It’s often the little things that matter most … and too often it’s the little things that slip through the cracks in business, ignored as companies focus on regulations, margins, and profitability.

So when Marriott Vacation Club timeshare asked its headquarters for a clever way for guests and timeshare owners to say, “Do Not Disturb,” they were giving attention to a little detail, that turned out to matter a lot. Their request yielded a series of door tags with twenty unique, appealing designs. The design shown in the photo here, complete with sheep, is “Still Counting,” which when you think about it, is a lot warmer and friendlier message than the traditional: Do Not Disturb.

Currently in use at 27 of Marriott Vacation Club’s North American timeshare resorts, the door tags are proving to be highly popular with vacationers. Marriott timeshare spokesperson James Woelbern says, “We found that our owners and rental guests like the signs so much, we end up replacing them often. We take it as a compliment.”

And it’s a well earned compliment, because for a miniscule cost difference between using a standardized door tag or creating charming customized tags, Marriott timeshare has created a way to differentiate itself  in a large, competitive marketplace.

If the tags make a guest smile then they are effective and beneficial. If they go home with guests and Marriott timeshare owners then they serve as a small bond between that person or family and a positive timeshare vacation experience. And if visitors see the tags in homes of Marriott owners, then the most powerful type of peer-to-peer marketing endorsement is inevitable as one friend shares with another, “Isn’t that cute? We brought it back from our last Marriott timeshare vacation. Did I tell you what a great time we had…”

C.A.R.E. (Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers), a trade association that provides opportunities for vacation fulfillment and exchanges and for revenue enhancement through increased networking opportunities, announces that the American Resort Development Association has joined C.A.R.E. as an Associate member.

ARDA president and CEO, Howard Nusbaum says, “ARDA looks forward to sharing valuable industry information with C.A.R.E. members through increased opportunities. While we’ve participated in C.A.R.E. events in the past, becoming an Associate Member will enable ARDA to educate a broader audience about the policies that impact owners and efforts the industry is taking to protect the integrity of the product and the value of vacation ownership.”

Alain Carr, C.A.R.E. president says, “It is a great honor to welcome ARDA as a new member of our organization during my tenure as C.A.R.E.’s president. C.A.R.E. appreciates the participation of Howard Nusbaum and Jason Gamel at our conferences this past year, and C.A.R.E. has benefited from the knowledge and insight in our industry that they were generous enough to share with us. Because C.A.R.E.’s values are directly in line with ARDA’s, C.A.R.E. has always been a strong supporter of ARDA and has been directly responsible for many C.A.R.E. member companies becoming and maintaining memberships with ARDA. Reciprocally, ARDA has been extremely supportive of C.A.R.E. and our efforts to deliver outstanding vacation services to owners and members. We are very excited that ARDA is now a member of C.A.R.E. and we look forward to their continued support and dedication.”

C.A.R.E.’s membership is comprised of developers, wholesalers, travel clubs, HOA’s, timeshare resorts, and management and exchange companies. Its member companies offer inventory at over 2500 properties and service over one million vacation owners and members. For more information, visit www.care-online.org.

An independent study conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International was released this past week. The study surveyed over a thousand world travelers and thought leaders from Germany, Spain, Brazil, China, France, India, the United Kingdom and the US.

The results showed:

77 percent felt “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace will spread.”

Describing our times as a “Golden Age of Travel,” Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s CEO-elect and current president, reflects, “Travel opens up your mind (and) your heart … This survey shows it is also a powerful form of soft diplomacy in the world today.” Adding that Marriott applauds President Obama’s announcement to reform US visa and entry systems to welcome more international visitors, Sorenson said he believes, “… opportunities to do business and travel abroad are opening up like never before.” (See: Obama in Orlando With Plans to Boost International Tourism).

Timeshares Make it Easier to Explore the World

When you own timeshare, travel planning gets easier. You’ve made the commitment that travel, vacationing, leisure and exploring the world are important in your life. You’ve picked timeshare ownership with timeshare exchange or perhaps membership in a timeshare exchange service to enhance your commitment.

