The sun may be shining now, but for thousands of people whose homes and businesses were destroyed by damage from Hurricane Irene or its subsequent flooding, the dark times continue.

Long after a hurricane or other catastrophic weather event is no longer in the headlines it continues to define the lives of the thousands, sometimes millions of people it impacted. The clean-up and restoration after a storm as devastating as Irene continues for months and even years after the storm is gone.

In support of the communities impacted by Hurricane Irene, Wyndham Worldwide and Wyndham Timeshare is matching donations made through its Wishes by Wyndham program, up to a total of $25,000. All of the contributions will go to the American Red Cross.

“Supporting the communities where we live and work is a central part of our core values and Count On Me! culture, which takes on special significance during these difficult times,” said Mary Falvey, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Wyndham Worldwide. “With thousands of our own associates from the area, and our company roots based in Northern New Jersey, we will continue to asses and offer our support however we can.”

Along with its pledge to match dollars donated by the public, Wyndham Worldwide is encouraging its employees to donate both time and money to help the American Red Cross in their local communities.

Follow this link to go directly to the “Donate Now” page for Wyndham Worldwide and Wishes by Wyndham.

RCI Timeshare Exchange just keeps growing!

Earlier this year, RCI,  a Wyndham Worldwide brand, announced the addition of 34 new timeshare and resort affiliations. This brings the total addition of properties new to affiliation with RCI to 56 for the year 2011. Included among the newcomers are:

Palmyra Resort & Spa in Jamaica

Fiesta Americana Villas Acapulco in Mexico

Inn at St. Ives in Michigan

Huangshan Grandview Resorts Hotels in China

Geoff Ballotti, CEO, RCI, explains, “We have welcomed some fantastic new properties to our global network of affiliated resorts in the first two quarters of 2011. All of these destinations add to our portfolio of high-quality exchange resorts, which is already the largest in the world, and will give our subscribing members even more choice and flexibility in planning their next vacations.”

Each of the new timeshare resort affiliations for RCI exchange has been added in one or more of the following RCI timeshare exchange programs: the RCI® Weeks program, the RCI Points® program or The Registry Collection® program. Nine of the new additions are under construction at this time and will become available as they open.

See the RCI media release here.

Additional related The Timeshare Authority blog news:

RCI Timeshare Exchange Announces Expansion to China

RCI Announces Over 100 New Affiliated Timeshare Resorts (2010)

After a long hot summer of economic turbulence and a long hard week in which the eastern seaboard, from the Caribbean to Canada, has dealt with earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding, this Labor Day weekend holiday comes as a welcome respite to many.

As we head into this last traditional weekend of summer, it’s a good time to look at the top timeshare resales and top timeshare rentals in demand with consumers. These resorts that made this list are timeshares that consumers have made popular with their offers to buy or rent as timeshare resales here at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services.

HOT 100 Timeshare Resales and HOT 100 Timeshare Rentals

Download your free copy of the Hot 100 Timeshare Resales Report

Download your free copy of the Hot 100 Timeshare Rentals Report

Who made the top 10 on the Hot 100 Timeshare Resales Report?

1. WorldMark by Wyndham – Multi-Destination
2. Grandview at Las Vegas - Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club –  Maui Hawaii
4. Paradise Village Beach Resort & Spa - Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
5. Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas – Maui, Hawaii
6. Marriott’s Grande Vista – Orlando, Florida
7. Manhattan Club - Manhattan, New York
8. Ocean Beach Club – Virginia Beach,  Virginia
9. Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club – Oahu, Hawaii
10. Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort- Orlando, Florida

Click the image to download the report.

Who made the top 10 on the Hot 100 Timeshare Rentals Report?

1. Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club – Palm Beach, Aruba
2. Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club - Oahu, Hawaii
3. Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas – Maui, Hawaii
4. Harborside Resort at Atlantis – Nassau, Bahamas
5. Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas – Newport Coast, California
6. Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club –  Maui Hawaii
7. Marriott’s Ocean Watch Villas at Grande Dunes – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
8. Manhattan Club - Manhattan, New York
9. Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake’s West Village – Orlando, Florida
10. Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort- Orlando, Florida

Click the image to download the report

Over the next few days we will look at these resorts and I’ll share more information with you about the current trends we are seeing in timeshare resales and rentals.

This week, Wyndham Worldwide partnered with the PGA Tour event, the Wyndham Championship (still thought of by many golf fans as the Greater Greensboro Open) to bring a day of fun and entertainment to the Pediatric Patients at The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital.

Patients, families, and staff in the pediatrics department at this Greensboro, N.C., hospital were entertained by magicians, face painters, a special lunch and story time. Perhaps most appreciated of all were the two Starlight Fun Center™ mobile entertainment units featuring a Nintendo Wii™ presented by the foundation. These gaming units are designed to roll easily next to a patient’s bedside (or anywhere else in the hospital) and will no doubt be enjoyed by many children during a hospital stay.

