Let’s face it, you wouldn’t be reading about a timeshare resale or timeshare rental if you weren’t already a savvy consumer, who knows where the good deals are. But since many people have no choice but to travel for business, and all of us enjoy traveling for vacation and leisure, there is no such thing as too many good tips for travelers and your next timeshare vacation.

Whether your next trip is to your timeshare, involves a timeshare rental, or a hotel stay, here are four suggestions that will either save you money or enhance your travel experience—or will do both!

1. Turn to travel experts when it comes to packing your luggage. Two good places to start are TravelSmith and Magellan’s. Both offer packing tubes or bags that make it easy to pack clothing either by type or by outfit. Packing pouches that you use inside your suitcase reduce wrinkling, simplify your system, and make it more likely that you arrive at your destination with all the gear and apparel you meant to bring.
2. Know your perks and benefits programs. Most travelers never fully utilize all their frequently flyer miles, hotel discounts, or other benefits that come with their membership either in a travel association (such as AAA); as a timeshare owner, as a member of a timeshare exchange program; or because they carry a branded credit card. When possible, pick your memberships based on benefits you will actually use; learn what those benefits are; and then take advantage of them.
3. If you travel frequently or like to enjoy last minute vacation opportunities, keep a checklist on your computer and print as needed. A checklist makes it easy to remember all those small items that make travel more pleasurable. You might even consider keeping a suitcase or bag packed with all your basics so when last-minutes travel deals crop up, you are ready to take advantage of them.
4. Finally, wherever you travel, smile, speak up, and engage others in conversation. Beautiful scenery and thrill rides at the theme park are great, but nothing tops the memories you create when you meet new people, chat with the locals, and perhaps launch friendships you will keep for a lifetime.

Follow this link to learn more about great deals on last minute timeshare rentals.

In case you missed the announcement last week regarding the interview Dave Thackeray of RCI Ventures did with Phil Watson and me, today’s The Timeshare Authority revisits this critical topic.

The subject of timeshare resales has been the elephant in the room no one in the industry would talk about for too long. You’ve heard me say it before…where would auto manufacturers be if they only sold new cars and provided no options for trade ins and resales?

And unfortunately, if an industry doesn’t put forward a good solution, standardize it, and stand behind it—no matter what the goods or services are—then that industry leaves the door open for fraudsters and fly-by-nights to hark solutions that are really no solution at all. In this case, they are just timeshare scams.

And in such an environment, when ethical businesses come forward offering effective options and trustworthy services—companies including Sell My Timeshare NOW, their message can be hard to hear over the din of confusion already in place.

If you are interested in buying or selling timeshare, currently own timeshare or vacation club membership or points, or are part of the timeshare and vacation ownership industry, I think you’ll be very interested in hearing this interview.

Thank you RCI Ventures and Dave Thackeray for inviting me to be part of your internet radio show, “The Timeshare Resales Revolution.”

You can hear this podcast (internet radio) by downloading it to play anytime or playing it now: Play in new window. You can also catch all of the news and views from RCI Ventures when you subscribe at iTunes to Today’s Timeshare and its sister show, Fractional Focus.

Related The Timeshare Authority blog posts: The Timeshare Resales Revolution… Listen to Jason Tremblay Give the Wake Up Call

Common sense tells you to take more vacation time. You doctor, spouse or significant other, and best friend probably say the same thing, too. But with money tight for many people, how do you manage this?

Here are five ways you can enjoy your vacation without blowing your budget:

1. If you fly, the more flexible you can be, the more you can save. Besides being flexible about your travel dates, consider if there are nearby or alternative airports for your departure. If you are willing to drive a little further first, you may be able to save as much as 40 percent on airline ticket cost.
2. Look for membership benefits. Members of the American Automobile Association and members of AARP are frequently entitled to savings on theme park and attraction tickets. Bank of America cardholders get free admission to more than 100 museums across America. And Target stores offer a program called “Arts & Wonder” that offers reduced admission prices and sometimes even free admission to select cultural events and museums. Anyone can take advantage of Target’s program; just go to their Arts & Wonder webpage and search by city for the events and the days of the week Target underwrites.
3. Check out Restaurant.com for discounts at your favorite eateries. Through this website you can buy discounted gift certificates for restaurants in cities across the country; for example, you might pay $30 for a $50 restaurant gift certificate that you print yourself and then “gift” to yourself to offset the cost of vacation dining.
4. Buy your theme park tickets online before your trip. By purchasing in advance on the website for the theme park you plan to visit, you will be able to not only take advantage of discount pricing but you will not be standing in line to buy a ticket once you arrive at the park.
5. Discover the deals available to you in timeshare rental. Many timeshare owners are eager to use their timeshare or vacation club as a rental during times they cannot make use of it themselves. Renting timeshare offers a way for timeshare owners to offset or cover their costs of annual fees and taxes while offering vacationers some of the best opportunities around in travel accommodations. And don’t assume that these plans have to be made months in advance. The inventory of last minute timeshare rentals is excellent, with some timeshare owners highly motivated to negotiate. As Howard Nusbaum, ARDA president and CEO, explains, “Many vacationers don’t yet realize that they can rent a week or two at a fabulous resort and stay in spacious accommodations with one or more bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room – all the comforts of home.”

Maybe you are one of the millions of Americans who worked their job today, and if so, the rest of the country is very appreciative. We need hospitals to run, fire stations manned, and servers in our restaurants. But whether you take time off today or you select another day, just be sure you schedule as many Un-Labor Days as you possibly can.

This week, the hotel management company, Benchmark Hospitality International, released its Top Ten Beverage Trends for 2010. Benchmark is a worldwide leader in the management and marketing of hotels, resorts, conference centers, and Personal Luxury Hotels™. Based in the Woodlands, Texas, Benchmark has a regional office in New Jersey, and international offices in Tokyo, Japan, and Santiago, Chile.

This year, after releasing their annual dining trends report in June, Benchmark Hospitality found demand was strong for them to assess beverage trends as well. And since enjoying timeshare vacations and travel often includes celebrating with good food and drink, The Timeshare Authority blog thought we’d pass this report on to our readers.

A Noteworthy Sommelier

Mary Watson-DeLauder is Benchmark’s chief sommelier and is recognized as one of the few female wine experts in the US. She was previously the award-winning sommelier for Lansdowne Resort’s On the Potomac restaurant in Leesburg, Virginia; was instrumental in developing an acclaimed curriculum of food and wine for the Culinary University classes; and has developed the wine programs for numerous Benchmark properties. Watson-DeLauder says, “This is an exciting time for the beverage industry, with lots of positive changes occurring. Some of the changes are economically driven, some taste oriented, and still others created out of necessity in response to changing palates and a new generation of consumers.”

So for all who appreciate a fine wine, here are the findings of the report:

Whether you are at your timeshare resort or relaxing in your own backyard, we hope you are finding some time this holiday weekend to do the things you love the most. …To share laughter with friends and family; hike your favorite trail; catch a new movie or savor an old one… and even to sip your favorite beverage whether it is fine wine or sweet tea. Carve out a space for yourself; de-stress and unwind. Tuesday morning will be here soon enough.