While it sounds drastic to say, cutting out your timeshare vacation could be hazardous to your health. According to an article that appeared on Womens-Finance.com one study shows that, “… women who vacation at least twice a year have 50 percent less chance of dying of heart disease compared with those who don’t take vacations. Likewise, men who take more-frequent vacations reduce their risk of dying of heart disease by almost 30 percent.”

The article goes on to quote Dr. Mel Borins, (author of Go Away: Just for the Health of It), an authority on the medical benefits of vacationing, a proponent of the health advantages of timesharing, and a timeshare owner himself. Dr. Borins says, “To ensure I use my vacation time, I became a timeshare owner and joined RCI’s timeshare exchange program to help create a structure for vacationing in my life. It ensures that I take at least one seven-day vacation every year.”

Dr. Borins points out that because timeshares represent a pre-paid vacation, we are more likely to take them rather than work through our vacation time. He calls timeshare vacations a ‘no surprises’ solution to vacationing, meaning that with very little preplanning, you can enjoy a relaxing and luxurious timeshare vacation, knowing before you go that the resort will meet your standards for safety and on-site amenities. Lastly, Dr. Borins points out that timeshare units essentially represent a home away from home, allowing you the features you are accustomed to, including the opportunity to prepare your own meals, avoiding restaurant foods that may not be well suited to your health and dietary needs.

These days, when everyone is cutting corners, perhaps cutting out your vacation time, is not the healthiest choice. Instead, look at the values available to you in timeshare resales and timeshare rentals so that you enjoy the health benefits of a vacation, without breaking the bank in the process.

This is a great time to be attending the CRDA annual conference in Victoria, British Columbia. CRDA is the Canadian Resort Development Association, of which Sell My Timeshare NOW is proudly a member. CRDA “works on behalf of its members to engender a better understanding of the value of the Shared Ownership product,” representing all facets of the Canadian timeshare and vacation ownership industry.

Steve Luba, Sell My Timeshare NOW’s director of communications, and I are in Victoria this week taking part in this exciting Canadian timeshare event. This year’s conference is called The Turning Point, an appropriate name given the potential for the Canadian timeshare vacationer to dramatically impact the global timeshare market.

According to a Harris/Decima study released at the end of September 2008, the research, “clearly indicates the Canadian demand for second home lifestyle properties is there and is at the start of a 15 year purchase cycle, being fueled by boomers desire to re-invent their retirement lifestyle wants.” (Source: 10-19-2008 press release from MonCasa Capital Corporation, a developer of private residence clubs.)

Canadian Vacation Trends Point to Vacation Ownership

Here are just a few of the results of the Harris/Decima research study, which included over a thousand respondents:

• 14 percent of Canadians currently own recreational real estate.
• Of the 14 percent, 57 percent are sole recreational property owners and the other 43 percent have invested in shared ownership assets including timeshare or fractional ownership properties.
• 36 percent of the sole owners purchased before 1990. 43 percent of timeshare owners purchased in the 1990’s, and most of the purchases of fractionals have occurred since 2000.
• 30 percent of the total population surveyed indicated they are interested in purchasing vacation ownership property, either sole ownership, timeshare, or a fractional.

Certainly there are many challenges facing the timeshare industry these days, but the global marketplace still includes an abundance of future timeshare owners. Canadians purchasing timeshares, fractionals, and vacation ownership properties will be important contributors to the health and well-being of tomorrow’s timeshare industry.

Click here to learn more about opportunities in Canadian timeshare resales.

And follow these links to read Sell My Timeshare’s latest press news:

• Sell My Timeshare NOW Targets Expanded Presence in the International Vacation Market
• Timeshare Advertising Leader, Sell My Timeshare NOW, Positioned for International Growth

Yesterday we told you about data compiled by Ypartnership/Yankelovich, Inc. 2008 National Leisure Travel MONITOR (sm) for Interval International. The research was released in a report titled, “Future Timeshare Buyers: 2008 Market Profile” and was presented last week at the 10th Annual Vacation Ownership Investment Conference recently held in Orlando, Florida.

According to the findings of this study, timeshare owners and timeshare buyers want new and different experiences. Peter C. Yesawich, co-author of the annual survey with Yankelovich, Inc, and chairman and chief executive officer of Ypartnership was quoted by Hotels Magazine as describing people interested in buying timeshare as those who want to “live life to the fullest.”

Yesawich sees timeshare buyers as desiring, “personalization and customization … more brands, more types of products, and more consumer choices overall so they can select what best fits their needs.”

Hotels Magazine describes prospective timeshare owners as, “individuals chasing originality, expressed by their pursuit of new experiences. They prefer traveling to places that are more than just entertainment, where they can also get a sense of participation, and spending their money on life-enriching experiences.”

