The 2011 Obitz Travel Index revealed some surprising and not-so-surprising travel trends for this year’s holiday season.

Despite the still-tight economy and rising airfares, which are up some 4 percent over last year, people still plan to travel this holiday season. Of those surveyed, 68 percent said they would cut back elsewhere, including on gift buying if necessary to cover the cost of holiday travel.

Where is everybody going?

Well, New York City ranks as the top destination for Thanksgiving travel. Chicago and Orlando ranked as second and third. Other popular destinations include Las Vegas, Denver, Atlanta, Los Angles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

For Christmas and New Year’s travel, Orlando ranked number one, New York number two, with Denver ranking third in Christmas travel and Cancun taking the number three spot for New Year’s travel.

But experts advise, book your travel and lock in your plans NOW.

Jeanenne Tornatore, senior travel editor for Orbitz.com, says, “With the travel demand strong for the holidays, consumers need to lock in their plans. We’re seeing many deals catering to families on a budget, but travelers will miss these great opportunities if travel planning is pushed back as prices are not likely to go down.”

This year, more than ever, at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services, we are finding that timeshare rentals are being snapped up fast.

Timeshare Rentals mean:

• Spacious accommodations, where you and your family or friends can spread out, with home away from home comforts
• Great competitive prices, as timeshare owners seek to rent timeshare they cannot use themselves
• Locations near all the fun attractions you want to visit
• In-unit kitchens, making it easier to save money on dining out
• In-unit or on-site washers and dryers meaning, less to pack and fewer “extra bag” fees from airlines
• Great options for accommodating your holiday guests as well as for your own travel

Timeshare rental for your holiday travel … do it NOW.

Last month, Jonathan M. Tisch, CEO of Loews Hotels, delivered the opening address at NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. In his speech, to a crowd of some 1800, Tisch made some eye-opening points about the condition of American’s aging transport infrastructure. He touched on issues that get right to the heart of tourism, the economy, and even safety.

Here is a summary of some of the unsettling points he raised, calling this the “next great challenge facing the travel industry”:

1. Although investing in the travel infrastructure –roads, bridges, airports, air traffic control, trains, tunnels, and all forms of public transportation— is costly, failing to invest is even more costly.
2. As the US economy slowly recovers, Americans return to both more recreational travel and more business travel. However, “…over the next decade, an estimated two billion people will be able to afford international travel – most of them from the rising economies of China, India, Brazil and Russia.” If you think US airports are slow and crowded now, what will they be like when facing such a surge of international travelers?
3. Remember when it was fun to fly? With today’s crowded flights, congested airports, security demands, and safety concerns, air travel in the US is far from fun. Now add the deficits in public transportation and you have travel that Tisch describes as, “more stressful, less convenient, and more nerve-racking.” Clearly, this is a problem for hotels, timeshares, and everyone who makes their living in tourism and travel. As Tisch points out, it really doesn’t matter how appealing your accommodations are or how soft the sheets, if the traveler arrives thoroughly frustrated and exhausted from trying to reach his destination.
4. Travel delays are more than inconvenient and annoying. According to a study by the Partnership for New York City, travel delays cost the New York regional economy more than $2.6 billion in 2008 and will total $79 billion by 2025.
5. Just as travel woes hurt not only the hotel and timeshare industries, but all segments of the economy, travel improvements bring an amazing boost to economies. A report recently released by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation estimates that investing in LAX alone would create nearly 40,000 jobs and generate $7 billion for the local economy.

I have only touched on a fraction of the insights that Jonathan Tisch shared in his address. I urge you to follow this link to read his speech in its entirety. You will find it at Hotels Online.

With this week’s opening of the Hotel Belle Sky Comwell in Copenhagen, Europe now has its first hotel with an entire floor dedicated to women.

