Flooding, power outages, and looting continue to plague Mexico’s Yucatan resort towns.

An estimated 10,000 tourists are trying to make their way home safely following the aftermath of hurricane Wilma. Most of these tourists have spent the past three days stranded in humid, crowded shelters with few amenities, eating nothing but crackers and canned tuna. Cancun’s airport remains closed until Wednesday, so vacationers are desperately trying to reach Merida, where the nearest airport is located. Inevitably, this journey will be complicated by roads which either remain submerged under several feet of water or are still impassable because of storm debris.

“The level of destruction is without precedent” said Felix Gonzalez, Governor of Mexico’s easternmost state, Quintana Roo.

Over the weekend, 30-foot waves pounded Cancun’s oceanfront hotels and businesses. Some reports indicate that most of these were submerged up to their third stories. The hurricane’s storm surge caused widespread coastal flooding, cutting off many beach resorts from the mainland. Wilma has caused extensive beach erosion along the coast, exposing bare limestone in many locations.

After the hurricane moved on, much of the Yucatan peninsula was left without water, electricity, and other essentials. Rioting and looting soon followed, and most storefronts were stripped bare of merchandise.

It is known that most of Cancun’s resort hotels were damaged severely, but little information is available. 

Marriott issued a release earlier, stating that the three Marriott-owned properties in and around Cancun would be closed due to damages, not reopening until next year. The full text of this release can be found here. Starwood Hotels and Resorts acknowledged Sunday that their two hotels in Cancun would be closed for business, but Starwood seemed to indicate that the full scope of the damages was still unknown.

Both of these hotel chains stand to reap insurance benefits, so most agree that the cost of repairs in the wake of this disaster should be offset. However, most folks who own timeshares in this part of the world are probably wondering whether they will have to pay special assessments or other fees on properties that could remain unuseable for several months at the very least. 

For those affected by this hurricane, we extend our hopes, prayers, and best wishes. 

Thousands of tourists are taking shelter as hurricane Wilma, downgraded to category 4, brings high winds and rain to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

At the time of this writing, hurricane Wilma is moving toward landfall on the Yucatan peninsula, bringing high winds and driving rain to Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The storm’s center is slowly moving past Cozumel, which has been lashed by rains and 145 mile-per-hour winds for much of today. Because this storm is moving so slowly, flooding is deemed likely in certain areas.

Thousands of tourists stranded in Cozumel by this storm have settled into makeshift shelters in auditoriums and other large buildings. Conditions in most shelters are uncomfortable, often described as cramped, hot and humid.  

Though huddling in a sweltering gymnasium with a hurricane raging outside is undoubtedly a frightening experience, previous category 4 storms have left surprisingly little impact along the Riviera Maya. Earlier this year, hurricane Emily scored a direct hit on Cozumel, but minimal damage was reported, though several resorts had to close briefly for repairs. Power lines and street signs were torn down or uprooted, yet Cozumel’s basic services more or less normalized within a week, thanks to cleanup efforts. Many tourists who experienced Emily firsthand credit the local Mexican authorities with responding well to the situation.

Wilma is scheduled to hit southern Florida over the weekend, and forecasts predict that Wilma will weaken to a category 2 storm by this time. Though this may come as a relief to some storm-watchers, authorities in the Florida Keys are taking no chances. Mandatory evacuations are in effect across the Keys and the rest of Florida is preparing for Wilma’s arrival.

At this time, no resort hotels in Cozumel have posted any hurricane-related information online. Timeshare owners are encouraged to contact their resorts directly at the next available opportunity.

2005 now ties with 1933 for the year with most storms in a single season.

Another powerful storm threatens the Caribbean, this time a category 5 hurricane of record-breaking intensity.

Hurricane Wilma is currently moving towards Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula at an estimated speed of seven miles per hour. Wilma has already caused deaths in Jamaica and Haiti, mostly due to mudslides. Hurricane warnings are currently in effect along the easternmost tip of the Yucatan. The Cayman Islands are undergoing preparations for this storm, and a number of events have already been canceled in anticipation of hurricane conditions.

Meanwhile, in the Florida Keys, evacuations are already under way. As hurricane conditions may complicate travel by road (the Keys are connected by a series of long bridges spanning the waters of the Gulf of Mexico), many tourists are being asked to leave before the situation has an opportunity to turn for the worse. More information on the Florida Keys can be found here.

Despite the startling intensity of hurricane Wilma and the strong likelihood of landfall on US soil, news of this latest hurricane has sparked mixed reactions. Whereas a strong contingent is preparing for the worst, some seem to feel that mainstream media outlets have over-hyped the situation. This article from the BBC may give some insight.

Regardless of opinion, most people would agree that it is important to follow the latest news of this storm and to make preparations accordingly. As hurricanes can often change course, there is fear that Wilma could potentially hit the already-devastated areas of the US Gulf Coast. Regardless of where Wilma eventually turns up, the potential outcome could be disastrous.

National Hurricane Center Public Advisory on Hurricane Wilma

Guest speakers to include a number of CEOs and other major players in the industry.

From today, October 17, through October 19, The Peabody hotel in Orlando hosts the seventh annual Timeshare and Resort Investment conference. This gathering has attracted some of the most successful, high-profile companies and individuals representing the vacation and hospitality industries.

Timeshare owners might find some interesting information in these presentations, but for the most part these sessions are geared toward investors and developers who want to break into this lucrative industry. Fractional ownership, condo hotels and other recent timeshare trends will be explored, as well as legal issues and marketing challenges.

The list of speakers is very impressive, including a number of CEOs from the biggest names in the timeshare world.

As I glanced at the schedule of presentations, I didn’t notice any sessions specifically dealing with industry ethics. It might be a good idea for future conferences to devote more coverage to this issue.

This conference follows close behind the latest Timeshare and Resort Investment conference, held in Dubai in late September of this year. 

For more on the Timeshare and Resort Investment conferences, visit the official site at http://www.timeshareinvestment.com/orlando/orlando.html.