Interval International timeshare exchange welcomes Mai Khao, Phuket’s West Sands resort to its network of vacation ownership exchange properties. Rebranded as West Sands Vacation Club, the eco-friendly Phuket timeshare is expanding its offerings to timeshare owners and their guests, seeking to be more competitive through greater flexibility.

In order to make it easier for owners to enjoy vacations and holidays even when their schedules or budgets are limited, the resort is transitioning from timeshare interval ownership to a timeshare points based system. Additionally, West Sands Vacation Club has affiliated with Interval International timeshare exchange to provide its member-owners with expanded options in timeshare exchange.

An Eco-Friendly Timeshare Resort

West Sands Vacation Club is located in its own bit of paradise, on 48 lush acres with over 500 yards of private beachfront on Phuket’s popular west coast at Mai Khao Beach. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom timeshare units all feature kitchens and balconies overlooking the pool, the garden area, or the Andaman Sea. The entire property was designed to be low impact on the environment while offering guests and timeshare owners both the beauty of natural Phuket along with the fun of West Sands Water World, one of the largest water parks in Asia.

“We are very pleased to have added West Sands Phuket Beach Club to our exchange network,” says Interval International’s Asia Pacific Executive Director, Joe Hickman. He adds, “Along with its high design standards, the eco-friendly development will contribute to preserving the environment and to more enjoyable and economic living.”

RCI timeshare exchange offers an amazing number of benefits (see: 10 Things about RCI Timeshare Exchange You May Not Know – And Should!). One of their newest features — known as RCI SnapBook™ has been specifically created to help you make the most of your timeshare vacation experience, capturing and sharing special memories.

Using a downloadable iPhone app, (available at the iTunes App Store) you can use RCI SnapBook to capture photos, notes, videos, or audio files about your vacation. Once your files are saved online, you can revisit them at any time, and as often as you like, creating blogs, stories, and albums to preserve your timeshare vacation memories and for easy sharing with family and friends. You can even share your experiences as they happen using real-time updates.

When you use RCI SnapBook to capture the magic and memories of your timeshare vacation you can choose to create multiple albums, using as many themes as you like, and then make specific albums available to targeted lists. For example, you might have one album with images, videos, sights, and sounds you want to capture for your co-workers and office friends and a different album that targets your family members and the grandparents. And when your uploads apply to multiple categories, you can update them simultaneously, and sync them in one easy step.

You know that timeshare vacation travel log you always mean to keep, but never write in after the first day … RCI SnapBook makes it fun to do and so easy you can do it in ‘snap’.

For some thirty-six years, RCI has been serving a critical role in the timeshare industry, expanding the options for timeshare owners and enhancing the services of timeshare developers. RCI, a division of Wyndham Worldwide, is an expansive company, and there are probably features and benefits RCI offers timeshare owner members that you don’t know about … even if you are an RCI member.

Here are ten of the reasons that RCI is the world’s largest timeshare exchange company; see how many of them you already know:

1. In 2009, RCI brought more than 100 new properties into its network of quality timeshare resorts, while retaining 97 percent of the properties that are already part of its extensive network.
2. RCI has nearly 2000 call center employees located strategically throughout their worldwide service area.
3. From their call centers, RCI representatives take or place over 10 million calls annually, welcoming their new members and introducing them to RCI’s extensive services; making or canceling reservations; and resolving issues should they arise.
4. No hablo ingles? No worry. There’s an RCI call center representative to serve your timeshare needs in twenty different languages.
5. Think green… RCI timeshare exchange does. Wyndham Worldwide, the parent company to RCI was ranked by Newsweek magazine as one the top 100 greenest companies in America.
6. RCI communicates with its timeshare owner members and its future owner members through not one but two video network “channels” known as RCI TV.
7. RCI offers RCI SnapBook ™ where members can store their vacation videos and photos for organizing, creating travel journals and vacation blogs, and sharing with their friends.
8. RCI Shopping Perks® offers cash back rewards.
9. Using state-of-the-art technology, RCI offers, Enhanced Search, an online search tool that 85 percent of surveyed users say improves their search experience.
10. The elite RCI The Registry Collection offers more than 175 of the most luxurious vacation ownership opportunities in the world.

Dial An Exchange (DAE), timeshare exchange and Global Connections, Inc. travel services announce the launching of a partnership to expand options for DAE’s Gold Advantage timeshare exchange members.

Dial An Exchange is the largest privately owned timeshare exchange company that offers worldwide destinations and a free membership option. Currently there are over 250,000 members of Dial An Exchange. The DAE Gold Advantage option was created to provide enhanced timeshare exchange and special benefits in vacation ownership. Through this partnership, Gold Advantage members (the paid membership option for DAE) have more exciting choices than ever before.

