Showing posts with label international timeshare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label international timeshare. Show all posts

Is Timeshare Popular in Costa Rica?

7/06/2016 Unknown
Breeze Private Residences Club, a timeshare resort
located in Playa del Coco, Costa Rica
One would certainly think so - just google it and you’ll see major timeshare companies such as Marriott and Wyndham featuring locations in Costa Rica, and major exchange companies such as RCI and II advertising their Costa Rica properties. And why wouldn’t it be popular - Costa Rica is one of the most stunning and unique countries, close to the U.S., and appealing to tourists, particularly millennials and families, because of its many offerings. 

Why the Popularity?

Everywhere you travel in Costa Rica, you'll see the expression “Pura Vida” emblazoned on billboards, resorts, t-shirts and souvenirs.  It's a common saying among locals which simply put, means "pure life", but it's more than that to the people of Costa Rica. The real meaning is more to remember to enjoy what you have, because there is always someone less fortunate than yourself. Life is short and we are all here together, so enjoy it! And there are many things to enjoy in Costa Rica.

One of the reasons Costa Rica is a top tourism destination is because of the vast diversity of its landscape. Its many ecosytems, range from rainforests with exotic flora and fauna, to pristine beaches with excellent surfing, and diving, from lush highlands that grow the best coffee in the world, to still active majestic volcanoes surrounded by gorgeous trails for hiking and mountain biking.  All ensure visitors never run out of adventures.

Something For Everyone

Millennials can find all the adventure and thrills that they crave - see the country from above by zip-lining or taking a canopy walk over the rainforests, experience white water rafting on world-class rapids, scuba dive, kayak, sky dive and pretty much any adventure aspired to can usually be found.

Families enjoy many national parks and attractions such as the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a private wildlife refuge where visitors can feed toucans, and hummingbirds by hand, release newly hatched butterflies and get up close to jaguars and red-eyed leaf frogs. A visit to the Poás Volcano in Arenal Volcano National Park is an educational experience for everyone. Visitors can learn all about how a volcano is made, and then hike up to the crater to see the actual caldera and sulfur pool. 

Popular for anyone are the abundant spas and retreats where tired visitors can refresh and repair mind, body and spirit. Take your pick of wellness retreat, holistic or luxury spa, featuring specialty massages, facials, yoga, aromatherapy and a soak in a hot tub or natural hot springs. 

Ideal for Timeshare


Since you need as much time as possible to see all there is to see and do all there is to do in Costa Rica, visitors usually spend more time vacationing, from two to four weeks on average. Often traveling with family and friends, timeshare is a welcome respite. There's enough room to spread out, kitchens to cook money-saving meals, a place to wash clothes well used from all the activities, and opportunities to mingle with other owners and renters to share travel tips and comradery. Costa Rica is a perfect place for timeshare.
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Britain Leaves the European Union - How Will it Affect the Timeshare Industry?

6/29/2016 Unknown
On June 24th, major banks took a pounding and stocks plummeted when the Brexit referendum passed. Brits voted 51.9% to leave the EU and 48.1% to stay. Naturally, our thoughts turned to how it would affect timeshare and travel. 

The Good News

The good news is that in the short-term the drop in the pound precipitated by Brexit will benefit American tourists. Americans can expect huge price breaks in the UK - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland this summer. That's according to a Detroit Free Press article that said, "normally Americans pay $1.50 per British pound, but after Brexit, the cost was $1.37 per pound, a 30-year low". British tourism data reports Americans make up 9% of all tourists visiting Britain and spend the most—= - 3 billion pounds in 2015. And it doesn’t stop there - the euro also fell after the vote. It now costs $1.10 to buy one euro. Most of Europe is now a good deal for Americans.

After the vote on June 24th, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) issued this statement, "Travel to, from and within the EU and UK will not be affected in the short-term. The Lisbon Treaty allows a two year period of negotiation once the UK formally states its intention to leave the EU and this period could be extended by an agreement of all parties. During this period the legislation around Travel & Tourism will remain the same."

