Showing posts with label ARDA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARDA. Show all posts

Timeshare Big Contributor to the U.S. Economy

8/17/2016 Unknown
Owners and industry professionals are aware of timeshare's benefits to the consumers, but timeshare also has a huge impact on both local and national economy. The recently released report, 2016 Economic Impact of the Timeshare Industry on the U.S. Economy, from ARDA International Foundation's (AIF), provides impressive figures on the actual size of timeshare's impact.

"It is not just the vacationers that benefit from the timeshare industry," said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, in a recent press release. "This industry has a huge impact on local economies through jobs, spending by vacationers, and taxes."

Highlights

The report, conducted by Ernst & Young, illustrates that timeshare's influence on the U.S. economy goes far beyond timeshare resorts. It includes the sales and marketing offices, corporate operations, construction of new resorts and renovation of existing resorts. It has significant effects on vacationers’ expenditures during timeshare stays. Here are a few of the highlights of the report.
  • Economic Output
79.5 billion in consumer and business spending
16% increase over 2013
  • Employment 
511,782 full and part-time jobs
8% increase over 2013
  • Labor Income
$28.1 billion in salaries and wages
19% increase over 2013
  • Consumer Spending
$10 billion total spending by timeshare vacationers
$3.4 billion onsite, $6.6 billion off-site

Everyone in the timeshare industry has real reason to feel proud of these achievements. Not only does the industry provide millions of people a perfect vacation year after year, and many private sector benefits, it also provides substantial tax contributions that are a source of revenue for federal, state and local governments - $10.2 billion in 2015, a 21% increase over 2013.


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Youth and Diversity Top Influencers

7/27/2016 Unknown
It seems that for most industries, reaching youth and diversity demographics are at the top of their marketing efforts, and many think that millennials are the most important demographic influencers to reach. Even politicians consider it a primary concern - Ivanka Trump, a millennial woman herself, introduced her father at the convention last week.  Early in her speech, she emphasized that as a millennial, she doesn't follow the status quo, but votes her conscience.

Companies are eager to understand the traits of and quirks of millennials. Taco Bell recently incorporated a company feature at its headquarters called, "Millennial Word of the Week". The words are curated by a group of employees in their twenties. The purpose - to keep its employees up on the lingo of Millennials to better communicate with their young customers. 

Timeshare Reflects the Trend

Timeshare is no exception to the trend. Our industry is also reflecting a different age and diversity. The profile of the new owner has changed. Information from ARDA International Foundation's (AIF) newly released Shared Vacation Ownership Study shows that new owners are younger, have higher-incomes than current owners, and are more culturally diverse. Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, attributes the increase in timeshare sales (another positive in the study) to the new owners, "While existing owners continue to enjoy the lifestyle and purchase more timeshare, it's the new owners that are responsible for the majority of qualified sales".

What's changed?

  • Age: New owners are nearly 10 years younger than typical timeshare owners. Millennials actually give way to Gen X'ers here. Millennials, with a median age of 39 years, represent 30% of new owners. Gen X'ers represent 39% of new owners.
  • Ethnicity: Forty-two percent of new owners are African American or Hispanic. 
  • Education: New owners are highly educated. Seventy-two percent are college graduates and 23% of those have graduate degrees.
  • Income: The new owner has a median household income of $94,800 and disposable income to spare. Forty-seven percent made just a single payment to cover their purchase. Fifty-seven percent spent $10,000 or more on their timeshare.
  • Value: New owners are savvy consumers. They value long-term vacation savings and flexibility in timeshare. Thirty-six percent purchased timeshare to save on vacations and 31% bought for the flexibility timeshare offers. Seventy-five percent had some form of interaction with a timeshare resort before purchasing including staying as a guest at the resort where they bought or rented first. Before making a decision 35% attended multiple sales presentations.


Find more information at www.arda.org/foundation.

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State of the Industry: 6th Year of Growth!

7/20/2016 Unknown
The 2015 numbers are in and we are pleased to announce another great year of substantial growth in our industry! Here are some highlights from the 2016 State of the Timeshare Industry Study conducted by Ernst and Young for ARDA International Foundation (AIF).

Sales Volume $8.6 Billion

Sales volume rose by nine percent in 2015 from $7.9 billion in 2014 to $8.6 billion in 2015. That’s the second largest increase percentage-wise since the recession!

Timeshare Resorts in U.S. at High of 1,547

In 2015 there were 1,547 timeshare resorts in the U.S. representing about 200,720 units. The average resort size was 130 units. Occupancy rates were up to nearly 80 percent, a two percent increase.  In comparison, the hotel occupancy rate was only 66 percent. Vacationers are loving their timeshares!

