Steve Luba speaks with InnSeason Resorts CEO Billy Curran about the ARDA Convention, which begins today, and the current state of the timeshare industry.

Group RCI expands with five new timeshare resort affiliations for timeshare exchange.

Group RCI timeshare exchange has expanded their affiliations, adding five new timeshare resorts to the approximately 4,000 locations they already offer their subscribing members.

While four of these timeshare resorts are cool, crisp northern destinations, the first one on the list is located on the warm sunny beaches of Florida’s Miami Beach. The Mimosa in Miami Beach is a Florida timeshare with units from studio timeshares to spacious two-bedroom timeshare condos.

Miami Beach, Florida timeshare vacations mean you have a choice of spending your days lounging poolside or shopping the upscale boutiques of nearby Bal Harbour. Your nights can be spent in the clubs of South Beach, or strolling waterside as the moonlight reflects off the tropical water.

For a totally different experience, the Salmon Falls Resort timeshare in Ketchikan, Alaska offers twenty Alaska timeshare units and an ideal destination for sport fishing, hiking, bear watching in the Tongass National Forest, glacier viewing, and taking in the unique experience of America’s fiftieth state.

The Whitewater Village Resort in Ontario, Canada is another timeshare resort that lets you get back to nature. This “green” destination includes an environmentally friendly building designed and constructed using a fully sustainable development model. The buildings are constructed with Forest Stewardship Council wood, are 40 to 50 percent more energy-efficient than the norm, and have solar water heaters and geothermal heating sources. Brand new, only three cottages are currently complete but this Canada timeshare resort will offer 34 timeshare units at build out.

Gull Lake Residence Club in Nisswa, Minnesota is also an ‘under-development’ timeshare resort with five fractional or timeshare units currently complete. Gull Lake Residence Club’s luxurious three-bedroom, four-bath townhomes are fully furnished and each includes five flat-screen televisions, four fireplaces, and jetted bathtubs.

Last on the list of new Group RCI timeshare exchange properties is the Betsie River Lodge and Club in Traverse City, Michigan. When complete, this under construction resort will include 135 timeshare units that will each sleep up to ten people. A luxury timeshare resort, the Betsie River Lodge and Club will have a Club RCI Gold Crown Resort® ranking.

Timeshare Exchange Companies and Your Options

Timeshare exchange opportunities are one of the favorite features that have attracted many people to timeshare ownership. Generally, a timeshare developer establishes an affiliation by paying a fee to the exchange company. After the initial commitment is established, each timeshare owner who wishes to be part of the exchange company’s programs must then continue to pay annual fees and membership dues in the timeshare exchange company, and/or pay fees at the time of exchange.

Group RCI is the largest timeshare exchange company in the world today, however there are timeshare exchange companies of all sizes and not all require you to pay membership fees. Internal timeshare exchange is also an option when you own timeshare at some resorts. This means, that at some resorts, you can exchange for timeshare at other resorts within a network of properties, typically under the same management or brand.

Heading out this week to the American Resort Development Association Conference (ARDA) in Orlando, Florida – officially known as the ARDA 2009 Convention and Exposition.

The ARDA Convention is always an excellent time; it is the premier event in the US for the timeshare industry and all who serve or support the timeshare industry.

For exhibitors, the ARDA Convention means access to almost 2,500 decision makers from over 40 countries, representing the largest concentration of timeshare industry purchasing power assembled this year. For all who attend, the ARDA Convention and Exposition offers the opportunity to hear from experts in sales, marketing, finance, technology, and resort management; it also provides a phenomenal networking atmosphere at the related social events.

What’s Coming Up First at the ARDA Timeshare Convention

On Saturday, March 28, activities start to get underway with the ARDA Supplier Certification Seminar and set-up time for the exhibitors.

Sunday, March 29 means tee time, with the Group RCI/AIF Open Golf Tournament and later that day, the Group RCI/AIF Kick-Off Party. The golf tournament will be on the beautiful Hawk’s Landing Golf Course.

The real meat and potatoes of the convention begins next Monday and several members of the Sell My Timeshare NOW team and I will be at the ARDA Convention. Throughout the next week, I will be posting blogs here on The Timeshare Authority, and hopefully some interviews, too. I will fill you in more on the Keynote Speaker, Dr. Jeffrey Rosensweig; on the daily events; the educational sessions; and the committees.

So keep checking in, as we share with you our experiences in Orlando during the next few days.

The largest timeshare industry convention in the world is coming up next week and we’ll be there with onsite reports.