Sharetime Magazine No. 1

The Magazine from the Timeshare Association

GREATER PROTECTION FOR TIMESHARE BUYERS Approved by European Parliament

WHAT’S NEW IN THE RESORTS Where the money goes

CARE

Our partners in the USA

Brought to you by

TATOC

02 SHARETIME ISSUE ONE

WELCOME TO THE MAGAZINE It is with great pleasure that I have the opportunity to welcome you to the first issue of the Sharetime magazine.

We have included a cross section of contributors but welcome your comments on what you would like to see featured in future editions.

When we launched our strategy in March 2008 we never envisaged the amount of support we would get from resorts, the Timeshare Industry and government agencies. For this we are grateful and look forward to their continuing support.

However, not everything has gone smoothly and we have had our setbacks.

In 2008 we announced the launch of the TATOC Resort Accreditation Programme with a plan for 50 accredited resorts during the year. This proved a step too far and resort accreditation was put on hold while the programme underwent further development.

The good news is that we now have four certificated assessors and the programme is going live during March. The first resort is in Spain followed by resorts in England, Scotland and Wales. Those who have indicated their interest in becoming assessors will be contacted in the very near future.

The Helpline has been in operation since January 2008 and will soon be based at our new office in Manchester. A report on the Helpline’s first year will be presented at the Conference in March and then for members on the website. The operating costs for the Helpline have been mainly funded by OTE as part of their grant scheme. It is important to point out that this grant is only used for the Helpline which is open to all members of the public not just TATOC members.

Without the OTE support we could not support the cost of this service.

2008 was also a good year for membership with 12 resorts joining us. TATOC was represented at member AGMs in the UK and we attended Industry Road Shows giving details of the new individual membership scheme. 2009 will see the launch of our membership drive focusing on the many timeshare resorts in the UK. 2009 will also see the launch of a series of modules designed to help resort committees on various aspects on how to be a successful committee person. Finance and Legislation are just two of many modules available. The modules will be available for download on the member area of the website.

My thanks to all the contributors and the advertisers in this first issue and a special thanks to our editor Colin Collins for his expertise and Emily Collins for her patience and resilience on getting it all together without resorting to tearing her hair out.

Thanks Emily!

Harry Taylor CEO

NEW EUROPEAN LAW WILL PROTECT TIMESHARE BUYERS TATOC welcomes tighter industry rules

Greater protection for timeshare buyers from rogue operators and so-called holiday clubs has been approved by the European Parliament. The new measures have been welcomed by TATOC and received widespread support from the resort developers’ organisation (OTE), consumer groups and government agencies.

Designed to give consumers better protection and confidence when investing in timeshare, and other long-term holiday products and related services, the new timeshare Directive was approved by 674 votes to 11 with 10 abstentions TATOC Chief Harry Taylor commented: “We support and encourage any action which assists consumers get the information they need to make an informed decision to buy timeshare. The directive will also prevent the fraudulent practices which have so damaged the industry.”

TATOC has played a significant role in helping develop the new legislation since the European Commission launched consultations in 2006. The association has commented on proposals at every stage, lobbied MEP’s in Brussels and in the UK, visited the European Commission and European Parliament and provided evidence to the House of Lords.

Says TATOC director Geoff Chapman: “From the very beginning our position has been that the major difficulties facing the timeshare industry and its consumers did not lie with the reputable timeshare product itself.”

Problems had come from: •

•

•

•

So-called ‘resale companies’ who preyed on timeshare owners promising to sell their timeshare for a grossly inflated price, taking considerable up-front fees – often £1,000 – and then failing to deliver a purchaser; Long Term Holiday Products (LTHP) and Discount Travel Membership Clubs (DTMC) carefully designed to by-pass the existing 1994 Timeshare Directive, thereby denying consumers the protection afforded to timeshare owners; Loopholes and omissions in the 1994 Directive exploited by companies getting around the detail and spirit of the Directive; Irregularities in how European member States had launched the 1994 Timeshare Directive, creating major anomalies that needed to be addressed.

What’s ‘new’ about the new Directive?

• • •

A universal 14 day cooling-off period with the right of withdrawal without cost during this period.

A ban on taking any money (deposits or payments) during the cooling-off period.

Whatever product they sell (timeshare, long-term holiday product, resale or exchange) traders and marketers must provide comprehensive pre-contractual information so that consumers can make an informed choice. This information must contain information and proformas covering the right to cancel.

SHARETIME ISSUE ONE 03

Timeshare marketing: The new Directive improves, extends and harmonises protection given to consumers buying timeshare throughout the EU. The timeshare product is expanded to include canal boats, caravans and cruise ships, excluded by definition in the old Directive.

the door on rogue practices where timeshare owners are invited to attend a meeting to sell their timeshare, but instead are subjected to misleading and aggressive marketing for other products.”

Codes of Conduct:

Trial packages, in which consumers purchase an opportunity to test the timeshare product (typically over a three-year period), are also brought into the Directive and will be subject to the same degree of consumer protection as the main timeshare product.