Average Sales Price for Timeshare at $22,240

That's a nine percent increase over 2014. Howard Nusbaum, President and CEO of ARDA was thrilled with our industry's performance in 2015 and said in a recent press release, "Timeshare offers a flexible vacation experience anywhere in the world. And with over 70% of the properties being two or more bedrooms, families are enjoying the space for everyone to actually relax and the privacy for individual or group time while on vacation."

Interesting Facts Quiz

Here’s a quiz to test your knowledge of the industry and see if you know the answers to some of the other interesting findings from the study. Don’t look at the answers before you choose!
  1. What is the most common type of resort? 
  2. Which resort has the highest occupancy?
  3. What state has the most resorts?
  4. What state has both the highest average occupancy and highest maintenance fees?
  5. What region has the lowest average maintenance fees?
  6. What state has the largest resorts?

Answers to Quiz

  1. Beach Resorts
  2. Theme Park Resorts
  3. Florida
  4. Hawaii
  5. Northeast ($690 per interval)
  6. Nevada (230 units on average)

For even more information, see ARDA's State of the Industry infographic at www.arda.org/foundation.

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The Best Days of the Industry are Ahead

4/07/2016 Unknown
"The Best Days of the Industry are Ahead" - those were the closing remarks of Howard Nusbaum, ARDA CEO and President, in a recent interview with Shep Altshuler of Time Sharing Today Radio. The interview entitled "The State of the Industry" was mostly positive and addressed such issues as consolidation, the new buyers of timeshare, legacy resorts, and the effect of big brands on the industry.  Nusbaum says, "The 'Golden Days' of timeshare are ahead of us, not behind us and the industry is now on solid ground." There are currently 8 million timeshare owners domestically and another 3-4 million in Mexico. A worldwide study by ARDA to be completed within 6 months will show the total global numbers.

The Headline is Consolidation

Nusbaum said it's probably not surprising that the headline in the industry is consolidation, as large brands have been buying smaller timeshare companies for the past 15 years. He feels that consolidation is a good thing as we are a capitalistic society. The big brands like Hyatt and Hilton contribute to making the industry more mainstream, they are well capitalized and have the ability to "weather the storms and to grow their business."

What New Owners Want

According to Nusbaum there is a culture shift in the industry from 30 years ago. New owners are more diverse. Of the purchases made in the last 36 months, only 49 percent were Caucasian, buyers are younger and more affluent. They are college educated and own a home. Fifty percent have kids at home and that’s the reason they are looking for a better family vacation. The millennials in particular don’t want to vacation in the same place year after year - they want to see the world. 

Legacy Resorts

Altshuler questioned Nusbaum about legacy resorts and asked what was being done to help the aging owners and the piling up of inventory at these resorts. Nusbaum said the industry should work to "create elegant exits" for the long-time owners who may no longer be able to use their timeshare, or have no one to leave the timeshare to.  He stated that the ability to recycle inventory is a key to a solution for struggling legacy resorts. Currently, ARDA is working on tools to help legacy resorts. Says Nusbaum, "We have the responsibility to educate owners." He urges owners to contact him at nnusbaum@arda.org and says he answers all of his emails.

Negative Press

Another question posed by Altshuler was concerning a New York Times article about the hard sell being back and if in Nusbaum's opinion, it was still around. Nusbaum, who says he has been going to timeshare presentations for 25 years, doesn't agree. He finds now that the presentations are much more consumer centric. He says the regulatory structure we have that includes rescission has helped greatly. Also, buyers are more educated. The average person attends 3 tours before buying a timeshare. 

Nusbaum feels the big brand companies have brought in a new level of hospitality that has helped the timeshare industry. According to Nusbaum, there is an 83 percent satisfaction level among timeshare buyers, but it is the 17 percent dissatisfaction level that concerns him. We need to find out what happened to those 17 percent. Did they not understand what they bought? Could they not afford the timeshare? Did they not get the service they expected?  He indicated that possibly the negative press comes from people who want to profit from helping buyers get out of a contract.


For more information: www.tstoday.com
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ARDA-WIN Advantage Takes on Equity in the Workplace

1/13/2016 Unknown
Equity in the workplace is still a big issue in some businesses. Recent news has concentrated on equity for working women. ARDA-WIN Advantage will address this issue at its Orlando regional meeting January 22-23 at the University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management.  

Knowledgeable Key Note Speaker

Key note speaker, Ann Marie Sabath, president of At Ease, Inc., is set to ignite the controversial topic with her presentation, "Five Strategies for Breaking the Glass Ceiling." Sabath, with nearly 30 years of experience in business and government training, will share her insight as she presents strategies for advancing your career to the next level.  Following her presentation, Sabath will lead an intense one-hour power networking workshop.

