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

A lot has changed in the 40 years since Disney first launched its Disney World theme park in Orlando. In October of 1971, Disney World opened for business with only 26 attractions and one park, the Magic Kingdom.

Back then, there were two Disney hotel properties and of course, no Disney Vacation Club for Disney timeshare. Disney moved into timeshares with the 1991 opening of its Old Key West Resort.

Today the Walt Disney World Resort features Epcot (added in 1982) and Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (both added in 1989). Other popular attractions at Disney World include Typhoon Lagoon; Blizzard Beach; Downtown Disney; Disney’s BoardWalk; Disney’s Wedding Pavilion; the ESPN Wide World of Sports; and the Walt Disney World Speedway, not to mention the excitement surrounding Disney’s recent announcement of the addition of an attraction based on the movie, “Avatar”.

There are also more than thirty resorts located on the Disney property, with some 27,000 hotel rooms. Disney’s newest major hotel, the Art of Animation Resort, is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2012.

As one of the most visited vacation destinations in North America, millions of people have a special Disney World memory they recall, whether it’s from a family vacation, class trip, honeymoon or anniversary celebration. This year, as Disney World turns 40, isn’t it time you and your family experienced Disney magic all over again, enjoying a new adventure and making new memories?

Learn more about the opportunities in Orlando timeshare resales and rentals.

(Please check Saturday’s The Timeshare Authority blog post for more: Disney’s First Hawaii Timeshare Welcomes Guests.)

The Aulani Resort, Disney’s new hotel and timeshare on the island of Oahu, set out to honor the Hawaiian heritage from its inception, drawing from the Hawaiian culture and tradition. Many of the individuals who worked on the development of this resort were local architects, historians and artisans. At every turn, you will find the Aulani resort rich with materials, imagery and symbols that pay tribute to the people of Hawaii and their way of life.

But you will also find all the convenience and luxury of a Disney resort. Aulani includes two main restaurants, two cafes, two lounges, an adults-only spa, a spa and hangout for tweens and teens, a family fitness center, conference rooms, a fire pit for storytelling and an amazing kids club known as Aunty’s Beach House.

Entertainment for the Youngest Timeshare Guests

In traditional Hawaii culture, children call many older adult women by the term, “Aunty” and at Aulani, Aunty’s Beach House is sure to be a popular spot.

While Aunty’s Beach House looks like a traditional Hawaiian home, right down to its décor, which includes ‘family’ photos, old trophies, and a garage filled with tools, it is actually at 5200-square-foot entertainment paradise for children. In a supervised setting, children can enjoy arts and crafts; treasure hunts; hula lessons; Wii™ video games; Sony PlayStation® video games and, of course, Disney movies.

The windows and skylights at Aunty’s Beach House are in fact digital screens depicting scenes of Hawaii and magical changing details. Aunty’s side of the house targets younger guests, children ages 3 to 7, and includes the enchanted fireplace and age-appropriate experiences. Uncle’s side of the house is for older children. In includes the workshops, games, a garden area and a rain room theater.

Poolside at the Disney Vacation Club Resort Aulani Hawaii Timeshare

The massive pool area at Aulani is practically a water park. There is an 8,200-square-foot pool, a 950-foot-long lazy river where tubing takes you through forests and caverns, a private saltwater snorkel lagoon filled with tropical fish, a conservation pool for getting close to the stingrays, starfish and anemones, a rock formation with lava tube slides and an aquatic jungle gym called Menehune Bridge. (The Menehune are a mystical, magical ‘little people’ of Hawaiian lore).

Activities at the resort include movie nights, fireside storytelling, hula dancing, Hawaiian sunset ceremonies, cooking classes, surf lessons and, of course, Mickey and company to meet, greet, and charm, typically in Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts.