At one time, ‘women-only hotels’ were found in many metropolitan areas worldwide. These were entire properties that accommodated only female guests and sometimes only female employees. In 1903 the Martha Washington opened on Fifth Avenue, becoming New York’s first female only hotel. In 1939, New York’s Barbizon Hotel opened, serving as a residence hotel for more than fifty years and hosting many famous female guests, including Candice Bergen, Liza Minnelli, and Grace Kelly.

Although there are still a few female-only hotel properties around the world, there is less demand for them than in the past. However, interest in accommodations that better serve the needs of women travelers is on the rise, with more and more resorts and hotels either offering ladies-only sections, or at least catering more to the travel preferences of women.

Extras that Women Want in Hotels and Timeshares

One recent study shows that female travelers value good hairdryers, organic beauty supplies, good lighting and mirrors with magnification. Requests for the mini bar include café latte, green tea, and mineral water.

New York’s Premier Hotel is one of many properties that offer women-only rooms. These rooms typically include: yoga mats; magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Self, and O; curling and flat irons; bath salts; a vanity kit, and a stool at the sink (with makeup lighting) so women can sit while applying makeup.

In the timeshare industry, Wyndham Worldwide, was a frontrunner in speaking to the needs of women who travel. In 1995, Wyndham established Women on Their Way, a website packed with tips and resources for women who travel for business or pleasure, along with expert advice on destinations, hotels, and Wyndham timeshare resorts.

Last week, ARDA (the American Resort Development Association) released a media announcement looking at American travel trends for 2011. Here’s some of the patterns they identified:

• Americans will be traveling more in 2011 than in the past few years.
• Trip Advisor estimates that 69 percent of travelers will take international trips this year with the top three destinations being Paris, London, and Rome.
• Trip Advisor predictions also show that in the US, top destinations are Las Vegas, New York City, and San Francisco.

Travel and Timeshare Sales and Timeshare Rentals

What does this renewed enthusiasm for travel indicate for timeshare sales, timeshare resales, and timeshare rentals? Many things, all of which are as good for timeshare owners as they are for the timeshare industry.

As more people discover the opportunities of timeshare rentals, the spacious accommodations and the great prices, travelers will quickly realize that their vacation dollars are going further, allowing them to travel more or stay longer. And timeshare owners who want to rent timeshares they currently own may find a larger and more competitive market for renting timeshare.

And as travelers take to the highways and skyways, timeshare sales companies and timeshare resale brokers will be able to market in targeted ways, recognizing in advance the trending interest in Las Vegas timeshare, New York City timeshare, San Francisco timeshare, and European timeshare. As Howard Nusbaum ARDA president and CEO, explains, “This resurgence of travel is terrific news for the timeshare industry. More travelers are beginning to understand the value and comfort of a timeshare vacation and with resorts in all of these popular 2011 destinations, vacationers will find exactly what they need.”

Follow this link to read the ARDA media release in full.

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.

Travel + Leisure Magazine recently tracked down the top-ten best hamburgers in the US; fortunately, you can plan your timeshare travel to enjoy them all.

Burger Joint in San Francisco took the honors for the numero uno best burger. Burger Joint is a 1950’s-style restaurant that boasts an old-fashion burger made from hormone- and pesticide-free beef.

Recommended San Francisco timeshare to accompany your Burger Joint hamburger is: Shell Vacation Club’s The Suites at Fishermans Wharf timeshare resales and rentals, where you are just a cable car ride away from Chinatown, Ghirardelli Square, The Cannery, and Pier 39.

Dyer’s Burger in Memphis took second place honors with their thin-patty burger, fried in oil in a cast-iron skillet. Once you order this burger, you might as well go all out and add Dyer’s famous chili cheese fries and a deep fried Twinkie for desert.

An ideal destination for a Memphis timeshare vacation is just 30 minutes away in Robinsville, Mississippi. The Westgate Tunica Resort, designed to look like an anti-bellum southern mansion, is centrally located for enjoying the hot jazz and cool blues of Memphis as well as the casinos, golf, and southern charm of Mississippi.