ARDA-WIN Helps Build Success

ARDA-WIN is all about empowering women and others in the vacation industry. The group aims to advocate, educate and connect its members by fostering personal and professional growth through its focus on networking, philanthropy, mentoring and diversity/inclusion. 


Members Benefit in Many Ways

The opportunity to attend educational events like the Orlando regional meeting are not the only membership benefits. An important benefit is the chance to win the ARDA World Scholarship. This scholarship enables a WIN member to attend and enjoy all aspects of ARDA World. It includes registration fee, accommodations and tickets to special events. 

Numerous networking and training opportunities offer members real-world industry knowledge and access to the latest industry developments and trends. Members also have many philanthropic opportunities.

Register Now

ARDA-WIN members can register now online at www.arda.org/win/winregional.  You won’t want to miss all the other exciting events and networking opportunities including, Opening Networking reception, Interactive workshop – Equity in the workplace, Networking Luncheon, the WIN Boutique and a closing dinner with old and new peers. Interested in joining ARDA-WIN Advantage? Go to www.arda.org/win
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Looking Out for Owners' Best Interests

10/28/2015 Unknown
It's good to know that as a timeshare owner you are not alone. There are industry organizations that have owners' best interests at heart. Groups like the Florida Timeshare Owners Group (FTOG), The National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA), American Resort Development Association’s special owner’s group ARDA-ROC and Timeshare Board Members Association (TBMA), make disseminating information to owners their priority. They work to keep owners aware of industry-related news and activities nationwide, changes in the industry and legal issues that may impact owners, as well as information on industry research and ongoing studies to improve the industry.

State Groups

Most states have their own timeshare owner group. These groups are particularly important because each state has different laws affecting timeshare that may change from time to time and owners need to be aware of any changes. Their meetings often include legal updates and other valuable industry information. 

As an example, the Florida Timeshare Owners Group's upcoming November meeting features the head legal counsel of a Florida law firm whose specialty is representing owners who experience disputes or differences with their timeshare resort, the management company or the resort developer.  The FTOG meeting also has scheduled guest speakers representing various exchange companies who will update owners on the latest benefit options. Plus, Greg Crist, CEO of NTOA, will give an update on timeshare industry-related activities nationwide and the evolving future of timeshare.

National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA)

Another organization that owners can count on for valuable information is NTOA. Through partnerships with technology experts, they gather information and conduct studies of issues affecting the industry. A recent study resulted in data that provided insights on the latest consumer attitudes toward timeshare.  

Another groundbreaking study is in the works. NTOA's Secondary Market Solutions committee is working with the University of Central Florida to analyze and prepare data for the association’s first executive study on timeshare resale issues. These studies are made accessible to owners and others in the industry. 

Timeshare Board Members Association (TBMA) 

TBMA is a non-profit association dedicated to helping provide technical, organizational and moral support to directors of owner controlled timeshare boards. The group offers educational panels and meetings such as one recently held in Denver, which focused on the future of legacy resorts and how to help them compete successfully in a competitive timeshare market. The TBMA website offers a wide variety of information delivered through downloads, podcasts, reports on industry trends and more.  

American Resort Development Association (ARDA)


In case you need reminding, the industry's trade association ARDA offers a wealth of information on its website, from the latest in regulatory and legislative issues to questions about buying and selling and how to avoid scams. ARDA represents and advocates for the industry on regulatory issues, provides educational and networking opportunities at annual conventions, and ARDA-ROC reaches out to members with the latest industry news, market intelligence, trends and events. When was the last time you visited the ARDA site? 

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Can You Place a Value on Vacation?

9/30/2015 Unknown
The answer is yes! The proof is in the research. Over the past decade, there's been much research done on the effects of vacations on health, work performance, relationships and lifestyle. The on-going Framingham Heart Study found that there is a 30 percent greater heart attack risk for men who didn't take vacations, compared to those who did. Women who took vacations only once every six years were almost eight times more likely to develop heart disease or have a heart attack, compared to women who vacationed at least twice a year. And it's not just health risks at stake.

Harvard Business Review says your brain needs to take a break from work once and awhile. Taking periodic breaks helps you to gain fresh perspective and energy, and an engaged brain does better on the job!

Bad Things Happen When You Don't Take a Vacation
  • More stress is added to your life
  • Work performance suffers
  • Your relationships suffer
  • Your brain suffers from decreased mental stamina
  • Your overall health suffers
According to the latest news from ARDA (www.arda.org), 169 million Americans did not take their earned vacation days last year, AND 429 vacation days went unused in 2014!  You know you need to take vacations because 60 percent of you feel you deserve a vacation, yet 59% of you feel you are vacation-deprived. Take a vacation. If you don’t you run the risk of total burnout!

