Sharetime Magazine 10

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Conference

2012 review

Three nevers and four loves

Gold Coast

road trip

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SHARETIME

Harry’s welcome

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ypically, the months following the annual conference are quiet for the TATOC team as we work through our objectives for the year.

Crewe Hall is located in extensive grounds with historic Jacobean and modern architecture. Guests can relax in the sauna, spa bath or steam room, or exercise in the modern gym and indoor swimming pool.

Not so this time as preparations have started immediately to identify the location and finalise the theme of the 2013 conference.

Other recent events have been the publication of the University of Bournemouth report on ‘The Next Generation of Buyers’.

Commissioned by RDO, (Resort Development Organisation), the timeshare trade body, the report has been compiled by a team of students who have looked at the industry with no preconceptions about the product or the industry.

The organisation team discussed and viewed a number of venues across the country and the decision has been made to stay in the North West of England - but at a different venue.

Members have asked me to move the conference around the country to reduce travelling time and costs. However, the reality is that the saving for some means an increase for others.

The date of the conference is March 8-10, 2013 so please put this in your diary now. If you haven’t been to a conference before, then please discuss this with your committee or just come along, as everyone is welcome.

This report speaks as it finds and makes very interesting reading. A summary of the report is available later in this magazine.

Cost is a major factor for staying in the North West. The further south we go the costs increase, further north and attendance can suffer.

Congratulations go to Sunset Harbour Club, in Tenerife, and Thurnham Hall in the U.K., on achieving TATOC accreditation status. These are excellent resorts that work hard for their owners so the accreditation is well deserved.

Regular attendees will know that the conference has grown over the years and our regular location, The Park Royal Hotel, can no longer accommodate us.

Recently TATOC has been asked by two local BBC radio stations to appear and I’ve been on their morning chat shows to answer listeners’ questions on timeshare.

The new venue is the l7th-century Crewe Hall hotel. Location-wise it couldn’t be better.

Crewe train station is just three miles away while junction 16 of the M6 motorway is a ten-minute drive. Manchester airport is 30 miles away and the Hall a 40-minute drive away from historic Chester.

These live transmissions on BBC Radio York and BBC 3 Counties were very enjoyable and have been a great success.

Not only have we been able to help owners who called in but we have spread the message that help and assistance is available through

the helpline and the TATOC website.

One of the hottest topics at this year’s conference and something that we have discussed in Sharetime and on the TATOC website is the issue of timeshare owners wanting to relinquish their memberships.

The industry panel of experts, chaired by TATOC, has been looking at this issue for the past two years and are about to report back on their findings.

The panel has been criticised by some for the length of time taken to publish their report. However, what is often forgotten is that timeshare is a club made up of happy members, and members – though still happy – who need to exit and others at odds with the timeshare concept.

Everyone needs to be happy with the solutions! It is the wish to be fair to all that has taken the time. TATOC will, of course, keep you up-dated on developments.

If you are taking a timeshare holiday in the next few months, I wish you a wonderful holiday and hope you can take a few moments to let Sharetime know about your experiences.

In this way we can really spread the message about how good timeshare holidays can be.

Best wishes to all,

Harry Taylor, executive chairman

The British are officially creatures of habit

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ccording to a new survey by RCI, nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of Brits have returned to the same holiday resort more than once.

This enforces the claim that people like familiarity when it comes to holidays.

Surprisingly, more than one in ten (11 per cent) of respondents said they had returned to the same resort six times or more.

The main reason cited for returning to the same resort was that members had experienced a good time so simply wanted to have the same holiday (45 per cent) again.

Others stated they felt their destination met all relevant criteria (29 per cent) and over a

quarter (27 per cent) said they didn’t see a need to go elsewhere if they had already found somewhere they liked.

Respondents also stated they liked familiarity (14 per cent) and found it less stressful knowing exactly what to expect when they travel (12 per cent).

With over a third of people (36 per cent) now taking fewer holidays than normal, it seems holidaymakers want to remove the risk of having a disappointing break. Returning to somewhere they have been before and enjoyed seems to have been given higher priority than having different experiences.

Sean Lowe, managing director of RCI, said

the research had been commissioned to gain insight into people’s holiday habits and what was important is guaranteeing they had a good time.

“While travelling and trying different experiences suits some people, it’s apparent that ensuring a consistent quality and knowing what you’re buying is important and are reasons why timeshare holidays and holiday exchange have remained popular.

“Over a third (35 per cent) of the people surveyed who ‘repeat holiday’ said they would actually try a different holiday if they knew they would get a similar experience.” *The survey was conducted by Online Opinions, and featured 1,000 adults polled between February 24-27 2012.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Helpline update – Learn TATOC’s 3 ‘Nevers’

by Mark Caldicott, TATOC helpline manager

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ATOC is often asked if the new timeshare directive, which came into force in the U.K. over a year ago, has made an impact on improving consumer protection.

The good news is that the helpline team has seen a slow decrease in the number of owners calling to enquire and complain about rogue re-sale companies. So, in this area, the directive has had a positive effect.

For a 12-month period from February 23 2010, TATOC answered 845 enquiries regarding ‘cold call’ companies. The team helped 756 owners who had lost on average £1,500 to these organisations.

After the implementation of the new directive in February 2011, the following 12 months saw enquiries about ‘cold call’ companies fall to 645 enquiries with 546 complaints from owners who had lost money. That is a decrease of nearly 24 per cent.

