According to an article published by the Springfield, Missouri News-Leader, Festiva timeshare resorts will pay $339,000 to the State of Missouri and to Festiva timeshare owners participating in the lawsuit, for using what was determined to be, “false and misleading sales tactics while selling timeshares at a Branson resort.” The action specifically refers to timeshare sales at the Cabins at Green Mountain near Branson, Missouri, which are owned and marketed by Festiva Resorts, an Ashville, North Carolina company.

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon’s office originally brought suit against Festiva timeshares in 2005. In the Attorney General’s news release, issued at that time, the lawsuit alleged that, “Festiva lured consumers by falsely promising to:

• Help them sell other timeshares they owned.
• Help them rent out timeshares they bought from Festiva.
• Help them get good deals on condo rentals in attractive locations.
• Help them get good deals on vacation packages.
• Give refunds to those dissatisfied with their purchase.

Nixon also says Festiva didn’t give consumers enough time to make decisions, creating a sense of urgency and a high-pressure sales environment.”

An unidentified number of consumers will receive a total of just over $324,000 collectively, and the state will receive $15,000 for civil penalties and costs. Of the settlement to consumers, $106,885 will go to customers who complained to the attorney general’s office before June 25, 2005, and use their timeshare at least once. The balance, $217,508, will be distributed to consumers who filed their complaints before June 25 and never used their timeshares.

If a Festiva resort timeshare owner, who is part of this lawsuit, used his timeshare at least one time, he is given the choice to: deed the timeshare unit back to Festiva and receive a partial refund; keep the timeshare and receive a small cash payment; or keep the timeshare and receive a free upgrade from the resort. If the timeshare owners who participated in this lawsuit have never used their timeshare, they have a choice to receive a portion of what they paid Festiva and then return their deed to the company.

Criticisms of Timeshare Sales Practices, but not of Vacations at Festiva Resorts

Remember that this lawsuit deals with timeshare owners who are unhappy with timeshare sales practices at Festiva Resorts, and their perception that promises made were never fulfilled. These timeshare owners are not unhappy with their vacation experience; there are thousands and thousands of very satisfied timeshare owners at Branson’s Cabins at Green Mountain timeshares.

This problem goes back to what we say time and time again at SellMyTimeshareNOW.com…timeshares can be great to own and enjoy and offer wonderful vacation opportunities…if you understand what you are buying and can make a thoughtful buying decision without the pressure of unethical or inappropriate sales tactics.

Colorado ranked, again this past year, as the number one ski vacation destination in America, and resorts like the Sheraton Mountain Vista timeshare are the reason why.

Located 8 miles west of Vail, on interstate highway 70, the city of Avon, Colorado acts as a gateway to all the amenities and attractions of the Beaver Creek Resort area. This is the place to enjoy both your favorite winter sports and the fresh mountain air for summer hiking, biking, horseback riding, and other outdoor sports. Sheraton Mountain Vista timeshare is perfectly situated in Vail Valley, at the base of Beaver Creek
Mountain, making it easy for you to experience all the area has to offer.

Amenities at Sheraton Mountain Vista Timeshare

At this resort you can enjoy the:

• Fitness Center
• Swimming Pool
• Sauna
• Outdoor Whirlpool

You can choose from one and two-bedroom timeshare units including larger timeshare lockouts that add to your vacation flexibility. A two-bedroom timeshare lockout at Sheraton Mountain Vista, for example, includes: one side of the unit that is over 700 square feet, with a living room, dining area for six people, breakfast bar that seats two more, and a full kitchen, including washer and dryer. This side of the timeshare also includes a queen sleeper sofa, a private bedroom, 2 gas fireplaces, 2 televisions, and a screened patio. The smaller side of the two-bedroom timeshare lockout is over 500 square feet in size, also offering both a private bedroom and a queen sleeper sofa, with an efficiency kitchen, and another fireplace. Up to eight people could vacation in a two-bedroom lockout, or you could enjoy one side of this type of unit yourself and use the other side as a rental unit, offsetting your own vacation costs.

