Hawaii Timeshare

MauiTime.com is reporting that last week the Maui County Council Planning Committee (which is comprised of Maui County Council Members) began discussions that could put the future of Maui timeshare in jeopardy.

Voicing concerns that timeshares contribute less to the economy than do hotels, the Maui County Council Members “took up a bill that would prohibit future timeshares on Maui.”

Council member Riki Hokama, a non-voting member of the Planning Committee, said, “We need hotel rooms, not timeshare units,” as she introduced the bill and urged the committee to support it. Hokama added that hotels provide more opportunities for employment to the general workforce.

Don Couch of the Maui County Council, voiced his concerns saying, “It is time we take a look at this issue since we are updating community plans.”

One council member, Mike White, who is also the current General Manager of Kaanapali Beach Hotel, explained his opposition to more Maui timeshares  by citing a Marriott hotel that transitioned to vacation ownership. White said, “As an example, there were jobs lost from banquet staff, the luau was eliminated, retail services were eliminated and the convention business was hurt.” He did add, “However, I don’t want to eliminate timeshares. We need to have further discussion and seriously think about it.”

Looking at Both Sides of the Maui Timeshare Issue

Isolated statistics aren’t enough to tell the whole story of how much timeshares hurt –or help— the Maui economy as compared with hotels.

As the Maui Planning Committee looks at the matter more closely, we hope they consider these points:

• Timeshare owners and guests probably do spend less money dining at area restaurants than do hotel guests. On the other hand, the money saved, may be used at theme parks, for sports equipment rental, or other types of entertainment at the vacation destination. This might be harder to assess, but could certainly be relevant to consider.
• Laws vary by state and sometimes by tax district, but timeshare owners pay either hotel taxes (tourism tax) or their percentage of a resort’s property taxes. In most areas of Hawaii, timeshare owners are paying property taxes, often at millage rates higher than that paid by owners of residential property in the same area. Tax contributions benefit communities in ways that  help support important infrastructures and should always be considered as part of the value timeshares bring to a community.
• And perhaps the most important fact to consider about timeshare resorts vs. hotels is that timeshare owners see themselves as “local property owners,” and thereby have vested and demonstrated interest in the long-term issues of the area where their timeshare is located.

Note: At this point, the efforts under discussion would have no impact on current Maui timeshare resorts including popular properties such as Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club, the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas, and other favorite Maui vacation ownership resorts.

Honolulu, Hawaii based Royal Aloha Vacation Club has selected Dial An Exchange (DAE) to provide new vacation exchange benefits for the 9,000-plus members of the vacation club. Recognized as the largest independently owned vacation exchange company in the world, Dial An Exchange timeshare exchange has become a favorite timeshare and vacation services resource for homeowners’ associations, management companies and timeshare resales companies.

RAVC HOA President Dave DiBernardino says, ““Our relationship with DAE is very exciting because it enables us to continue to provide high standards of excellence our members have come to expect while at the same time seeking new opportunities to enhance their vacation exchange options.”

DiBernardino adds, “After hearing high praise from our members already using DAE to service their exchanges, it seemed natural to jump on the DAE bandwagon. Now we can let all of our members know there is a choice out there in exchange services for our new and long-time owners.”

Royal Aloha Vacation Club is one of the oldest independent timeshare clubs in the US, was the first vacation club to register in Hawaii. The Royal Aloha Vacation Club is member owned and managed. Today, the Hawaii vacation club offers vacation and timeshare units in Kona and Maui, Hawaii; Otter Creek, Oregon; Neuva Andalucia, Spain; Branson, Missouri; Chandler, Arizona; Lake Tahoe, Nevada; and Acapulco, Mexico.

Royal Aloha Vacation Club resales are available at all of these locations including Royal Aloha  Multi-Destination vacation club resales.

