With all the news lately about the economy and how it is impacting the timeshare industry, the opening of the new La Belle Maison Wyndham timeshare resort in New Orleans slipped by without getting the proper attention here on The Timeshare Authority.

Gary Byrd, executive vice president, Hospitality Services, Wyndham Vacation Ownership says this of the new resort that opened October 1, “New Orleans is a vibrant city with a distinctive charm, history, and culture that our owners have enjoyed for many years. With the opening of Wyndham La Belle Maison, we are providing our owners with an urban vacation experience that matches the history and excitement of this great city and adding yet another world-class property to their list of vacation options.”

Wyndham Timeshare Resort with Special Charm

Wyndham timeshare has spent 3 years renovating the Franklin Press Building, a 100-year-old historic structure. Partnering with the Historic District Landmark Commission, Wyndham timeshare worked to preserve the building’s original structure and façade.

The resort includes 134 timeshare units, with studio, one, and two bedroom standard timeshare units and studio, one, and two bedroom upscale Presidential units.

Located in the Big Easy’s Picayune Place district, adjacent to the French Quarter, the Wyndham timeshare La Belle Maison includes a courtyard, whirlpool spa and sauna, a computer lounge, and a fitness room.

This newest Wyndham timeshare is part of the company’s FairShare Plus portfolio and joins the list with Wyndham’s other urban timeshares in San Francisco, San Diego, Atlantic City, Honolulu and San Antonio.

To learn more about all the opportunities in Wyndham Vacation Ownership and Wyndham timeshare, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW, a leader in timeshare resales and timeshare rentals.

RCI Points timeshare exchange has signed an affiliation agreement with Salwan, a subsidiary of Dubai Properties Group in the United Arab Emirates. RCI Points is the largest timeshare exchange company and is a part of the Wyndham hotel and Wyndham timeshare corporation.

The Salwan Hotel Apartments will feature 80 luxurious timeshares. 1, 2, 3 bedroom timeshare units and timeshare condos all feature 5-star hotel accommodations with direct access to Jumeirah Beach. Located in the heart of what is known as new Dubai, the timeshares are convenient to the marina and the shopping area known as The Walk.

President and CEO of Group RCI, Geoff Ballotti, has said: “We are very proud to have Salwan Property Management join RCI’s worldwide exchange network of over 4,000 affiliated resorts … Our global reach serves as an added incentive to future Salwan owners who will have access to the largest portfolio of vacation resorts in the world and be supported, both on-line and by dedicated, multi-lingual vacation guides in our call centers across the globe.”

Saeed Bushalat, Chief Executive Officer of Salwan said this of the venture, “The flexibility this tie-up provides to Salwan means that we are able to offer our buyers a product that can change as their lifestyle does, adding weight to our sales program … We are confident all 80 apartments will be quickly snapped up by investors worldwide seeking the winter sun, as well as others from the broader Gulf area, keen on Dubai’s world class shopping and leisure options that are at the doorstep of the hotel residence.”

Dubai Timeshare Continues to Be Hot

No matter how the US economy looks – up, down, or sometimes uncertain – the future of Dubai timeshare seems very solid. The United Arab Emirates has laid careful groundwork to ensure that Dubai timeshare buyers are protected while at the same time protecting their heritage, their culture, and the business growth potential of their citizens.

If you are interesting in learning more about Dubai timeshares, RCI timeshare exchange, RCI Points, or any of the Wyndham timeshare properties, visit the timeshare resale and timeshare rental specialists at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Starwood Hotels and Timeshare Resorts reported a 12 percent drop in profits for the third quarter, 2008. With this announcement, they joined the ranks of other hoteliers and timeshare developers, including Marriott, Hilton, and Westgate timeshare, who have all acknowledged that they are sharply feeling the credit crunch and the economic downturn.

Starwood (the parent company of Westin timeshare resorts and Sheraton timeshare resorts) reported revenue was flat at $1.5 billion, with international operations shoring up those in North America. Earnings for Starwood were $113 million or 62 cents a share, which is down from $129 million or 61 cents a share, in the third quarter 2007. Figuring all adjustments, and earnings from continuing operations, earnings should have been 71 cents per share.

According to Hotels Magazine, Starwood Chief Executive Frits van Paasschen stated that the company had begun streamlining and reducing costs earlier in the year. Yet, Starwood’s efforts don’t seem to be sufficient to quell concerns. Steve Kent of Goldman Sachs commented on Starwood specifically and the timeshare and hotel industry in general, saying, “… the industry will be hit with increasing supply at the same time demand is falling and [its] negative operating leverage and inability to cut costs quickly suggests margins are going to be under pressure for some time.”

Starwood Says Decline in Hawaii Timeshare and Florida Timeshare Sales is Major Contributor

Pacific Business News reported that Starwood specifically blames a decline in Hawaii timeshares sales and Florida timeshares sales for its revenue shortfall. Compared to 2007, revenue in timeshare sales is down 27.4 percent. Contract sales of vacation ownership intervals decreased almost 30 percent at Starwood timeshares, due both to overall decline and to Starwood’s sellout of Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort North on Maui.

Starwood timeshare says it expects operating income from its timeshare business to drop as much as $115 million this year as demand for Hawaii timeshares and Orlando timeshares decreases.

RCI (Resort Condominiums International) released a recent study on the British traveler’s monetary impact on the vacation, tourism, and timeshare industries. The research was commissioned by RCI in conjunction with Mintel, and it showed that Brits spend an average of 840 days in a lifetime holidaying abroad. In 2007, the average Briton went on two holidays a year, each lasting one week, spending about $1053 (US) or £665 on accommodations. This translates to £39,900 in a lifetime, or over $63,000 (US).

According to Perspective Magazine, Brett Archibald, senior vice president of business development at Group RCI in the UK, said, “During the credit crunch, timeshare represents increasingly good holiday value and although many Brits may be forced to cut back, Group RCI members can rest assured that they have budgeted in advance for a well-earned holiday. In addition, our members can choose breaks from a wide portfolio of holiday properties, such as lakeside retreats in Finland, a spa hotel in the UK, or perhaps a beach resort in Florida.”

RCI Timeshare Exchange Makes Dollars and Sense

RCI estimates that by taking advantage of timeshares and timeshare exchange, the British vacationer who predictably would have spent nearly £40,000, could save £23,000 or more (about $36,500 US) on average, per person. And buying timeshare would not restrict vacationers in their choice of resorts and destinations. With RCI Points or RCI Weeks, travelers have their pick of over 4,000 RCI affiliated timeshare resorts worldwide.

Timeshares are Good … Timeshare Resales are Better

Timeshare vacations can yield a substantial savings over comparable hotel accommodations. But with the excellent values in timeshare resales, the lifetime savings moves up to a whole other level. You can buy a resale timeshare for a 50 percent savings (sometimes more) over the price of new timeshare. Using only ballpark estimates, that indicates that the vacationer who would save $36,500 over a lifetime by switching from hotel accommodations to timeshares, could up the savings to perhaps $50,000 — $70,000 or more, by purchasing that timeshare on the resale market.

These days, I don’t know anyone with money to burn, whether they live in the US, the UK, or anywhere else on this planet. But I do know a lot of people who want, need, and deserve a little vacation time in order to maintain their health, their spirits, and their sanity. Timeshare resales have never made more sense than they do right now; timeshare resales and timeshare rentals are still an affordable vacation solution.