Adding to all the excitement about this coming week’s TATOC (The Timeshare Association) Conference in Nottingham Belfry, England, is this week’s release that Ramy Filo the President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council, will be attending and speaking at the conference.

Filo is the CEO of Classic Group, which includes Classic Holidays; a timeshare resort management and timeshare sales company in Australia and Dial an Exchange, which is the third largest timeshare exchange company in the world.

Ramy Filo is also President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) representing the timeshare industry in Australia, and is Chairman of the Global Alliance for Timeshare Excellence (GATE), an alliance created by leaders of trade associations in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe, Argentina, the Middle East, South Africa, and Australia.

Harry Taylor, CEO of TATOC, says, “The response for the conference has been overwhelming and we are delighted that Ramy had seen able to find the time to come and be able to inform the delegates about the industry in Australia”.

To learn more about The Timeshare Association (TATOC) contact: harry.taylor@timeshareassociation.org or telephone: 00 44 (0)161 237 3611

Other recent The Timeshare Authority news on the TATOC Conference:

TATOC Announces Guest Speaker for Timeshare Conference

Early this year, The Timeshare Authority rolled out its Blog Roll. We listed blogs that we follow and that we think are helpful, useful, or entertaining to our readers. Some are blogs with multiple contributors and large followings; others are small, newly started, or simply so quirky that their niche of readership is limited. All are worth your time to check out.

Over the next few months, we will profile the blogs on the list, giving you more insight about each one. As time goes by, we will be adding new blogs to our list, and dropping blogs if activity falls off there and the blogger stops posting regularly.

Today we are directing your attention to the Absurd Adventurers blog, written by Kathryn and Caitlin. These two young adventurers have made their bucket list and have taken on the pursuit of accomplishing it, (even though they’d rather call it by some name other than a bucket list, just to ensure that no one confuses them with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.)

Their merged list of 27 items (and still growing) is a good one. And we were struck by how many of their goals could realistically involve a timeshare. So we’ve taken a small part of their list and matched it with timeshare destinations. Our results are very interesting and just prove that owning timeshare and the opportunities of timeshare exchange can come in very hand in life, no matter your age and no matter what is on your personal bucket list:

Want to live out your own bucket list? Consider a timeshare exchange as a way for making this happen, providing you locked in accommodation prices at the most exciting destinations worldwide and wherever you personal bucket list may take you.

How about going shopping as a way to pay your RCI timeshare exchange membership fees?

Sounds good, doesn’t it? And it should.

RCI Shopping Perks are the news program launched by RCI timeshare exchange to make timeshare ownership easier and a little more fun to enjoy. RCI timeshare exchange subscribing members, who are also US residents, can visit a virtual shopping mall, via the RCI website. All they need to do is sign in at RCI.com, and then click on the “Member Perks” tab. From there, they can shop by merchant, geographic region, or by specific merchandise or service offered.

Through RCI Shopping Perks, timeshare owner members can shop hundreds of merchants and vendors, take advantage of price comparison options, and then use the RCI earned perk rewards they receive for each purchase made through the site to pay for RCI membership fees, timeshare exchanges, and other timeshare and travel related benefits.

Geoff Ballotti, CEO of RCI explains, “Like other technology advancements, we’ve introduced to our members, including Enhanced Search capabilities and our innovative RCI® TV network, the RCI Shopping Perks program is another way we are providing value to our members while helping to make their visit to RCI.com fun and enjoyable.”

It is good to see fair, accurate, and positive press lately regarding timeshares, timeshare sales, and timeshare exchange. The naysayers who present vacation ownership and timeshare vacation rentals as only being about timeshare scam do a real injustice to the industry, to the hardworking people whose daily objective is improving the vacation experience for others, and to consumers who could be enjoying affordable vacationing through timeshare resales and timeshare rentals.

Last week, the Miami Herald took an objective look at timeshare exchange, focusing on Interval International, which happens to be a Miami-based company.

Interviewing Jon Fredricks of Welk Resorts, a California timeshare company, the article quoted Fredricks as saying, “In this economy, you’re seeing more people wanting to drive to their exchange, with less use of airlines. Vegas is not in favor as it once was. I think Interval has had to adjust to those changes alone.”

Fredricks’ point is critical: timeshare owners and timeshare renters may be vacationing differently because of the economy, but they are still making use of timeshare ownership and the opportunities of timeshares.

A Changing Profile for Timeshare Owners

Timeshare owners have always leaned on timeshare companies to offer more flexibility. Because of this, over the years, the options of timesharing have changed considerably. But with all the stresses and economic pressures many people are feeling these days, they’ve upped their demands even more.

Here’s what timeshare owners have always wanted in timeshare exchange:

• Flexibility in exchanging one date or property for another.
• The opportunity to exchange timeshare or timeshare points for cruises and other travel amenities in addition to timeshare.

And here’s their new list of add-ons:

• Shorter lead-time for making timeshare exchange.
• More drive-to timeshare vacation destinations.
• Shorter vacation intervals, something most timeshare companies are already striving to offer.