The new Directive recognises industry Codes of Conduct and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes. Companies can sign up to a recognised Code of Conduct and ADR. Marketing companies must provide purchasers with information on which recognized scheme they are part of, and how it operates.

Exchange companies are required to provide comprehensive information on the benefits available to members and the charges associated with utilising the product.

Conversely, marketers must inform a purchaser if they are not part of any such scheme. Codes of Conduct and ADR’s do not prejudice a consumer’s legal rights.

Resale Companies will be required to provide comprehensive information about the service being offered and will not be allowed to charge advance payments until the actual sale has taken place or the contract has been terminated.

Holiday Clubs:

Geoff Chapman believes this should stop the widespread fraudulent activities of ‘resale’ predators, restoring consumer confidence and allowing legitimate resale companies assist owners sell their timeshare.

The new Directive requires that “the commercial purpose of invitations to sales events should be made clear to consumers”.

Says Geoff Chapman: “This should close

The new Directive introduces a high degree of protection to purchasers of LTHPs and DTMCs. Companies will have to provide purchasers with comprehensive information about prices, discounts and all other product benefits. Consumers will have a 14-day cooling-off period during which companies will not be allowed to take any payment.

Such companies will only be able to charge for membership of their Club on an annual basis and not take payment for the whole membership period at the time of sale. Consumers will have a further 14-day cancellation window each year when they receive the invoice for the following year’s membership.

“We expect that full disclosure of the benefits (or lack of them), together with the introduc-

tion of a cooling-off period, will save many consumers from a regrettable experience,” says Geoff Chapman, Looking to the future, he says: “It is important to recognise that the task in not yet complete.

We have the ball on the five yard line but we don’t yet have a touchdown.”

All European Directives have to be incorporated into the national laws of each member state. This can take a considerable time and the Directive is unlikely to become law across Europe before 2010.

“We will now be focusing our attention on continuing the momentum generated by the adoption of the Directive, and pressing for Member States to transpose it into national law as quickly as possible,” says Geoff Chapman Consumer protection has already been improved by the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive adopted in May 2005 and now in place in Member States. This Directive prohibits misleading, aggressive and other unfair commercial business-to-consumer practices.

Chapman says: “It is widely recognised that enforcement of legislation in protecting timeshare consumers has historically been very poor. The new Directive requires that: ‘Member States shall ensure that adequate and effective means exist to ensure compliance by traders” and “provide for appropriate penalties in the event of the trader failing to comply.

These penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive’.

“We are hopeful that the tremendous benefits introduced by the new Directives will be accompanied by a greater diligence in enforcement.”

06 SHARETIME ISSUE ONE

MEET THE TATOC BOARD

Each elected TATOC board member contributes to the overall work of the association as well as taking specific roles and responsibilities.

In this and future editions, Sharetime will feature a different director’s business and personal lives. Board members are:

David Eastburn

Harry Taylor

Chairman/owner - Lakeview Country Club: takes major role in association public affairs & media responses

Jennie Thompson

Director and owner at Allanda Club: media contact relations & membership

CEO and owner at Diamond at Sunset Bay at Torviscas: operations of the association

Ian Hollins

Director and owner at Thurnham Hall: public relations and lobbying

Jan Tilley

Director and owner at Diamond at Pine Lake: development modules

Roger Jones

Director / owner at Diamond Resorts at La Quinta: development & monitoring key performance indicators

Geoff Chapman

Director and owner at Flexiclub: Helpline co-ordinator

Fred Crouch

Director and owner at Langdale: industry analysis

HARRY TAYLOR - CEO

Interview by Jennie Thompson, TATOC Board member

a few weeks there. We also have one week at the Royal Sunset Beach Club, Tenerife, and two weeks at the Lakeview County Club, in Cornwall 4. What attracted you to join the committee as it is sometimes a thankless task?

Way back, I was constantly complaining about the unsatisfactory state of affairs at Sunset Bay. My wife, Babs, told me to stop just talking about the situation, get on the committee and help to do something about it.

5. When did you become a chairman and on which committees do you now serve?

I have been chair of Sunset Bay Owners Committee for eight years and chair of Lakeview for one.

I became a Points owner in July 1998 and was elected to serve on the DRI Points Club board for a period of three years as a points member representative. Out of timeshare I am Chair of the St Helens Healthy Heart Support Group, being one of the founder members.

2. When you first bought timeshare, what attracted you?

I bought the Tenerife week because a friend recommended it. I actually bought without seeing it! But we are still friends.

6. What have been your worst and funniest moments as a committee member and Chairman?

The worst moment was a few years ago when I tried to help a Sunset Owner who was in serious trouble with her timeshare finances after the sudden death of her husband. This brought home to me the problems of resales and exit policies.