Good Things Happen When You Do Take a Vacation
  • Your brain becomes healthier and you feel happier
  • Strengthens family bonds and personal and professional relationships
  • Restores energy and improves your performance, making you more productive at work
  • Reduces the risk of heart attack and other stress-related illnesses
Owning a Timeshare Increases Your Chances of Vacationing

If you've owned a timeshare for any length of time, you already know that the timeshare industry promotes taking regular time off, especially with family and friends. Vacation ownership offers the perfect opportunity to de-stress in the resort of your choice, with plenty of space to spread out and privacy to unwind. In addition, there's a choice of 1,000 different timeshare locations around the world, and a substantial savings over regular hotel vacations. Timeshare owners save $18,160 over 18 years of vacationing with timeshare, compared to an average hotel vacation over the same time period. That alone is enough to reduce a lot of your stress!

Howard Nusbaum, ARDA President and CEO, states, “timeshare owners tend to think of vacationing as a necessity not a luxury, as a recipe for happiness. How do you place a value on that?"  Pretty easily when you include all the other benefits of vacationing too!

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Maneuvering the Timeshare Secondary Market

8/19/2015 Unknown
You're probably used to seeing a lot of advertising from "postcard companies" soliciting anyone looking to get rid of their timeshare. As timeshare popularity continues to grow, these solicitations stand out, because most owners are happy with their timeshare and are not thinking about selling. But, if this is a time in your life when you have a reason to sell, there are resources to help you maneuver your way through the timeshare secondary market, avoid the scams, and even find alternatives to selling.

Where to Start

The approved party line on the retail market is ARDA-ROC's Timeshare Resale Resource Center. Since its inception in the 70's, ARDA has offered information on the often confusing and frustrating secondary market. They have held symposiums, monitored resale companies and utilized industry leaders to come up with the best solutions. The Timeshare Resale Resource Center site can answer most if not all of your questions. 

First Steps

The very first step the site recommends is to consult your resort developer, manager or owners' association. Often homeowner associations or the management company have websites or newsletters for advertising your timeshare. They may also have a resale program or an affiliated licensed broker that handles resales. Find out how much past resales sold for, what was the commission, and answers to other concerns. And don’t forget the other owners at your resort. If they own weeks before or after you, or own only a small amount of points, they may wish to purchase more time.

Answers to all Concerns

With the Timeshare Resale Resource Center, ARDA-ROC is attempting to answer the concerns and provide information about all aspects of maneuvering the secondary market from buying to selling. Questions about what kinds of resale companies are around, how to prepare to sell and price your timeshare, how to know if a company offering to sell your timeshare is legitimate, and much more can be answered on this site. 

Alternatives to Resale

Don't forget that there are alternatives to selling - in fact selling is not always the best option to choose.  Consider donating your weeks to charity or philanthropic causes. Organizations like Send Me on Vacation, can make you feel good by making someone else feel good through a donation of a vacation to a breast cancer survivor. Give your family or friends the gift of a week or points, rent your timeshare, trade for a cruise, or check with your resort developer or manager about giving your timeshare back.

Continuing Research 

The National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA) is working on their first executive study on timeshare resale issues. They are partnering with Dr. Tammie Kaufman, a timeshare professor at the University of Central Florida, industry professionals and timeshare owners to analyze and prepare data compiled by the associations Secondary Market Solutions committee.  NTOA wants to help meet the need to educate consumers on how to buy or sell timeshares safely in the secondary market because of the problem of unscrupulous telemarketing and resale operations. According to NTOA more than 10 billion in available inventory sits idle with more piling on each year due to these scammers.

For more information go to www.ntoassoc.com or www.ardaroc.org/resales/ 
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Hark! What are Users of Social Media Saying About Timeshare?

8/05/2015 Unknown
Social media monitoring, one of the latest marketing tools, is getting much attention lately. One user is the timeshare industry's trade association, ARDA. As part of ARDA's Social Listening Initiative, the organization is using online listening tool Radian6 to monitor social media news from sites such as Facebook and YouTube, plus news, blogs, forums and more, to find out the chatter about timeshare. The results are published in the Hark Report.

Hark Report

How does it work? The listening tool monitors unsolicited reviews of what individuals are saying about the timeshare industry. Keywords, like "value" or "love" along with "timeshare" are searched and then run through a calibrated industry profile. ARDA then weeds through relevant posts to find digital conversations that reveal what people are feeling and sharing about timeshare. As a timeshare executive, you can use the information to adjust your marketing strategies. As an owner you may find valuable suggestions and answers to your questions.