Despite this success, TATOC is still concerned that timeshare owners continue to become victims to ‘cold call’ companies and want to make owners aware of the association’s three ‘Nevers’: • • •

Never give money to anybody who ‘cold calls’ you; Never make up-front payments for a service; and Never do anything with a company without checking its credentials

Under the new directive, activities of re-sale companies were covered for the first time.

For legitimate companies who have complied with the directive, the new rules have not caused any problems. They want to provide owners and buyers with a safe and secure professional service.

However, the directive has meant that dubious re-sale companies have had to find more inventive ways to scam timeshare owners.

TATOC strongly recommends owners to be extremely cautious of re-sale companies who: • Contact you without an invitation (cold callers); • Request any form of up-front payment as a deposit, administration fee, bond of trust, surety against withdrawal, insurance cover, validity survey, land registry tax, certificate charge, VAT and so on - however reassuring they may be; • Assure you that payments are fully protected under laws governing the use of credit cards; • Ask for your credit card, debit card or bank details but assure you they will not take any payment; • Suggest they can obtain an unexpected and unrealistically high price for your week(s); • Say they have a buyer waiting to purchase your particular timeshare product; • Invite you to a presentation possibly with discounted travel or accommodation; • Ask you to send them your ownership certificate; • Apply undue pressure for a decision within a short time period; and • Do not comply with our consumerfocused TATOC re-sale code of practice The companies may try a number of ploys to draw you in and to encourage you to part with your money or your ownership certificate, or to get you to attend a meeting.

For example, they may say your timeshare company, exchange organisation or another legitimate business, has given them your details. No reputable business will ever give your details to any company or other body without your permission.

The operator may tell you they have a buyer waiting and willing to pay a seemingly generous price. However, our evidence shows that this is likely to be untrue.

It is a recognised fact that the re-sale value of timeshare is lower than anyone would like: dubious companies will not pay you an inflated price when they could obtain it for less elsewhere.

One other trick is inviting you to a presentation where they say buyers will be present.

Attend one of these presentations and you will almost certainly be subjected to a long and potentially aggressive sales pitch. You will be pressurised to purchase a new product.

Even if the company offers to take over your existing timeshare ownership as part payment, they may have no intention of doing so and may not be able to do so because of restrictions at your resort/club.

Only your resort /club can transfer your membership and will reserve the right to refuse membership to certain organisations.

In such a case you would end up owning, and be liable for, fees on both products.

Finally, they may ask you to pay an up-front fee (often £1,000.00 or more) to a registered trustee or escrow company and assure you that your money is fully secured until completion.

TATOC’s investigations have proven this to be untrue and your money is not safe at all.

You will almost certainly lose your money.

TATOC strongly recommends extreme caution if you are approached by any of these companies. If you have any doubts or concerns please check them out thoroughly.

A quick call to the TATOC helpline, your resort, management company or committee could save you thousands of pounds.

If you want to find a list of legitimate resale companies visit the TATOC website and download consumer guide 14. This contains details of companies who have committed to TATOC’s consumer-focused re-sale code of practice and have been examined to ensure compliance.

While it is not our policy to approve or recommend any specific company, or to imply any particular success in achieving a sale, these companies follow our code of practice which provides a good deal of degree of protection and an indication that the company will act responsibly.

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SHARETIME

TATOC reaches accredited resorts milestone

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he accreditation of Diamond Resorts® at Sunset Harbour, in Tenerife, and Thurnham Hall, in the U.K., has brought to 30 the number of TATOC accredited resorts.

It’s good to know

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t’s always nice to know when the helpline has been of assistance.

Here is some feedback from timeshare owners who Mark and Francis have been able to help over the past few months.

Steve Rowley – Thanks very much for your reply to my email. The info you have sent is priceless. What a great organisation TATOC is - I only wish I had known about you sooner!

Irene Halligan – Thank you for your very helpful email. I know I will probably have to use all the information you provided to try and get my money back spent on my debit card. At the moment I am awaiting a reply to a formal letter that I sent them.

Thank you very much for your help. It is very reassuring to know that people like you and your organisation exist to help cope with frauds! Thank you again.

David McCandlless – Thanks for all that.

Much obliged for such a comprehensive reply and thanks for the good work you are doing.

Jim Doyle – Thank you so much for your response to my telephone call. The information you sent has been most helpful and my wife and I are satisfied that we have all the information we need to finalise our exit from the week we own.

Marian Lewis – Many thanks for your help Mark. We have had a refund from our credit card company that satisfies both parties. We used our credit card when we joined and they promised to take our timeshare off our hands but failed to deliver. Thanks again. Your guides were very useful and explained the steps to take to obtain a refund.

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New resort directory

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n November RCI members will receive a new look RCI resort directory.

Featuring full resort and unit highlights, fresh photography and destination editorial, as well as simple guides to help members get the most out of their membership, the new RCI directory fuses the best of its old-style book and inspirational travel guides.

there is a full range of business amenities including wireless Internet.

The TATOC resort accreditation programme was launched in 2008 as an independent award for resorts that meet the gold standard of holiday experience for guests and owners alike.

Mr Harry Taylor, TATOC executive chairman, said the programme aimed to give full recognition to resorts “which are truly customer-driven in their approach to timeshare ownership and are willing to commit to all the requirements of the association’s code of conduct.”

Sunset Harbour

Sunset Harbour Club is nestled in exotic gardens with a spectacular mountain backdrop just a few minutes from, Playa de las Americas.

The studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are built in typical Andalucian style, all with luxurious facilities, satellite television and large balconies. The resort is close to the exclusive Puerto Colon marina, and guests can enjoy all the facilities of the harbour, including the Torviscas beach.

