Orlando, Florida based Wyndham Vacation Ownership, will soon be moving into new offices. Wyndham timeshare, part of Wyndham Worldwide, has signed a lease to move into a building previously occupied as the headquarters of Harcourt, Inc., a company you may be familiar with as the publisher of the textbooks you read in school as a child.

The eight-story building has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking SeaWorld and the hub of Central Florida’s tourist area, International Drive. Previously, Wyndham Vacation Ownership’s 1350 employees have been operating from four separate buildings. With the move, not only will the company gain the convenience of being housed in one building, but they will be expanding personnel, adding 231 new positions.

The new space offers more meeting and gathering places, a full-service cafeteria, natural light, covered parking, and the opportunity to add amenities such as a childcare center, a nature trail or an outdoor meeting venue.

Franz Hanning, president and chief executive officer of Wyndham Vacation Ownership was quoted by the Orlando Sentinel as saying, “When it’s tough like this, people are going to stay in a job, but they will [leave] the first opportunity they get. We want to be the employer of choice. And we do a lot of things to separate ourselves from our competitors.”

The Orlando Business Journal reports that Wyndham timeshare is receiving as much as $277,200 in tax incentives from Orange County for creating the new jobs, which are anticipated to pay an average annual salary of $60,425. The Orange County incentives, to be paid out over six years, are the local share of a $1.4 million package Wyndham requested under the state of Florida’s Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund Program.

Floridians, and many vacationers, are already familiar with the building as a local landmark, originally built by textbook giant, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc. Although the Harcourt Company had many corporate partnerships, (including Harcourt, Brace & Howe; Harcourt, Brace & World, etc,) since its founding in Chicago in the early 1900s, it was during the 1970s and 1980s, as Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich (HBJ) that the company became its most diversified, including the purchase of SeaWorld and other theme parks. HBJ acquired SeaWorld in 1976 for $46 million and in 1989, divested its theme park division for $1.1 billion.

The building was once a showpiece, with its exterior including a public area with fountains and even a play space in the shape of a giant map, however, now, parts of the building have been empty for several years. Julie MacPherson, vice president of facilities for Wyndham is overseeing plans to renovate the building’s interior. MacPherson points out that with employees who put people on vacation, Wyndham timeshare is looking for ways to make the workplace help feel as if the employee themselves are on vacation.

Last week, the Walt Disney Company announced it is expanding its timeshare accommodations at its Orlando, Florida Disney World resort.

The planned addition will add some 147 Disney Vacation Club timeshare units in a separate building, adjacent to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  The new construction will include exclusively timeshare units, plus related amenities such as a children’s water play area.

Expected to open in 2013, the new Disney timeshare at the Grand Floridian will be the second timeshare property Disney has constructed along its Magic Kingdom monorail. Bay Lake Tower, which opened in 2009 and is an addition to the Contemporary Resort, was the first timeshare expansion along the monorail route. (see: Disney Vacation Club Timeshare will Include New Bay Lake Tower Resort)

The Orlando Sentinel quoted Claire Bilby, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club as releasing a prepared statement in which she said, “We continually look for ways to expand Disney Vacation Club by creating resort experiences that our members will love. With the continued popularity of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, we are thrilled to offer our members and guests a new resort option along the monorail system with easy access to the Magic Kingdom Park, as well as a variety of shopping, dining and recreation experiences.”

The project is seen as a way to add high-demand timeshare inventory to the Disney Vacation Club.The Grand Floridian is Disney’s highest-priced company-owned resort property and one of its most popular.

The popular new HGTV series, “My Yard Goes Disney” is back for another year. This season, the show will air 11 makeovers, which means 11 lucky families will get a chance to bring amazing Disney magic to their home’s landscape.

Here’s how the show works:

Families that love Disney, feel a special connection with all things Disney, and would like to feel a little more Disney magic in their lives can apply for a backyard transformation.

For this season’s selections, applicants must live in the Orlando, Florida area.

Applying is as easy as completing this application; including a photo of your family and a wide photo of your backyard. But if you really want a Disney-fied landscape, you must act soon. All applications are due by January 30, 2012.

But what about everyone who doesn’t own their own home, get selected for the show, live in Orlando, or for whatever reason, does not make the cut at the My Yard Goes Disney casting call?

You can still have plenty of Disney magic in your “backyard” with a Disney Vacation Club timeshare. When you buy or rent Disney Vacation Club timeshares, you can enjoy the grandest Disney backyard ever, and best of all, it’s one really big, really fun backyard, but you’ll never have to mow the grass there yourself.

Disney Vacation Club Timeshare for a Really Big Disney Backyard

Disney Vacation Club offers some of the most popular timeshares available today. A Disney timeshare means you own (or rent) your own little piece of Disney.

DVC is a points-based vacation ownership program through which Disney DVC Points can be redeemed at many different Disney resort destinations. As a Disney Vacation Club member, you can choose the destination and resort, how long to stay and the size of your accommodations. Disney timeshare owners are never locked-in at one resort or one scheduled week; it’s Disney park vacationing at its best.

And after all,  who wouldn’t like to claim a little bit of Disney’s backyard as their very own?