The funniest? Things that happen at AGM question and answer sessions concerning members wanting items put back into the apartments

3. Where was your first timeshare and where do you own now?

Sunset Bay was our first and we now have quite

7. When did you join TATOC? Sunset Bay has been a long-time member of the association and I became involved in 1998 as a

1. How long have you been a timeshare owner?

Since 1998 when I purchased a week at the Sunset Bay resort in Torviscas, Tenerife.

committee member and then served as treasurer for a number of years.

8. What makes you most proud of TATOC? That we are now being recognised as the leading elected consumer organisation for timeshare in Europe and the excellent relationship we have developed with the Office of Fair Trading, BERR. EU Representatives and the Industry in General.

It’s also gratifying that, after years of just talking but with little action, more and more resorts are recognising the benefits of becoming members 9 What do you want for TATOC in the future?

First, to increase membership; secondly, to make individual timeshare owners more aware of the help we can give them; and, thirdly, to work closer with the industry on problems effecting us all. In this last area resales and exit policies are top of the action list.

10 Are you a family man?

I’ve been married to Babs for forty one years and have two sons and four grandsons ranging in age from eleven down to three. Two are living in Queensland, Australia, and two in St Helens, in Lancashire.

11. What are your favourite foods, music and parts of the world?

Babs’ gravy and all her roasts are my favourite foods. I love stage musicals (Phantom, Evita and so on) plus new and traditional Country music.

My favourite destinations are Australia and the Western States of the USA and my top resort area the northern beaches outside of Cairns, Australia

OUR STAY AT

SCANDINAVIAN VILLAGE Aviemore, Scotland

The grandchildren started it. “We want something different,” they said. “Where?” we asked .

And one of them replied: “Scotland.” So North of the Border it was.

As we had to travel during the summer school holidays, finding accommodation at short notice was a nightmare. Fortunately, we came across a resort named Scandinavian Village, in Aviemore. It proved a “life saver”: there was availability and the booking was made. We told the grandchildren about Aviemore, about Scotland, about what we could see and do. But their greatest excitement and anticipation came when we told them they’d be sleeping in bunk beds. Wow! Something really different.

two small children of the same family. Certainly more than adequate for single occupancy.

The rest of the unit comprised the lounge, dining and kitchen area. Very compact, and somewhat different from those we’ve stayed in during our past timeshare vacations.

However, everything we needed appeared to be at hand as we all prepared for our first “cuppa” in Scotland.

Opening the balcony door, we looked out on to a well-fenced and beautifully maintained lawn.

This was to prove a really good play area for our grandchildren and the many friends they made.

At the welcome meeting, we were greeted with a glass of wine, children with a soft drink and all of us made to feel at home. A local tour company described the many tours available to us throughout the week where we would be able to sit back, relax and enjoy Scotland. The family decided on the daytrip to Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, woollen mill, Clava Cairns, and a side trip past the bridge at Carr-bridge.

We enjoyed the many moods of The Cairngorm Mountains; we took a trip on the funicular railway to the Top Station. ...It was cold up there and the hot food most welcome!

(Towards Aviemore, we noticed many Harley Davidson motorbikes on the roads; this, we found out later, was their annual gathering.)

Arriving at Scandinavian Village, our first impression was of cleanliness and tidiness, lawns well maintained and the shrub beds all in excellent condition. Obviously somebody took pride in their work!

Although Scandinavian Village has no swimming pool it has s a corporate agreement with McDonalds Hotels to use the group’s indoor leisure facilities next door. This was a boom for the youngsters as they used up energy either with serious swimming or just splashing around.

They also visited the large children’s playground next to the indoor leisure area.

At check-in we‘d been allocated a 1-bed unit, (number 44) and as we climbed the steps and along the walkway to our home for the forthcoming week, we could not but marvel at the magnificent views.

I think it would be unfair to ask four adults to stay in a one-bedroom unit of this size. Suitable, perhaps, for a couple or even two adults and

The resort offers peace and tranquillity, with so much space for children to enjoy themselves and for parents to relax, sunbathing on their private patios or balconies.

Finally we stopped at Culloden, taking our time to stroll over the battlefield,. With our imaginations left to wander, we couldn’t help but visualise the scene of many warriors and soldiers in battle on that fateful day, April 16, 1746.

With two stops en-route, we were in the Highlands, the grandchildren marvelling at a different landscape with water cascading over rocks down into gullies. This was their adventure, something different to tell the parents back home.

On entering, a cloaks area was on our left and next to this the bathroom, with a good shower unit and more than adequate fitted electric towel rail. The bedroom, on the opposite side, was smaller than we’re used to, with two single beds on one side of the room and a double bunk bed unit on the other.

Written by John Woodward

We only had time to visit a small area of this part of Scotland and certainly think, weather permitting, that we could find plenty to see for a much longer break.

Scandinavian Village has an on-going refurbishment programme. As we all know, this takes time and I am sure 44 is heading towards “the top of the list”. One of the drawbacks in the unit was the lack of cupboard space and we suggested to management a cost-effective solution to ease the problem.