On-site facilities include a snack bar, Jacuzzi, fine swimming pool (with its own bar) and a children’s play area with a paddle pool. Many restaurants and shops are situated nearby.

Thurnham Hall, located in a tiny hamlet just five miles south of Lancaster, is a 12th century country house that stands proudly in a stunning estate of nearly 30 acres.

Boasting an elegant Jacobean Great Hall, the resort combines the very best of old and new.

The estate is home to 60 luxury, self-catering apartments, both in the hall itself and in purpose built accommodation designed to blend in with their surroundings.

The studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are spacious and fully-equipped with tastefully designed living spaces. The apartments have digital flat screen TV/DVD, dishwasher and fridge/freezer.

Resorts who apply for accreditation undergo an inclusive on-site inspection and audit. The process is rigorous, robust and comprehensive. The association believes it is essential that the award be seen as hard earned and meaningful.

Any resort applying for and passing the accreditation process will be declaring they are open and honest operators – with nothing to hide and everything of which to be proud. In this way it is believed the industry’s tarnished reputation can be repaired and improved.

As TATOC is the only elected consumer association for timeshare owners in Europe, accreditation should be viewed as wholly independent of commercial influence, “not shrouded in politics or bureaucracy of any nature and something that is being conducted with the ultimate best interests of the consumer.

“Once accreditation is achieved, the resort will be continually monitored to ensure that it continues with the high standards expected.

“In this way, guests and owners can be assured that accredited resorts have not only met the criteria during the accreditation process but keep doing so.”

The resort also has a purpose-built leisure centre with a large swimming pool, sauna, gymnasium, state-ofthe-art exercise equipment, whirlpool and solarium. The restaurant serves both fine and casual dining.

For those who need to keep in touch with the office or home

Thurnham Hall

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Five Holiday Club Canarias resorts join TATOC

Resort round up Lakeview news The swimming pool, sauna and gym facilities at Lakeview Resort, in Cornwall, have been re-opened so owners and guests can once again enjoy these facilities.

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ive new Canary Island resorts recently purchased by Finnish timeshare giant Holiday Club Resorts have become TATOC members.

The new properties will be a major addition to Holiday Club’s existing 31 resorts in Finland, Sweden and Spain and will add 6,000 owners to their current membership of 42,000.

The latest additions are Puerto Calma, Vista Amadores, Sol Amadores, Playa Amadores and Jardin Amadores. All five resorts have been designated gold crown by RCI. Holiday Club CEO Vesa Tengman said: “This significant acquisition will help us strengthen our position in the international market and our expansion will continue.

“We were searching for suitable resorts in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands and these acquisitions meet all our criteria.

The Puerto Calma Group, is an established family enterprise with top class apartments and satisfied owners.

“Furthermore, the beach at Amadores is one of the best in the Canary Islands and flight connections to other European countries are excellent. We are planning to launch at least two other new locations in Southern Europe in the near future.

“Our expertise – accumulated over 25 years of operations in Finland – is forged upon high-quality holiday resorts, satisfied customers, reliable operations and the flexibility of exchanging holiday weeks.”

Resort details are: Puerto Calma This well-established, friendly resort is a short stroll from the golden family beach of Puerto Rico and the excitement of one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.

It offers a cosy, pleasant atmosphere and is an excellent choice for family holidays.

The apartments are equipped to the highest self-catering standard with exclusive furniture and tasteful decoration. The spacious air-conditioned rooms and private terraces or balconies have superb sea views.

Vista Amadores Within walking distance of lively bars and only a short stroll from Amadores beach, there’s plenty to do if you seek more than restful sunbathing by the resort’s aqua pool and the luxurious comfort of your apartment.

Resort management team, Resort Solutions (RSL), has secured all the facilities that owners are entitled to under the lease.

Vista Amadores is a luxury five-star RCI Gold Crown resort boasting 36 apartments.

All of which are air-conditioned. Bathrooms have Jacuzzi and shower; bedrooms are large.

Satellite television provides access to the most popular international channels.

Living rooms are tastefully furnished and kitchens have a dishwasher, ceramic hob, microwave and oven/grill.

The facilities at Vista Amadores include a gym, squash court and sauna.

Since re-opening the timeshare lodges on February 11, more than 200 guests have been welcomed on-site and feedback is claimed to have been exceptionally good.

While some giant leaps have been made, RSL says there is still a great deal of work needed to make sure the lodges are up to the standard required by owners.

Now that the future of the leisure facilities has been secured owners who have outstanding maintenance fees are being urged to settle these without delay.

Sol Amadores Nestled in the quiet hillside above Amadores beach, this ultra-modern, friendly complex is ideal for those who seek security and action for the whole family. It boasts a fully equipped gymnasium, heated pool, sauna and outdoor games facilities. “Bathed in sun” is the undisputable description of this spectacular resort situated in the natural amphitheatre of Barranco de Amadores.

This resort has 38 apartments with splendid terraces.

Playa Amadores Palm trees, glorious waves, crystal clear water and soft golden sand are the magnificent views from every corner of the resort. The bedrooms, comfortably furnished and decorated, also have an impressive view of the beach. The spacious living rooms are stylishly furnished and have modern, fullyequipped kitchens.

The committee is also advising all owners to be very cautious if approached by companies claiming to offer a way out of their timeshare.

The committee has been notified of two schemes. The first claims to offer owners the opportunity to pay £1,800 with the company taking on the liability for the timeshare week.

Bathrooms have the latest installations, including a splendid two-person whirlpool.

There is also an excellent restaurant.