Timeshare owners can explore the world knowing that they have preplanned for accommodations where they will feel safe and comfortable, which makes their international travel planning simpler. With timeshare ownership it becomes easier to focus on the trip ahead; your energy is not consumed by tracking down hotels or condo rentals. Even those who rent timeshare benefit because timeshare rentals, whether in the US or abroad, afford some of the most competitively priced vacation and travel accommodations in the world today.

As part of the vast tourism industry, timeshares provide jobs worldwide, enriching the lives of individuals and families, supporting local economies, and strengthening  local and regional tax revenues. But far beyond the contribution of timeshare to the world’s economic picture are the more important factors of enhancing and encouraging travel and exploration of cultures and countries—they make it easier for people to open their eyes and subsequently their hearts.
As Mark Penn, CEO of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of Burson-Marsteller explains,  “International travelers advance people’s understanding of different cultures and reinforce all that we as humans have in common with each other.”

Timeshares can, in fact, make a big world seem a whole lot smaller.

Florida International University has announced that its hospitality school has been named the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, in honor of Harvey R. Chaplin and the Chaplain family. (See: http://hospitality.fiu.edu/)

Harvey R. Chaplin is the chair and CEO of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, a company known by many for hosting the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. is the nation’s largest wine and spirits distributor and broker with operations in 35 markets. Included at FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management  is the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center, a 4,500 square-foot facility, built in 1999, that affords the latest technology for beverage tasting and analysis. The Center serves the needs of both FIU students and industry professionals including winemakers and distillers.

The Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management provides top rated learning opportunities for students pursuing careers in the hotel, timeshare, and food service industries, and all aspects of tourism. FIU’s School of Hospitality and Tourism is particularly distinguished by its campus locations, expert faculty, and fast-track career advantages in the international areas of the tourism industry. The Marriott Tianjin China Program, established in 2006, is FIU’s largest international program, with a capacity for up to 2,000 students.

FIU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools(SACS). The Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management offers a number of Bachelors and Masters degree programs as well as non-degree certifications.

Author Christopher Elliott had a blog post recently, titled: 12 Things You Shouldn’t Do in 2012. Everything he recommends is a well-placed word to the wise. You might think, here on The Timeshare Authority blog, we wouldn’t be quoting Elliott, who as a consumer advocate has been known to warn his readers about timeshare sales.

But frankly, we agree with many of the points Elliott raises in general and also in his new book, Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. To his credit, he doesn’t echo the often-said, never-correct message that all timeshares are bad, or that consumers are less than smart for buying them. Instead, he tells consumers not to buy timeshares (or anything else) under pressure. He goes so far as to say that in his opinion, buying timeshare can lead to regrets, but he points out there are reasons for these regrets:

• Timeshares come with fees. If you understand before you buy that your timeshare will be subject to an annual fee that will increase over time, and that other, additional fees can be placed on your timeshare over the years you own it, then you are going into your purchase as an educated buyer.
• Timeshares depreciate. You should understand this before you buy your timeshare. Depreciation doesn’t stop you from buying automobiles, electronics, or jewelry, but you won’t be happy if you buy timeshare expecting it to increase in value.
• Timeshares have rules. While Elliott calls these unreasonable rules, these rules probably fall more into the category of many other “unreasonable rules” such as those issued by airlines, hotels, restaurants, and other service industries. The rules are in place to enhance the way the product works for the greatest number of people using it. They won’t always work for everyone. There may be rules you don’t like or rules that don’t work for you. And if you buy timeshare expecting there to be no rules at all, you will be disappointed.

It’s this simple: when you buy a product that you haven’t researched, that you buy under pressure, and without fully understanding what you are buying, you can wind up with regrets. And this is true whether you are purchasing a timeshare, a television, or a toaster; it’s just that in most cases, your expenditure for the timeshare is much greater than it is for a TV and unlike a toaster, if you are truly dissatisfied, you can’t just walk to the trash and throw away your timeshare.