As we like space, however, we shall be looking for a 2-bed unit when we visit next time.

We thought Aviemore would be very expensive, but a stay at Scandinavian Village certainly helps to give “value for money”.

SHARETIME ISSUE ONE 09

RESORT NEWS UPDATES CROWN ELECTS NEW MEMBERS

RESORT

By Rodger Jones, TATOC director and owner at La Quinta

FINANCING

Difficult times confront the timeshare industry as the world economic situation becomes increasingly uncertain.

The exchange rate of sterling against the Euro has seen a dramatic downward slide. In summer 2007 the exchange rates was around €1.47 to the pound. It then consistently fell to around €1.26 by the summer of 2008. The rate has fallen further since then, almost reaching parity.

The sinking fund, as I stated earlier, is used for refurbishment which maintains or improves the capital assets of the resort. Updated capital assets are generally much more efficient in the usage - or reduction - of energy with consequent reductions in power bills.

This fall has meant our spending money in Europe has been devalued by over 14 per cent.

And this is before any effects of inflation!

Consequently, going on holiday has become more expensive and timeshare owners/members are looking at their expenditure even more closely. This situation has now escalated due to the problems in the British economy.

Refurbishment also means that annual repairs and maintenance are reduced because there are newer assets at the beginning of their lives rather than at the end.

Because of these constraints, timeshare resort owners’ associations are facing tough challenges in trying to contain annual costs of products and services and thereby helping their members.

This is where the warning bells start ringing for a resort’s future.

The majority of resorts around Europe which invoice in sterling have been forced to impose supplementary billings to cover the deterioration in the exchange rate. The 2009 management fees will also be influenced by the rise of the Euro in 2008. We now have the dilemma of how to maintain a resort to the standards when it was first built while at the same time meeting members’ budgetary concerns.

The annual management fees of a resort are, or should be, made up of two elements: running costs and what are usually called sinking funds.

Running costs make up the bulk of fees and cover some repairs and maintenance. Sinking funds include all resort refurbishments that are not budgeted repairs. There must be no confusion here.

In times of rising prices, a resort’s refurbishment programme is the first to suffer. I am going to argue that this should be the last to be sacrificed.

Savings on energy cost consumption and repairs are not the only considerations for having and maintaining sinking funds. Resort owners these days are an aging population and therefore may be looking to exit their ownership.

If resort standards have fallen due to lack of a refurbishment plan the resale of weeks becomes more difficult and the resort becomes a wasting asset. As a result owners who want to exit their ownership may just walk away, leaving remaining owners with a larger financial burden.

To ease this situation resorts could look to exploit rental income for survival. But if rental income is sought then facilities of a sufficiently high standard are needed to produce the income levels needed. As resorts start this downward spiral their values fall - and higher running costs have to be met by fewer members. When the end of the resort is near a buyer may well be sought. But the price will be lower leaving less for the members.

Those who have ignored sinking funds in the past will find that catching up is more expensive. Costs will have risen over time and more work – and funds - will be needed to update essential facilities.

Without its sinking fund a timeshare resort cannot survive and ultimately the members suffer.

Jackie Collins from Stockport has been elected to the committee of Crown Resorts following the decision of Val Topping to retire after 11 years’ service to members.

Committee chairman Mike Hope reports the continued enhancement of the club’s resorts with the addition of an all weather pitch at Club Delta Mar and a new mini golf facility at Club Marbella.

Crown Resorts is one of the largest member-owned Timeshare Clubs in Europe with around 14,500 members, owning some 20,000 weeks.

The group has received RCI Silver Crown awards for all five of the club’s resorts on the Coast del Sol, in Spain.

UPGRADES AT QUAYSIDERS Refurbished kitchens and new double glazed windows and doors are being installed at Quaysiders Club, in the UK Lake District. The improvements to windows and doors will be completed by early 2009 and the kitchens by 2012.

Quaysiders Club general manager Ian Davison reports that 2008 proved to be a good year financially and “so far we seem to have avoided the current recession and the effects of the horrible 2008 weather.”

“This is not to say that 2009 will not be more challenging as we know and expect it will be.”

Davison has been general manager of Quaysiders for 18 years. The resort has had RCI Gold Crown status for seven years and RID for the previous 10.

Directors are Ronald Davison, chairman; Michael Ashcroft, vice chairman; Matthew Paul, financial; Alan Frost, secretary; and Alan Drysdale, vice secretary.

SANDY GREY:

SOURCE OF THE ‘CRIMESHARE’ WEB SITE The High Court in London has ruled that the self-styled chairman of the Timeshare Consumers’ Association (TCA) is the man behind ‘Crimeshare’ - a web site that has libelled many reputable players in the timeshare industry.

Alexander ‘Sandy’ Grey was ordered to pay substantial costs of the legal action, brought by Bob Trotta, founder and chairman of Resort Properties. Mr Justice Eady ordered that Grey pay Mr Trotta’s costs in proving his responsibility for publication with £25,000 to be paid within 21 days of the court judgement.

