Timeshare Resorts

Karma Royal Group opens their newest resort in Indonesia, The Reef. Located on the Gilis islands—a small trio of islands off the coast of Indonesia—the resort is the perfect destination for international travelers. The Reef is located on the island of Gili Meno, just a short distance from Bali.

Chairman and CEO of Karma Royal Group, John Spence said,

“The Reef embodies the fulfilment of everyone’s Robinson Crusoe fantasy of being stranded on an exotic tropical island. If your idea of a perfect holiday is to literally leave the world behind, go barefoot in the sand, celebrate incredible sunsets, then it’s time to discover The Reef at Gil Meno. A Chakra Resort for the sophisticated leisure traveler who appreciates the fun of laidback luxury, exploring local culture and emerging destinations, where you can simply get lost and maybe – in the process – find yourself all over again. At Chakra Resorts – life’s an adventure!”

The Reef resort is set on large property of about 400 acres, however only one-quarter of the land has been developed for the resort. The remaining areas have been preserved as a tropical rainforest, providing a serene atmosphere for guests. Beautiful plants surrounding the resort are carried through the overall theme of its design, bringing palm trees and tropical flowers into the main areas and guest rooms.

The beautiful white sand beaches of Gili Meno are also a prominent feature of the resort and can be seen from many of the guest rooms. Inside the resort, you’ll see many materials indigenous to the area. For example, Bamboo is used in many architectural features.

Guest rooms are designed in “lumbung” style bungalows. Each bungalow faces the water and offers a private balcony. The lumbung bungalow is an architectural style unique to The Gilis, Lombok, and Bali. The structures are built with natural materials such as bamboo and other local woods. According to Indonesian legend, the lumbungs were used to store rice under the protection of the goddess Demi Sri. More recently, these bungalows are used for general storage and boutique lodging.

Each room can accommodate up to four guests and features a private kitchen among its amenities. Don’t want to cook on vacation? That’s ok, in the main area of the resort, the Reef’s Karma Beach Club offers dinning for over 70 guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The chefs of the Karma Beach Club also utilize local resources with fresh seafood and produce.

There are many activities around the resort for guests to enjoy, including snorkeling and scuba diving in The Gilis’ famous coral reef. If you prefer to stay out of the water, you can enjoy a glass-bottom boat to view the colorful reef and wildlife surrounding the island. Back on the island you can relax in luxurious day beds right on the beach.

To learn more about The Reef and Karma Group, visit www.karmaroyalgroup.com.

As 2014 approaches, many timeshare resorts will alter their programs to adapt to new hospitality industry trends. Keeping up with the current trends and customer demands will allow resorts to maintain (or gain) popularity amongst the millions of timeshare owners traveling each year.

Here are 7 Hospitality Trends for 2014:

