Interval International

The final day of the ARDA Fall timeshare conference is highlighted by the Chairman’s League Breakfast Keynote Speaker, Tucker Carlson.

Tucker Carlson is a contributor to FOX News, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Caller news site and a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. Known internationally as a witty and acerbic commentator,  Carlson will take an irreverent but insightful  look at Washington, the divided Congress, President Barack Obama’s administration and the upcoming 2012 elections.

Fans of Carlson know him from hosting varying network news and news-talk shows including CNN’s Crossfire, and several shows on MSNBC and PBS.

As an excellent ARDA Fall Conference winds to a close today, Sell My Timeshare NOW and Timeshare Broker Services would like to thank the event sponsors and supporters,  including:

ARDA-ROC, RCI, Interval International, Trooval, Wells Fargo, Ballard Spahr LLP, Chicago Title, First American Title, CustomerCount, Kees Vacation Rentals, Preston Arza LLP, TimeShareWare, The Trades Publishing Company, Vacation Storebuilder, American Express, Diamond Resorts International, Equiant Financial Services, Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, HSI (Holiday Systems International), ICE Enterprise, Interval International, RCI, ResortCom International, Starwood Vacation Ownership, TimeShareWare, and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

Interval International timeshare exchange recently announced expanded and extended services for King’s Creek Plantation LLC. (Additional info here: Kings Creek Plantation Timeshare Owners Gain Customize Services with Interval International).

Kevin Jones, cofounder and president of King’s Creek Plantation LLC, says, “Maintaining our strong partnership with Interval supports our customer-first culture, while opening the door for new products with more options. We are excited about our continued relationship and the many opportunities it will bring in the near future.”

Along with news of the extended relations with King’s Creek Plantation, the announcement included important updates about the new King’s Creek points-based vacation club, known as Club Explore.

Interval International is providing reservation services and special opportunities for Club Explore members. Timeshare owner / members who enroll in Club Explore expand their vacation options by being able to convert their timeshare points into club currency. They can then utilize the currency for vacationing at King’s Creek properties or for timeshare exchange within the vast Interval International global network of resorts.

In addition to timeshare exchange, Club Explore Points mean:
·         Members can choose to upgrade timeshare locations, unit size or season
·         As part of Interval Gold®, members can use ShortStay ExchangeSM to take long weekends or mini-vacations
·         Members can opt to exchange for (or purchase) great deals on cruise, golf and spa vacations
·         Access to personal concierge service available 24/7 via phone and e-mail
·         And that members receive complimentary Hertz #1 Gold® membership, as well as special offers on hotels, retail shopping, and restaurants

The spacious timeshare units, cottages, condos, (King’s Creek Plantation cottages and townhomes) and estate homes (King’s Creek Plantation Estates) at King’s Creek Plantation, with their convenient location near the attractions of Williamsburg are great reasons to be a King’s Creek Plantation timeshare owner. Now Interval International has added even more!

Much that is positive, exciting, and invigorating for the timeshare industry has been discussed these last two days at the VOIC Shared Ownership Investment Conference in Orlando, Florida, which is hosted by Interval International. And frank talk has gone on about all the challenges of the industry, the economy, and the ways (both good and bad) that the industry has engaged with consumers in the past.

But some of the most interesting insights about timeshare and fractionals comes from a simple look at the numbers. Very often in business, the numbers speak louder than the words.

Here is a look at some recent research about Interval International member/owners:

• US resident members of II own approximately 1.9 weeks of shared ownership vacation time or its equivalent and travel an estimated 22 nights per year solely for leisure purposes.
• They report household income of approximately $121,175 per year.
• Twenty percent expect to buy additional vacation time in the future.
• Timeshare owners are attracted to warm-weather locations (Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, South Carolina timeshares and Caribbean timeshares) and family-style accommodations.
• Most are interested in, or have a preference for, two-bedroom timeshare units. Just under ten percent prefer three-bedroom timeshares.

And this may be the most industry-relevant factor of all: 83 percent of Interval International’s US members say they are satisfied with their timeshare ownership.

As David Gilbert, Interval International, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing, says, “Even in challenging economic times, it is very encouraging to see that the appeal of vacation ownership remains strong among our members.”

The theme of this year’s Shared Ownership Investment Conference VOIC on timeshare and fractionals is: “A New Perspective.” Well underway today at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando, Florida, one of today’s highlights will be the 12:30 PM to 2:15 PM, luncheon speaker, Peter C. Yesawich, Ph.D.

At our Shared Ownership Investment Conference VOIC luncheon, noted marketing strategist and trend-spotter Peter Yesawich will speak on: Why and how do people decide to vacation? He will share findings from his agency’s 2011 Portrait of American Travelers ™ and will look at how leisure travelers plan and purchase their vacations, and share information with others. His presentation will include a focus on affluent travelers.

Besides many great opportunities for networking, learning and sharing, some of the other topics that will be covered today in sessions at the Shared Ownership Investment Conference VOIC include:

• Capital Markets; a firsthand look at today’s capital markets. Learn how projects are getting off the ground and how partnering with an established timeshare company can impact funding. Discover the critical components that prepare a project for lender review.
• Fractionals and Private Residence Clubs; See how these properties differ from traditional timeshare. Learn from those who have been successful in this segment. Discover what elements must be included, techniques to control costs, and how to maximize the bottom line.
• Emerging Opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean; Find out where shared ownership has quickly become a hospitality mainstay in the region. See what’s driving growth, who are the consumers, and if it is complementary to hotel and resort development.
• Timeshare and Fractional Finance; Walk through the cash-flow process and explore the similarities and differences between these two sectors. Learn how development can be structured to limit financing needs and more.
• Timeshare 101; Learn the basics of timeshare ownership and understand the nature of prepaid vacations and their appeal to consumers. Topics include tactics for profitability, cost-effective sales and marketing techniques, and new trends in finance.
• Fractional 101; Aimed at the affluent market, fractional resorts have proven  an appealing alternative to second-home whole ownership. Usually sold in increments of two weeks or more, fractional resorts typically feature larger and more luxurious units, with high-end furnishings and upscale amenities. Design and programmatic elements differ from those of traditional timeshare.

The 13th Annual VOIC Conference is proving to be a great learning and regrouping opportunity in the vacation ownership industry with much more still ahead.