Currently, Interval International timeshare exchange has a network of over 2500 timeshare resorts, representing some 75 countries worldwide. Last year, in response to their member requests, Interval international timeshare exchange launched their ShortStay Exchange Program. Through this option, gold members can deposit their timeshare interval or points and exchange it for one or more vacations of two to six days in length. These ShortStay timeshare exchanges are made online at IntervalWorld.com

According to Interval CEO Craig Nash, “We’re always looking at product development.” He adds, so far the program is, “tracking nicely.”

Other Options for Timeshare Exchange

As the Herald article points out, Interval International timeshare exchange is second in size as a timeshare exchange company to RCI Exchange. Also there are many other timeshare exchange companies that may have smaller inventories of timeshare exchange properties but are targeted to a specific region, resort group, or type of resort. Additionally, Timeshare Users Group, which most timeshare owners know as TUG, offers timeshare exchange along with ads for timeshare resales to its member participants.

While fees may be cheaper in smaller groups, timeshare owners are not likely to have as much flexibility as with a larger timeshare exchange company. Lisa Ann Shreier, author of Timeshare Vacations for Dummies and co-author of Timeshare Management, makes a valid point in saying this about timeshare exchange companies, “They do facilitate the trading process. It makes it easier if 2,000 people are depositing their weeks into a pool.”

And any timeshare discussion always comes down to one important point: timeshare exchange is -and always has been- one of the significant reasons people buy timeshare.

Timeshare exchange company, Trading Places International was recently named one of the top 75 companies in Orange County (California) on the Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces for 2009 List.

“We’ve always been conscious of the fact that our employees seem to enjoy working for us, and our goal has always been to create an atmosphere in which we can strike a balance between working hard and having fun.” says RJ Jackson, president of Trading Places International timeshare company and timeshare exchange. “It is very gratifying to discover, through the results of the employee survey, that we have indeed succeeded in that goal.”

Trading Places International has been in the travel, vacation ownership, and timeshare exchange industries for more than thirty-five years. The company has over 71,000 timeshare owner members at more than thirty timeshare resort locations, including South America timeshares, Mexico timeshares, United States timeshares (mainland), and Hawaii timeshares.

Trading Places International, which boasts a 95 percent confirmed timeshare exchange request rate, is a preferred partner of Sell My Timeshare NOW. Timeshare owner benefits of timeshare exchange with Trading Places include:

• No mandatory membership fee
• Low exchange fees
• Search available inventory before depositing your timeshare week
• Online exchange services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Additional discounts and perks for Trading Places’ Vacation Exchange Club members

All of the companies that made the OC Register’s Top Workplaces List were selected based on a survey involving 31, 311 employees at 121 companies across the county. The survey addressed compensation and training, company leadership, workplace flexibility, and diversity.

Click here to read a Q & A about Trading Places International timeshare company:
Trading Places International: The perks of being a small business

The Christmas tree is down (or will be soon), a new year beckons, and many people start to think about giving their homes or offices a facelift and a fresher look. Will the same thing be happening at timeshare and vacation ownership resorts that are part of the Interval International network of timeshare exchange?

Robb & Stucky Resorts, a division of the Ft. Myers, Florida-based Robb & Stucky Interiors, has a new alliance with Interval International, making its turnkey design services and one-stop shopping available to Interval International member timeshare resorts.

David Gilbert, Interval International’s executive vice preside of resort sales and marketing says, “The alliance with Robb & Stucky will give our developer clients and homeowners associations access to an exceptional level of service and value.”

What’s the Real Advantage to Timeshare Resort Developers and Timeshare HOA’s?

Co-branded alliances can work in many ways, but in the case of Interval International timeshare exchange and Robb & Stucky Resorts, the benefits look something like this:

Timeshare developers and HOA’s benefit because …

• Dealing with a respected furniture vendor, that offers a quality line, adds instant upgrade appeal when used in timeshare units, timeshare condos, and common areas of timeshare resorts.
• Robb & Stucky is a start-to-finish company, meaning that it manufactures, warehouses, delivers and installs all of its own products. The process of decorating or re-decorating timeshare resort properties is streamlined and simplified because the timeshare or Home Owners Association can deal with one vendor that offers a cohesive plan, décor themes with interchangeable parts, and the simplicity of one-stop shopping.

The furniture manufacturer benefits because its products are exposed to the many people who own timeshare or rent timeshare and make use of the timeshare resort each year. Not only is this a good market for the company’s residential line of furnishings, but as has already been demonstrated, consumers frequently want to add to their homes the same products they enjoyed during luxury resort vacations. (Think of the number of hotels that now retail their mattresses, bed sets, and toiletries to the public, purely in a response to consumer demand for these products.)

This alliance seems to be a win-win for the brands involved, meaning that it should also turn out to be a good thing for the timeshare owners and their guests who visit Interval International timeshare exchange resorts.