The Tide is Turning to Positive

The feedback from social listening shows that the tide of attitude about timeshare is getting more positive. People are realizing the benefits of timeshare owning and they're sharing it. Here are some of the notable conclusions and relevant comments gathered from the data:

  • Timeshare makes vacationing a financial possibility for larger families. This was posted on the Forum Post, "We bought for a NICE and large enough space for our big family. We wanted nice, we wanted convenient, and we wanted LOCATION. We look at our timeshare as prepaying our trips. So is it worth the money? Yes, because we have a family of six, and are adopting again and my mom and her partner plan to join us on a trip or two. To stay in a nice resort that would hold ALL of us would cost a fortune."
  • Location continues to be of significant importance and there is still appeal in going to the same place every year. From Facebook, an owner posted, "We've loved going back to Maui every year. The kids love going to the beach and swimming at all the different pools at the resort. It’s just a fantastic."
  • People want to know how to use their timeshare after the prime "family vacation" years. Here are questions posted to the DIS Board Forum, "Still thinking about long term family changes and vacation needs as time goes on BEFORE purchasing. I have 2 small children now and know they will grow and change. Do you mind sharing how your family has changed and if you still enjoy DVC now? Would you do it again? Do you enjoy going without kids? Have you traded in to try RCI?"
  • Timeshare employees remain an important, integral part of the overall vacation experience for guests and owners, as unique and interesting people. From a personal blog, "I spent a couple of days on Kauai and stayed in Princeville because I could use a timeshare for free. I did no planning for this island. The timeshare had a concierge on duty, so I stopped in a couple of times to find help making plans for the day. Enter Kai—one of the concierges, and a Kauai native. She has lived all over the world and lives an adventure lifestyle when not helping people like me navigate their way through her island."
  • When people explain the benefits of timeshare, they consider it the best of all worlds.  From a Forum Post, "For personal travel, if it’s just the two of us or our immediate family, I prefer staying in privately rented condos or timeshares vs. staying in a hotel. I own a Westin timeshare and really love their resorts. I love that they blend the conveniences of a condo (including separate bedrooms and TV's, kitchen, washer/dryer, and grills) with the amenities of a hotel, such as a great pool, hot tub, tennis court, and poolside service. That IMO, is the epitome of my type of vacation."
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Timeshare Resorts - the Answer to Vacationers’ Need for Space

7/29/2015 Unknown
Timeshares offer the perfect answer to family or group vacations - space plus privacy. Owners and others in the timeshare industry already knew this, but the continued growth of our industry indicates everyone else is figuring it out too. ARDA's recent report, "State of the Vacation Industry: United States Study 2015", shows that the timeshare industry enjoyed consistent growth in 2014. Sales volume increased more than four percent to $7.9 billion and the timeshare occupancy rate of 78 percent surpassed that of the hotel industry’s occupancy rate of 64 percent!

Space to Spread Out

No one wants to vacation in a cramped space. When you are vacationing with family or friends, it's nice to have extra space and the ability to have some private time to yourself. Timeshare units are four and a half times the size of your average hotel room. VacationBetter.org reports timeshare units range from 700 square feet for a one-bedroom unit, to 1,160 square feet for two-bedrooms and up to 1,590 square feet for a three-bedroom. That’s a lot of space for family reunions and celebrations with friends!

Vacationers Love Kitchens

VacationBetter.org says 91 percent of vacationers are happier on vacation when their accommodations include a kitchen. Those of us who timeshare vacation know how nice it is to get up and make your morning coffee and breakfast without stepping out the door. Besides convenience, kitchens save us money too.  Using the kitchen to prepare breakfast, or sandwiches and snacks to take on outings, keeps your vacation costs down. Your beautiful resort is the perfect setting for celebrations, intimate cocktail parties, or barbequing the fish you caught earlier in the day. Use the extra money you’ve saved for dining out at a special restaurant!

Extra Living Space a Plus Too

ARDA's report shows that 61 percent of all timeshare units are two bedrooms, and in addition to kitchens, these units have living rooms too. That gives your family and friends much more room to spread out than the 350 square feet that the average size hotel room offers! 

More Interesting Report Facts

  • The most common type of resort—beach resorts. (No surprise there!)
  • Resorts with theme parks have the highest occupancy.
  • Florida has the most resorts—23% of the national total.
  • Nevada has the largest resort size—182 units on average.
  • Largest occupancy rate for a region—Hawaii at 85.3 %.

For more reasons to love your timeshare, check out www.arda.org/foundation and www.vacationbetter.org 
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Mixed Reviews from Industry Experts on Florida's House Bill 453/Senate Bill 932

4/22/2015 Unknown
House Bill 453 passed the House Government Operations Appropriations Committee on March 10, and Senate Bill 932 passed the Senate Regulated Industries Committee on March 11. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the bills - sponsored by State Representative Eric Eisnaugle, R-Orlando and State Senator Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland - make a number of technical changes to the Florida Vacation Plan and Timeshare Act. 