Under the name ‘Crimeshare – Timeshare Frauds and Scams,’ the web site appeared under all five of the domain names that formed the basis of the High Court case.

It included personal attacks against employees and directors of timeshare companies as well as so-called ‘black lists’ incriminating reputable timeshare firms.

Over the past five years Grey had denied he was behind the sites and signed court documents verifying his denials.

More than 200 companies were ‘blacklisted’ by Grey including RCI, the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE) and the American Resort Development Association (ARDA).

Legal victory for Bob Trotta over TCA’s Sandy Grey With five resorts in Tenerife and other interests in Malta and Italy, Bob Trotta has been a leading pioneer of timeshare in Europe.

After the judgement, OTE expressed concern about the legitimacy of a number of private organisations, set up around Europe purportedly to provide consumer advice on timeshare.

The High Court recognised he had undertaken a “painstaking exercise” to collate substantial witness and expert evidence to reveal Sandy Grey was behind the ‘Crimeshare’ web site and other related sites.

“These companies have absolutely no link to the industry or any government authority,” said secretary general Peter Van der Mark.

“We would advise consumers to exercise caution in dealing with any organisation that refers to the so-called ‘Crimeshare’ blacklist, Mr Grey or the TCA.”

Having signed false “statements of truth” on Court documents, it was clear Grey had showed contempt for the court and due process in continuing his denial of any involvement with the web site.

Almost a decade ago, OTE tried to establish cooperation with the TCA but Grey personally rejected the offer. From the High Court judgement, it now appears that for a number of years Grey has been responsible for the publication of a web site that contained serious and defamatory allegations about many of the leading brands in the European timeshare industry.

Mr Trotta said: “Over the years Sandy Grey has gone to great lengths to hide his involvement with the ‘Crimeshare’ web site which has been the main source of false and scare-mongering allegations about the timeshare industry.”

“He has finally been proved to be responsible for this web site by the High Court and exposed for the liar that he is.”

Following the recent judgement of the English court, Mr Trotta dropped the remainder of his libel action against Grey. Mr Trotta said that he wanted to deny him the oxygen of publicity which Grey clearly craved.

In the past Grey has been a regular media commentator on timeshare issues. As the publisher of damaging allegations against numerous individuals and companies, he was, apparently, endeavouring to create a negative connotation to the word ‘timeshare’ and a demand for his own services as an ‘industry expert’.

According to a former TCA committee member: “Sandy Grey pretends he is talking on behalf of the consumer and an association but all of the views he promotes are simply his own.”

He added: “Mr Grey appears on television and radio painting a very dull and bleak picture of timeshare and throwing out figures that are completely made up.”

Footnote: In the litigation Grey said that the TCA was funded by consumer donations and income from a premium rate telephone line for out-of-hours advice. There has long been unsubstantiated speculation that Grey makes commissions on re-sales from companies he ‘recommends’ to consumers, presumably in exchange for not being named on his ‘Crimeshare’ blacklist. Grey denies these rumours.

Spanish police close re-sale firms, 15 arrested Police have shut down three re-sale companies on the Costa del Sol. Some 15 arrests were made.

The companies are: FH Publishing, Fleet Holiday Properties and Parker & Co. Management.

DIAMONDRESORTS New facilities, services Diamond Resorts International® (DRI) is one of the largest vacation ownership companies in the world. With global headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada, the group controls nearly 150 branded and affiliated resorts with more than 23,000 guest beds. Resorts are situated in 21 countries throughout the continental United States and Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

Diamond’s stated philosophy is to offer simplicity, choice and comfort to its more than 380,000 owners and members. With more than 5,500 team members worldwide, the group is dedicated to providing guests with effortless and relaxing vacation experiences every time.

For a lifetime. be completed in 2009. All accommodation now has air conditioning. To comply with DDA law, two lifts have been installed for easy access to reception and other areas.

Both swimming pools at Los Amigos Beach Club have been refurbished and adapted to Spanish law. New sub-beds have been purchased.

At Club del Carmen, reparation of the children’s pool has been completed, kitchen light fittings including extractor fan on/off switches have been replaced and terrace furniture upgraded.

Telephones have been installed in all accommodation at White Sands Beach Club and the reception now has a switchboard. A new coin-operated Internet kiosk has been installed in reception and Wi-Fi coverage extended.

A new crazy golf course has been built at Jardines del Sol and all public areas re-painted.

Restaurant furniture has been replaced and a cactus/aloe garden is to be created shortly.

Handrails have been placed in the terraces of six accommodation and roofs have been repainted.

Improving and updating facilities and services is a key policy, and in 2008 the company carried out a considerable amount of refurbishment and building work at many of its European resorts. A summary of improvements made at their Spanish resorts includes:

The reception area at Royal Sunset Beach Club has been renovated. Bamboo and latticework have been removed and the reception area repainted in shades of white and cream. Sofas and chairs have been upholstered and curtains and drapes replaced. An area has been created to facilitate internet and Wi-Fi users.

