Australian Timeshare

In Sunday’s The Timeshare Authority blog, (see: Timeshare Sales Up 55 Percent in Australia Timeshare Holiday Ownership) we looked at the positive growth seen in the Australia timeshare market in 2009. And while the Australia timeshare market looks good now, it has faced many of the same economic challenges that have impacted US timeshare over the past two years. So how did they manage to flourish, given the global economic climate?

The CEO’s of three of the top Australia timeshare companies say the economy has forced them to take some actions that, at the time, felt very aggressive. Action they might not have taken had the tight economy not pushed them in that direction.

Craig Wood, CEO of Accor Vacation Club explains, “At the start of the crisis it was necessary to restructure our business. A combination of a high quality product, world-class service and a fantastic and engaged work-force allowed us not just to weather the initial impact of the crisis but produce a significant increase in profitability due to the austerity measures we implemented during the last year. Two of our key performance indicators, member satisfaction and resort occupancy increased during this year demonstrating the resilience of our business, even in the toughest of economic times.”

Ramy Filo, CEO of Classic Group points to the fact that Australia timeshare survived and by some standards, thrived, over the past two years, as “… an indication of the resilience of the industry … consumer confidence and significant growth in incremental sales.” Classic Group timeshare has more than 45,000 members. The company’s Gold Coast timeshare resorts are operating at greater than 95 percent capacity and regionally, they are at 80 percent (the kind of numbers the hotel industry would love to see). As Filo explains, the Classic Group timeshare product is a great fit with the traditional accommodation industry thereby adding stimulus to their business and expands delivery options to its members.

Barry Robinson CEO and Managing Director of Wyndham Vacation Resorts, is another industry leader who sees the economic downturn as having provided timeshare companies with the opportunity to showcase the benefit of vacation ownership. “Wyndham’s vacation ownership resorts enjoyed average occupancies above 80 percent for the 2009 year, with many Owners commenting that their ownership provided them with a holiday they would not otherwise have been able to take during that time. Having to streamline our operations in the early stages of the GFC has made us focus on becoming more efficient and innovative. Since that time we have experienced a significant increase in our profit margins.”

More than a year ago, here on our timeshare blog we wrote about the then-unfolding economic crisis as a potential challenge for the timeshare industry. Congratulations to these companies and their leaders for rising to meet the challenge. As Craig Wood points out, “John F Kennedy once noted that when written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.”

Follow these links to learn more about the opportunities waiting for you in Australia timeshare resales and rentals: Accord Premier Destination Club timeshare resales; Classic Holiday Club timeshare resales and rentals; and Wyndham timeshare resales and timeshare rentals.

Source: Travel Daily News International

ATHOC is the Australian timeshare (or as they say down under, ‘holiday ownership’) regulatory body. These days, ATHOC is abuzz over the positive timeshare trends revealed by recent industry reports. Latest findings show Australia timeshare is in a time of robust growth as Australians embrace the concept of vacation ownership.

ATHOC, which stands for Australian Timeshare Holiday Ownership Council, says that despite global economic challenges, Australia timeshare sales for 2009 were up 55 percent to $205.4 million. Based on this research, which was commissioned by ATHOC and conducted by AEC Group Limiteds, and in which 78 timeshare properties participated, there are now 152,000 timeshare owner families in Australia, marking an increase of 20 percent over 2005.

As Australia celebrates this positive news about the timeshare industry, no one is overlooking the greater impact this story has. In 2009, timeshare owner families spent an average of $2,027 per travel party, per trip, (up from $916 in 2005) making a vital contribution to local economies. Now pair that boon with the indirect economic benefit the timeshare industry contributes to the Australian economy, an amount Australians estimate to be more than a billion dollars for 2009, and you see why Australian timeshare is making everybody smile.

Adding to all the excitement about this coming week’s TATOC (The Timeshare Association) Conference in Nottingham Belfry, England, is this week’s release that Ramy Filo the President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council, will be attending and speaking at the conference.

Filo is the CEO of Classic Group, which includes Classic Holidays; a timeshare resort management and timeshare sales company in Australia and Dial an Exchange, which is the third largest timeshare exchange company in the world.

Ramy Filo is also President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) representing the timeshare industry in Australia, and is Chairman of the Global Alliance for Timeshare Excellence (GATE), an alliance created by leaders of trade associations in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe, Argentina, the Middle East, South Africa, and Australia.

Harry Taylor, CEO of TATOC, says, “The response for the conference has been overwhelming and we are delighted that Ramy had seen able to find the time to come and be able to inform the delegates about the industry in Australia”.

To learn more about The Timeshare Association (TATOC) contact: [email protected] or telephone: 00 44 (0)161 237 3611

Other recent The Timeshare Authority news on the TATOC Conference:

TATOC Announces Guest Speaker for Timeshare Conference

Dr. Peter J. Shield, a longtime veteran of the timeshare industry and internationally acclaimed award-winning photojournalist, has written a book titled, “Timeshare- You Bought …..WHAT?”

This downloadable ebook offers a no-frills look at buying timeshare, selling timeshare, and timeshare exchange. Dr. Shield has written the book to help timeshare owners maximize the benefits of their timeshares and understand what they own and how to truly get the most of their timeshare.

Here’s an excerpt from this unique timeshare book that is certain to capture your interest, as Dr. Shield talks about his first timeshare:

“The property was a farm, converted into what I would best describe from looking back, as a ‘dude’ ranch with cabins, stables and a ‘ranch’ house. Quite frankly at the time I thought it was great. If memory serves me, they proposed to sell a week of ownership for six or seven thousand Australian dollars.

This would allow the ‘timeshare’ owner to spend a week with their family, vacationing ‘on the ranch’ every year for 30 years. I was one of the first to sign up.

For about three years my wife, my children and I enjoyed the visits immensely.

I must, however, share the end to this story with you. Sometime during our third year of ownership my wife decided that she needed to travel independently – sitting down! In case my humor didn’t reach you, this meant a second car! At the time my finances wouldn’t allow for the initial outlay. Wives, however being what they are, spotted an advertisement by a Sydney car dealer which said, and I quote, “Need a Car? – WE trade ANYTHING!”