Benidorm, Spain, a resort town on the Mediterranean Sea, is the site of an alleged timeshare scam which has resulted in nine arrests and possibly more to follow. Police investigators have discovered 130,000 € in funds defrauded through a timeshare scam, but say the amount may increase as the investigation continues.

The troubles for Spain timeshares continue, as it has been less than a month since some 22 people were arrested in a timeshare scam in Málaga and Tenerife. Accused of swindling timeshare owners out of money paid to cover the transfer of ownership, the timeshare sales transactions turned out to be fictitious offers to the timeshare owners.

Spain Timeshare and the Temptations to Buy Timeshare During a Vacation

Spain timeshares and Spanish timeshare resorts are some of the most beautiful in the world. Their desirability and the appeal of vacationing in coastal Spain draws millions of tourists and visitors annually from around the globe—many of whom apparently let their guard down when it comes to making sound timeshare buying or timeshare selling decisions.

I recently read a timeshare buying tip that advised people to never buy timeshare during a vacation. The advice makes sense. During a relaxing vacation, a consumer may not be in his or her best business and negotiating mindset and the luxury and relaxation of a great resort can go a long way towards luring a buyer into a purchase that may not be right for him in the end.

Buying timeshare on the resale market affords you the opportunity to think about your purchase, reflect on the bigger picture, even seek advice from other timeshare owners you know or your financial advisor, tax professional, or attorney before you make your big purchase.

Just because it has never snowed (in the history of National Weather Service recordkeeping) in the Florida Keys doesn’t mean this won’t be the year it happens—at least according to The Weather Channel.

If you tune in to The Weather Channel you know that they have been promising one viewer a “Guaranteed White Christmas.” And since snow-making assistance won’t be needed by much of the US this year, the honor was appropriately won by a Florida Keys resident.

Thanks to his winning video, Howard Livingston is assured that his front yard will be blanketed with tons of snow for Christmas. A Wisconsin-based special effects company will create the snow using shaved ice. Throughout the day, Christmas Day, The Weather Channel’s Adam Berg will be broadcasting live from the scene of the ‘snowfall’.

What did Livingston do to merit such an honor? He created a video explaining how much he would like to share a white Christmas with his grandson, demonstrating how in the past he has tried to create his own snow with a blender powered by a 1952 Johnson outboard motor, (which is really pretty difficult to imagine!)

Your Key West Timeshare Vacation

If you have a Key West timeshare vacation planned for Christmas, you might get to witness the first ‘snowfall’ in the Florida Keys. Otherwise, you will just have to make do with white sand, a sparkling aqua blue ocean, tropical flowers, and balmy breezes—the kind of pleasures that Key West timeshares and Florida Keys timeshares vacations are made of.

The long-awaited 52-story Westgate residential, vacation ownership, and timeshare resort, PH Towers at Planet Hollywood, officially opened this week. Grand opening of the 1,201-room resort began with room availability to timeshare owners and will be followed on December 28 by rooms available to the general public.

The resort’s timeshare units account for approximately 20 percent of the total number of rooms at the property and include studio timeshare units, and one and two bedroom timeshare units. Many feature dramatic city views with floor to ceiling windows, marble accented bathrooms, spa tubs, and other luxury amenities. But perhaps the real draw of Las Vegas timeshare at the PH Towers is its location at the heart of the Vegas Strip, on four acres next to the Miracle Mile Shops. At build out, you’ll find some 170 specialty stores and thirty restaurants in what Westgate timeshares describes as “retail bliss” for the “semipro shopper”.

The PH Towers at Planet Hollywood Resort and Las Vegas Timeshare is a partnership development between Planet Hollywood Resort and Westgate timeshare. In opening the PH Towers, more than 800 hospitality professionals have been hired.

Perspective Magazine, a timeshare sales industry publication, will begin launching regional editions early in 2010, publishing a split regional title starting with the North American edition scheduled for launch in February.

According to Paul Mattimoe, CEO of Perspective International, parent company of the publication, the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean make up a dominant readership market. And when you think about the number of US timeshares, Mexico timeshares, Canada timeshares, and Caribbean timeshares, it makes sense that a targeted publication should be very popular.

Appeal for Today’s Timeshare Owner

The launch of Perspective Magazine North America will be well timed for distribution at American Resort Development Association Convention and Expo (ARDA timeshare convention) in Las Vegas in March.

Perspective Magazine has covered a great deal of ground since it first went to press four years ago and was then joined two years later by the companion publication, Owners Perspective. Both publications reflect new trends and new directions in the timeshare sales and timeshare resales industries with beautiful photos, elegant visual style, and informative and insightful articles.

The new North American version plans to launch with more than 12,000 print and online subscribers in place. You can find out more at: www.perspectiverates.com or by calling +1 407 792 2343 for calls from the USA.