Clearly fifty really is the new thirty. But are timeshare resorts and timeshare developers prepared to keep up with the changing demands of consumers, especially in these days of tight credit and decreased spending?

Timeshare Developers and the Vacation Ownership Industry are Ready

Howard A. Bendell, director of market research and analysis for Interval International, sees the findings of the report as being very important to the timeshare industry and timeshare developers. Bendell says, “timeshare developers are in the perfect position to offer these consumers exactly what they want: personalization, customization, and originality - in the form of vacation experiences that are tailor-made for the individual every year.”

Clearly if you are buying timeshare, viewing you expenditure as one that has value to you over a lifetime, you are concerned that your vacation needs and interests will no doubt change in upcoming years. As Bendell observes, “… families can create a different experience each year through a myriad of resort offerings and by using the ability to exchange their resort time.”

The study also backs up a finding that has been evidenced in the past: timeshare buyers are willing to pay more - as much as 20 percent more - to get what they really want. Buying timeshare that offers products and services customized to your specifications is what Bendell describes as a good value proposition.

With the economy rocking and reeling these days, and even timeshare developers and big hoteliers feeling the effects, it is good to know that overall there is a bright outlook for the industry. According to facts presented by Hotels Magazine, there are now more people in the US who want to buy timeshare than who already own it. This translates to a potential to at least double the number of timeshare owners in the future, if timeshare developers listen to the market and are ready to respond to the call.

To learn more about the timeshare and vacation ownership report, read yesterday’s post on The Timeshare Authority:

• Timeshare Owners Boring? Not a Chance; They’re Thrill Seekers

Hotels Magazine just published a very interesting article based on a newly release report titled, “Future Timeshare Buyers: 2008 Market Profile“, which includes data collected for the Ypartnership/Yankelovich, Inc. 2008 National Leisure Travel MONITOR (sm).

For so many years, we have been told that the average timeshare buyer is a middle age, middle to upper income, and middle-of-the-road type individual buying timeshare for vacation security. But this study, developed exclusively for Interval International, paints a very different picture of today’s timeshare owner and timeshare buyer.

The study collected data during January and February of 2008, and included a sampling of the population of US adults who are active (current) leisure travelers. All of those participating in the timeshare profile study had taken at least one trip of 75 miles or more from their home that required overnight accommodations, for the purpose of vacation or leisure.

Much to the surprise of even seasoned experts in the timeshare resort industry, the people who expressed an interest in buying timeshare were not your security seeking, ‘take me to the same place every year,’ types. Instead, they show a, “greater zest for life, are more interested in trying new things, and taking risks.”

“What’s perhaps most interesting,” said Howard A. Bendell, director of market research and analysis for Interval International, “is that while the demography of potential timeshare buyers is largely reflective of Boomers, the psychographics are more akin to attributes more often related to Generations X and Y.”

You Already Knew This about Buying Timeshare

If you are a timeshare owner who falls into the Baby Boomer profile, you know that the label, ‘boring’ does not fit you. You didn’t buy timeshare because you wanted to experience the ’same ole thing’ every year; you are likely to have bought it because your life is so busy and so full that you recognize timeshare as a way to ensure your vacation, even during your busiest times. According to Hotels.com, “This group can also be characterized as individuals chasing originality, expressed by their pursuit of new experiences. They prefer traveling to places that are more than just entertainment, where they can also get a sense of participation, and spending their money on life-enriching experiences.”

So all you Boomers, who have shied away from buying timeshare because you feared it was too staid, and just not cool enough for you, there is no reason to hold back any longer. The research is in, and it says that timeshare owners are not sitting back in a rocking chair, but are instead vital, proactive people, who are serious about living their life to the fullest.

Check in on The Timeshare Authority Blog tomorrow, for more facts from the “Future Timeshare Buyers: 2008 Market Profile”.

Bill Marriott posted a simple, sad blog on Saturday, acknowledging what he described as the, “terrible tragedy at our Marriott hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan.”

If you have missed the weekend news, then perhaps you have not heard that more than 50 people were killed (death tolls still unknown) by a horrible act of terrorism, when a truck carrying a bomb approached the security gates at the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, on Saturday evening. At the time I am writing this post, no group has claimed responsibility for the act, although some news authorities are reporting that. “Taliban militants based near the Afghan border and their Al Qaeda allies are the most likely suspects.”

