshare as a Marriott timeshare resale are eligible to be part of Marriott Vacation Club Destinations, however, timeshare resale buyers going forward will not be. Although Marriott Vacation Club Destinations membership is not transferable when you sell timeshare, this is an annual membership program in which you can opt out of membership at any time.

Because so many timeshare owners are abuzz about this topic, you can probably expect both more clarification coming from Marriott Vacation Club and perhaps even some adjustments to guidelines and policies over the upcoming months. The Timeshare Authority blog will do its best to keep you up-to-date.

More on Marriott timeshare points:

• Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions

When Forbes Magazine published its most recent list of America’s top tourist attractions, we couldn’t help but notice that there are great opportunities in timeshare resorts at or near all of these destinations. That means if you own timeshare in these popular areas, you also have a natural market for timeshare rental should there be times you can’t use your timeshare yourself or don’t choose to use it as timeshare exchange.

Here’s a look at only a very few of your timeshare resort options for these favorite tourist destinations:

#3. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C., with 25 million visitors

• Wyndham Old Town (Alexandria, Virginia)
• Wyndham Resorts National Harbor (Ft. Washington, Maryland)

#2. Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, Nevada, with 29.1 million visitors

• Las Vegas Timeshare Resales and Las Vegas Timeshare Rentals
• Hilton Grand Vacations Club On The Las Vegas Strip Timeshare
• Marriott’s Grand Chateau Timeshare

#1. Times Square, New York, N.Y. with 37.6 million visitors

• New York City Timeshare Resales and New York City Timeshare Rentals
• Manhattan Club Timeshare
• Hilton Club New York

People are often surprised to learn that timeshares are not just limited to the beach and ski resorts. There are locations available to enjoy urban timeshare worldwide, offering you the convenience and savings that go with owning timeshare.

Marriott Vacation Club timeshare is expanding with the addition of the new timeshare points-based Marriott Vacation Club Destinations program for North America and the Caribbean. The new timeshare points program is designed to increase flexibility for timeshare owners. This announcement comes after months of speculation by timeshare owners and prospective timeshare buyers about the rumored changes or additions to the options for Marriott timeshare exchange.

Lee Cunningham, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Marriott Vacation Club, North America and the Caribbean says, “Over the years, we have successfully evolved our product offering based on Owner feedback, and the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations program reflects a tradition of Owner involvement and was designed specifically for both current and future Owners.”

Describing the program as Marriott timeshare’s, “…most significant program innovation in our history,” Cunningham goes on to point out that the new Marriott timeshare points exchange program will afford timeshare owners ease of use and expanded choices for enjoying their timeshare product.

The new Marriott Vacation Club timeshare program will be available to new Marriott timeshare owners, but current owners will also have the opportunity to enroll. Here are a few other specifics about this timeshare exchange program:

• The new Marriott timeshare points program means simplified fees. Timeshare owners will be able to pay one annual fee as a consolidation of all their bookings; eliminating a la carte fees. Inclusive in the fee will be the costs for changing your reservation, changing your length of stay, your Interval International membership fee, and possible other benefits. The fee will reported be $165 per year. Your current timeshare maintenance fee should remain the same.
• This program is available to residents of the US, including the District of Columbia, however NY residents should check to make sure they are eligible to participate.

• Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove timeshare (St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands) is excluded from the new timeshare points program.
• And, based on the information we have currently, it appears that Marriott timeshare owners who purchased their vacation ownership as a Marriott timeshare resale will be eligible to participate. Whether this will apply to timeshare resale purchases in the future is not clear at this time.

This new timeshare points program is an interesting development at Marriott Vacation Club, and as more facts are confirmed, we’ll keep sharing them here on The Timeshare Authority blog.