There is no one size fits all. It doesn’t exist in clothing, real estate, or consumer services and it certainly doesn’t apply when it comes to vacations and vacation ownership. When it comes to the truth about timeshares, don’t believe sales hype that isn’t logical and don’t believe negative criticisms that are the result of critics piling on a topic they don’t understand.

As Groucho Marx said, “Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?” … Do your own research before you buy timeshare. Understand the rules, investigate the fees, ask current and past owners, and take a timeshare rental vacation at the property where you are considering becoming an owner.

Over 80 percent of timeshare owners say they are satisfied with their purchase; many are so happy with one timeshare that they go on to purchase two, three, or more timeshares or timeshare resales. When it comes to timeshares, there really aren’t 12 things you shouldn’t do; there is only one. Don’t be an uneducated, impulsive buyer.

With jobs and the economy on the forefront of many people’s minds, President Barack Obama picked a beautiful sunshiny day in Central Florida to stand in front of Cinderella’s castle in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and explain his vision and plans for boosting international tourism to the US.

The President’s midday press conference on Thursday began with a few jokes about Mickey Mouse and included his acknowledgement that the weather couldn’t be more perfect. He then touched on a variety of topics related to tourism job growth, focusing on the country’s current stringent policy for screening international tourists. The fact that the US makes it remarkably difficult for tourists from all but 36 countries to visit the US is an issue we have addressed here repeatedly on The Timeshare Authority blog. (see:Marriott Timeshare and Hotel Icon, Bill Marriott Criticizes Government Policy)

Stressing that it was possible to both keep America safe and make it easier for international tourists to visit the US, President Obama discussed specific options to make this happen. In the works are plans for how:

·         America can expand the current list of 36 preferred countries whose visitors are not required to obtain a visa in order to visit.
·         We can create a type of frequent visitor pass for those international tourists who would be willing to undergo an intense one-time background check but could then return more easily upon frequent visits; and
·         To dramatically ease the process for visitors from two target countries: Brazil and China, which both have rapidly growing economies, and emerging middle class that desires to travel, and have a demonstrated history of interest in vacationing in the US.

President Obama plans to sign an executive order to support these and other tourism enhancing initiatives.

Vacationing can be an important part of your healthier new routine says VacationBetter.org and the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), and the timeshare industry is working hard to make it easier to do.

A media release yesterday by VacationBetter.org points out that your resolve to live a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to dwindle as the New Year transitions into a daily routine. A yearlong—or better still, lifelong—commitment to live a healthier life includes both downtime away from your daily grind and pressures and the opportunity to enjoy more healthful experiences during that vacation time.

David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing Americas for timeshare exchange company, Interval International, says, “Many of our clients’ properties in the Americas and the Caribbean have fitness centers and full-service spas, and those with restaurants are presenting healthier menu options.  This increased consciousness of wellness is reflected in Interval’s most recent U.S. member profile.  Reporting on their preferred vacation activities, nearly half of those surveyed include working out and exercising while close to 40 percent cite spa services.”

As Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, explains, “Health and wellness amenities are growing in popularity among timeshare owners and resorts are now using these programs to attract new timeshare consumers unfamiliar that such vacation products exist.”

Read: TIMESHARE INDUSTRY SAYS WELLNESS TREND IS HERE TO STAY IN 2012

Do you have a timeshare advertised for sale or rent through Sell My Timeshare NOW? If so, we invite you… urge you… to visit our Facebook page and talk about it!

Here’s an example of what one Sell My Timeshare NOW client posted on our corporate Facebook page:

MONICA NARVAEZ

TIMESHARE FOR SALE OR RENT IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, http://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/timeshares/index/

content/details/AdNumber/205367/ FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS.

As quickly as a status update and at no additional cost to her, this timeshare owner expanded the visibility of her Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa Phase II timeshare for sale or rent ad. Because Monica included her SellMyTimeshareNOW.com Ad Number (# 205367) with a direct hyperlink to the ad, we can recognize her as our client, and are delighted to help her share her ad.