Wyndham Timeshare, Giving Back to Communities

Wyndham Worldwide and Wyndham timeshare have a strong history of community and philanthropic service. Wyndham Worldwide works to support the charities listed here, along with other non-profit organizations:

Associations of Hole in the Wall Camps, an international family of camps that provide life-changing experiences to children with serious medical conditions, free of charge.

Christel House International, a not-for-profit organization with the mission to help children around the world break the cycle of poverty and become self-sufficient, contributing members of their societies.

Starlight Children’s Foundation, which for more than 25 years has been dedicated to helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.

Related News from The Timeshare Authority blog:

Wyndham Timeshare Launches Exciting New Resort

Wyndham Hotel and Wyndham Timeshare Support the Spirit of the Season through Facebook Campaign

RCI Timeshare Exchange already offers over 4,000 affiliated resorts in approximately 100 countries. This week, the timeshare exchange company, which is part of Wyndham Worldwide, announced it is expanding its network through affiliation with China’s Shining Star Vacation Club, Xing Yao Shui Xiang Resort.

Adrian Lee, managing director, RCI Asia, says, “The addition of Shining Star Vacation Club, Xing Yao Shui Xiang represents another opportunity for RCI to offer great exchange options to our 3.8 million members worldwide. Located in a region that consistently boasts great vacations, this development reaffirms RCI’s commitment to offering great vacations in highly desirable destinations in Asia and globally.”

Located in the Jia Lize wetland in Kunming, the Shining Star Vacation Club, Xing Yao Shui Xiang Resort includes more than 10,000 diverse vacation accommodation spread across theme resorts, hotels, holiday villas and town houses. Within the resort area are theme parks, a conference center, an equestrian club, a fishing club, a Phil Mickelson designed golf academy and driving range, and shopping and dining areas.

Additionally, this China timeshare resort offers spaces that sound delightful but may not typically be found in most US timeshare resorts. These areas include an ecological wetlands park, extensive lavender and sunflower fields and an organic fruit and vegetable garden.

Li Ji Feng, assistant general manager of sales for Shining Star Vacation Club, says, “This affiliation with RCI represents an important opportunity for us. We are excited to be able to expand our business areas, provide new opportunities for our customers and bring the beauty of China to new global audiences.”

If you have never been to America’s capital for the July 4th celebrations, you really owe it to yourself to do this at least once in your life. And Washington DC and Washington DC-area timeshares make it easy to do and easy to share this patriotic experience with your children and perhaps grandchildren.

Two prime locations for a July 4 timeshare holiday are Wyndham Vacation Resorts At National Harbor Timeshares or Wyndham Oldtown Alexandria. From the SellMyTimeshareNOW.com website you can search Alexandria timeshare resales or simply go our improved search features and look for Washington DC timeshare to learn more about your options to buy or rent timeshare for a visit to our nation’s capital.

Must-See and Must-Do During Your Alexandria Timeshare Vacation

You can take in a lot of Independence Day fun on July 3rd,, at the National Mall when the Capitol Fourth Concert rehearses, including the National Symphony Orchestra. It’s minus the fireworks you will see there the next night, but offers a great opportunity to enjoy the music tune up in a smaller crowd and less distracting atmosphere.

You can watch the Washington DC Independence Day Parade on it parade route along Constitution Avenue and 7th to 17th Streets. The parade starts at 11:45 AM on July 4th. Or for a parade with a hometown feel, check out the Palisades Parade. If you arrive early, you can even participate in the fun and walk as part of the parade; no preregistration is required.

And of course, what you can’t miss in your July 4 holiday celebration are the fireworks. Scheduled for July 4 with a rain date of July 5, the biggest show in town kicks off at dark, around 9:15. The pyrotechnics are launched from beside the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and create a spectacular backdrop for the Washington Monument.

Best locations to view the dramatic display are: the US Capitol, anywhere along the National Mall from the Capitol to 14th Street, Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, East Potomac Park, any of the rooftop bars in Washington DC, the FDR Memorial, the rooftop of the W. Hotel (which requires tickets for admission on that night), from a river cruise on the Potomac River, or from across the river at the United States Air Force Museum.

For summer travelers, Wyndham Worldwide and Wyndham timeshare have made life a little more rewarding. In celebration of Wyndham Rewards newest offering, members of Wyndham Rewards who book their timeshare vacation through Extra Holidays by Wyndham, have the chance to earn 10 points for every dollar spent during their stay timeshare stay.

To be eligible for this special promotion, you must book your Wyndham Extra Holidays timeshare vacation by June 30, 2011 and have completed it by September 30, 2011. You must stay at least two consecutive nights and your stay must be booked using the rate code “REWARD.” (More information here.)

Robin Korman, Wyndham Hotel Group senior vice president of loyalty marketing explains, “Wyndham Rewards already provides more than eight million active members with the chance to earn and redeem points at more hotels and in more destinations than any other program in the world. By adding the (timeshare) resorts offered through Extra Holidays by Wyndham, we’re providing our members one more way to earn more points and faster rewards.”

