European Timeshare

The Ayrshire Golf Company has announced plans for a £60M golf development with timeshares, to be constructed on Irvine Bay, on the coast of North Ayrshire in west Scotland.

Detailed plans for the development will  be unveiled to the public next month, with a public presentation at the  Harbour Arts Centre on Wednesday, January 11 followed by  a formal planning application to North Ayrshire Council.

Funded by Prudential insurance and investment, the development is planned to include an 18-hole par 71 golf course with clubhouse and pro shop; a 50-room hotel and spa; and 150 two-bedroom timeshare suites. Plans additionally call for a conference center and restaurant.

Ayrshire Golf director Brian Keating said, in an exclusive interview with the Irvine Herald, “The development will attract new investors and new retailers to the town. We want guests at our hotel – to be known as ‘The Ayrshire’ – to be able to visit a vibrant town centre. Our development coupled with Irvine Bay’s intentions for the town centre will do just that. We hope to be able to start work late next year after we carry out some preparatory work on the site. Some of it was in industrial use so we will need to take it back to what it was years ago.”

The golf course is projected for completion in one year, while total build out will take three to four years. Keating described the project as “high-risk” and “long term.”

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.

Big news yesterday when the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) announced their new marketing alliance.

Under this new cooperative working alliance, ARDA and RDO will share industry information and will work collectively on issues of common concern for the purpose of advancing the growth of the timeshare industry worldwide, the interests of each of two group’s members and the consumer who are served by the groups.

Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, explains, “Establishing a better exchange of information with RDO will bring value to our members who have resorts around the world and to owners who are increasingly looking to destinations abroad for their timeshare vacations,”

Richard McIntosh, chairman of RDO, says, “The underlying basis for the working relationship between RDO and ARDA is to establish in the eyes of our respective memberships, a stronger partnership between the two organizations, whilst both retain their full autonomy and financial independence.”

ARDA and RDO Will Share with Relevant and Useful Information

As a result of the agreement, ARDA and RDO will:

Explore opportunities for both organizations to share industry information with its respective developer communities and prospective travelers.

Cooperatively identify opportunities at both organizations’ upcoming international-themed conventions—ARDA World and RDO 3—to reach new members and address relevant topics.

Jointly approach jurisdictions that do not yet have timeshare legislation or an effective trade association, and joint marketing opportunities.

To learn more about ARDA, visit www. arda.org and to find out more about the RDO, visit www.rdo.org

Special Monday Afternoon edition of The Timeshare Authority Blog

For anyone considering attending the Fractional Summit USA 2011 in Miami this week, don’t let Hurricane Irene’s disruption interfere with your plans!

The event organizers have announced that they will make tickets to the Fractional Summit USA available at the door at no extra cost. Your registration can be as simple as emailing [email protected] to let them know you’re planning to attend.

Make the trip; lack of preplanning doesn’t have to stop you from being part of the informational sessions and powerful networking opportunities that are inherent in the Fractional Summit USA.

Miami was unaffected by Hurricane Irene. I am headed there myself, and I invite you to join in; this is a fractional and timeshare industry event you do not want to miss. But you have to act now because the conference gets started tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30 and runs through Wednesday, August 31 at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami.

Follow this link for full conference information about the Fractional Summit USA

Countries that will have delegate representation at the Fractional Summit USA include: Brazil, Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, St Lucia, Mexico, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, United States, Europe and more.What about you??