With more than 416,000 Marriott Vacation Club owners worldwide, and a 25-year history of timeshare vacation excellence, it’s no surprise that Marriott timeshares dominated the Top Ten resales list on the 2013 Timeshare Demand Index. As a vacation owner or prospective timeshare resale buyer or renter, if you are looking for a timeshare destination that other vacationing couples and families love, or already know you want to be part of the Marriott Vacation Club then you no doubt are interested in which Marriott timeshares are the most popular.

• Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club was the number one most popular timeshare resale this past year, based on offers to buy or rent made through our company. Located in Palm Beach, Aruba, this beachside resort offers guests access to the amenities at the neighboring Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino and the Mandara Spa. Whether you go for the Las Vegas-style entertainment, the world-class diving and snorkeling, or to relax and enjoy the sugary-white sands and ocean breezes, this Marriott timeshare tops all others for resale and rental demand through our website.
• Marriott’s Newport Coat Villas in Newport Coast, California, ranked as most in-demand timeshare resale or rental #3 on this year’s Timeshare Demand Index. A Tuscan-themed resort, this beautiful timeshare sets on a bluff with Pacific Ocean views. With the Pelican Hill Golf Club to the north and Crystal Cove State Park to the south, this resort is surrounded by green spaces and serene vistas. And there’s also an adjacent spa, the charms of the Newport coastal area, and great dining, shopping, and all the elegance of the Newport Coast community.
• Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club in Oahu and Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club in Maui round out the top ten, ranking numbers 4 and 10 respectively.  The Ko Olina Beach Club is an oasis of waterfalls and fountains, located on Oahu’s western shore. The Maui Ocean Club is a tropical hideaway tucked between turquoise waters and a lush rain forest. Each offers amenities galore, a Hawaii vacation experience, and amazing golf. The championship courses of the Royal Kaanapali Golf Course and the The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort are convenient to play on your Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club holiday, while Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club offers numerous courses in the area to play including the Kapolei Golf Club.

What does the rest of the 2013 Timeshare Demand Index look like for Marriott timeshares?

These beautiful resorts all fell within the top fifty for most in-demand timeshare resales and rentals based on the number of offers received:

Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes (Myrtle Beach, SC); Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club (Palm Beach, Aruba); Marriott’s Grande Vista (Orlando, FL); Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove (St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands); Marriott’s Ocean Pointe (Palm Beach Shores, FL); Marriott’s Grande Ocean (Hilton Head Island, SC); Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club (Koloa – Kauai, HI);  and Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club – Lahaina & Napili Village (Maui, HI).

Each year, Send Me On Vacation plans an annual getaway experience to help provide much-needed vacations to women who have undergone cancer treatment. The beautiful Maui vacation resort, Lumeria Maui Resort and Spa in Makawao, Hawaii, will be the site of this year’s annual event.

The Lumeria Maui Resort and Spa, was originally built in 1909, and carefully restored in 2011 as a retreat destination for nurturing the body, mind, and spirit—making it an ideal representation of the Send Me On Vacation mission. Targeting women who are cancer survivors and whose lives have been changed by the cost of treatments and the physical and emotional trauma of battling cancer, Send Me On Vacation uses these retreat experiences to spread the message and raise support for its cause.

You can be part of this year’s event, raising funds and awareness for Send Me On Vacation, while enjoying the beauty and serenity of the six-acre resort, situated on the slopes of Haleakala. Scheduled for November 1-5, 2013, special pricing to be part of the experience is $699 per person double occupancy, with a single occupancy rate of $1,359. This includes your 5-star accommodations, breakfast, yoga classes, and a special Send Me On Vacation event dinner. A Charity Golf Tournament will be held on November 3, and is sponsored by Chicago Title. Entry fee for the tournament is $150.

To reserve your room and golf, call Lumeria Maui toll-free at 855-579-8877 and request the Send Me On Vacation Event package, booking code SMOV. Additional room nights are available at the special SMOV rate.

An Introduction to Lumeria Maui with Xorin Balbes from Lumeria maui on Vimeo.