This is a heartbreaking and irrational act. It was designed to catch the people of Islamabad, at a time when they were busy and active, many of them preparing for their evening meal, to break their daily fast observed during the holy month of Ramadan. Reports say that a number of national leaders of Pakistan were scheduled to dine together that evening in the Marriott hotel Islamabad, but at the last minute rescheduled the meeting to the home of the Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Safety in Our Hotels and Timeshare Resorts

While some reporters are calling this tragedy, “Pakistan’s 9-11″ it is yet a reminder to all of us that we live in a dangerous world. After 9-11, many US travelers stayed close to home, fearful for their safety and that of their families. I think time has given us all a greater sense of peace of mind about travel. I also think that timeshare resorts have proven to be as safe or safer than any destination you choose.

Travelers occupy hotels. People who come for a night or a week, but share little information with the management other than their credit cards and an address. Owners, by contrast occupy timeshares. The management of a timeshare resort has information and a relationship with the people who own property there … greater accountability. Yes, a timeshare typically will have a percentage of timeshare renters occupying its rooms, but for the most part, the people at a timeshare resort are couples and families who own a stake in that resort or that timeshare chain.

After 9-11 many people turned to timeshares because they felt vacation ownership with its owner accountability and many on-property amenities, is one of the safest choices they can make for vacation accommodations.

The thoughts and prayers of all of us at Sell My Timeshare NOW are with everyone whose life was touched by the bombing of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel.

In 2007, Sell My Timeshare NOW LLC had a record setting year with offers to buy timeshare or rent timeshare reaching $274,272,859 by year-end. And in our typically enthusiastic approach to business and life in general here at Sell My Timeshare NOW, we set a target to surpass that total in 2008, despite the struggling economy, high gas prices, and other issues that impact the travel and timeshare industries.

Well, we did it … and it didn’t take us a year.

As Sell My Timeshare NOW entered the Labor Day weekend, offers to buy timeshare and to rent timeshare reached $332,701,702 - that’s a 21 percent gain over year-end figures from ‘07, and there were still 4 months yet to go.

What an amazing year, taking us from record setting to record breaking.

But it’s not about us … it’s all about you.

Five years ago, when our Internet based company was founded, we did so because we knew timeshares offered an excellent opportunity for people to enjoy vacation ownership and to lock-in the price of accommodations, creating a hedge against vacation inflation. But we didn’t see any truly accessible, affordable, easy-to-use ways for timeshare sellers to interact with timeshare buyers and timeshare renters. Thus Sell My Timeshare NOW was born.

Today our outreach is worldwide. Our marketplace is as vast as cyberspace. Anywhere in the world, any time of the day, you can be buying, renting, or selling timeshare that is advertised on Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Timeshare resales and timeshare rentals help you and your family continue to enjoy time spent together, days away from the routine grind … the relaxation, recreation, and fun you have earned.

Follow this link to read Sell My Timeshare NOW’s complete media release.

In an article published July 15, in the Scotsman.com, Macdonald Hotels, Scotland’s largest independent hotel chain, is threatening to cut off power and water to Loch Rannoch timeshare resort. Loch Rannoch Highland Club represents 3,000 timeshare owners of 85 timeshare condos at Scotland’s Loch Rannoch Resort, which until 2003, was managed by Macdonald Hotels. In a decision by the timeshare owners, management was switched to Timeshare Management Services, a company managed by Edward Monks.

Somewhere in the change, someone failed to deal with the matter of water and electrical services, which Macdonald Hotels alleges now total £450,000. In a letter that The Scotsman says it has seen, the timeshare owners committee has been warned that unless, “full payment of the sum the hotel chain claims it is owed is made by 24 July the group would have no alternative but to cut off the lodges’ water and electricity.” …now that would make for an unpleasant timeshare vacation, wouldn’t it?

More to the Story at the Loch Rannoch Timeshare Resort

Based on the report in The Scotsman, there appears to be more to the story than who pays the light bill. Monks explained that they (the timeshare owners) had sent the hotel a check for £177,819 with the stipulation that it be accepted as payment in full. Both the timeshare owners, (led by Monk) and Macdonald Hotels agreed that the hotel owes the timeshare money for past management fees. On the other hand, the hotel says that the timeshare also owes them management fees.

But here’s the detail that may really be the sticking point. Settlement terms offered by the timeshare owners included the stipulation that they be allowed access to the leisure facilities at the Macdonald Loch Rannoch hotel, next door to the timeshare resort. They also asked that the management of the timeshare revert to Macdonald Resorts in 2010 when the current contract with Monk’s group lapses. The timeshare owners have been banned from using the resort facilities since the management change in 2003.

How This Timeshare Tale Will End

It is not likely that timeshare guests at Loch Rannoch will go without either water or electricity, even if the dispute remains unsettled by the target date. While the issues sound problematic, (and owing a half million pounds is nothing to sneeze at) matters such as these, have a way of being worked out.

