Showing posts with label The National Timeshare Owners Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The National Timeshare Owners Association. Show all posts

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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Vacation Ownership Continues to Lead the Hospitality and Leisure Industry

3/04/2015 Unknown
A first-of-its-kind study on behalf of the National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA) shows that vacation ownership (timeshare) continues its steady growth and is leading the hospitality and leisure industry. The study done by Intuition Brand Marketing is unique - for all of 2014, it tracked, analyzed and segmented all publicly available online social conversations about timeshare, vacation ownership, and travel clubs.

Sophisticated Software 

The use of SPSS predictive analytics software for statistical analysis of the relevant findings of the study data, also helped NTOA to make a prediction of the future growth of the industry. Here are a few key findings from the study derived from more than 500,000 pieces of verified content:

 Key Factors Driving Industry Growth in Global Vacation Ownership
  • Rising number of high net worth individuals and employed population
  • Demand for leisure and recreation
  • Increasing internet penetration
  • Improving global economic condition
  • Increasing international tourism in the US
Noteworthy Trends/Developments in the Industry
  • Enhanced buyer’s protection
  • Shifting profitability from hotel stays to timeshare buying
  • Growing popularity of eco-friendly timeshare resorts
  • Fast-paced recovery of respective industry in developed markets after recession
The study also analyzed the global vacation market, regional markets, and the US hotel and vacation industry, including market trends, growth drivers and challenges. Intense competition from many large, regional players personifies the present vacation ownership market. Quality, location, flexibility of usage and offered amenities figure prominently in the competition.

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation Leads

The leader in the global vacation ownership market in terms of revenue, number of resorts and number of owners, is Wyndham Worldwide Corporation. The company is followed by other leaders - Marriott International, Starwood Hotels, Hilton and Hyatt Hotels.
*For a copy of the report go to: www.marketreseachreports.biz/analysis 

*For more information on NTOA: www.nationaltimeshareownersassoc.com 
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Record Attendance Expected at GNEX 2015 Global Networking Conference

2/18/2015 Unknown
The Global Networking Expo (GNEX) expects record attendance at its 2015 conference and 5th anniversary celebration February 15th-18th in San Diego, California. Senior level executives from over 100 companies are already registered to attend the conference that GNEX is calling, "a sharp networking focused and debate oriented gathering of timeshare industry professionals."

Something for everyone

Known as the America's finest city, San Diego is the perfect choice with plenty of social venues to encourage networking. The city has year-round picture perfect weather, gorgeous beaches and waterfronts, excellent restaurants and entertainment, and is a loyal military city. As one of the highlighted activities, GNEX attendees will party onboard the famous USS Midway. Guests can sip a drink on the flight deck while admiring the spectacular views of the surrounding bay and city, take a private tour of the Admiral's Quarters, or take a spin in the 360 degree flight simulators in the hangar bay (preferably before you sip that drink).
Also expected to be a popular event during the conference kickoff on Sunday, participants will have an opportunity to drive exotic cars on the GNEX custom designed autocross track at a nearby stadium. Drivers have a chance to drive 0-60 in a little over 3 seconds in cars with price tags averaging $250,000 or more.

Time to learn too

Lest you forget that you are there to learn something—there is also a strong lineup of speakers with many important concepts to share. GNEX refers to its conferences as, "The Global Meeting of Minds" and claims to deliver some of the most open dialogue between industry leaders in recent history. Its concentration on networking has helped to create many new business relationships and strategic partnerships through an interactive, collaborative environment.

Session topics

Get ready for updates and information you'll need for a successful 2015 in sessions on the 2015 financial outlook, improving profitability through inventory management, and help with growing your business with online brand reputation. You'll also have access to a session that fills you in on the results of the 2014 Timeshare Owners Study, and another that provides updates from a panel of industry leaders on the best routes for industry growth. 
Improve your marketing skills in a session that discusses which marketing strategies work to produce membership growth. Or take in another session that fills you in on customer profiling—considered the future of all marketing. And much more.

Speakers

The sessions feature speakers who are industry leaders. You might recognize such names such as Fermin Cruz, VP North American Business, DAE, Elianna Jones, Corporate Marketing Director, staySky Vacation Clubs and Bob Kobek, CustomerCountTM Surveys. You can also catch Mark McCullough, Senior Territory Manager, North Americas, TripAdvisor, Jon Fredricks, CEO, Welk Group, or Gregory Crist, President and CEO, National Timeshare Owners Association. Just to name a few.

Don’t Miss It!



Don’t miss this opportunity to update your knowledge of the latest timeshare information, and enjoy getting reacquainted with your fellow timeshare professionals, and meeting new ones.
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Where to Find the Answers to Your Timeshare Questions

6/25/2014 Unknown
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a place you could go to get the answers to all your timeshare questions? How about a place where you could get advice about timeshare from people who are experienced in dealing with the issues…the owners? Timeshare forums for owners and potential owners are a good place to start looking for answers. 

Owners Supporting Owners

Inside these forums owners share their experiences about owning, selling and buying timeshares. Forums contain a wealth of information. They can be used to choose a resort or location for your next vacation, find out about potential scams and how others avoided or handled them, and learn about bargains or how to use points.  You can also find information to questions such as managing all the ins and outs of successful exchanging and making the system work for you, or issues on maintenance fees, or resort improvements, that are all freely discussed in the forums.
In last week’s blog, we talked about how important it is for new buyers to do the research before they buy, and one of the points listed was to talk to owners about their experiences. The forum is a good way to reach them and in the forum format, it may be easier to get your questions answered.

Where to Start

Many timeshare and vacation companies have their own forums and/or use social media platforms for owner communication.  For instance, there’s a Wyndham Owner’s Forum, Occidental Vacation Club uses Facebook for postings, and Trip Advisor has a Timeshares/Vacation Rental’s Forum. Other forums include:
  • The National Timeshare Owners Association: The National Timeshare Owner Association (NTOA) is a platform to advocate for timeshare owners, and to educate and help owners find answers and resolutions to ownership issues. Aligning itself with industry and community partners, NTOA has created a multi-media internet education center. In addition to their Feedback Page, NTOA recently initiated a new toll-free consumer helpline (1-844-ASK-NTOA). Owners can access the association for assistance with timeshare related issues and give feedback on great experiences.

  • RedWeek: Though you may think of RedWeek as a site to go to rent or buy timeshare units, it also contains several timeshare discussion forums. The latest forums cover such topics as point systems, timeshare exchanges, buying renting and selling, plus travel tips and advice, timeshare resorts and an open discussion. 

  • Timesharing Today: Another site for timeshare owners to share ideas, find answers to questions and communicate with other owners is Timesharing Today. The company states that it "offers its members independent, unbiased information."

Positive vs. Negative

It’s important not to let your site become a forum for negativity. Though it’s good to identify problems and work on ways to resolve them, too much negativity works against one of the purposes of the forum–to help educate others to the positive aspects of timesharing and help bring more members into the fold. Forums excel when they are used to provide a platform to bring owners together by sharing ideas and experiences, and providing support and protection for members.


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