Other Facebook friends and visitors will use the ad number and hyperlink, which she included, to take them to the ad page on our Sell My Timeshare NOW website, which is the ad for her specific property. On that page, interested buyers and renters can learn more about the resort’s features and amenities. By taking a moment to post her timeshare ad on our Facebook page, Monica increased the exposure her timeshare for sale or rent will receive proportionally by the power of Facebook.

Do you have a Sell My Timeshare NOW ad for timeshare for sale or rent?

We encourage you to add it to our Facebook page. Just go to: https://www.facebook.com/SellMyTimeshareNOW.

Be sure you “Like” Us and then share the message of your timeshare resale or timeshare rental. Remember, you must include your valid Sell My Timeshare NOW ad number and/or hyperlink to that ad page or your ad will not remain in the publicly visible section of our Facebook page.

Like the idea? Please remember to “Like” us, too… Because we really like the idea of you adding your ad on our page!

In the midst of double digit unemployment and the most unstable US economy since the great Depression, gainfully employed people are walking away from their jobs.

Alexandra Levit, a former nationally-syndicated business and workplace columnist for The Wall Street Journal and the author of Blind Spots: The 10 Business Myths You Can’t Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success, writes about this phenomenon in an article titled, “Good Culture Is In, Inflated Salaries Are Out.”

Ms. Levit says, “Employees at all levels—especially women—are stepping away from positions that will pay them the highest salary, and moving into ones that provide them a better quality of life.”

She goes on to explain that satisfaction with one’s life and one’s income really has little correlation by using the following example:  Certain  global surveys have asked people to rank how satisfied they are with their lives on a  scale from 1 to 7 with 1 being “not at all satisfied with my life” and 7 being “completely satisfied with my life”.

American multimillionaires ranked at an average score of 5.8, which doesn’t sound surprising one way or the other until you realize that the Masai people of Kenya, Africa, who live without electricity or water, and spend their lives herding cattle, also score 5.8.

Life is short and our days are precious. The security of a home, job, and savings are important. But so are the gifts we give ourselves in life … time with those we love, sunsets across quiet water and sunrise on the mountain top. You may never own a second home, or even a first. But do everything in your power to step back from your routine, to duck out of the rat race, every now and then.

So what if you can’t buy a cabin in the mountains? Buy a timeshare resale, load up your kids and the dog, and for one week a year be the “owners” of that mountain getaway. Perhaps your demands are so great you cannot take a week away from your job. That’s okay, too. Take a couple of days or a long weekend in a timeshare rental; you won’t even have to pay to eat out. Just get away. Take a holiday. Give yourself a break.

… Because you won’t find happiness in a paycheck or a bankbook. You’ll find it in the moments where you break free and create everlasting memories with those you love most.

White Oak Lodge and Resort, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has been recognized as a RCI Gold Crown Resort property by RCI timeshare exchange. White Oak Lodge and Resort is a part of Global Connections, Inc.

Located on 17 acres of wooded land near the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, White Oak Lodge and Resort is a mixed-use property that includes 60 two- and three-bedroom log cabin homes and 12 two-bedroom condominiums. The resort includes a tennis court, nature trails, outdoor grills, clubhouse and swimming pool with two grottos and waterfalls.

Global Connections, a leader in the travel club industry, has more than 170,000 members and is the owner and developer of five resorts, with ownership of multiple resort condominium units throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Tom Lyons, president of Global Connections, says, “We are excited to receive the RCI Gold Crown Resort designation for White Oak Lodge and Resort. This designation confirms not only the high quality of the resort, its design and furnishings, but the personable service offered by the staff to our guests.”

RCI Gold Crown Resorts are awarded and identified as a way to help RCI members identify timeshare resorts that adhere to the RCI standards for accommodations, hospitality and member experience. Gordon Gurnik, president of RCI, adds, “We are thrilled to recognize those who have attained this designation and continue working to offer top vacation destinations to our 3.7 million members worldwide.”