Loch Rannoch timeshare is a lovely resort in an idyllic setting overlooking the sparkling blue Loch Rannoch. The area is renowned for its fishing and hiking, and overall picturesque tranquility. Let’s hope a little of that harmony rubs off on these two parties in conflict and they get this now 5-year old dispute settled.

Owners Perspective magazine launched their first edition last week, and SellMyTimeshareNOW.com was proud to be featured in one of their articles. In a piece called, The Timeshare Resale Solution, our timeshare resales and rental advertising company was identified as a leader, helping to build the strength and integrity of the timeshare resales industry.

The article looked at the inherent problem of timeshare owners, who sooner or later, may need to resell their timeshare. The actual problem lies not in the fact that timeshare owners need to resell timeshare, but that the industry never really factored this into the equation when they developed the model by which new timeshares are sold today.

As the article explains, “Timeshare resales companies and timeshare advertising services may not have been part of the vacation ownership industry’s original vision, but denying the need for them would be akin to saying automobiles can only be purchased new through dealerships or that homeowners cannot resell their residential properties. Timeshares are hardly disposable commodities, even though they do not appreciate in the same way other types of residential or commercial real estate increase in value. Industry statistics place the sales price of new timeshare at nearly $20,000 per one week interval, however as resales, these same timeshare units may be priced 50 percent below the original purchase price. Much like the purchase of that new car, the timeshare buyer gets the benefit of using the vacation property, enjoying it, and at the right time, reselling it to recoup a portion of the original expenditure.”

• To read the full article, sign up for a free subscription to Owners Perspective magazine, or
• Click here to read the article on the SellMyTimeshareNOW.com website.

Among timeshare exchange companies, Resort Condominiums International - RCI - is the largest and probably most recognized name.

Christel and Jon DeHaan first established Resort Condominiums Internationals (RCI) in 1974. The DeHaan’s plan was to manage the exchange of individually owned condominiums within a network of condominium owners. During the 1970’s, as more and more condos converted to timeshare properties, RCI converted as well. They shifted their focus from being a condo exchange company to becoming one of the first companies focused on timeshare exchange.

In 1996, Hospitality Franchise Systems, Inc., bought RCI and the following year, merged the company with CUC International, Incorporated. CUC International specialized in membership-based services and direct marketing strategies for credit card companies. In 1997, CUC merged with HFS Incorporated to form the new entity, Cendent. Cendent, now a powerful and respected keystone of today’s hospitality industry, continues to advance, going through many changes and re-inventions as it seeks to fill the needs and demands of vacationers and travelers worldwide.

What does not change about RCI is their continuing growth. Together, with their chief competitor, Interval International (II), the two companies handle ninety-five percent of the timeshare exchanges made every year. Currently there are more than three million members of RCI worldwide, who vacation at RCI’s 3,700+ affiliated resorts.

Today, July 7, 2008, RCI joins other timeshare and fractional ownership industry leaders at the UK based, Fractional Property Conference. The theme of this year’s conference is “Fractional ownership - a lifestyle and investment choice of the future.”

Learn more about fractional ownership by reading the previous Timeshare Authority blog posts:

• Another Perspective on Fractionals and Timeshare Ownership
• Timesharing as a Concept Will Increase Timesharing as a Practice

Last week The Timeshare Authority filled you in on the exciting details about Owners Perspective magazine, through a 3-part interview we did with Paul Mattimoe, president, and CEO of Perspective International.

• Exclusive Interview with Timeshare Publication CEO, Paul Mattimoe
• Timeshare Publication Founder, Paul Mattimoe, in an Exclusive Interview PART II
• Paul Mattimoe, CEO of Timeshare Perspective, in an Exclusive Interview, PART III

We thought we told you all the best news about this new publication directed at timeshare owners and people interested in becoming owners. And we gave you lots of reasons to sign up and receive your own free online subscription to Owners Perspective.

But we missed something very important…your chance to win a free timeshare membership! Twenty-five timeshare ownerships/memberships will be offered FREE to the first twenty-five callers who respond to the new publication.

Here’s what you need to do:

If you have signed up for an online subscription, you will receive an email on the day Owners Perspective launches - a date which could be any day now, but is as yet, undisclosed.

Your email from Owners Perspective will include the name of an article you need to find in the inaugural issue of the publication. Find the article and read for the details; you will find a phone number you should call immediately. As Paul Mattimoe explains, “…there are 25 free timeshares offered to the first 25 callers - and we don’t mean a promotional week of accommodation, we mean 25 actual timeshare memberships – all registered subscribers will be emailed at the same time on one of the days, they then have to find the article and call the number as fast as they can.”

If you haven’t already subscribed to Owners Perspective, I can’t think of a better reason to do so NOW!

Follow this link to register for your free online subscription to the industry’s newest timeshare magazine. http://www.ownersperspective.com/free/