Is the bill good or bad for the timeshare industry?  Some, such as the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), take a positive outlook on the bill while others like Gregory Crist, CEO of the National Timeshare Owners Association, are not so sure. 

What the Proponents Say

Proponents of HB 453/SB932 say it modernizes state law. Senator Eisnaugle claims the updates provide protections for consumers, including giving owners more control to terminate or extend a time-share plan on a 60 percent vote. ARDA supports the amendments to the Florida Timeshare Act, stating it would:
  • Make needed revisions to modernize the existing timeshare statute to update new product structures (i.e. Real Estate Trusts) and how they will interact with timeshare plans. 
  • Eliminate a fee timeshare owners now pay twice. This would save owners approximately $400,000 annually. Owners would only be charged once per interest rather than per timeshare plan in which an interest is included.
  • Provide a means for owners in older associations to either extend or end their timeshare plan when the plan contains no provisions to do so.
  • Add detail to current multi-site disclosure requirements regarding the term of component sites. The term of each component of a plan must be disclosed rather than only the shortest term.
  • Add detail to existing substitution provisions limiting the amount a plan can be changed in a given year. Adds new provision that gives owners an opportunity to object to a substitution.
  • Revise requirements for continuity in the operation of a timeshare plan when there is a change in plan management.

The Opponents Say

Gregory Crist, CEO of the National Timeshare Owners Association, interprets HB453/SB 932 in a different light than ARDA and lawmakers. He says, "this is a developer-sponsored bill that strips away at consumer-protection mechanisms." He thinks it's good for developers who do not intend to comply with the law.  

In a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, Scott Smith, an assistant professor of hospitality at the University of South Carolina, responded to a proponent statement that the bill would remove property taxes and certain types of common-area expenses from a current 125 percent cap on annual increases in assessment fees paid by consumers. Scott said, "I don't see the logic in creating the exceptions that would allow greater increases. This would harm the image of the industry and remove one of the best-selling points for timeshares, which is that they are affordable."

Another concern voiced by timeshare owners and attorneys is a provision of the bill that reduces liability for timeshare developers if they make errors in contracts. "Nonmaterial" errors or omissions would not allow purchaser cancellation rights after 10 days. According to the Sentinel article, members of a House civil justice subcommittee expressed that there is no clear definition of "nonmaterial".  Patrick Kennedy, an attorney who represents timeshare consumers, expressed his concerns saying, "that kind of murkiness will lead to increased litigation."

Opponents also question the motives of some of the backers of the bill.  Those backers include:
  • Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. –  donated $40,000, supports the bill but isn't lobbying for it
  • Orange Lake Resort Alliance (Holiday Inn) – donated $10,000 
  • Realtors Political Advocacy Committee – donated $17,500
  • ARDA-ROC – donated $5000
If you would like to express your opinion, submit your views at Timeshare Info. For more information on this legislation, visit ARDA-ROC and The Orlando Sentinel.

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Look What’s Happening at ARDA World 2015!

4/01/2015 Unknown
It's that time of year again - time for you to update your skills, find out about the latest trends and best practices, make new connections and renew old ones at ARDA World 2015, the timeshare industry's top event. Head out to Florida's Orlando World Center Marriott, April 12-16, for an opportunity to meet hundreds of timeshare professionals from around the world, take part in numerous educational sessions, committee meetings and networking events.  Have fun at the ARDA World Kick-off Party and the Awards Gala Dinner. Here are some of the highlights:

ARDA World Kick-off Party

Opening day, Sunday, April 12, the event gets started with the all-day AIF Golf Tournament, followed by the ARDA Kick-off Party that evening featuring food, drink and games. The Kick-off Party is sponsored in part by ARDA-Win Advantage. The women-centric group aims to advocate, educate and connect its members with a focus on networking, philanthropy, mentoring and diversity/inclusion within the vacation industry. ARDA-Win Advantage will present its Winspiration Award at the casual event.

A Session for Everything

The event features so many sessions, we can't mention them all, but here's a few to get you interested. A hot topic right now, how to handle defaulted inventory, will be covered in a Wednesday session called, Defaulted Inventory, Inventory Recovery and Protecting Owners and the Association. Grand Pacific Resort’s Nigel Lobo will be one of the speakers talking about all the legal, regulatory and practical aspects of dealing with timeshare inventory in default status. 

Another session on Wednesday, Short-term Fever: Variable-term vacation products – Time for a new approach? Innovators like Tom Lyons from Global Connections, Inc. will discuss various short-term products for those buyers not interested in long-term commitments. 

Don’t miss Thursday session, Is Your Yelp showing? Led by moderator/speaker Robert A. Kobek from CustomerCount. Learn how to make your message more impactful through the right multimedia content.  