The second is to buy back the timeshare week for £10 if the owners enter into a short-term holiday product at a cost of £1,000.

Jardin Amadores This resort has all the facilities a visitor needs: private gardens, sauna, sports facilities, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, waterfalls and quiet, sheltered reading areas.

These companies have taken payment, sent the ownership certificates to the trustee but have neither signed the certificates nor paid the transfer fees.

The apartments have large bedrooms, a spacious lounge and exclusively furnished kitchen with dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator and deep freezer.

The luxury bathroom has its own Jacuzzi and private shower and there is also an independent service area for a washing machine and dryer.

Any outstanding or future maintenance fees therefore remain the liability of the owners as they continue to be the registered owner of the week.

The committee has not endorsed any exit scheme and recommends owners contact TATOC and RSL to investigate the authenticity of the offer before parting with any money.

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SHARETIME

Behind the scenes of the committee

by Peter James, Lakeview Country Club committee member and timeshare owner

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do hope you have a wonderful holiday using your timeshare ownership this year, whether occupying your own week, exchanging it for another or using points. There are now a host of options possible.

Of course this is what we bought our weeks for: to ensure that we were able to enjoy holidays when we wanted and where we wanted in top class resorts.

In order to be confident that the resort we visit, be it our own or another, is of top quality we rely on the resort developer, the management company (sometimes one and the same entity) and the timeshare owners committee to keep up the standard.

This is what we pay our management fees for.

These fees pay for the weekly running costs of the lodge/apartment, the upkeep of the shared utilities and facilities, and establish a fund for longer-term maintenance and refurbishment of the lodges.

Most resorts (95 per cent) have a timeshare owners committee made up of ordinary timeshare-owning members and representatives from the developers/ management company. The ordinary owners usually have the majority.

The committee has the responsibility to monitor the expenditures and regulate the level of the fees paid. It reviews the budgets and accounts before deciding the level of management fees for the following year to be proposed to owners at the annual meeting (AGM).

Most committees also meet three to four times a year to consider on-going issues and decide which have a direct impact on the holiday experience of owners.

The committee members act as representatives of the owners and have certain powers and responsibilities under the terms of the lease/ trust agreements.

These committee members are elected by the owners for fixed periods depending on the constitution of the resort and contribute a range of skills and expertise.

Most importantly they are timeshare owners themselves.

They give of their time and knowledge freely and have no financial connection with the developer/management company.

The annual meeting is the most significant event in the resort calendar. It is when the committee meets with owners and reports on the current and future situation at the resort.

It also considers management fees proposals and elects committee members.

Importantly this is the opportunity for owners to quiz the committee and the representatives of the development/management company.

As such, the annual meeting plays a very significant part in the running of the resort and the satisfaction of owners and guests which is why it is so important that as many members as possible attend the meeting.

I know that this is not always easy for those owners who live a long way from the resort or location of the meeting. However even if you cannot attend it is important that owners send in their proxy voting forms as it gives your committee more power to act on your behalf.

While the role of the committee is important it is not too onerous and we need more owners to step forward when there are vacancies.

Too often the outgoing committee member is requested to stand for another term because no one feels they are able to step in. This is fine but we need new people with fresh ideas and a different viewpoint.

At my resort we would welcome more women on to the committee in order to bring their particular perspective on the holiday experience and how it could be improved.

One of the big challenges for timeshare right now is the problem of non-payment of management fees. This causes problems for the resort and it affects those owners who do pay every year as it creates the need for higher fees in the future.

It is an issue that most committees spend time trying to get to grips with and is one of the saddest things they have to deal with.

Many owners bought their timeshare week years ago and loved the fact that they would have the right to use the week for many years.

Unfortunately time passes and individual circumstances change, making it more difficult for them to afford the management fees or indeed to use the weeks.

At the moment there are very few options available. There is only a small re-sale market and, while some resorts have developed their own ‘buy-back’ plans, certainly not all have taken this step.

The good news is that advice is always available from TATOC. If you are tempted by an approach to buy your week call the TATOC helpline before parting with any money. TATOC is also working hard with the timeshare industry to establish a universal ’exit policy’. This will take a while but everyone knows it is becoming more and more urgent.

Your timeshare committee always needs input from owners to help maintain the high standards we expect. So, please attend the annual meeting, send in your proxy votes and consider standing for the committee yourself.

In short get involved and make sure you have your say.

BIOGRAPHY Peter James lives in Salisbury with his wife Sandy. Retired after 40 years from the helicopter business, they bought their first timeshare in Hampshire 22 years ago. They bought their first week at Lakeview Country Club 12 years ago and now own three weeks at the resort in March, August and December.

Peter was was co-opted on to the Lakeview committee four years ago and then elected one year later.

Appy Days

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CI has launched an industryfirst smartphone-optimised RCI.com website.

This service is currently available for RCI weeks members, and provides the opportunity to book holidays securely wherever they are, whenever they want, from the palm of their hand.

The portable RCI.com website is secure, safe and easy to surf. Users can still enjoy the traditional website tools such as accessing their account information, searching for holiday options and depositing weeks.

This mobile search and booking facility is coming for RCI points members, too.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Resort round up Diamond Resorts International Focus on facilities

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t has been a busy year for the Diamond Resorts management team. In addition to the on-going apartment and lodge refurbishment programme, there has been a focus on up-grading and renewing facilities and amenities at 30 European resorts Here is a brief review of work undertaken at some of Diamond’s U.K. resorts.

Woodford Bridge: The leisure centre has seen a complete makeover, with £655,000 having been spent on entertainment, spa and leisure facilities.

The bar at the resort now has extra seating for guests.

Wychnor Park: The leisure centre has been re-furbished with improvements to the pool floor and reception area. The team has also overseen the remodelling of the golf course and communal gardens.

The Main Hall areas including the bar, restaurant and reception are greatly improved with new furnishings and decorated throughout in keeping with the style of the historic building.

Cromer Country Club: The reception and foyer entrance have undergone a full refurbishment providing easy access and more comfort for all guests.

Broome Park: Extensive improvements have been carried out on the 18 hole golf course as part of a three year development project. The 14 lodges have been upgraded with the highest level of features and amenities.

Survey finds what younger timeshare owners want

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ournemouth University has revealed the results of a recent survey that analysed the needs and aspirations of younger timeshare buyers.

Final year students at the School of Tourism at Bournemouth asked 30 to 40 year olds what they looked for ideally in a timeshare holiday. Students have put forward proposals on how the timeshare industry can attract this younger age group.

The classic image of the retired timeshare couple is now outdated. Many younger families are buying timeshare holidays and choosing from the much wider range of options available, from trial memberships to longer term plans as well as other types of shared ownership, including fractional properties.

The students visited timeshare resorts in the U.K. and the Canary Islands where they interviewed timeshare owners, met with key industry contacts and analysed the media’s view of timeshare from past to present.

After their extensive statistical and faceto-face research, the students came up with a number of recommendations for the industry. Some of the main ones include: 1. Integrating the latest technology throughout resorts Younger timeshare owners expect high standards of connectivity such as Wi-Fi and mp3 docking stations at a luxury resort.

It’s important for contemporary resorts to be fully interactive and offer guests the facility to use their tablets and smart phones through social networks both within and outside the resort.

Holidaymakers tend to share their holiday experiences on Facebook and Twitter and resorts should use these social media platforms to inform their clients of the latest events at the resort and holiday news.

2. Introducing short term products Shorter-term products are far more attractive in terms of affordability to the younger demographic and a try-before-you-buy product or trial membership can be the ideal introduction to longer-term ownership.

3. Developing the fractional ownership concept In general, this is a step up from timeshare in terms of quality and with (some level of ) guaranteed returns at the end of the cycle.

4. Raising public awareness of timeshare Some 80 per cent of the survey respondents had no knowledge of timeshare so one of the recommendations is that the industry should aim to educate this group on the benefits of the product.

5. Using modern media to communicate with the younger generations

The younger demographic is highly computer literate and has been brought up with technology. On-line marketing methods offer the opportunity to advertise to many more consumers in a cost effective manner 6. Investing in marketing to improve public perceptions of the industry In conjunction with TATOC, create a marketing campaign to improve the image of the industry and, using testimonials, introduce the benefits to the younger demographic.

Professor Dimitrios Buhalis, of Bournemouth University, was one of the key speakers at this year’s TATOC conference in Warrington where he presented a “compelling case for change”.

He discussed the concept of eTourism and outlined the steps the industry needs to take to embrace the “empowered consumer”. You can read more in our conference review in this Sharetime magazine.

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ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Top Tips from Down Under

by Francis Taylor

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elcome to my first column on the exciting and vastly different timeshare experience in Australia and New Zealand.

I could wax lyrical about the magnificent scenery in New Zealand and the vast open spaces of Australia (and no doubt will in other columns). However, this time, I thought I’d concentrate on the most important differences between timeshare in this opposite part of the world.

• Plan ahead. Though there is no shortage of timeshare properties to choose from, there are definitely fewer than you’ll find in Europe and the U.S.A. They are also well supported by the Kiwis and Aussies, so it is important to put your request in well in advance of your intended stay.

• Local is best. It pays to consider an exchange company that has an established presence in both countries because, being local, they will have more availability.

• Stop over. Consider breaking your long flight at one of the Asian gateways of Hong Kong, Bangkok or Singapore.

Spending a few days in any of those cities will add an exotic dimension to your holiday too.

About Francis Taylor Francis Taylor is CEO of Dial an Exchange based in Australia and was recently voted best industry leader. Dial An Exchange is a global timeshare exchange company founded in Australia in 1997. The Sharetime team thought readers would enjoy his thoughts on the time- share industry from the other side of the world.

• Keep it bite-size. Don’t try and do it all in one visit. Australia is huge and offers everything from lush tropics to sun-swept deserts, world-heritage wilderness to sophisticated cafes and shopping. Between its snowfields and much-acclaimed scenery, New Zealand can easily occupy weeks of your time on its own.

• Bucket list. Add extra weeks to your timeshare by taking advantage of discount, bonus or rental. You’ll have come a very long way and these amazing countries are both trip-of-a-lifetime destinations.

• I conic areas. There are some must-see places that don’t have any timeshare at all (or at best extremely limited). For example, Uluru (Ayres Rock), the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef or Sydney in Australia; and the Fiordland National Park in New Zealand.

• Take a tour or cruise that includes a night

or two of accommodation so that you get to see these areas in comfort and style.

• Young and fresh. Even our timeshare is different. We don’t have the ancient buildings you’ll find in your part of the world, so you won’t find any timeshare resorts in remodeled Victorian or Georgian mansions. They’re all purpose built for holiday-makers and, because the natural experience is so incredible, most resorts are focused outwards, not inwards.

• Ancient culture. Though white settlers only arrived 200-odd years ago, the indigenous people’s history predates that of Europe and their Dreamtime and Spirit stories are fascinating. Make sure you add at least one Aboriginal or Maori experience to your holiday list.

• Safe and relaxed. Whether you mix with the down-to-earth country folk or the sophisticated city dweller, we are rightly renowned for our friendliness. Same goes for your level of safety.

And the only language barrier will be in deciphering our accents and slang! In short, Australia and New Zealand are countries where you can just relax and enjoy yourself.

If you’re expecting a big experience for such a big journey, you won’t be disappointed. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Christel House and PACE Financial Group

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hristel House in Europe has launched an innovative new partnership with PACE Financial Group – the international payment processing specialists.

The partnership was introduced to a number of Christel House’s long-term supporters at a restaurant in Tenerife. The dinner was an opportunity for Christel House to say a huge thank-you to a number of their dedicated supporters.

The evening was attended by a number of resorts including representatives from RCI, Silverpoint, Regency Resorts, Nexus Leisure, Olympus and Altamira.

Ron Haylock, vice-chairman of Christel House in Europe, said that with the help of PACE Financial Group “we will be able to create a long term revenue stream that will help to support our educational, health and community projects around the world.”

As a payment specialist, PACE provides resort operators with a state of the art, multi currency, multi channel payments platform and associated payment services. The platform is designed to help resorts collect either their annual maintenance fees or process transactions relating to the sale of weeks or points.

PACE can offer their payment facilities to qualifying resorts for little or no cost while maintaining low per-transaction costs.

For example, a U.K.- based owner paying a Euro or USD denominated bill allows PACE to earn from the foreign exchange conversion while helping to provide owners access to superior rates of exchange.

The result is that the resort benefits from a sophisticated payments platform at little or no cost to themselves while reducing their inherent foreign exchange risk! Owners receive a better rate of currency exchange helping to lower the true cost of their bills.

Central to the partnership is that PACE has committed to make a donation to Christel House every time a cross-currency transaction occurs through its payment platform.

The Christel House charity, founded

by Christel deHaan in 1998, currently helps more than 3,000 children around the world break the cycle of poverty and become self-sufficient contributing members of their society.

With centres in India, Mexico, South Africa, the United States and Venezuela, Christel House provides quality education, promotes health and wellness, instils universal values, encourages personal accountability and teaches social responsibility and good citizenship.

To find out more about the PACE and Christel House partnership please contact PACE on +44 (0) 20 8546 0582

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Timeshare member stories

Move forward a few more years and we received an invitation to Menorca to discuss the LSI points system (which are now Diamond Resorts points).

Mark Harris, White Sands Country Club

W

hy did we ever consider timeshare?

I think back to a particular package holiday in Italy in the late 1980s. My wife and I together with our youngest teenaged daughter were on a half-board package holiday.

The accommodation was a disappointment.

The en-suite facilities consisted of a tiny cubicle off the bedroom where the shower was over the toilet and hand basin. This meant everything got wet when someone wanted a shower.

The room itself was so small that we had to climb over my daughter’s fold-up bed to get to the door or bathroom. And look out: if you were not in the dining hall by 8.30am for breakfast you went hungry.

Move forward a few months and an invitation to visit a new development in Devon. We were shown a well-furnished apartment with all the facilities one could hope to find on holiday. There was a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, tennis courts and a fabulous seaside location.

John Crawford, multiple week timeshare owner with Macdonald Resorts

I

am asked many times as to why anyone would want to own timeshare: like all questions of this type there is never a definitive answer.

I was always cautious of timeshare and ran away from the salespeople and offers of free holidays.

That was until I was invited by a friend to stay at a Barratt-managed timeshare called Forest Hills, now Macdonald Forest Hills Hotel & Spa, in the Trossachs National Park, near Stirling, Scotland. I was amazed by the quality of the product and from that time converted to the concept.

I was still wary of timeshare salespeople but have to admit I was very impressed at the professional approach of the sales team I was introduced to at Forest Hills and through them purchased my first week.

The week was at a place called Plas Talgarth, in Wales, and on my first visit I fell in love with the bungalow I had blindly purchased.

I have since purchased others and as a family, my sister, son and I now own nine weeks. As a U.K.-returning long-term expatriate, I have

y m e ov ! l I y Wh eshare tim

my I love Why eshare! tim

We purchased our first week of timeshare, which included membership to Interval International. We realised we were not buying into cheap holidays, but we were buying into holidays where we knew that we would get good quality accommodation.

Since then, we have stayed at our home resort as well as exchanging into other resorts in Europe and the States.

We felt the flexibility of points would suit us. We could go away on our own and stay in a studio or we could take family with us and have a larger apartment with several bathrooms. We could stay for a few days or a few weeks if we had the points.

In fact as the years have gone by we have purchased more points. At times, both in the U.K. and Tenerife, we have booked multiple apartments to allow us to take our children and grandchildren away with us while allowing them their own space.

Wherever we go we know we will have a comfortable apartment with excellent facilities.

We have had great timeshare holidays throughout the U.K., Europe, the U.S.A. and Australia.

We have also tried other self-catering package holidays and have grown to appreciate the difference in quality and facilities. In several of these packaged self-catering resorts we were invited to pay extra on arrival if we wanted a kettle, TV or any other such luxuries!

Do we regret buying into timeshare? Not at all. Now we have retired we have even more time to enjoy our holidays and appreciate the quality of the accommodation and facilities in our homes away from home.

six in the U.K., which for me are a little bit like home; the other three weeks are in Spain.

I have always been pleased with the quality of the timeshare properties that the family own.

Maybe it is because of the management and on-site investment but I can really find no fault with the units at any of the clubs.