Some 200 luxurious new sun beds have been purchased and refurbishment of 18 apartments completed.

Canary Islands

Air conditioning has been installed in the restaurant and bar area. For the cooler winter months, patio heaters have been installed on the terrace areas.

At Cala Blanca, the pool and pool area have been refurbished, including new lighting. At Royal Tenerife Country Club, air conditioning has been installed in six one-bedroom and five two-bedroom accommodation. Work on ten more is underway.

At Santa Barbara Golf and Ocean Club, five DDA apartments have been refurbished, including air-conditioning and soft furnishings.

The reception area has been upgraded, general lighting improved, new sub-beds and parasols provided, and six elevators updated.

The whole Sunset View Club resort has been repainted and gardens updated while at Sunset Harbour Club the reception and lounge area have been fully redecorated. Nearly all accommodation now has air conditioning.

Royal Oasis Club at Benal Beach now benefits from a refurbished luggage room which now also serves as a courtesy room with a small kitchen as well as disabled friendly shower facilities and bathroom. Refurbishment of the final 16 accommodation has been completed.

Most Sunset Bay Club accommodation has had living rooms re-painted. A large number now have high-quality terrace tables, chairs, parasols and sun-beds. This replacement programme will

At Sahara Sunset, the main swimming pool facilities have been renovated, common areas have been repainted and new sun-beds purchased.

Resort grounds have been considerably improved resulting in better views from much accommodation.

Balearics At White Sands Country Club, a new table tennis area has been developed and communal pathways around the pool and main entrance have been re-tiled.

The entire water supply pipes to blocks one and two have been renewed.

The long-awaited disabled friendly accommodation at Garden Lago has been refurbished according to local regulations. The children’s play area now has new swings, a slide and a special 80-square meter soft fall surface to comply with official safety guidelines. For guest security, nine CCTV cameras have been installed at all entrances and the reception area and the resort’s TV system totally revamped.

Wi-Fi Internet connection is now available on part of the second floor lounge area and in reception.

At Cala de Mar, a DDA accommodation meeting official requirements has been constructed, the exterior of block 3 re-painted and the pool emptied for essential maintenance. Internet and Wi-Fi connections are now available in reception, part of the bar restaurant area and in all accommodation.

...and in Potugal The Vilar do Golf coffee shop has been refurbished and walls extended to provide better views. There are new parasols in the exterior of reception and security gates have been installed at the swimming pool entrances.

RESALE ROGUES WHO CHEAT OWNERS

SHARETIME ISSUE ONE 13

Rogue resale companies who prey on timeshare owners are consistently the highest area of concern to TATOC executives.

Each month up to 40 different rogue companies contact timeshare owners claiming they have buyers for their weeks and requesting security deposits of around £1,000 a sale. Alternatively, they invite or require owners to attend a meeting to receive an offer to buy which subsequently turns into an aggressive sales pitch.

To combat these problems, TATOC has established a help line for consumers designed to provide a speedy, well informed, professional, information and assistance service of genuine benefit to consumers.

Already more that 5,000 telephone enquiries and complaints have been received together with around 500 e-mails. A smaller number of consumers have also written to the association.

CARE – the Co-operative Association of Resort Exchangers - is a trade association based in the USA. Established in 1985 by representatives of timeshare resorts, they believed that by exchanging weeks of inventory among themselves rather than through third parties, they were better able to satisfy their owners.

CARE is not an exchange company. It does not own or control inventory or guarantee fulfilment of requests. Rather it provides a networking platform that offers the tools for individual resorts to enhance the products and services they offer to their clients while adhering to a Code of Standards and Ethics.

TATOC produces a monthly statistical analysis which forms the basis of meetings and discussions with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR - formerly the department of Trade and Industry DTI).

Today, CARE member companies currently offer 2,500 vacation properties and service approximately one million holiday owners and members. Now an international organisation, there are members throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia.

“The help-line has had a tremendous response with a large number of consumers expressing their thanks for the help and information.” reports TATOC director Geoff Chapman.

In 2008, CARE undertook a programme to select a software provider that would assist members in matching inventory to requests.

Merlin Software was chosen and BETA testing of the programme has started with the launch set for spring 2009 at the American Resort Developers conference.

To assist timeshare owners who contact the help-line and to give general information and assistance to consumers via the TATOC website, a portfolio of Timeshare Guides has been produced covering the major areas of enquiry and complaint.

The TATOC helpline: 0845 230 2430 Says Jan Tilley, TATOC board member and timeshare owner NEVER give money to anybody who cold calls you and certainly never pay any funds “up front”.

This warning to timeshare owners comes from the TATOC Board following a spate of scams that have left many timeshare owners seriously out of pocket.

In the last months many owners have received cold calls relating to claims for money paid to loyalty schemes. These calls, “says TATOC, “are likely to be a scam and we suggest you have nothing to do with them.”