Find Your Committee

One of the more important parts of ARDA is the behind the scenes work of the committees. There are a number of them meeting during the event. These committees are not just for industry professionals, but they are also for owners. For instance, the HOA Outreach Committee will meet during the event on Monday, April 13. This ARDA committee works both to provide information about timeshare plan owners associations and its members. It also assists HOA Board of Directors and Board officers in their efforts to oversee or partner with a professional manager or management company in the successful operation of a vacation resort property.

Congratulate your Award-winning Colleagues

Kick back and have some fun at the Awards Gala Dinner and Entertainment event Wednesday evening. Be the first to congratulate the winners of the ARDA Circle of Excellence (ACE) awards honoring those that have attained the very highest level of excellence in the resort industry through their accomplishments and dedication.

Breakfast of Champions

If you take off early on Thursday, you'll miss an inspiring speech from Bill Clement, Two-Time NHL Stanley Cup Champion and Television Broadcaster. In Mr. Clement’s recent autobiography, EveryDay Leadership: Crossing Gorges on Tightropes to Success, he calls on readers to seize all leadership opportunities and transform the way they look at leadership as a whole.  So stick around Thursday morning and you’ll be sure to leave ARDA World 2015 even more inspired then the day you arrived!

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Continuing Education for Owners

3/18/2015 Unknown
Are timeshare owners aware of the numerous ways to get the most out of vacation ownership? Do they know and understand all the current issues affecting ownership? Dial-An-Exchange (DAE), a worldwide vacation exchange provider, thinks it may be time for more education - particularly since timeshare has experienced so many changes over the past decade. DAE recently re-launched an owner education program first used in 2008, called Vacation Education Series (VES).

What's it All About?

The Vacation Education Series (VES) hits the road with its program in San Diego on March 22. DAE is making it convenient for owners to attend VES by holding it where the owners live and not where their timeshare is located - San Diego has a large percentage of owners who live within a 20 mile radius. Sessions are designed to educate timeshare owners and potential buyers about the many ways they can get the most out of timeshare. Current timeshare issues affecting ownership will also be on the agenda and open for discussion. The informal and non-threatening roundtable discussions led by industry leaders, are meant to encourage owners to ask questions, participate and interact with each other.

"The Vacation Education Series was created and designed to offer timeshare owners vast resources that encompass all aspects of ownership," explained Susan Friedline, DAE Business Development Manager USA. "It is a forum to educate as well as update them on the current issues that can affect their ownership. We are excited to have the opportunity to talk to owners and learn more about their needs to continue to partner with reliable resources to fulfill those needs."

Topics for next week's San Diego series include the Future of Timeshare, Resales and Rentals, Know What You Own, Explore Exchange, and Advantages of Proactive Ownership.

Other Industry Educators

Other timeshare entities are also looking out for the best interests of owners with their educational offerings.

RCI
As part of its Affiliate Access Program, RCI offers a series of HOA-focused "Lunch and Learn" events where owners can talk with RCI representatives about best practices to get the most out of vacation ownership. These 3/4 day, no-cost information sessions are held in a relaxed setting enabling participants to talk face-to-face with representatives, ask questions, share ideas and enjoy lunch together.

American Resort Development Association (ARDA)
ARDA represents and promotes vacation ownership in various capacities. Its web site provides a wealth of information for owners ranging from updated legislative issues that may affect timeshare owners and their well-being (ARDA-ROC), to assistance and resources for HOA members (HOA Outreach).  On the ARDA site, owners and potential owners can find the answers to all their questions concerning ownership, and the latest news and research on timeshare issues, exchange tips, resale guidelines and much more.

The National Timeshare Owner Association (NTOA)
NTOA dedicates its business as a platform to advocate for timeshare owners, and to educate and help owners find answers to their timeshare questions and concerns.  Aligning itself with industry and community partners, NTOA offers a multi-media internet education center. In addition to their Feedback Page, its toll-free consumer helpline (1-844-ASK-NTOA) offers owner assistance with timeshare related issues.

Owner Forums
Timeshare forums can be a good place for owners to talk to other owners, share experiences and get questions answered. Many timeshare and vacation companies such as Wyndham, TripAdvisor and RedWeek all have their own owner forums.
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It’s February and Our Thoughts Should Be Turning to Romanic Getaways

2/11/2015 Unknown
At least that's what AARP suggests for the 76 million baby boomers. It's time to forget about work, stop worrying about the kids and plan a romantic getaway to rev up your relationship with your significant other. And what better month to start than the Valentine's Day month. Relationship expert Pepper Schwartz says, "a little getaway every so often revives connections and bonding and communication."