Disney Expects Aulani Timeshare Owners from Around the World

While Disney anticipates many guests and Disney Vacation Club members at Aulani from the US and Canada, they also expect to attract many visitors from Asia. To ensure that all their guests enjoy the comforts of home, the Aulani suites and timeshare villas include the extra-deep hot baths, preferred by the Japanese; in-room rice cookers; tea service as well as coffee; and chopsticks as well as knives and forks as standard issue.

The Disney Vacation Club Villas at Aulani include 460 studio, one-and two-bedroom timeshare villas and 21 Grand Villas, which sleep up to 12 happy vacationers.

Click here to learn more about the Disney Vacation Club Aulani Resort.

And here to learn more about the opportunities in Disney Vacation Club timeshare resales.

This past week, Aulani, Disney’s only property in Hawaii, opened its doors and welcomed guests and timeshare owners for the first time.

Aulani is about an hour’s drive from Waikiki, on the west side of the island of Oahu. Throughout the development of the resort, Disney has worked to maintain the spirit of Hawaii in all details of the property. The word, Aulani means “a messenger of a chief – one who delivers a message from a higher authority.” Joe Rohde, senior vice president, Creative for Walt Disney Imagineering, explains, “The name Aulani was chosen to position the resort as a messenger of the “higher authority” that is Hawaii, its spirit and its culture.”

Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and the company’s former chief financial officer, says Aulani “… captures the very best of the rich Hawaiian storytelling and culture with a touch of Disney.”

Disney Vacation Club and Disney Timeshare

Aulani Disney Resort & Spa is the first property Disney has built in Hawaii and is the eleventh Disney Vacation Club Villas resort (timeshare) for Disney. With 481 Vacation Club timeshare villas and 359 traditional hotel rooms, Aulani is the first hotel/timeshare combo Disney has launched that was not in close to proximity to one of its theme parks. Disney Vacation Club does offer two resorts not at parks, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort timeshare in Hilton Head, Georgia and Disney Vero Beach Resort timeshare in Vero Beach, Florida, but neither of these properties provides hotel accommodations.

Take a few moments and watch this video that tours the Aulani Resort, just before its opening, and then check back in tomorrow at The Timeshare Authority blog where we take a closer look at the amenities you will find there. Many, like the in-room rice cookers, may surprise you!

Today Sell My Timeshare NOW released its second announcement to the media regarding growth in timeshare sales through our timeshare brokerage division, Timeshare Broker Services.

As we noted, we saw a 109 percent increase in broker assisted timeshare sales for the month of July 2011 over July 2010. These numbers reflect the strong demand there is to buy timeshare on the resale market and the interest in both the large hospitality brand resorts, including Hyatt Vacation Club, Starwood timeshare, Disney Vacation Club, Hilton timeshare, and in independent timeshare brands, that offer quality resorts but may not be as well known.

While our by-owner timeshare sales remain solid, we’ve also focused a great deal of attention this past year on building our timeshare brokerage services, too. It comes down to offering more choices to consumers, and we think that is very important.

Why Offer 2 Different Types of Timeshare Sales?

Timeshare ownership comes in many formats. There are fixed week timeshares, floating timeshare, timeshares owned by deed, owned by right to use, and timeshare ownership through points or vacation clubs. The product a potential seller has may be as small as a studio unit may, or it may be a spacious multi-bedroom, multi-bathroom timeshare. Some timeshares are at high demand locations during popular weeks and others are at more off-the-beaten path destinations, or are during less-busy seasons of the year.

Just as timeshares come in all types, so do timeshare owners. Some people seek to sell timeshare because their family has changed or they simply don’t vacation in the same way they once did. Others are facing a life transition, such as marriage, divorce, relocation, retirement, illness, or any of a number of reasons that vacation patterns could change. And still other timeshare owners want to sell their timeshare so they can purchase different timeshares elsewhere.

One size rarely fits all and clearly one method of timeshare resales doesn’t either.