The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) created its VacationBetter.org website for the purpose of providing information about timeshare and vacation ownership, the value of vacationing in general and insights on why a timeshare vacation is so appealing to the world’s 8 million timeshare owners. Among the many effective ways VacationBetter.org accomplishes these objectives is to turn the messaging over to timeshare owners themselves.

This month, in VacationBetter.org’s timeshare owners spotlight, you’ll find Ohioans, Bill and Phyllis Hopkins, sharing their enthusiasm for their membership in Hilton Grand Vacations Club. As the Hopkins’ explain, for them, “…membership resolved the potential “beach house dilemma” of vacationing in the same place year after year. Our passion, after all, was to explore new places and discover new cultures.”

Peer-to-Peer Reviews, Raging Fans, and the Timeshare Story

The travel industry overall has already discovered that peer-to-peer reviews of accommodations, transportation, restaurants, and other travel related goods and services is a powerful communication and marketing tool.

And while the timeshare industry explores new and effective ways to share the truth about timeshares, we may find that the most powerful communication about timeshare is delivered by the owners who use and love the product.

We encourage you to visit www.vacationbetter.org and read the Hopkins’s story along with stories from other timeshare owners. And take 4 minutes and watch the video below … you will never look at timeshare in the same way again.

Learn more about the opportunities of Hilton Grand Vacations Club timeshare resales and timeshare rentals.

Wyndham's WorldMark Resort Denarau Island Timeshare

Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, (Wyndham timeshare) has announced the start of construction on Stage 3 of WorldMark Resort Denarau Island. When completed, this Fiji timeshare resort is expected to be one of the largest tourism developments in the Fijian islands.

The renovation plans include construction of 63 amazing timeshare villas, both one and two-bedroom units, as well as 3 and 4-bedroom presidential villas that will feature private dip pools overlooking the ocean. (Are you beginning to envision yourself vacationing there?)

Architect Guymer Bailey along with the Fijian firm, Architects Pacific, will handle the new design with much of the support work for construction, furnishings and fixtures to be provided by local Fijian consultants, subcontractors and suppliers. Michael Fairfax, Managing Director of PBS, noted that their company is very excited to get started on the project, which will likely be the largest building construction job in Fiji and will employ hundreds of workers and subcontractors in a variety of trades over the course of the next 18 months.

Wyndham Timeshare

Current Wyndham timeshare owners and guests will be pleased to know that the construction on the expansion will be localized to the new project area, with minimal impact on the serenity of upcoming Wyndham Fiji timeshare vacations at WorldMark Resort Denarau Island.

In keeping with Wyndham Green, Wyndham Worldwide’s global sustainability initiative, environmentally sustainable features will be incorporated into the redevelopment. Such initiatives include the use of local timbers, natural lighting when possible along with energy saving lighting, water saving devices, and cross-flow ventilation plus energy efficient cooling systems.

Earlier this week, The Timeshare Authority blog shared with you that Holiday Inn Club Vacations is adding a seventh timeshare resort to its network of outstanding properties (Holiday Inn Club Vacations Expands with Marco Island, Florida Timeshare).

The new addition, Sunset Cove, a 36-unit, Marco Island, Florida timeshare, is already a great resort but will become even more special as Holiday Inn Club Vacations rolls out its planned renovations.

The timeshare units at Sunset Cove will undergo a total of $1.7 million in upgrades. Planned changes call for property and exterior renovations already intended by the resort’s condo association, along with improvements to the interiors of the timeshare units. Holiday Inn Club Vacations member/owners and guests will enjoy ceramic tile flooring in the living and dining areas (perfect for life at the beach); detailed wood ceiling mouldings; stainless steel appliances; granite countertops  and glass tile backsplashes in kitchens and baths and other luxurious finishes and appointments.

Planned in-room amenities will include flat-screen televisions in the bedrooms and in the kitchen area; bedding and bath appointments from the Signature Collection brand; and even a Signature Collection-monogrammed bathrobe. The pool deck area will also be refurbished using upgraded patio chairs and poolside furnishings that coordinate with the Signature Collection color palette.

Marco Island Timeshares and Holiday Inn Club Vacations

Marco Island timeshares are already some of the most distinctive beach destination resorts. Sunset Cove Resort will now make it easier than ever for Holiday Inn Club Vacations members to enjoy this popular Florida Gulf Coast destination.

Interval International timeshare exchange recently announced expanded and extended services for King’s Creek Plantation LLC. (Additional info here: Kings Creek Plantation Timeshare Owners Gain Customize Services with Interval International).

Kevin Jones, cofounder and president of King’s Creek Plantation LLC, says, “Maintaining our strong partnership with Interval supports our customer-first culture, while opening the door for new products with more options. We are excited about our continued relationship and the many opportunities it will bring in the near future.”

Along with news of the extended relations with King’s Creek Plantation, the announcement included important updates about the new King’s Creek points-based vacation club, known as Club Explore.

Interval International is providing reservation services and special opportunities for Club Explore members. Timeshare owner / members who enroll in Club Explore expand their vacation options by being able to convert their timeshare points into club currency. They can then utilize the currency for vacationing at King’s Creek properties or for timeshare exchange within the vast Interval International global network of resorts.

