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.

For Christmas, consider not one, but three Santa’s that could make your holidays a whole lot merrier.

The Wyndham Santa Barbara Resort and Yacht Club is an amazing resort but it may not be where you expect. Located along the Intracoastal Waterway in Pompano Beach, this Florida timeshare resort was formerly known as the Santa Barbara Resort and Yacht Club. It’s an ideal destination for leisurely cruising along the waterways of Fort Lauderdale, soaking up sun at the beach or taking advantage of special golf and spa privileges at its nearby sister resort, Wyndham Palm-Aire.

Las Brisas de Santa Fe is a modern resort getaway in the heart of old Santa Fe, New Mexico. Perfect for winter ski vacations or summer shopping and museum excursions, Las Brisas de Santa Fe lets you take in the quaint charms of the old Southwest while enjoying a luxury condominium that’s part of a residential condo community.

Or how about finding Santa at Club Intrawest’s Palm Desert resort, a California timeshare in the beautiful Santa Rosa Mountains? With more than 90 nearby golf courses, along with hiking, horseback riding, shopping, museums and casinos nearby, this visit to “Santa” is sure to please everyone in the family.

Santas apparently, are everywhere! From a sunny beach in Florida to a snow-covered slope in New Mexico to a golf course in southern California, you can find “Santas” that are guaranteed to make your New Year ahead merry and bright.

… From everyone at Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services, we hope you are enjoying a safe, happy, and blessed holiday this year.

Wyndham Worldwide was ranked this fall as number 73 on a list by Newsweek Magazine of the top 100 greenest companies in the US.

More impressively, in the category of hotels and restaurants, Wyndham Worldwide took top honors as the number 1, greenest company.

Factors considered in determining the rankings included actual environmental footprint and management, policies, programs, initiatives and disclosures.

Faith Taylor, Wyndham Worldwide vice president of sustainability and innovation explains, “From releasing the Global Reporting Initiative and being recognized as an S&P Carbon Disclosure Index leader, to now being honored by Newsweek, this has been a milestone year for the Wyndham Green program. By continually evaluating and introducing sustainable practices across the globe, we have been able to make tremendous progress in a short period of time.”

The recognition includes Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham timeshare) as well as the company’s more than 50 other brands represented in nearly 100 countries worldwide.

Stephen P. Holmes, Wyndham Worldwide chairman and CEO, says, “Wyndham Worldwide has a unique opportunity to leverage our scale and adopt practices that will have a significant and lasting environmental impact around the globe. We are proud to be recognized as a leader in reducing the collective global footprint and will continue to commit to conserving our natural resources and preserving our habitats.”

Learn more about the sustainability programs at Wyndham Worldwide at: www.WyndhamGreen.com.

Tucker Carlson, speaking at ARDA Fall Conference

The final day of the ARDA Fall timeshare conference is highlighted by the Chairman’s League Breakfast Keynote Speaker, Tucker Carlson.

Tucker Carlson is a contributor to FOX News, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Caller news site and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. Known internationally as a witty and acerbic commentator,  Carlson will take an irreverent but insightful  look at Washington, the divided Congress, President Barack Obama’s administration and the upcoming 2012 elections.

Fans of Carlson know him from hosting varying network news and news-talk shows including CNN’s Crossfire, and several shows on MSNBC and PBS.

As an excellent ARDA Fall Conference winds to a close today, Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services would like to thank the event sponsors and supporters,  including:

ARDA-ROC, RCI, Interval International, Trooval, Wells Fargo, Ballard Spahr LLP, Chicago Title, First American Title, CustomerCount, Kees Vacation Rentals, Preston Arza LLP, TimeShareWare, The Trades Publishing Company, Vacation Storebuilder, American Express, Diamond Resorts International, Equiant Financial Services, Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, HSI (Holiday Systems International), ICE Enterprise, Interval International, RCI, ResortCom International, Starwood Vacation Ownership, TimeShareWare, and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

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.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership timeshare has now completed renovations on the Wyndham Vacation Resorts Royal Garden at Waikiki, making it the Wyndham Resort’s 15^th Hawaii property.

Franz Hanning, president and chief executive officer, Wyndham Vacation Ownership, states that the addition of this timeshare resort solidifies Wyndham timeshare’s position in the industry as Hawaii’s, “largest and most successful timeshare developer.”

Hanning adds, “We are very proud to provide yet another world-class property in this highly desirable destination for our more than 800,000 owners and guests.”

Opportunities in Wyndham Timeshare Exchange

Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham timeshare) acquired the Wyndham Vacation Resorts Royal Garden at Waikiki, formerly called The Royal Garden Hotel and Spa, in 2007. The resort has remained operational during the renovation period, with rentals being offered through Extra Holidays by Wyndham, a subsidiary of WVO specializing in resort condominium rentals.

Soon this Hawaii timeshare will welcome Wyndham’s timeshare owners and will also begin timeshare sales there. Wyndham Vacation Resorts Royal Garden at Waikiki will be part of  CLUB WYNDHAM^® Plus, the company’s points-based timeshare exchange program. With this, owners will have access to exchange at more than 70 timeshare resorts as well as other vacation exchange opportunities including cruises and tour vacations.

You can also learn more about Wyndham’s Extra Holidays at www.extraholidays.com.

If only you had been at your Waikiki Beach timeshare last week, you could have joined the Hawaii Five-O season premier party on Sunset Beach. You would already know what is going on with Wo Fat killing the Governor and framing McGarrett for it. Instead, you will have to wait until this Monday night, and watch CBS for the season premier episode along with the rest of the show’s fans.

But this winter, instead of watching McGarrett, Danno, and Kono in the warm Hawaiian sunshine while you shiver in your sweatshirt and the snow piles up outside, why not get in on some of that fun with your own Hawaii timeshare vacation? Go, enjoy the sun and the sand as well as all that Waikiki is known for, like the surfing at Diamond Head, the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium. Take in the sights at nearby Pearl Harbor and the Iolani Palace.

Although once considered the recreational playground for Hawaiian royalty, today Waikiki is the most popular hotel, timeshare and resort area on the island of Ohau. And you could be vacationing there instead of just watching it on TV.

Here are only a few of the choices you have for a Waikiki Hawaii timeshare resale or rental vacation. Why not explore them now, pick the one that appeals to you most and then tell the timeshare resale and rental specialists at Sell My Timeshare NOW to: “Book ‘em Danno!”

• Sweetwater at Waikiki timeshare
• Waikiki Marina Resort at the Ilikai Shell
• The Wyland Waikiki timeshare
• Wyndham at Waikiki Beach Walk timeshare
• Wyndham Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
• Wyndham Royal Garden at Waikiki timeshare
• Ohana Islander Waikiki timeshare
• Outrigger Luana Waikiki timeshare
• Hawaiian Sun Holidays at the Waikiki Banyan timeshare
• Hilton Grand Waikikian
• Legacy Vacation Club Waikiki
• Royal Aloha Waikiki Aloha Sky Towers

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.