Melanie Gring, vice president of marketing for Global Travel says, “Through DAE’s alliance with Global Connections, Gold Advantage members now have the ability to purchase discounted and themed cruises on major cruise lines, plus access to the Global concierge program allowing access to leisure and emergency assistance 24/7/365. Gold Advantage members will also enjoy the buying power of our national merchandising service – launched more than 25 years ago – offering unprecedented savings on name brand products.”

DAE North America VP Fermin Cruz adds, “It is important to understand that DAE has always provided a free membership. After our frequent exchangers told us they wanted even more exclusive benefits, we launched our Gold Advantage premium membership in Europe and later in North America. We knew the ideal solution to adding more exclusive services would be to work closely with Global Connections with its proven track record of supplying precisely these services to timeshare and vacation owners.”

Click below to learn more about the benefits of a Gold Advantage membership through DAE timeshare exchange:
Timeshare Exchange Offers New Benefits and Services And visit Dial An Exchange at: www.dialanexchange.com

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

As August rolls in, many people see this month as their last opportunity to take a “summer vacation.” August also means that it’s time for The Timeshare Authority to post the last updates on the 2010 HOT 100 List of timeshare resales and timeshare rentals. Remember, these timeshares received the greatest number of offers to buy or rent at Sell My Timeshare NOW. They are the “HOTTEST” timeshares on the consumer list to purchase or rent on the secondary market.

Orange Lake’s West Village Timeshare, a Popular Orlando Timeshare

Ranking as number 5 on the HOTTEST 10 list is Orange Lake’s West Village, an Orlando, Florida timeshare resort. Providing you easy access to all the amenities at Orange Lake, West Village timeshare units are the most centrally located at the resort. You’ll be nearby the Disney Planning Center, the RCI timeshare exchange desk, the Connections Business Center & Internet Cafe, (all located in the West Village Clubhouse) as well as close to the Gary McCord Golf Academy, the movie theater, game arcade, and the resort’s pools and hub of water sports.

Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas Timeshare, in Demand in Maui

The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas is one of two Hawaii timeshares to make the top five on the Sell My Timeshare NOW HOTTEST 10 list. Located on a pristine stretch of north Ka’anapali Beach in Lahaina, Maui, this beautiful Hawaii timeshare resort has an all-villa design, with each unit including luxurious jetted spa tubs and fully equipped kitchens complete with marble countertops. From the beautiful beach to the lagoon pools, the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas promise you an elegant island holiday at the property ranked number 4 on the list of the HOTTEST 10 timeshares.

Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club Timeshare in Oahu, Hawaii

Coming in as number 3 on the list is Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club, located in Oahu, Hawaii. Outstanding Marriot timeshares have dominated the HOTTEST 10 List again this year, and the Ko Olina Beach Club is no exception, from the lush tropical foliage, to the coral reefs, to the 18-hole championship golf course. Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club is only thirty minutes from the shopping and entertainment of Honolulu, but tucked in a tropical hideaway, it is worlds apart from the demands of daily life.

And although these three hot timeshare properties all offer you endless reasons to finally get around to that vacation you have been promising yourself, don’t decide just yet, because tomorrow’s The Timeshare Authority blog will look at the timeshare resorts that made the list as number 1 and 2!

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

This past Sunday was the ninety-second birthday of Nelson Mandela, the first person elected President (1994-1999) of South Africa in a democratic election. While this visionary leader has said and done much that is so memorable, there is one famous Mandela quote that always sticks with me. He said, “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

In the timeshare industry, we talk a lot about the opportunities of timeshare exchange – how you can vacation in a different destination every year, enjoy a one-bedroom timeshare unit this year during a romantic getaway for you and your spouse and then exchange for a three-bedroom timeshare next year and take all the kids as well as Grandma and Grandpa. You can vacation on a beach in the Bahamas this year and a ski chalet in Switzerland next year. Timeshare exchange makes vacation ownership infinitely flexible and is clearly one of the deciding factors for many people in choosing to become timeshare owners.

Yet there is also much to be said for, “returning to a place that remains unchanged.” Certainly when you vacation year after year at the same destination, you find the resort updated, amenities added and things changed in the surrounding cities and towns. But a backdrop of mountains is timeless. The ocean, while always changing, is in many ways a constant. The whiteness of the snow on your favorite ski run, the wind in the pines on the eighteenth tee, and the fragrance of wildflowers across the meadow are in many ways different, yet are always the same.

Your life moves forward. Your career may change, your children will grow, and your values and interests will evolve over time. But as President Mandela so sagely points out, the ebb, flow, and progression of your life will be the most measurable and self-evident during those times when you pause, return to places that have mattered in your past, and reconnect with moments that are everlasting.

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

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.