Timeshare Weeks

These days, when every evening’s nightly news seems to always bring us new warnings of unrest, terrorism, and political disruption around the world, you might think people who buy timeshare abroad risk being stuck with timeshare condos or condo resales that they cannot use and cannot rent or sell – but that is generally not the case.

First, as a timeshare owner, you may have the option to bank your timeshare weeks for future use, or to turn them over to a timeshare exchange. Many timeshare exchange programs do not require your timeshare weeks to be picked up by someone else in order for you to enjoy a timeshare vacation at a different resort.

The next thing to remember is that many times, while it may not be safe for people of your particular nationality to travel to a foreign country, people who live in that country may be able to travel freely and vacation without incident. Although this is not currently the case in Kenya, as I wrote about in yesterday’s Timeshare Owners Blog, when this does apply, you may want to use your timeshare weeks as a timeshare rental. To successfully rent timeshare to people from other countries you must advertise and market it through a timeshare company like Sell My Timeshare NOW that has a global marketplace and the expertise to bring timeshare rentals to the attention of interested renters or even buyers around the world.

The problems in one part of a country do not always affect vacationing and timeshare resorts in other areas of the same country. Don’t immediately assume that an entire region or country is dangerous just because you hear about one incident, in one location. In fact, isolated events in one part of a country can sometimes have an upside for travelers in other areas, making tourist dollars especially appreciated in an area where other parts of the country have recently received bad publicity. Attractions, restaurants, and other tourist areas are less crowded and sometimes offer discounted prices in efforts to attract business once again.

Kenya Timeshare Resales, In the Future

I am not in any way making light of recent tragic events in Kenya or any other part of the world that has suffered adversity. But I am suggesting that if you own timeshare weeks in a locale that has experienced problems, whether it is weather-related, incidences of terrorism, or other types of crime or civil unrest, don’t immediately assume that all is lost for utilizing your timeshare unit or timeshare weeks. You have options and Sell My Timeshare NOW can help you assess those options and make the choice that is right for you.

Here’s a You-Tube video that reminds us of the natural beauty of Kenya.

India is a growing market for timeshares resorts. Not only does the magic of India attract multitudes of tourists, but there are also large populations with Indian heritage who live around the world and who make regular trips to visit family and friends in India. For many people with Indian ancestry, owning an India timeshare is the perfect solution to annual or biannual visits to their homeland.

Two India timeshare resorts recently to receive recognition for their amenities and quality are Ffort Radisson Holiday Klub and Orange County. Ffort Radisson Holiday Klub (note the resort name often appears with both the traditional “Ffort” spelling and the Americanized version, “Fort”) is designed with a historic theme and is built on 160 acres along the Hoogly River. Orange County is located in Western Ghats on a coffee and spice plantation.

Both Ffort Radisson and Orange County are Resorts of International Distinction and recipients of the AIRDA (All India Resort Development Association) Gold Crown Award for consistently surpassing international standards of excellence in timeshare resort quality and hospitality. AIRDA is a member of ARDA – the American Resort Development Association – and works to further the development of timeshare resorts and timeshare vacationing in India, addressing both the interests of the timeshare industry and of the timeshare owner or timeshare renter.

But just how serious is India about the timeshare industry?

Anand Mahindra, chief of India’s $6 billion Mahindra Group was recently quoted in Newsweek as saying, “We’re the largest time-share operators in India. Club Mahindra, part of our real-estate division – with 22 resorts worldwide – will list in 2008. With the currency factor and the rising affluence and leisure time in India, it is the fastest-growing company in our group. Indian tourism is No 2 in the world after China.”

Mahindra’s point is that the weakened US dollar makes America a prime market for a company such as his with widely diversified interests and that is interested in buying into US manufacturing while the dollar is soft in the international market. Mahindra and Mahindra’s businesses go far beyond timeshare resorts and include automobile manufacturing, tractors, financial services, insurance, retail, and a number of other products and niche markets.