Duchamp’s Burger in Chicago is no greasy diner, yet this restaurant proves it still knows how to cook a burger, serving an eight-ounce ground chuck special on a Czech cottage-cheese-and-dill bun.

You may decide to day trip into the city for your Duchamp’s burger while spending your timeshare vacation in Silverleaf’s Fox River Resort timeshare, located a little over an hour away in Sheridan, Illinois. There you can choose between waterskiing, boating, hiking or picnicking in the peaceful rolling hills, or grab your sightseeing gear and head for Chicago, famous for its museums, shopping, and dining.

Timeshares at Every Top Burger Destination

Here are the next seven (NYC scores two great burger destinations, turning the top ten into an actual count of eleven) destinations for world-famous burgers…and a few of the outstanding timeshare vacation destinations that will get you there:

Lüke in New Orleans, LA., where you can vacation in a Chateau Orleans timeshare resale or rental in heart of the French Quarter.

Quinn’s Pub in Seattle, WA, when you are enjoying a WorldMark Seattle timeshare resale or rental at The Camlin.

Ranch 616 in Austin, Texas, where you can stay in Austin timeshare resales and timeshare rentals in a city known for its live music and western fun.

Kua’Aina Sandwich Shop in Hale’iwa, Hawaii. You know Hawaii timeshares are outstanding, so just pick an island and pack your Hawaiian shirt and your flipflops.

Kemble Park Tavern offers you and excellent dinner spot during your Washington, DC timeshare resale or rental vacation.

Back Forty and Black Iron Burger Shop in NYC. Two great burger destinations only a few blocks apart and both worth visiting during your Big Apple New York City timeshare stay.

Murphy’s on the Green in Hanover, NH, where you can enjoy New Hampshire timeshare resales or rentals, here in our own headquarters home state for Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Considering that Sell My Timeshare NOW has been blogging since shortly after our company was founded, you’d think we would have included a blog roll as part of The Timeshare Authority blog before now. Well, better now than never, so this week, The Timeshare Authority blog rolled out (pun intended) the first blogs to be listed on our blog roll.

These blogs represent some (but certainly not all) of the best reading out there on travel, tourism, theme parks, timeshares, and the timeshare industry. We’ve included blogs that deal with travel to specific cities, states, regions or countries, including the California Beaches Blog; 1001 Things to Do in NYC; Canadian Tourism Blog; Happy Happens San Diego; Orlando Vacation Blog; and Tourism Central Florida — all popular destinations for timeshare owners or vacationers who rent timeshare.

Some of the excellent blogs we’ve added to The Timeshare Authority blogroll focus on theme parks, either in general or a particular park because almost anywhere you find great theme parks you will also find great timeshares. These blogs include: Disney Parks Blog; Mousekingdom Blog; Sea World San Antonio Blog; The Disney Blog; and Theme Park Rangers.

Timeshare Blogs, Timeshare Industry Blogs, and Travel Blogs

Included on our blog roll you will find Marriott on the Move; The Timeshare Blog; and VacationBetter.org; these are all blogs about timeshares and timesharing. Other blogs we’ve listed are travel and adventure blogs, including: Absurd Adventures; National Geographic Adventure Blog; Intelligent Travel; or travel industry blogs such as: The Tourism Research Blog; and The Travel Mole.

Finally, The Timeshare Authority’s blogroll includes some blogs that just fit into a niche all their own: Cruise@ddicts Blog; Get Outdoors; Hotel Check In; and The Mindful Tourist.

We’ve added this list to our timeshare blog because we want to share with you resources that you may find as helpful as we do. But we’ve only just begun with this travel and timeshare blog list. The internet is rich with fascinating and informative information, much of it brought to you in the form of blogs, so expect the list to grow and change as Sell My Timeshare NOW and The Timeshare Authority continue to expand this list of valuable resources for timeshare buyers, timeshare sellers, renters, and anyone interested in travel and vacation ownership.