This multiple ownership always leads to a question within the family as to which resort we call our home club. In reality they are all home clubs. But the youngsters like the sun and Spain while for me, an African expat, it has to be Plas Talgarth.

The Macdonald property lies near the village of Pennal, on the southern tip of the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. It is as picturesque a place as one would ever want.

I own two weeks in a three-bedroom bungalow and would be content to live there permanently.

It is a truly rural setting with wonderful peace and quiet and views to die for.

The on-site dining and bar facilities managed

by Macdonald Resorts are excellent. On-site there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a health and leisure club with spa treatments available, and tennis. Horse riding, golf and clay pigeon shooting are all nearby.

There are many local historic attractions, local markets, good food and fabulous walks.

What more could one ask for from a holiday?

I am sometimes asked if it is a bit like a holiday camp and the only answer I can give is no, in no way is it like Hi Di Hi.

The buildings are all in a good state of repair and decor, with the furniture, cutlery, crockery, bedding and so on of a high quality

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Sid Jenkinson, owner at Pine Lake Resort

Wh y tim I love m esh are y !

T

Bruce Robertson, chairman of the owners’ committee.

imeshare has opened up a whole new world for us. We have always had lovely holidays and in the 1990s discovered the absolute joy of villa holidays. Joyous but so very expensive!

I first started visiting the Scottish resort of Melfort Village in 1984 and have never missed at least one visit every year since.

We tried a few freebie timeshare weeks and realised timeshare gave us something far better than a hotel room: a similar sense of freedom to a private villa but nothing like the cost.

I have experienced a number of timeshare resorts both in the U.K. and abroad and not one has been able to offer the peace and quiet that is Melfort. It is true that the Scottish weather is variable to say the least but that can actually be one of its attractions.

By staying at loads of different resorts we realised that the world really was our oyster.

Ten years ago, using our points and Interval International exchanges, we had a superb touring holiday of Arizona, California and Nevada. We had five weeks’ holiday in total.

Three weeks were spent using our points and

Why? Because Melfort, to me, is unique.

Barbara and Carmel. We had a great night in the Nappa Valley prior to a week in San Francisco before flying home.

We would never in a million years have even thought of doing that had it not been for our timeshare experience. It really opened our eyes to what was possible.

Since then we have been all over the world - China, South Africa (self-drive touring holiday), Australia and New Zealand (another long holiday of both islands with much touring).

Although the area benefits from the warm gulf currents, which have such a beneficial effect on Arduaine Gardens nearby, it often experiences temperatures well in excess of the U.K. south coast. It cannot, however, be compared fairly with most overseas resorts.

As for buying at Pine Lake the location and the lake are the obvious attractions and the wide range of facilities it offers.

II exchange in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe.

We stayed at the Hilton, in Los Angeles, had a night on the Queen Mary, at Long Beach, and drove up Highway 1 and stayed in Santa

Our grandchildren love staying at Pine Lake. Unfortunately they also love feeding the ducks and geese! But the leisure centre and Splashers offer them great enjoyment. It’s easy to get to as well.

It is set at the head of a natural sea loch which forms part of the most exciting sailing opportunities in Scotland and possibly the U.K. It nestles below hills which provide some spectacular scenery and breath-taking views stretching from Jura in the south to Ben Cruachan in the north.

and, to be honest, I think are much better than hotels and camp sites.

Where else can you get a week’s holiday for up to six people in five-star accommodation at a first class location for a realistic management fee?

The tranquillity of Melfort ensures that I can switch on to ‘chill’ mode immediately on arrival. No hustle, no bustle, no hassle. There is nothing to do but relax – it is compulsory!

People say they can find better deals on the Internet and I say go for them. For me a package tour, herding people around and being taken on day trips is not my cup of tea.

I prefer a leisurely breakfast and then do what I plan to do. Another helpful feature is that the units also have fully equipped kitchens and I can chose to eat in if I so wish.

Timeshare gives me piece of mind, knowing that it is mine but not having to worry about the up-keep. With timeshare you know what will be awaiting you when you arrive and that it will not be in the middle of a building site like some package tour hotels turn out to be.

The other nice thing about owning timeshare is that you can through DAE or RCI bank your weeks and swap them for another unit at another club and, if you wish, in another country.

I have done this many times and have travelled to some of the wonderful places

Melfort, in contrast, does have many other compensations.

Wh y tim I love esh my are !

I always dreamed of visiting. Vancouver Island (staying in a Pacific Ocean beachside bungalow); New Zealand’s Lake Taupo (with a stunning view across the lake to the snow capped volcano); Hawaii Big Island (on a wonderful golf course) This year I have chosen St.Louis and Myrtle Beach in the U.S.A. The concept for me is sold.

I have had the good fortune to visit Melfort at different times throughout the year.

Each season presents a completely different face to the visitor and therefore has its own ever-changing charm and beauty.

Despite its secluded position, just off the beaten track, the resort is well served by on-site activities including tennis, putting, two indoor games rooms, swimming pool with Jacuzzi, gym, children’s play area, bike hire, private fishing rights and of course its own quality bar and restaurant.

Being a wholly member-owned resort and run by a fully elected committee, allows members to be in full control of the resort’s management and financial affairs - clear of any extraneous and distracting commercial interests.

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Interval goes Gold

• Combine deposits to increase the points balance and trade up to larger units and/or higher-season vacations.

by Darren Ettridge, Interval’s senior vice president of resort sales and business development

• Select Interval options to apply points toward the purchase of a cruise, spa holiday, a guided holiday or more.

Y

ou don’t thrive in a particular business for 35 years without being an innovator and leader: Interval International is a visionary company that has dramatically enhanced timeshare’s core product.