David Scowsill, President & CEO of WTTC, said, "We are entering a period of market uncertainty which will undoubtedly put pressure on Travel & Tourism businesses, however we know that our sector is resilient and we expect business and leisure travel to hold up in the face of these challenges."

Affect on Timeshare

As of now, it doesn't look like Brexit will directly affect the timeshare industry in the U.S. The UK, however, is a different story. An April blog post from Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket®, a leading European timeshare resale company, outlined several ways the referendum could affect timeshare owners and travelers. It may have unexpected implications on timeshares UK citizens pay for in other EU countries. The currency fluctuations could also impact UK timeshare owners' annual management fees, the UK's free health care options for travelers and EU passenger rights and airfares.  

EU Timeshare Directive 


The WorldWide Timeshare Hypermarket® blog speculated that "the inconsistences between the UK and the EU on timeshare regulations may provide disincentives for UK consumers to purchase timeshare resorts outside of the UK". Before Brexit, "consumers were protected by the EU timeshare directive which benefits UK citizens considering purchasing timeshare in the EU as well as organizations owning, managing or selling timeshare. Now, owners may be exempt from the EU timeshare directive and at risk of losing protection, unless the Prime Minister secures assurances from the EU for UK timeshare owners." As you know, here in the US each state has a set of laws governing timeshare and they can vary from state to state. We wish the UK the best in this time of change.
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Different Countries and Different Timeshare Issues

3/25/2015 Unknown
Have you ever wondered how timeshare differs from country to country? Or maybe thought about purchasing in a different country?  How do timeshare issues differ in the U.S. compared to Europe, or Mexico, Asia or Canada? 

In Canada, for example, there are as many timeshare structures as there are First Nation Tribes. Buying a timeshare in Canada can be confusing for a U.S. citizen. Currently the Canadian Resort Development Association is working on making it less complicated by defining each structure and making it easier for developers, sales teams and most of all consumers to understand the differences. 

In Mexico, memberships are sold in "right to use" clubs, which only gives the buyer a temporary right to use the property. Right to use ownership allows the buyer to use the property for a certain period of time, and afterwards it goes back to the original owner. More of a club structure, there is no title or deed for right to use because there is no ownership of physical property. Mexico’s regulations and laws on timeshare often seem to change regularly.

So Many Structures

Understanding timeshare differences in countries is further complicated by the myriad timeshare structures that may include: 
  • Traditional weeks – owners buy their own week 
  • Condo hotels – a building operated as a hotel, but offering short term rentals, and maintaining a front desk 
  • Fractionals – defined by price and length of purchase, (usually at least one mont, tenths and up)  
  • Vacation clubs – classified as timeshares
  • Points based – instead of selling by the week, developers sell points that can be exchanged for time at a variety of resorts
  • Properties held in trust- legal document designating who will hold title to all of your timeshare interests after death 
So what’s a consumer to do?

First and Foremost - Know the Laws and Regulations of the Country

With timeshare's future showing more growth in the global timeshare market (World Wide Shared Vacation Ownership Report-ARDA 2012) it might be time to brush up on the laws and regulations governing timeshare in other countries.

If you are thinking about signing a contract outside the U.S. for a timeshare or vacation plan, know that you are not protected by U.S. laws. Your purchase is regulated by the country, or in the case of the U.S., the state in which your timeshare is purchased. 

In countries where timeshare has become a large part of the travel industry, specific real estate laws and regulations have been developed to protect consumers.  

Buyer Protection

There is protection for purchasers who experience buyer’s remorse. According to NOLO, each country and most timeshare purchase contracts generally contain a time period during which you may cancel the contract and receive all proceeds back. Make sure your purchase documents indicate the length of the rescission period of that particular country and clearly describe the procedures you need to follow to rescind the sale. You may only have a few days to rescind, so read the contract carefully and consult a local attorney if necessary. 


Just like making a timeshare purchase in the U.S, you must also do the research before deciding to buy in a foreign country.

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