If a resort has gone into liquidation and

The Timeshare Association’s link with CARE began in 1999 when a US team attended and spoke at the 1999 TATOC conference. CEO Harry Taylor was very impressed by the organisation and how members worked together for the benefit of owners.

money is due to owner/members, the appointed liquidator would either write directly to affected clients or put adverts in suitable newspapers or magazines.

It is our belief that bona fide lawyers would not cold call you and would not ask for money upfront.

Another scam involves a telephone caller asking owners to pay a £3,000 holding fee as part of another reclaim scheme. After a few days the caller rings again and says that the money has not arrived – and asking that the funds be sent to another bank.

There follows another call asking for the money to be sent to yet another account – and to send it by Western Union.

In 2000, TATOC attended the CARE Fall Conference in Utah and was well received.

Since then, further conference attendances have resulted in CARE becoming a member of TATOC and TATOC members benefiting from the exchanges organised through CARE members.

In September 2008, Harry Taylor attended the Fall Conference in Denver and the joint venture with CARE continues to be mutually beneficial.

“Competitors in the same business but all working together in harmony for the same cause: the benefit of timeshare owners”.

This was association CEO Harry Taylor’s verdict on the US-based CARE organisation conference held in Denver, Colorado, USA. Business sessions began with each delegate outlining his or her organisation’s activities and suggesting how each could co-operate.

Speaking on behalf of TATOC, Taylor stated that the US timeshare industry was different from that in Europe. He was not used to being in the same room full of people who were competitors in the same business yet were all working happily together for the same cause.

“This,” he said, “touched my heart.”

RESORT NEWS

The second highest complaint category are the marketing activities of companies selling non-timeshare ‘holiday packs’, Discount Travel Membership Clubs or so-called ‘bonus holiday week’ offers.

SUITE LUXURY AT WOODFORD BRIDGE The eight luxurious Club Suites in the 15th century thatched building have been completely refurbished.. Original features have been preserved where possible retaining the character of the property . A new heating system has been installed in 57 lodges replacing the outdated night storage heating. The resort paths and steps have been the subject of ongoing works. Many steps and paths have been made easier to negotiate and safer. Works will continue int 2009.

The showers in the on-site leisure centre have been replaced.

14 SHARETIME ISSUE ONE

DOES YOUR RESORT NEED A HEALTH CHECK? Since leaving RCI in 2007, respected industry professionals Andrew Berry and Beverley Hoyle have set up a specialist consultancy and advisory service in partnership with the Pepper Corporation working within the timeshare, fractional, hospitality and shared ownership industry.

Based in Central London, The Pepper Corporation is both a consultancy and marketing agency with around 35 employees and has been operating for just over 10 years.

Andrew and Beverley understand the timeshare market and the challenges that owner-managed resorts currently face. They understand resort operations including financial management and budgeting, owner services and reservations, sales and marketing for weeks and points and all aspects of resort activities.

By using this in-depth knowledge they are able to undertake a Resort Health Check, a one-stop independent service to review resorts and make recommendations for their future success.

How does it work?

The approach is to make a thorough review of all aspects of a resort’s management and make recommendations that will help the resort operate more efficiently, thereby keeping management fee increases to a minimum.

How will they do it?

To carry out the check, Andrew and Beverley personally visit the resort for an overnight stay and take between one and two full days to undertake a thorough audit. Once all the

information is gathered they prepare a current status and recommendation report including but not exclusive to: •

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A review and comments on the current budget for operational costs, including a future recommendation on management fees Calculation and projection of the managment fee position for the next five years taking into account all increases and projected decreases in the owner base.; Potential cost savings that can be derived by restructuring the resort;.

A review and summary of exchange capability, identifying potential improvements that could be made by the resort and the owner base.; Generation of income from unsold and sold inventory if opportunities exist.; and A review and report on any current sales activity (if any).

The report and recommendations are guaranteed to be complete within seven working days of the visit. The Pepper Corporation is also able to work on the implementation plan for the resort to follow or indeed run the plan on behalf of the owners committee or board.

The Cost The cost fully inclusive of all preparation, a full on-site inspection including a workshop with committee members if appropriate, and the resort’s full and comprehensive action plan is £2,500 plus VAT. Implementation activity is also available from £750 plus VAT. It is anticipated, however, that the resort could carry out most of the action items direct - with guidance.

The Health Check service was launched in November 2008. As a special offer to resorts, Pepper - in association with TATOC - will offer the first member resort to sign up for a Health Check by March 6, 2009, a special fee of £999.00.

For further information please email: Beverley.hoyle@peppercorp.com or telephone: 0207 479 4500.

Biographies Beverley has over 20 years business experience and has extensive Pan European B2B, sales, marketing and client management experience primarily in the travel, leisure and hospitality sector. Up to March 2007 Beverley was responsible for the sales and operational management of all B2B activity for RCI. Prior to this she worked for five years for American Express Europe and before that with Radisson Edwardian rising to sales director for Europe.