A few more winter storms like those raging through the Midwest and people in some parts of the country will be getting tired—if they aren’t already—of ice and snow. So here’s some ICE news in the timeshare industry that won’t cause a shiver.

RCI Timeshare exchange (a part of Wyndham timeshare and the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies) is expanding their alliance with International Cruise & Excursions Inc.—commonly known as ICE for short. ICE is recognized worldwide for providing integrated cruise and leisure packages to the timeshare, vacation ownership, and travel industries.

As Geoff Ballotti, CEO of RCI says, “For more than eight years, ICE has been a fantastic partner offering quality cruises and services to our members in the United States and Canada.” ICE will soon provide cruise fulfillment for RCI global timeshare exchange programs, as well as technology platforms, related fulfillment for member loyalty, and other value added benefits to RCI affiliated timeshare developers.

The Potential of Timeshare Exchange

Many timeshare owners do not realize that they may be able to exchange their timeshare unit or timeshare intervals for cruises depending upon the terms of their timeshare ownership and on their affiliation with a timeshare exchange company, such as RCI. Timeshare exchange, for many timeshare owners, is one of the most attractive parts of owning timeshare. The flexibility of timeshare exchange means (depending upon your exchange company) that owners can choose other resorts from a worldwide network of top destinations; that you can exchange your timeshare unit or timeshare interval for more spacious accommodations, for timeshare during a different season, or, though affiliations like RCI timeshare and ICE, for cruises and other valued travel amenities.

There are many things you can do with your timeshare. You can, of course, vacation in it. You can use it for business travel or as a business gift to your best customers or clients. You can also sell timeshare, exchange timeshare, rent timeshare, and even donate timeshare.

But clearly the one thing you don’t want to ever do is use timeshare to bribe a judge. Here’s one timeshare owner’s unfortunate story:

Clearly, there are some instances in which it is a better idea to sell timeshare than to give it away under the wrong circumstances.

Source: 10News.com San Diego

How much pumpkin pie did you eat over the holiday? A little too much sweet potato casserole or one (or several) too many buttery dinner rolls?

What a day to be talking about weight loss! But we have to commend the employees of >RCI timeshare at RCI’s Carmel, Indiana office, who have lost a combined total of more than 1,800 pounds. In a commitment to live healthier, by incorporating more fitness and a healthier diet into their lifestyles, the RCI timeshare team set out on a 12-week wellness contest.

In addition to the personal rewards gained through weight loss, exercise, and an improved diet, the efforts of the RCI “losers” served double duty. For every pound lost, RCI donated a pound of food to a not-for-profit food bank. Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc, then redistributed the food through more than 400 charities.

Gordon Gurnik, president of RCI timeshare North America, says, “This contest has created a tremendously positive buzz among our associates. What started out as a fun idea among a few associates quickly grew to a contest involving more than 270 associates looking to incorporate healthier activities into their day-to-day lives. Because of the fantastic response, we’re planning to roll it out at other RCI offices in 2010.”

And you can’t be an RCI timeshare biggest loser without gaining the attention of a real “Biggest Loser”. Bill Germanakos, season four winner of NBC’s hit series, “The Biggest Loser,” visited the site to celebrate the RCI timeshare exchange employees’ success.

Timeshare owners don’t take advantage of the fact that owning timeshare at the right location, (or exchanging timeshare for the right location) at the right time, can translate to a bargain deal on event accommodations. For example, Miami timeshare for the week of February 7, 2010 puts you in the right place at the right time for Super Bowl XLIV. Or Vancouver timeshare a few weeks later could put you in the midst of Winter Olympic excitement.

So where do you wish you had timeshare tonight? How about a Mexico timeshare at the beautiful Moon Palace Resort? The temperature is comfortably in the 80’s there right now and the Gulf of Mexico meets the Caribbean Atlantic producing endless ocean views of azure blue. Oh yes, and did I mention, you could also be courtside for some outstanding NCAA basketball?

The Cancun Challenge is being played there featuring the University of Kentucky, Cleveland State, Florida A&M, Oral Roberts, Rider, Sam Houston State, Stanford, and the University of Virginia. Admission to all eight games costs $300, if you are staying at the Moon Palace Resort or other Palace Resort. Basketball fans not staying at one of the Palace Resort timeshares pay an access fee to the property of $162 on top of the cost of the tickets.

Once you are there at your Moon Palace Resort timeshare, not only is there great basketball backed up by unlimited fun, surf, and sun, but because this Mexico timeshare is an all-inclusive resort, your food, drinks, and the amenities of the timeshare resort are unlimited.

Pre-scheduling your timeshare exchange (or booking a timeshare rental) to put you in the right place at the right time is an excellent use of timeshare and one too many timeshare owners overlook. So before you miss the “next big thing” here’s a suggestion. Get out your calendar and go online to find the dates and locations of concerts, sporting events, exhibits, meteor showers or whatever it is in life that you enjoy most, and then use your timeshare for timeshare exchange, or schedule a timeshare rental, so that next time, you are exactly where you dream of being, at a beautiful (right-priced) resort at the heart of the excitement.