1. A New Generation of Travelers: As Millennials begin to travel on their own, the industry will need to recognize how this affects business. Over the next ten years, this group will most likely become the industry’s target market. Milliennials are looking for unique experiences that they can share with their friends through social media. Those who serve food and beverages should also consider the emergence of foodies, craft beer drinkers, and wine enthusiasts through this segment.
2. Precision & Speed: Travelers now expect more when they vacation, and that includes increased accuracy in hospitality services. When booking online, a timeshare owner prefers instant gratification that they will receive their desired week and renters want a guaranteed timeshare rental. When they arrive, they expect to receive their exact reservation and a speedy check-in. They will also want a fast response to any customer service concerns.
3. Leadership Techniques: Hospitality leaders now find that effective management involves setting an example for their guests and employees. Many supervisors are now going the extra mile to connect with guests and team members. More personalized services may include a manager’s reception to bond with the guests or a morning workout session. As employees see their managers working to establish these connections, they will make the effort to form their own bonds.
4. More International Travelers: Over the next few years, average occupancy and rates will increase in the U.S. due to international travelers. President and CEO of Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Arne Sorenson said, “Leisure demand from abroad, fueled in part by the new Discover America campaign, will stimulate a new demand.” Resorts must also consider the length of time that a traveler will visit the U.S. For example, if 10 million timeshare visitors stay in the U.S. for a week, that’s an additional 10 million timeshare weeks.
5. Social Media: Most resorts have had Facebook and Twitter for a few years now, but they may want to update how they are using them. Now more than ever, travelers use social media to voice their opinions – and resorts need to be aware of this. Whether it’s a positive or negative comment, resorts should respond to as many posts as possible to engage their guests. Trends are also indicating that consumers enjoy marketing that is not focused on a financial transaction. Resorts can engage consumers by asking questions or sharing resort information to help build the customer’s interest in the brand.
6. Content Marketing: Consumers are less interested in traditional advertising and more interested in valuable online content. Resorts will now see more interest in online articles and blogs than traditional ads. Photo and video sharing can also be a great opportunity for timeshare resorts. Many can learn from Starwood’s Instagram Guest Galleries, a new interactive way for guest to share their experiences through Instagram uploads.
7. Advanced Company Websites: More consumers, including timeshare owners, are turning to the internet to plan their upcoming vacations. Moving into 2014, it is likely that the online booking process will bring in the highest amount of bookings and revenue. This means resorts need to have an attractive and user- friendly website for guests. Be sure that you also have a user- friendly mobile experience to allow booking and customer service on smartphones and tablets. According to PC Mag.com 55% of Americans own a smartphone and 35% own a tablet.

These are just a few of the many changes timeshare resorts will see in 2014. As with all businesses, the ability to adapt to the changes in the hospitality industry

With summer in a going—going—gone—status, many families see their opportunities for vacations diminished to a few long week-ends between now and the Christmas or Winter school break. Although timeshare owners and renters enjoy vacations year-round, with both ski holidays and winter vacations to a sunny beach being popular getaways, many could get more pleasure out of their timeshare ownership if they just understood their timeshare points a little better. Here is some helpful information that pertains specifically to Festiva timeshare points.

Like many timeshare brands, Festiva Resorts began as a deeded ownership. In 2006, Festiva Resorts initiated a timeshare points system. Some Festiva owners purchased with Festiva, while others have become members because the resort where they originally owned was acquired by Festiva. The Festiva timeshare points system is called the Festiva Adventure Club.

Aptly, Festiva describes its Adventure Club membership as being, “…like a credit card where the spending limit is based on the points you purchased and, long after you have paid the one‐time membership fee, your credit limit is reactivated year after year for you to spend as you wish…”

What can you do with your Festiva Timeshare Points?

Good question!

• Use your Festiva timeshare points as currency.
• Points work for vacationing in any size unit, during any season.
• You can stay 7 nights, but you can also stay 4 or even just 3.
• Each year, your annual points are reactivated.
• You can borrow points from future years or defer unused points to the following year.
• While there are now 34 Festiva resorts, you can also exchange your Festiva timeshare points for vacations at thousands of affiliated resorts.

Festiva timeshare owners who want to use their timeshare points for a last-minute vacation have a couple of options. If you are within 30 days or less from a check-in date, you get the maximum value for your Festiva timeshare points, receiving the vacation for the lowest points value for the length of stay you plan to vacation.

If, as a Festiva timeshare owner, you make a reservation within 7 day of your check-in date, you also have the option to book a week at the Festiva “Less Go!” rate. Less Go! Vacations are last-minute holidays you can book for any timeshare unit size at any Festiva resort, during any time of year for only 1,000 points based upon availability.

More about Festiva Timeshare Resorts:

• For Festiva Timeshare, Arkansas, Alabama, and More Resorts in Branson
• Festiva Timeshare Part of Day of Caring and Festiva Charitable Fund Golf Tournament.
• Last Loyalty Day of 2012 for Festiva Timeshare Adventure Club.
• Festiva Timeshare Expands Headquarters in Asheville North Carolina.
• Festiva Timeshare Donation Supports Asheville Wildlife Park.
• Festiva Timeshare Charity Auction Proves Sometimes Less Can Mean More.

