Caribbean Timeshare

Yesterday’s Sunday Business section of the Jamaica Gleaner included an article by Avia Collinder, titled: “Caribbean Timeshares Most Sought After-Industry Expert.” In it, ARDA (American Resort Development Association) Treasurer and industry expert, Robert Webb, points to the Caribbean as a highly sought destination for timeshare vacations. Webb, who is senior hospitality partner at the law firm of Baker Hostetler, explains that a relative scarcity of Caribbean timeshare units, enhanced by the popularity of the “Jamaica brand,” proximity to the US mainland, and the country’s rich natural resources and cultural diversity are all promising signs for Jamaica timeshare.

Yet despite this, the growth of timeshare in Jamaica remains stymied. Passing effective Jamaica timeshare laws appears to be running on, well, island time.

Previously here on The Timeshare Authority blog we published a post titled: Caribbean Timeshare in Jamaica, Maybe Sooner than You Think. We suggested that laws to strengthen and refine Jamaican timeshare would be happening quickly; but the date of that post was July… July of 2009.

In yesterday’s Gleaner news article, Rob Webb is quoted as saying, “ARDA believes Jamaica is uniquely positioned to further leverage the valuable economic development resource that the vacation ownership industry provides … However, timesharing will not catch on in Jamaica without a focused, meaningful timeshare law that enables the product to flourish and that protects both developers and consumers.”

Come On Mon! Jamaica Timeshare is Jamaican Me Crazy

While limited vacation ownership property is currently available in Jamaica, developers and existing resort property owners need to see new Jamaican timeshare laws in place before they embrace expanding the product to its true potential. When they do, the island then becomes ripe for the economic growth and development that the industry’s presence could bring.

And although Jamaican Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has stated that progress is being made, the Gleaner reported last week in its article, “Timeshare Market Inertia,” that the process “has stalled.”

Located just south of Cuba, between the Cayman Islands and Haiti, the English-speaking island of Jamaica is known for its vibrant culture, beautiful beaches, reggae music and kicked back way of life. From its bobsled team to Bob Marley, Patrick Ewing to Ursain Bolt, much of the world already knows and loves Jamaica; most of us can even sing along with Marley’s famous, “One Love, One Heart,” that has come to be the signature song of the island.

As Rob Webb reminds us, “My ARDA colleagues and I encouraged the (Jamaican) Government to design a realistic timeshare law that would facilitate the conversion of hotel rooms into timeshare units, and we offered our assistance in helping to draft such a law. That offer still stands.”

Enhancing the Jamaica timeshare market is a worthy idea that would expand Caribbean timeshare options while likely benefiting the Jamaican economy. So come on Jamaica, “Let’s get together and feel all right…”

As 2011 nears its end and 2012 awaits, we thought we’d look back at the top 5 timeshare resales and rentals for the year.

These popular vacation resorts all earned their ranking in the top 5 based on the overall number of offers to buy or rent made through Timeshare Broker Services and SellMyTimeshareNOW.com listings and ads.

Four of the five top timeshares are coastal or island destinations although their beaches vary from the Caribbean to the Pacific. All five represent top names in vacation ownership, but it’s important to remember that there are thousands of other fabulous resorts that didn’t happen to make this year’s Top 5, but are just as ideal for your next vacation or getaway.

You are invited to view the Top 5 List revealed in the slides below and then to visit us at www.timesharebrokerservices.com or www.sellmytimesharenow.com to learn more about these 5 resorts as well as to peruse all the great vacation opportunities we offer.

Vacations matter. They clear our minds, restore our bodies, enhance our relationships and create lifelong memories to cherish. Along with your intent to lose weight, exercise more, save money, and clean the garage, how about adding a very positive intent to your 2012 Resolutions?

How about making this your year you finally start taking the vacation time you need, deserve and have so rightfully earned?

Americans have always enjoyed vacationing in Europe. According to US government travel research, 5.2 million US travelers visited Europe between January and July of this year, accounting for 18 percent of all US outbound international travel.

But during the first 6 months of 2010, US travelers to Europe accounted for 25 percent of the outbound travel, indicating not a decline in the overall number of travelers but a drop in the number of US travelers headed expressly for a European vacation.

Other parts of the world dropped by percentage as well. Fewer Americans are visiting South America, with a 17 percent decline in US outbound tourism there during this same period. While South American visitors to the US continue to climb, the trend is not reciprocal, with South America being the destination with the greatest decline in number of US visitors.

So, where are we going when we travel, vacation, and enjoy timeshare holidays abroad?

Well, travel to the Middle East is on the rise. With some 665,000 US travelers visiting the Middle East during the first six months of 2011, this region saw an 11 percent gain. We are also vacationing abroad but staying in our own backyard by heading more and more frequently to the Caribbean. 3.2 million US travelers visited the islands of the Caribbean in the first six months of this year, accounting for a 3 percent gain in US travel to this area.

And it makes sense. Travel to the Caribbean is easy from much of the US with great air and cruise connections, competitive prices and deals on travel, and overall ease of access. The Caribbean is also considered a safe destination, friendly to US travelers and easy to enjoy with English spoken throughout the islands.

On top of this, much of the Caribbean has been involved in extensive campaigns to attract US vacationers, a plan that seems to be paying off well.

The US Virgin Islands has passed a bill to legalize and regulate OPC activity in the Virgin Islands.

OPC, stands for off property contact, outside public contact, or off premises contact. Either way, the acronym refers to the timeshare sales individuals who approach you for the purpose of engaging you in a timeshare sales presentation. They typically make contact with you when you are shopping, sightseeing, walking through the lobby of your hotel, or otherwise enjoying your vacation time.

The new Amendment 29-627, attached to Bill 29-0114, will require all OPCs to obtain a business license through the US Virgin Islands Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs.  Follow this link to view more about the bill,  however, the bill itself is not the key to this action. Instead, it is specifically Amendment 29-627, which was attached.

Passing with a vote of 14 to 1 in favor of the bill, regulating OPC’s was an easy argument. Requiring licensing of OPC’s helps control the activity, generates tax revenue, perhaps creates jobs, and hopefully helps enhance an environment that is appealing to tourists and future tourism.

Until a few years ago, OPC licensing was actually required in the US Virgin Islands. Then a law was passed banning “street barking” which coincidentally did away with licensing for OPC’s. The notes attached to the amendment state, “The loss of a license to OPC has severely impacted the sale of timeshare.”

Governor de Jongh, is expected to sign the bill into law this week.