By the way, if you haven’t already found it, our new blog roll is located on the lower right hand side of this page.

Planning a trip to New York any time soon? You may want to use your New York timeshare and schedule to be in NYC for the 2010 “Idiotarod.”

No, that is not a misspelling or major lapse in our understanding of geography. The New York City Idiotarod is not to be confused with the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race©, during which, early each March, mushers seek to drive their team of dogs from Anchorage to Nome, arriving ahead of their competitors.

Instead, the appropriately named Idiotarod is a comical urban answer to dogsled racing. The Idiotarod involves teams of five humans pulling modified shopping carts through the city streets. None of the carts may be motorized, although the carts can be decorated, embellished, or taken apart and put back together in unique and unusual ways.

The original Idiotarod shopping cart race was held in 1994 in San Francisco, with Toronto, Phoenix, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and New York City all having served as event host cities in the past. While attending the Iditarod in Alaska is sure to be the adventure of a lifetime, being part (participant or spectator) of the 2010 Idiotarod should be tremendous fun as well. Plus, for this urban event, you won’t need to own a sled or trained team of sled dogs. Five friends and a shopping cart all your own (begged or borrowed) is all you need.

And at the end of a long shopping cart race day, there are few things you and your team will appreciate as much as the convenience and comfort of a Manhattan Club timeshare, New York timeshare resale or New York timeshare rental.

This year’s Idiotarod is scheduled for January 30, 2010.

Select Westin and Hyatt Resorts are improving the experience for anyone who would like to incorporate a good run as part of their resort stay.

At Westin Resorts in 30 cities, a “running” concierge is available three mornings each week to lead guests on a three-mile jog. And more than 100 Hyatt Hotels and Resorts are now providing their guests with running route maps and GPS armbands. At both Westin and Hyatt, the services are free.

While many timeshare vacationers look forward to putting their feet up by the pool, others are enthusiastic about getting involved in the sports and recreation activities that are available at most timeshare resorts. Jogging trails, biking trails, and even on-property or nearby by hiking and horseback riding are frequently available at many timeshare resorts.

Runners, not already familiar with MapMyRun.com, will find the website to be a valuable tool whether jogging at home or during travels. MapMyRun offers some 775,000 US jogging routes, which you can save to your GPS. Besides introducing you to a vast online community of runners, this website helps you track your training and even count the calories you have burned. And while all of these benefits for runners are free, City Running Tours is an excellent paid service you may want to learn more about.

The Timeshare Authority told you about City Running Tours last year in a post we did on New York City timeshares. City Running Tours offers you longer runs and run tailored to your specific requests, as well as runs along preset routes designed to maximize the experience for you both as a runner and as a sightseer.

Whether you are vacationing at a Hyatt timeshare, a Westin timeshare, or any of the many beautiful timeshare resort worldwide, don’t forget to pack your running shoes.

The magic of Disney Vacation Club timeshares is now on display in Long Island, New York at Disney Doorway to Dreams. Located inside the Roosevelt Field Mall, Disney Doorway to Dreams includes a full size, two-bedroom timeshare model that is based on the Disney Vacation Club Bay Lake Tower in Orlando.

A photo wall, videos, and touch-screen interactives, help give visitors to the timeshare showcase a fuller sense of the magic of becoming a Disney timeshare vacation property owner.

Howard C. Nusbaum, president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) says, “Disney Vacation Club has always been both a leader and an innovator in the timeshare industry. Offering full-scale model vacation villas in a mall setting is uniquely Disney and this new Disney Doorway to Dreams location makes it fun and exciting for families to learn about new and memorable ways to vacation.”

Click here to learn more about opportunities in Disney timeshare resales and rentals.

Disney already maintains a Doorway to Dreams timeshare showcase property in Chicago, Illinois at the Woodfield Mall, that you preview on this video: