New and Improved Features from TripAdvisor Enhance Online Reputation

2/25/2015 Unknown
This week's Global Networking Expo (GNEX) included a presentation by TripAdvisor's Mark McCullough, Senior Territory Manager-Americas.  Mark's topic, Online Reputation Enhancement and how several TripAdvisor features can protect your online brand reputation and help your business to grow. 

Just for You

One of TripAdvisor's newest features is called "Just for You". This feature offers travelers the ability to zero in on the perfect hotel based upon their individual preferences. It's easy to use - when travelers search for hotels in their chosen destination, they are given a variety of filters and tags to select their travel preferences: price range, location, hotel class, brand, amenities and travel style. The more the user interacts with the Just for You feature, the more it adapts to the user's individual travel preferences. The site becomes the default ranking. Just for You keeps adapting and improving its recommendations the more the user uses the site. It only takes three easy steps to complete a search:
  1. Select travel preference tags on the Just for You Page
  2. Search for hotels and destinations on TripAdvisor
  3. Write a hotel review to share your travel experiences

Questions and Answers

The Questions and Answers feature for the hospitality industry allows resort managers and owners to interact with potential guests before they travel. Visitors input questions of concern into the system such as: Is there access to high-speed internet? Do you have supervised activities for children? Do you offer a gluten-free menu? The resort is notified with an email that the question has been made. You can then provide timely answers with that personal touch that encourages the guest to come your way.
TripAdvisor suggests several tips for answering the questions. Those include: respond quickly to reach travelers when they are planning their trip, be brief in your response,  emphasize the positive - take no answers and turn them into something positive by offering help or an alternative.

Management Responses to Reviews

Another feature that TripAdvisor offers to the hospitality industry is a guide to adding management responses to reviews. A 2013 TripAdvisor survey showed that responding to both positive and negative reviews demonstrates to former and prospective guests that you are interested in feedback and take your customer service seriously:
  • 77 percent of respondents said seeing a management response to reviews makes me believe that the establishment cares more about its guests.
  • 62 percent of respondents said seeing management responses would generally make me more likely to book that establishment over one that didn’t respond.
It may be even more important to respond to negative reviews as quickly as possible. Be careful in the wording of your response. In a recent PhoCusWright survey, 70 percent of respondents said that an aggressive or defensive Management Response to a bad review made it less likely they would book the establishment again. Be sure to thank the reviewer, address the specific issue and highlight the positive. 

Mobile App


TripAdvisor recently added new features to its free phone app. In addition to its many current applications, a newly designed city overview page has city descriptions of worldwide destinations, enables users to plan day trips by searching for popular cities nearby their intended destinations, and search for accommodations near a landmark. Research shows that mobile apps with phone tabs increase instant bookings by 44 percent. 
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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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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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Know Your Self-Destruct Clause

1/28/2015 Unknown
The purchase of a timeshare requires due diligence on the part of the buyer. Before the decision to buy is made, the governing documents of your timeshare should be studied carefully. One often overlooked area of the documents is the self-destruct clause (also known as a sunset clause). Timeshare is not alone in this area, many types of contracts include a self-regulating clause for "what if" situations. For instance, in technology, contracts might address: how does a regulatory body adjust and adapt to ever-changing technological innovations? Or when does a product become obsolete? Timeshare has shown to survive the test of time up until now, but what happens if innovations in vacationing one day make timeshare obsolete? This is where the self-destruct clause in your contract comes in.

The Self-Destruct Clause

The self-destruct clause emerged in the timeshare governing documents of the 60's. Timeshare was a new commodity. The first developers thought they had something good, but wondered if everyone would still think so in 25-50 years. As protection, a self-destruct clause was written into the timeshare contract and continues into today's documents. It usually features a date in the foreseeable future when the timeshare would terminate, unless a vote is used to continue the timeshare form of ownership. 
According to The Timeshare Board Members Association (TBMA) there is no industry standard on the self-destruct clause.  Resorts have different provisions for due diligence, the need to obtain votes from owners and the need to comply with state statues concerning the issue. Your resort management should know if a self-destruct clause exists and what that clause requires of owners. Owners should be prepared years in advance of the clause end date, in order to provide the best possible outcome for all.

Research Study Will Look at Governing Documents

The TBMA considers the self-destruct clause and your governing documents one of the top issues facing timeshare in 2015. They’ve commissioned a study with Ph.D. Jeffrey Weinland to do an academic review of the governing documents and their impact on current owners and new buyers, as well as how disclosures are handled as part of timeshare resales. Many issues will be reviewed including what happens after interval ownership is terminated.  

Importance of Preparation

If your timeshare governing documents contain a termination clause that ends the interval ownership what does that mean to the owners? Weinland states that "it does not end ownership of deeded property. The owners still own the pieces. What they lose is their right to occupy a unit for a week. Instead they might all become tenants in common of the real estate and co-owners of the furnishings, fixtures and supplies."
A decision has to be made at this time as to what to do with the property. This is another reason timeshare owners should be prepared ahead of time. If owners and HOA board members know their options well in advance, they can make a more educated vote should the time come. Says Weinland, finding a knowledgeable professional can help "place a value on an ongoing business and also market a resort to developers who may convert it to a hotel or a condo, or raze it and build something entirely different."

First Things First

Weinland suggests some steps to help you to take control of the destiny of your resort:

  • Find out if your resort has the kind of clause discussed above and not one that kicks in after a disaster like a fire or earthquake.
  • Determine how the clause operates. (Is the default a termination unless the owners vote to continue, or is the default a continuation unless the owners vote to terminate, or is no vote contemplated at all and the only way to avoid termination is to amend the governing documents.)
  • Consult with professionals and establish a long-term strategy for communicating with owners so when the time comes you are in control. 
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Maintaining the Health of your HOA

1/21/2015 Unknown
If your HOA is currently not in the best of health, what are your options? You can always seek professional care by going to a professional management company. The advantage of this is the professionals have experience with many timeshare HOA's and the knowledge to aid you in just about any situation. They help you look at the big picture and can identify areas of revenue generation or cost savings that you may have missed. You can also do it yourself, as many companies do. It requires more effort on your part, but if you have a strong, determined HOA, here are some ways to start you on your way to a healthy new year.

Your Most Valuable Asset

Your most valuable asset is your inventory. Every strategy we talk about in this blog will ultimately help you to safeguard your inventory. As a quick refresher, inventory is every room night in every unit and ideally you want it consistently booked. What you don't want is non-performing inventory, those rooms that are empty and not generating any income. So what can an HOA do?
To move that non-performing inventory you could try appealing to owners with special promotions. Many owners are looking for ways to add an additional day or two to their stay, or a week different from their usual time period. Some HOA's use in-house rental programs, but if you don’t have the staff and resources to do it right, there are outsourced rental programs such as RedWeek, and ResorTime.  Or, you could use a professional management company which provides a turnkey rental program. Both programs are good ways to reach and initiate travelers to the value of timeshare.

Make it all About Your Owners

Your connection with your owners is critical to building the owner engagement you need to keep your operation healthy. Develop a strong connection with owners and strategies to keep it strong. That connection should extend to the owners family members and guests who, if their experience is memorable, could be your next new owners. 

Connect with your owners

Knowing what your customers expect and need is key to engagement. Your staff should be fully trained in a culture of service, where owners come first. This means engaging owners in conversation, treating them like family members, making them feel welcome and responding to their needs. Find out when their birthdays and anniversaries are, or other special events they might have planned so you can acknowledge them and perhaps provide a place for the event. Survey your owners and guests, ask for input on what works and what doesn’t. Keep them up to date on what’s going on at the resort such as improvements, new activities, and special events. Information can be easily transmitted through social media, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and emailed newsletters. Strong consistent communication with owners can also be used as an aid in preventing delinquency.

Communication is key to collections

Use your owner engagement strategies to prevent the collection process. A happy, and well-informed owner should never fall into the collection process. Make every effort to connect with owners who may be falling behind on payments. Make sure you have current phone numbers, addresses and emails of owners, and contact them right away if you have any concerns. Have a process in place for owners who need to deed back their ownership. 
Don’t neglect owners once they have caught up on payments. Keep the engagement. Follow up to make sure they’ve booked their use week or confirmed an exchange. If there vacation is sometime in the future, offer bonus time as a way for them to use their timeshare now. Keep the benefits of timeshare firmly in their grasp.

Keep your resort fresh and current


Last, but also one of the most important strategies for HOA health is making sure your resort stays fresh and beautiful, and is also a reflection of current travel trends. Be sure you are appealing not only to your current owners, but to the new generation of owners as well. Renovate rooms with the latest design trends, update common areas, keep landscaping looking fresh and make repairs on a timely basis. Offer activities for all generations to enjoy. Consider a waterpark, putting green, miniature golf course, or plan special activities both on and off site, such as wine tastings, guided hikes, surfing lessons. All the communication you’ve being doing with owners will help you to know what’s most important to them. A strategy only works if you follow it with consistency and are willing to adapt it when needed.

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A Few Points for GM’s to Remember Going Into 2015

1/14/2015 Unknown
As you know, we've had a lot to be thankful for in 2014. The economy finally turned around and employment rose. Wall Street set many records with the Dow and we saw rising forecasts in most areas. Timeshare ownership reached a record high of over 9 million U.S. owners, and there was new growth in the global timeshare market as well. The industry also welcomed new owners that are more affluent, younger and more diverse. What can industry GM’s do to help keep the growth going?

· Know that change is good

One thing is certain - we can't rest on our laurels now. The mark of a successful company or industry is to stay ahead of the game by continually thinking about what comes next. At November's ARDA-West Conference one session was devoted to the key attributes that tomorrow's product must have in order to appeal to future generations and drive the industry forward. Everyone agreed that that we cannot become complacent about our customers. Ours is a service and people driven industry, and we need to understand the needs of our customers to keep meeting their demands.

· Know your customer

Before you can offer the perfect personal experience for your owners and guests, you need to identify who they are and what they want. Today's travel trends include a more personalized approach to travel offerings.  Many owners and guests use their mobile devices for every aspect of their life. They share their personal information and look for travel information on their mobile devices.  This sharing of information provides a great opportunity to personalize the owner/guest experience - is your customer celebrating a special event soon, what activities interest them, are they interested in points and rewards systems? Use what you find out about your guests to help you to best meet their needs.

· Know your technology

We don’t have to tell you about how technology has permeated every aspect of our lives and our owner’s lives. Changes in technology happen rapidly. Every day there is a new device, new app, or a new program to aid you in tracking every aspect of your business from booking to marketing. Not only should you know the technology of your business, it's also important to know the technology of your owners and guests. Your resort needs to support all their platforms too. Make sure you are using technology effectively. Does your resort offer Wi-Fi?  How do you use technology to reach and to inform your owners and guests of your offerings?  Can guests use their mobile devices to check in?

· Redefine your sales approach

Another major point of discussion from the ARDA-West session was the realization that timeshare is a product that is never going to be sought after, so the sales approach needs to change. One of the best ways to change it is to develop a culture of transparency within the industry. The sales approach needs to be transparent and honest. Telling it like it really is, is not difficult because we have so many good features to share about our product. 

·Support your story with data

In a recent article in Hospitality Net, Kelly McGuire, Executive Director, Hospitality and Travel Global Practice, SAS, reminded us of the importance of backing up our story with data. McGuire urges us to "build and support the analytic culture and find opportunities to provide training, add resources or invest in technology that helps build the culture." She adds, "the point is not the data itself, but the story you tell around the data." And what a story timeshare has to tell!



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What’s Fueling the Values-Driven Travel Trend?

1/07/2015 Unknown
American spending and buying is undergoing a profound change according to recent studies of consumerism in the U.S. Where a person travels is no longer a reflection of status, but a reflection of that person's values. Travelers look for ways to connect their travel with people and cultures, and often hope to make a contribution to society while traveling. It's all part of a new values-driven consumerism that according to a survey led by social theorist John Gersema, is carried over to consumer purchases made in all industries.  The survey, conducted over the past 21 years, also shows a long-term behavioral shift. It looks like Americans are returning to the values-driven consumption of our society prior to the years of indulgent spending started in the 80's.

The Great Recession and September 11th rearranged our Priorities

Most travel industry professionals feel value-driven travel was triggered with the events of September 11th and accelerated by the Great Recession. Americans reevaluated what was really important to them and family reemerged at the top of the list.  Multigenerational travel is booming. Americans look at family travel as a way to strengthen the connection with those they care for, as well as an opportunity to celebrate and remember life’s special events. 

Timeshare Ahead of the Trend

Timeshare is perfectly set up to satisfy the multigenerational travel trend. Timeshare provides the ultimate setting for families to connect through travel. Resorts typically have accommodations that offer plenty of space for families to stay together in a comfortable home setting. They also offer a multitude of activities that families can participate in together, and specific recreational areas set up for special celebrations.

Authentic Travel

The term experiential or authentic travel is a term currently being used to describe an emerging trend in travel. Travelers want to get in touch with the local experience. They want a unique and authentic experience that allows interaction with the people and culture of the area they are visiting. As Joshua Bush, CEO of Park Avenue Travel in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, puts it, "the global recession in 2007 and 2008 made people realize it’s not all about collecting things and material wealth, it's about experience."
Companies specializing in authentic or experiential travel say it is not the same as green travel. Their clients want to concentrate on what they can do for a village or an individual rather than saving the whole planet. People want to not only interact with the local culture, they also want to do something to give back to that culture. Projects involving sustainability, education, and health and wellness are popular.

Should timeshare get behind Authentic Travel?

Though the timeshare industry has been heavily involved in green travel, authentic travel really hasn’t been something we have heard much about. One resort that gives its owners and guests an opportunity to experience a bit of authentic travel is Royal Resorts, a timeshare company with resorts throughout Mexico. The company has a Sea Turtle Protection program that rescues and releases baby sea turtles, and protects their nests. Owners and guests staying at the resort during the season from August to November can watch the release of the turtles. A true authentic experience would give owners and guests the opportunity to actually participate in the protection and release of the turtles, and afford direct interaction with the people of the area.
Should timeshare get involved in providing authentic travel experiences for owners and guests? Do you know of any timeshare resorts that are doing it now? Give us your comments at www.timeshare-info.org 


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