Look for this timeshare company and others to be making advances in the timeshare industry, seeking to build on the heightened interest in India timeshares and the weakened value of the US dollar. And if you are interested in keeping US dollars in the United States and still owning India timeshare, look at timeshare resales and timeshare rentals advertised at Sell My Timeshare NOW. When you buy timeshare resales, you are bypassing the middleman, and dealing directly with the person who currently owns the timeshare weeks. In this troubled economy, timeshare resales are the true win-win for people who want to sell timeshare and for people who want to buy timeshare.

Be sure to visit our timeshare blog again on Monday, when I will be sharing a really interesting account of timesharing in India.

It is probably fair to say that people don’t often get the best of Donald Trump.

But if you have been following the saga of Trump’s attempt to build world class golf courses, a hotel and timeshare resort near Aberdeen, Scotland, you know Trump has faced a number of delays in getting approval for the project. Among them has been a Scottish farmer, Michael Forbes, who refuses to sell his farmland to the Trump Organization. Forbes’ land is centrally located in the planned golf and timeshare resort area and while Trump says he could and would build around the Forbes’ property if necessary, it has been obvious that Trump has been somewhat stumped by Forbes’ resistance to sell his family farm.

So last week when radio DJ Robin Galloway telephoned Donald Trump, pretending to be a real estate agent representing Michael Forbes, the Trump Organization was eager to talk to the man, who they thought might be bringing them a solution to the stalemate.

According to The Daily Record, Galloway told Donald Trump, “Forbes was willing to ‘stand aside’ and give up his land in return for an annual, two-week trip to New York for two.

Galloway went on to ask, “Is there any chance of doing a timeshare?”

Trump’s reply was, “I could do something like that. I’d look after him.”

Before hanging up, Galloway confessed to Trump that the call was a prank. Reportedly, even Donald Trump saw the humor in the hoax, recognizing the irony in the idea that a Scottish farmer who refuses to sell his land so that a timeshare resort can be built, would ever be offering to trade that land for two weeks in a New York timeshare.

Use this link to Scotland Real Radio to hear the entire phone call with Donald Trump.

The newest issue of TimeSharing Today Magazine, includes a letter from Lori Card-King, who is the vice president of Quality Assurance for Interval International timeshare exchange. Ms. Card-King is responding to a letter TimeSharing Today received from a reader who had questions about Interval International’s exchange policy.

My summary of both letters may give you more insight into the thinking behind policies at timeshare exchange companies and the viewpoint of timeshare owners who question the policies.

The timeshare owner’s position was that when she needed to cancel her timeshare vacation within seven days of the travel date, it was unfair for Interval International timeshare exchange to refuse to let her select another timeshare interval at a future date against her banked timeshare week. The timeshare owner acknowledged that Interval International not only kept her banked week and refused to let her make a future exchange but also charged her a fee for the cancellation. While the timeshare owner had no objection to paying the fee, she did object to having to forfeit all possible exchange against her banked week.

Interval International timeshare exchange’s explanation was that last minute cancellations often result in unused timeshare weeks because no one else is able to make travel arrangements fast enough to use the timeshare interval. II pointed out that they try to protect their members by refusing to accept banked or deposited timeshare for dates that are less than two weeks in the future, and not permitting exchanges with less than 7 days notice.

When you hear both sides, you can see that the timeshare owner and the timeshare exchange company each raise good points and TimeSharing Today did a good job of showing both sides of the issue when they printed the two letters side by side.

One option that was recommended was for the timeshare owner to purchase insurance from Interval International for just this reason. The timeshare owner also pointed out that two other timeshare exchange companies with which she had dealt, do allow you to still exchange for another week, even if you make a last minute cancellation. These two companies are: RCI and Donita’s Dial An Exchange.

In the past, I have listed the names of several timeshare exchange companies here on the Timeshare Owners Blog, but maybe it is time to do it again. The Timeshare Owners Blog does not endorse or recommend any particular timeshare exchange company, because different ones are best suited for different vacation patterns and individual needs.