For owners who want to be hands-on in their timeshare resale transaction, by owner services may be the best option. These consumers pay to advertise their timeshare on the high visibility websites of Sell My Timeshare NOW. When the product sells, the money made is wholly their own; no commission is owed. If a by owner seller needs assistance along the way, we are there to assist them in connecting with the right professionals.

But, many timeshare owners want a turn-key approach to timeshare sales. They prefer to put their timeshare sale in the hands of a licensed real estate professional, and let that timeshare broker take it from there. For these owners, the process is simple and when the timeshare sells, a commission is paid to the broker for his or her services.
Timeshare resales at Sell My Timeshare NOW– it is one service with a choice of two approaches. Please read our full media release, Sell My Timeshare NOW Posts Dramatic Quarterly Gains Through Timeshare Brokerage, to learn more.

When Marriott timeshare rolled out its new timeshare points ownership plan last year, it was met with mixed emotions from current timeshare owners. But Marriott clearly committed to take a very important step in this matter. As Marriott Vacation Club President Stephen Weisz explain when Marriott launched its new timeshare points-based system last June, it committed to, “… get in front of every single one” of its current Marriott timeshare owners to share with them the merits of the new club.

The Orlando Sentinel quoted Weisz as saying, “So as we have allocated tour flow, and trying to, in fact, take advantage of talking to people while they’re on vacation at our resorts, we have squeezed out tours to first-time buyers. That was very deliberate.”

How well is Marriott timeshare’s plan working?

In the second quarter of 2011, 61 percent of Marriott timeshare sales were to people who already own a Marriott timeshare. That is an increase from 50 percent in the past, or depending on how you look at it, a 11 percent drop in the number of sales being made to first-time buyers, a figure Marriott says they expect to see rebound over time.

Customer-centric Move by Marriott Timeshare

We all have heard that it is harder to get a new client or customer than it is to keep a current one. Some people say three times harder; other say seven times; some even quote that it takes eleven times more effort to find and win a new client than to continue your relationship with an existing one.

Whatever the number is (which no doubt varies by industry), it is harder, costlier, and more time intensive.

Marriott Vacation Club made a strategic decision not to treat their existing clients like disposable consumers, but instead to communicate, listen to, educate, and no doubt engage in sales-directed conversations with them. Marriott timeshare’s quarterly report indicates this was a good plan. More importantly, Marriott’s long-term business results will reflect this as well.

Clients and customers are not disposable. Their opinions matter—in fact, they are the only thing that matters when it comes to business. And as this example shows, listening to them yields not only better informed timeshare owners, but clearly, timeshare sales as well.

Related Marriott timeshare news from The Timeshare Authority blog:

• Marriott Vacation Club Timeshare Expanding Timeshare Points Based Program
• Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions
• More Details on New Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Timeshare Points

Hat Tip to RCI Ventures for their article: Top 10 boutique hotel trends revealed.

The inaugural Boutique Hotel Summit was highly successful and attendees are still raving about their experience there. Thanks to RCI Ventures for summarizing the top ten trends revealed from a panel discussion during the event.

While all ten are remarkably applicable to timeshares, I selected just three on which to focus this timeshare blog post:

1. Experience and integrity: Boutique hotel guests are looking for something different from the “cookie cutter” approach.
2. Clubs: Look out for a proliferation of members’ clubs incorporated in to boutique hotels, particularly in key urban markets such as London and New York.
3. In-room technology: It’s important for boutique hotels to offer technology that is at least as good as the guest would expect to have in their home, but it must be user friendly and practical.

Timeshare Experience and Integrity

Timeshares come in many flavors. Yes, you can always find good ole’ vanilla, but timeshares include brands from the best-known hoteliers to small, family-owned properties. Timeshares are found in destinations around the world from urban and upbeat locations to reclusive retreats. Your vacation experience in a timeshare can be as predicable or as out of the ordinary as you like, depending upon the resort you select.