Andrew has over 15 year’s senior level consulting experience in leisure real estate development, management and operation. Recruited from Group RCI he was managing director of the European division of NorthCourse Leisure Real Estate, focussing on strategic planning, market research and feasibility analysis for timeshare and other shared ownership products.

He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Is your Committee being lean and mean?

RFS offers flexible & cost effective solutions to:

· · ·

Collection Credit Card Facilities Currency transfers

Resort Fiduciary Services Ltd Other financial services and facilities are available, for further information please contact RFS directly on: 01234 888777 or by email at: andrew@resourcess.co.uk

RESORT NEWS BROOME PARK EXPANDS LEISURE FACILITIES

By Brian Folley,Travel writer and industry A new leisure complex has been completed at Broome Park, in the UK. It comprises an indoor heated pool, sauna, gymnasium, sun shower, disabled changing facilities and three squash courts all finished to a superb standard.

New stereos have been added to accommodation units along with replacement washing machines and combined tumble dryers.

Facilities to the ground floor of the mansion house have been upgraded including flat screen television to the bar, new commercial flooring laid, emergency lighting upgraded, French polishing to fixtures and fittings and plants added for extra detail.

The commercial kitchen and golf course cafe have both received an extensive refurbishment and continue to offer an improved environment to produce and maintain a high quality food and beverage operation.

DINING IN A NEW LIGHT AT LE CLUB MOUGINS The restaurant dining room and bar areas at this French resort have now been completely refurbished. All the furniture has been replaced and the room repainted.

The ceiling has been refitted and the new light fixtures include now some low consumption bulbs.

The installation of an Internet kiosk in the lounge has been added to our existing WIFI offer.

Resort landscaping has been reviewed with the replacement of the main entrance trees.

MOVES TO NEW OFFICES TATOC has now moved into its new offices in central Manchester.

The move to Manchester has proved to be very successful, providing a central location for visitors.

The office is located just a five-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly trains station.

The office is managed by new member of staff Anna Vinogradova. Degree educated and currently studying for an MSC in HR Management and Industrial Relations, Anna was at one time member of an award-winning belly dancing trio in the Baltic States.

TOUGH YEAR AHEAD

By BRIAN FOLLEY Travel writer and industry expert

NEW RESORTS PLANNED, BUT OWNERS STILL SET TO MAKE HOLIDAY VISITS Timeshare professionals are gearing up for a tough year. Currently most will acknowledge that at best sales are flat -- the whole situation aggravated by the economic downturn and credit crunch.

However, there is some good news. Recent surveys indicate that timeshare owners are reluctant to forgo holidays they have already paid for. Instead they will economise in other ways - reducing the times they eat out and deferring plans to buy big-ticket items like a car, television or refrigerator.

Defying economic trends, other companies have opened, or are planning, new projects. One entrepreneur, American billionaire Donald Trump, hopes to begin construction in the spring of a £1billion golf resort, north of Aberdeen.

Endorsed by the Scottish government, the development will include 950 timeshare units, residential homes, a luxury hotel, two championship golf courses and clubhouse.

Seasons Holidays is another company bucking the economic freefall. Last year it concluded a £5million redevelopment of its property Whitbarrow Village Resort in the Lake District.

Key features include 33 additional luxury suites, a refurbished pool and gymnasium plus a new bar and restaurant.

Also, a series of city centre acquisitions is underway – the first being the County Hotel in historic Bath, on offer as a fractional holiday investment. It is available for short breaks at special rates to members of the Seasons club.

In 2009 the Sol Meliá Vacation Club is focusing on expansion in Europe. Last summer it opened its first timeshare property in Tenerife, its fourth in the Canary Islands. Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora has 200 one- and two-bedroom

units, lavishly furnished with fully equipped kitchens and plasma TVs. With 22 properties and 50,000 member-families, Club La Costa is pursuing an ambitious growth strategy, actively seeking new locations for resorts in the Canary Islands, the Balearics, mainland Spain, Portugal and Turkey. At the same time it is conducting feasibility studies for developments further afield - Dubai and the Dominican Republic are two examples.

Swiss-based Hapimag is another company progressing expansion plans with the construction of a property in Dresden. Next month it will formally open a resort on the Isle of Sylt bringing its total properties in Germany to eight. In Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, the company is refurbishing a property in the historic old quarter. It will be Hapimag’s city centre resort number 11.

For the adventurous seeking a novel holiday destination, Serbia could be the answer. Group RCI has affiliated its first two properties in the country, both in the Zlatibor mountain region in the west of the country. With its lakes, rivers and pine forests, the area is renowned for skiing and pursuits such as cycling, trekking and fishing.

While big brand names, like Marriott, Wyndham Worldwide and Starwood, are scaling back timeshare operations, one major leisure group bucking the trend is the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In a strategic alliance with The Family of Orange Lake Resorts in Florida, it has launched a new venture. Holiday Inn Club Vacations is IHG’s first foray into timeshare.