In addition to timeshare exchange, Club Explore Points mean:
·         Members can choose to upgrade timeshare locations, unit size or season
·         As part of Interval Gold®, members can use ShortStay ExchangeSM to take long weekends or mini-vacations
·         Members can opt to exchange for (or purchase) great deals on cruise, golf and spa vacations
·         Access to personal concierge service available 24/7 via phone and e-mail
·         And that members receive complimentary Hertz #1 Gold® membership, as well as special offers on hotels, retail shopping, and restaurants

The spacious timeshare units, cottages, condos, (King’s Creek Plantation cottages and townhomes) and estate homes (King’s Creek Plantation Estates) at King’s Creek Plantation, with their convenient location near the attractions of Williamsburg are great reasons to be a King’s Creek Plantation timeshare owner. Now Interval International has added even more!

Much that is positive, exciting, and invigorating for the timeshare industry has been discussed these last two days at the VOIC Shared Ownership Investment Conference in Orlando, Florida, which is hosted by Interval International. And frank talk has gone on about all the challenges of the industry, the economy, and the ways (both good and bad) that the industry has engaged with consumers in the past.

But some of the most interesting insights about timeshare and fractionals comes from a simple look at the numbers. Very often in business, the numbers speak louder than the words.

Here is a look at some recent research about Interval International member/owners:

• US resident members of II own approximately 1.9 weeks of shared ownership vacation time or its equivalent and travel an estimated 22 nights per year solely for leisure purposes.
• They report household income of approximately $121,175 per year.
• Twenty percent expect to buy additional vacation time in the future.
• Timeshare owners are attracted to warm-weather locations (Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, South Carolina timeshares and Caribbean timeshares) and family-style accommodations.
• Most are interested in, or have a preference for, two-bedroom timeshare units. Just under ten percent prefer three-bedroom timeshares.

And this may be the most industry-relevant factor of all: 83 percent of Interval International’s US members say they are satisfied with their timeshare ownership.

As David Gilbert, Interval International, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing, says, “Even in challenging economic times, it is very encouraging to see that the appeal of vacation ownership remains strong among our members.”

Today begins the VOIC regional conference in Orlando, Florida at the Peabody Hotel.

VOIC (Vacation Ownership Investment Conference) is hosted by Interval International and targets:

• Timeshare resort developers
• Developer looking to become involved in shared ownership products
• Lenders and those who want to network with lenders
• Those already in the timeshare industry who are looking for capital, new development ideas and opportunities
• Everyone who wants to learn about the latest trends in shared ownership and vacation ownership

This is the 13^th Annual VOIC Conference. Every year the event attracts timeshare resort developers, timeshare and fractional executives, condominium developer, hoteliers, hospitality investors, lenders, investment bankers, shared ownership consultants, builders, architects, designers, law firms, media and government tourism officials affiliated with or interested in the opportunities of shared ownership. It affords a time of idea exchange, networking, and learning for all who participate.

Timeshare Conference Schedule

The conference starts this afternoon with the opening delivered by David C. Gilbert, Executive Vice President, Resort Sales and Marketing, Americas, Interval International.

At 2:00, Industry experts, including representatives of STR and ARDA, the American Resort Development Association, will present a snapshot of today’s shared ownership and lodging markets in the State of the Industry Presentation.

This link will take you to the informational flyer for the event, for a full schedule of activities: https://www.regonline.com/custImages/239071/Mailer2-Domestic.pdf

For more on the conference, check The Timeshare Authority blog this week and be sure to follow @JasonTremblay_ on Twitter.

VOIC Conference for Timeshare

Through a multi-year contract extension, Interval International, a worldwide leader in timeshare exchange and vacation services, has expanded and extended its relationship with King’s Creek Plantation LLC. The agreement covers all three phases of King’s Creek Plantation in Williamsburg, Virginia, and any resort properties developed during the duration of the agreement.

Interval International timeshare exchange will also be assisting in the design and launch of the new King’s Creek points-based vacation club, to be known as Club Explore.

David Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for Interval International, says, “We are very pleased to take our relationship with the King’s Creek team to the next level and collaborate with them as they enhance their already successful business. Long known for delivering unique vacation experiences, King’s Creek now also offers its owners the ultimate in flexibility with the addition of its points-based club.”

King’s Creek Plantation is an 98-acre timeshare resort that includes The Cottages, The Townes, and The Estates. Designed to emulate the desirable features of a great residential community, King’s Creek Plantation includes cottage timeshare units, condos and estate homes, all with charming front porches and roomy decks. On-property amenities include a fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, a jogging trail, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, a pool and a conveniently located general store. A tram keeps it easy for timeshare owners and guests to move around the timeshare resort.

Check The Timeshare Authority blog this week for more about this popular Williamsburg timeshare resort and the benefits of Club Explore. And follow these links for great deals on King’s Creek Plantation timeshare resales and timeshare rentals:

King’s Creek Plantation cottages and townhomes

King’s Creek Plantation Estates

King's Creek Plantation Timeshare