Like every other business, in order for a timeshare to survive, to stay successful in this demanding world, it must provide its guests with the services they seek. That’s why, depending on the venue, you will find timeshares that offer on-property entertainment, others that offer kids programs, and most that will go out of their way to assist you with special needs such as a baby crib, and a variety of services that make vacationing a little easier or a little more fun.

Vacation Clubs or Timeshares with Tiered Membership

Timeshares recognize the need for member/owner flexibility. Whether it is through a vacation club or a tiered membership option, more and more timeshare are offering “club-based” experiences and exchange for their members.

Timeshare and Technology

Although many timeshares offer one, two or three-night vacation options, they recognize that most timeshare owners or renters are there for at least a one-week stay. During that period, people both desire and need to be connected to their technology. Most people check email even on vacation. Many families don’t want to deal with children going cold turkey from video games and DVDs during vacation week. At the end of a fun-filled day, it is often nice to let the kids relax with their favorite games. Most timeshares offer more than one television and more than one DVD player, depending upon the size of the timeshare unit. Going on vacation shouldn’t necessarily mean a vacation from the technology that makes your life easier.

And technology has its place in timeshare beyond what’s available in the unit or condo itself. Timeshare resorts are constantly updating their booking, exchange, and reservation options with the aid of technology that is industry specific to the needs of vacation ownership.

Timeshare and Boutique Hotels

Although boutique hotels and timeshares seem (at first thought) to be ideas that are far apart, the similarities are remarkable. I encourage you to read the full RCI Ventures article for a look at all ten trends. You’ll find it interesting that every one of the boutique hotel trends is also a trend you’ll find in timesharing.

Sol Meliá Vacation Club (SMVC) has officially launched Club Meliá as its new rebranding. The name change comes as part of the rebranding of Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts to become Meliá Hotels International.

Denis Ebrill, Executive Vice President of Club Meliá explains, “We are extremely proud and excited about our new name, new look, new branding and positioning. It’s an upscale, updated and impactful way to say in a couple words who we are and what we do, while being joined at the hip with the new positioning of our corporate office in Spain. We have a lot of exciting things to achieve this year and our new name and new look is the driving force behind it.”

With 14 member resorts, and 27 associated resorts, Club Meliá currently has 27,000 members. While the vacation club is based in the timeshare capital of the world, Orlando, Florida, Meliá Hotels International is headquartered in Spain. The 55-year-old international hospitality company has over 300 hotels in 26 countries on four continents.

To get a better feel for the luxury and beauty of Club Meliá, watch this video of Sol Melia Cozumel, from RCI Timeshare videos

Other related news from The Timeshare Authority blog: Sol Meliá Vacation Club and Timeshare Celebrates 3 Years of Success

Club Intrawest is a one of the top resort clubs in North America, with 18 popular resorts from Sandestin, Florida to Whistler to Zihuatanejo, Mexico to the Big Island in Hawaii. Each of the 16 Intrawest timeshare resorts offers a signature attraction, whether that is beach, skiing, golf, or properties such as those in Orlando that are situated at the heart of some of the world’s most popular vacation attractions.

Club Intrawest Vacation Club Membership

With Club Intrawest timeshare membership, you don’t have to choose between owning timeshare at a ski resort or on the beach. Club Intrawest timeshare or resort club members own vacation points, called “Resort Points,” that enable them to enjoy vacations both at Club Intrawest resorts and at all of the Club Intrawest networked resorts. Your vacation club membership makes it easy to enjoy both. All Club Intrawest resorts are part of RCI timeshare exchange; many are also affiliated with Interval International timeshare exchange as well. With Club Intrawest timeshare, you even have the option to use your vacation club points for hotels and cruises.

When you buy a Club Intrawest timeshare resale, you are purchasing the benefits of timeshare ownership (or in this case vacation club membership), but you are buying timeshare from a current owner, typically at a great savings to you. And you may be surprised to learn, but Club Intrawest timeshare is also available as timeshare rental, too.