Jeff Myers, Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham timeshare) chief sales and marketing officer adds, “Extra Holidays by Wyndham is a fantastic way for travelers to experience the unique benefits of vacationing in our timeshare resorts, which are located in some of the most highly sought after vacation destinations. This is a great step forward in getting travelers on their next Wyndham Rewards vacation.”

While the flooding waters that have plagued many areas of the country have raised the water levels in Branson, timeshare resorts there want people to understand that they are most definitely open for business. The biggest concern, it seems, is that people who are apprehensive of the flooding are unnecessarily canceling their vacations and Branson timeshare holidays.

Heavy rains over recent weeks have lakes in the Branson, Missouri area at high levels and in cases of some low-lying residences, evacuations have been necessary. But the popular tourist and resort areas, including Branson timeshares, are not affected by the floodwaters. Lynn Berry with the Branson Chamber of Commerce points out that Branson was planned and built with an eye on the 100-year flood plan and that most shops, restaurants, resorts, and attractions are never in danger. The Army Corps of Engineers is reporting that Branson’s Table Rock Lake has stabilized with the minimum possible disruption. Both Table Rock Dam Tours and much loved, “Ride the Ducks” are operating, although their routes have been changed slightly by the high waters.

Branson Timeshare Always a Popular Family Destination

Known as the Family Friendly Las Vegas and the Live Music Capital of the World, Branson is a popular year-round timeshare destination. Many trusted global hospitality brands have timeshares in Branson, including: Diamond Resorts The Suites At Fall Creek Timeshare; Marriott’s Horizons At Branson Timeshare; WorldMark Branson Timeshare; three Wyndham timeshares; two Westgate timeshare properties, and Silverleaf’s Holiday Hills Resort, to name a few.

Before you plan your Branson timeshare vacation, it is a good idea to contact your resort directly or to call the Branson Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-296-0463 for the latest updates regarding a limited number of road closings. But above all else, the businesses of Branson encourage you to, “Come on down!” so that unnecessary concerns don’t wipe out your timeshare vacation and their spring business season.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership timeshare is partnering with the Orlando Magic in the development of a new children’s play area at Orlando’s Amway Center.

While the Atlanta Hawks (with an 84-81 Game 6 playoff defeat) may have ended the Orlando Magic’s basketball season, the Magic’s work off the court continues year-round. This week the Magic announced the signing a new, multi-year partnership with Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

Although terms of the deal were not disclosed, it does call for sponsorship by Wyndham timeshare, of the children’s play area at Orlando’s Amway Center. The play area will now officially be known as Stuff’s Magic Castle presented by Club Wyndham.

Wyndham WorldWide and Wyndham Timeshare

Wyndham timeshare is an important part of the expansive network of properties that are part of Wyndham Worldwide, which is widely known for its support of and work with three signature charities that we are supporting across the Company: Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, Christel House International and Starlight Children’s Foundation. Wherever you find Wyndham resorts, you also find them participating as a valued and contributing member of the community.

With a global network of properties including the brands: Wyndham Vacation Resorts, WorldMark by Wyndham and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, there are more than 800,000 Wyndham timeshare owners.

In Florida alone, Wyndham timeshare includes 17 Florida timeshare resorts throughout the state with 8 of the resorts being in the Orlando or Daytona Beach area. These are: Orlando International Resort Club, Wyndham Bonnet Creek, Wyndham Cypress Palms, Wyndham Vacation Resorts Reunion at Orlando, Star Island and WorldMark Orlando-Kingstown Reef, as well as Wyndham Ocean Walk and WorldMark Ocean Walk in Daytona Beach.

With this week’s opening of the Hotel Belle Sky Comwell in Copenhagen, Europe now has its first hotel with an entire floor dedicated to women.

At one time, ‘women-only hotels’ were found in many metropolitan areas worldwide. These were entire properties that accommodated only female guests and sometimes only female employees. In 1903 the Martha Washington opened on Fifth Avenue, becoming New York’s first female only hotel. In 1939, New York’s Barbizon Hotel opened, serving as a residence hotel for more than fifty years and hosting many famous female guests, including Candice Bergen, Liza Minnelli, and Grace Kelly.

Although there are still a few female-only hotel properties around the world, there is less demand for them than in the past. However, interest in accommodations that better serve the needs of women travelers is on the rise, with more and more resorts and hotels either offering ladies-only sections, or at least catering more to the travel preferences of women.

Extras that Women Want in Hotels and Timeshares

One recent study shows that female travelers value good hairdryers, organic beauty supplies, good lighting and mirrors with magnification. Requests for the mini bar include café latte, green tea, and mineral water.

New York’s Premier Hotel is one of many properties that offer women-only rooms. These rooms typically include: yoga mats; magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Self, and O; curling and flat irons; bath salts; a vanity kit, and a stool at the sink (with makeup lighting) so women can sit while applying makeup.

In the timeshare industry, Wyndham Worldwide, was a frontrunner in speaking to the needs of women who travel. In 1995, Wyndham established Women on Their Way, a website packed with tips and resources for women who travel for business or pleasure, along with expert advice on destinations, hotels, and Wyndham timeshare resorts.