Overall, Colorado timeshares are some of the most desired resorts in the world, and owning a timeshare resale there gives you a multitude of possibilities for vacationing, timeshare exchange, and timeshare rental. To learn more about opportunities in Colorado timeshare resales and Colorado timeshare rentals, and all the timeshare deals available at Sheraton Mountain Vista Timeshare, visit www.sellmytimesharenow.com.

HOT 100 timeshare property #89 is Marriott’s BeachPlace Towers in Fort Lauderdale, a beachside highrise that faces the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intercoastal Waterway to the west. Located only 8 miles from Fort Lauderdale airport, or some 25 miles from Miami International Airport, BeachPlace Towers offers the best of Florida fun and sun with entertainment to suit the entire family, from the Miami Metro Zoo, to upscale shopping, and even a sparkling nightlife.

This mixed-use Marriott timeshare resort has both hotel suites and vacation ownership villas, providing guests the amenities of a timeshare resort and the services of a luxurious hotel.

Marriott’s BeachPlace Towers timeshare units:

• Accommodate up to 8 guests
• Have kitchens and dining areas
• Offer use of the oceanfront owner’s lounge
• Have two oceanview spas
• Have an exercise facility with steam room
• Offer a children’s play area
• Include 3-stories of retail stores and restaurants

SellMyTimeshareNOW.com currently offers timeshare resales at Marriott’s BeachPlace, starting at less than $11,000 for a lifetime of vacation ownership as well as Marriott’s BeachPlace timeshare rentals at owner negotiable prices.

More about Fort Lauderdale, a Classic Vacation Destination

In the 1960 hit movie, Where the Boys Are, when 4 college coeds headed to the beach in search of young romance, Fort Lauderdale was their beach destination of choice. And if you remember Connie Francis and Yvette Mimieux playing college girls or George Hamilton portraying a heartthrob college boy, then you also remember that the success of Where the Boys Are, followed by Connie Francis’ hit song by the same name, gave the city international iconic status as the “hot” place to spend Spring Break.

Since the 1980’s, city officials in Fort Lauderdale have cracked down to protect their city by enforcing tougher laws and stricter policies. While Fort Lauderdale still entertains thousands of young people on school vacations each year, Mexico and the Caribbean have somewhat replaced it as a top Spring Break destination. And Fort Lauderdale does not miss the rowdy crowd at all. Instead, they roll out the red carpet for families on vacations, ensuring that their town is a fun, but safe place for visitors of all ages.

Play this YouTube and listen to Francis belt out her famous song. It will either bring back wonderful memories or create new appreciation for one of the most popular female vocalists of the ’50s and ’60s.

Among timeshare exchange companies, Resort Condominiums International – RCI – is the largest and probably most recognized name.

Christel and Jon DeHaan first established Resort Condominiums Internationals (RCI) in 1974. The DeHaan’s plan was to manage the exchange of individually owned condominiums within a network of condominium owners. During the 1970’s, as more and more condos converted to timeshare properties, RCI converted as well. They shifted their focus from being a condo exchange company to becoming one of the first companies focused on timeshare exchange.

In 1996, Hospitality Franchise Systems, Inc., bought RCI and the following year, merged the company with CUC International, Incorporated. CUC International specialized in membership-based services and direct marketing strategies for credit card companies. In 1997, CUC merged with HFS Incorporated to form the new entity, Cendent. Cendent, now a powerful and respected keystone of today’s hospitality industry, continues to advance, going through many changes and re-inventions as it seeks to fill the needs and demands of vacationers and travelers worldwide.

What does not change about RCI is their continuing growth. Together, with their chief competitor, Interval International (II), the two companies handle ninety-five percent of the timeshare exchanges made every year. Currently there are more than three million members of RCI worldwide, who vacation at RCI’s 3,700+ affiliated resorts.

Today, July 7, 2008, RCI joins other timeshare and fractional ownership industry leaders at the UK based, Fractional Property Conference. The theme of this year’s conference is “Fractional ownership – a lifestyle and investment choice of the future.”

Learn more about fractional ownership by reading the previous Timeshare Authority blog posts:

• Another Perspective on Fractionals and Timeshare Ownership
• Timesharing as a Concept Will Increase Timesharing as a Practice