If you are a Florida timeshare owner, you probably have already heard about the sinkhole that opened beneath two units (one building connected by a walkway) at the (Clermont) Orlando timeshare, Summer Bay Resort. If you’ve missed this, here are three updates from The Timeshare Authority that will bring you up to speed:

• Is the Orlando Summer Bay Resort Timeshare Sinkhole Growing?
• The Insurance Issue for Summer Bay Resort Timeshare Owners
• Getting to the Bottom of the Summer Bay Resort Sinkhole

Although no one was injured in the building collapse, certainly the vacationers involved experienced emotions that ranged from inconvenience to trauma. Their holidays were disrupted with the type of vacation memories that no one wants ever to experience. Many are still sorting out the personal expense they may incur, while all Summer Bay Resort owners are wondering if this catastrophic event will result in additional fees being levied on a one-time basis, or perhaps an ongoing increase in annual maintenance fees.

Answers to these questions are being sorted out, one by one. While only time will tell for sure how the Summer Bay Resort event is resolved, Florida timeshare owners in general can’t help but wonder if their timeshare could be next.

Florida Timeshare Owners: Are Sinkholes a Reason to Sell Your Timeshare?

Sinkholes are essentially any area of soil that collapses and in varying degrees, they can occur anywhere. A perfect example is the sinkhole that opened earlier this summer in Arlington, Texas, near the pitcher’s mound at Ranger’s Ballpark. It was caused by a busted water pipe under the infield and had to be repaired before the Cleveland Indians and the Texas Rangers took the field that evening.

The sinkhole at Ranger’s Ballpark is caused by our own actions and is a different category from what happened two weeks ago at the Clermont, Florida timeshare. Generally, naturally occurring sinkholes are either cover-subsidence sinkholes, which typically collapse slowly over many years or are cover-collapse sinkholes such as the Summer Bay Resort sinkhole. This second type of sinkhole also takes time to build, but appears to happen suddenly because the surface damage becomes evident abruptly when the surface soil collapses into a void  that has been slowly expanding.

Because sinkholes can be induced by our own actions that involve drilling, paving, and otherwise disrupting the soil and drainage, they can, technically occur anywhere. Those that occur because of changing subsurface water levels and other natural transitions in the earth generally happen in places with a high concentration of limestone soil.

Florida, of course, sits on the top of the sinkhole vulnerable list because it literally sits on top of a shelf of limestone. But limestone can be found throughout the eastern US, with the Great Valley (of limestone) reaching from the eastern parts of New York, into Pennsylvania, through Tennessee and Alabama. Even the Ozarks in Missouri are vulnerable along with Indiana and portions of Minnesota.

Just this week, officials in Louisiana are dealing with a sinkhole that has been growing for more than a year. Covering some 25 acres in land area, the sinkhole (which has already resulted in evacuation of two towns) threatens road closure that could create a 90-minute detour for travelers, including school buses. The Assumption Parish Sinkhole is shown in this video, which captures the actual collapse of trees in a way that will probably make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.  

But before you decide to put your Florida timeshare (or Louisiana timeshare) on the resale market, you need to know that east coast limestone isn’t the only soil vulnerable to sinkholes. Gypsum, found in soil strata throughout the Midwest, salt domes found in Texas, Louisiana, and Utah, and anhydrite scattered across the country are all carbonate rocks with the potential to wash away. The US Geological Survey says perhaps as much as 40 percent of the US is undermined by rock that under the right circumstances (or wrong circumstances) can collapse.

What’s a timeshare owner to do? Weigh your risks. Consider whether the nagging worry of  a sinkhole collapse will put a damper on your vacation experience.  Consider adding a sinkhole policy to your home owners insurance; this will help cover personal property loss in the event you ever experience a sinkhole collapse.

..And by the way, we did our research. According to multiple sources, including this map published in the New York Times, Florida doesn’t even make the Top 5 of places where you are most at risk from a natural disaster.