Romantic getaways offer together time without distractions

According to an AARP travel survey of the $120 billion per year spent on leisure travel, only a fraction of those 45+ took the time in the past two years to go on a romantic getaway.  Cost may be stopping some from having more than one getaway per year. For most people it seems getting away together is more for the ability to spend time together without day to day distractions. Of the 15% AARP surveyed, those who do travel regularly for romance, said that though they appreciated the bonding and togetherness benefits, sex wasn’t the top reason on the list. 

Different for timeshare owners—best of both worlds

It may be different for timeshare owners though. An ARDA-AIF survey of vacationers conducted by research group Leger, looked into whether or not couples were rekindling their romantic spark while on vacation. More than half of the respondents said they were not, primarily because of a lack of privacy (60 percent). The one exception - the timeshare owner - 71 percent claim to have more sex with their partner while on vacation (versus 31 percent of non-owners). When questioned further about what would raise their intimacy levels, 31 percent said a romantic setting or new environment and 29 percent said separate accommodations with greater privacy.
It’s pretty obvious to those in the timeshare industry why the survey showed the above results. "While people are vacationing with the family, they often stay together in one hotel room, and that makes it pretty difficult to celebrate the intimate, romantic part of a relationship," noted, Howard Nusbaum, President and CEO of ARDA. "Our owners don’t face this challenge, as one of the benefits of timeshare is the space it offers - separate bedrooms and plenty of private areas. Timeshare owners love that they can create memories with their families/children and also have the space for romance while on vacation - the best of both worlds!"

Just the two of you


Though we agree with Nusbaum that timeshare offers the best of both worlds, we still think that timeshare also offers the best opportunities for romantic getaways for two.  Think about the choices timeshare offers.  Timeshare resorts are located in some of the most romantic, exotic locations throughout the world - some of them catering to adults who just want to be alone. Secluded white sand beaches with turquoise waters still exist on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, or on many of the islands of the Caribbean. Opportunities are available for a cozy condo in Paris with views of the Seine and in close walking distance to romantic dining for two, or snuggling before a fireplace in a Breckenridge ski resort and luxuriating in your own private Jacuzzi. With current timeshare opportunities like trading and exchanging, timeshare owners have access to a multitude of romantic getaways at costs affordable enough for maybe more than one getaway per year. Even at the last minute and for short stays, exchange companies like RedWeek and ResorTime can help you find the right romantic getaway. Maybe it’s time for you to schedule your getaway.  How about February 14?

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Travel is Trending - Increases in Both Domestic and Global Travel

12/17/2014 Unknown
2015 is shaping up to be a good year for the timeshare industry.  Adding to ARDA’s latest glowing report that shows significant growth in 2013 are more positive predictions from travel industry experts of increased domestic and global travel in 2015. As the recession has receded, confidence in the economic situation has returned, and both domestic and global travel has increased. After four consecutive years of growth that surpassed the world economy by 1.5 percent, predictions are that 2015 should be an even bigger year for the travel industry.    
These 2013 travel statistics from industry experts, are helping to fuel the positive outlook for 2015:
  • 70 million international travelers visited the U.S.  
  • International travelers visiting the U.S. spent a record $181 billion on goods and services
  • U.S. residents took 1.6 billion trips for leisure purposes 
  • Spending on leisure travel generated $91.9 billion in tax revenue

Travel’s economic impact important to trade balance and job creation

Even President Obama agrees that travel is a significant influencer on many of his economic priorities such as the U.S. trade balance and job creation. This spring, Obama met with leaders of America’s travel industry at the White House to talk about more activities to spur economic growth through travel and tourism. Discussion included the renewal of Brand USA, a public-private partnership that has successfully marketed the U.S. as a tourist destination. 

Americans are keeping it domestic

According to a recent survey by Skift.com, only 13 percent of Americans traveled abroad last year. And of those who did travel abroad, more than 75 percent made more than $100,000 a year.  Issues such as as a weak dollar, high ticket prices, and safety, are some of the reasons Americans are preferring to vacation in their home country.  

International travelers 

On the other hand, the international travel market is growing rapidly, and many of those travelers are traveling to the U.S. America’s competitors in the international travel market were the first to realize the importance of travel promotion - the targeted marketing of countries to potential international visitors. In 2010, after losing ground to the important global market, the US Congress passed the Travel Promotion Act (TPA). That act also created Brand USA, a destination marketing organization for across the globe promotion of the U.S. According to the U.S. travel Association, Brand USA’s efforts has helped add an additional 1.1 million incremental visitors to the U.S. - an increase of 2.3 percent. 

Niche Markets are Trending

A recent article in Travel Age West Magazine reports that the new travel markets on the rise are experiential travel, upscale adventure travel and wellness travel. Hotels and airlines are incorporating more personalized services and the latest technologies. The cruise industry is debuting new ships that combine ocean-going and river cruise itineraries.

Sources:



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