• Use shortstay exchange for multiple short breaks of less than seven nights as their available points allow, subject to availability

Club Interval Gold is the latest chapter in Interval’s history of innovation and leadership.

size/sleeping occupancy, resort quality, and kitchen facilities.

Interval was the first exchange company to create an up-graded membership programme and has offered members with points-based interests the option to trade points for traditional weeks since 1994

• No separate pools of inventory – if the accommodation is available in the Interval system, as long as the member has sufficient points, they can book it.

Club Interval Gold gives members the flexibility to opt-in or out on an annual basis and doesn’t modify members’ ability to access their home resort weeks.

• Multiple weeks and/or ownership can be pooled together as long as each resort of ownership has joined Club Interval Gold

Club Interval Gold is a points-based exchange service for owners of fixed- or floatingweek timeshares. The global programme combines the membership benefits of Interval International and Interval Gold and offers a more flexible holiday exchange experience.

The turnkey Club Interval Gold adds value to resort-developer clients at the point of sale and to homeowner associations, with no upfront inventory commitments We have created a programme that is flexible for both our developers, HOAs and their owners. It can be used exclusively at the point of sale, as an up-grade programme, or to offer the ultimate in flexibility.

All point values are based on a uniform set of criteria: market supply/demand, unit

It also allows members the option of converting their weeks to points or to have access to an exchange vacation by depositing their weeks in the traditional way, providing the best of both worlds.

In addition, points do not expire until two years from the check-in date of the relinquished week.

From day one of enrolment, Club Interval Gold members can utilise their points to further enhance their vacation exchange experiences in the following ways: • Exchange throughout Interval’s worldwide network of approximately 2,700 resorts.

• Search and confirm across various locations, unit sizes, and seasons, and for as many stays as available points allow.

Club Interval Gold members also receive travel and leisure benefits and discounts Points-related programmes are not new for Interval, which has long been an industry leader in this arena. In fact, the company created a division in 1993 to assist developers in the design and implementation of custom points-based clubs and to offer private-label club reservation servicing.

We’re proud to say that one of our hospitalitybranded clients was the first to utilise these services. Response to Club Interval Gold has been extremely positive.

For more information contact Janice Anderson-Pearne at Janice.Anderson-Pearne@ intervalintl.com or on 020 8336 9310.

New places to stay

T

he real value of timeshare for the majority of owners is access to thousands of other destinations the world over– should they want a change from their home resort.

2011 was a good year for RCI members as the holiday exchange company welcomed more than 150 resorts around the world to its network of affiliated holiday properties.

Latest resorts to become available to RCI members are: Turim Estrela do Vau Beach Resort (RCI ID: C743), in Portugal, opens to guests in December, this year.

The resort, suitable for families, enjoys a prime location on the Algarve, atop the Alto da Praia do Vau and Prainha Hill, and yet just 400 metres from Praia do Alemão beach and 800 metres from Praia do Vau beach.

Aphrodite Beachfront Village

The complex is surrounded by the Alto Golfe 18-hole course.

a children’s playground and a child-safe swimming pool.

Aphrodite Beachfront Village (RCI ID: C749) in Northern Cyprus is a luxury beachfront resort with whirlpool baths, sauna, yoga studio and spa services.

Immediately in front of the property is a sandy beach surrounded by olive groves, while just ten minutes’ from the resort lies the market town of Guzelyurt and the pretty village of Gaziveren. There is a 9-hole golf course nearby.

For the more active there are kite surfing lessons available and a semi-olympic swimming pool on site, while the resort also offers family-friendly facilities including

For more information on these and other resorts visit www.rci.com

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

In my view

by Leslie McCann, marketing director for Club La Costa World Resorts and Hotels (CLC World)

O

ver its existence, traditional timeshare has delivered terrific lifestyle choices and continues to be loved by huge numbers of families worldwide.

Its value lies in members enjoying great holidays each year and that’s still the case, yet there are clear signs that consumer needs and desires are shifting.

After all, timeshare’s been known in Europe since the 1970s. Like fashions we’ve changed but as an industry we never lose respect for the original model: the fulfilment of holiday dreams and quality resorts.

Shifting consumer demands are reflected in the trend seen among our own members to buy a resort-based holiday home outright.

More than 1,000 have part exchanged their timeshare rights in favour of a potential buy-to-let property – some have even chosen to run both! This confidence in what CLC World delivers and brand loyalty is immensely gratifying, though not everyone is able to purchase a property this way.

Our industry also has to attract a new generation of consumers in order to progress and survive. I’ve just seen the findings of a recent timeshare survey of 30-40 year olds, carried out at Bournemouth University.

These identify short-term products and ‘trybefore-you buy’ as more appealing, along with expectations of the latest integrated technology at luxury resorts and live interaction via social media networks.

This is something into which we are making great inroads at CLC World and it’s tremendously exciting for marketers, like me, who are conducting campaigns on-line to an increasingly sophisticated computerliterate customer.

Our industry is in the process of learning and developing new transactional web-based, first time customer timeshare offers and those companies with surplus accommodation, able to invite potential owners to try before they buy, will be the ones to grow.

New timeshare consumers now have the ultimate protection from legislation that no

other industry has had to adopt: a total ban on deposits for a direct sale product.

Welcome news for consumers, maybe, but many large branded groups from other parts of the world will stay out of the European arena – which is a shame as they bring authority and credibility that helps raise timeshare’s profile and combat negativity arising from fraudulent operators.

Thankfully, we have large and successful independent developers in Europe leading by example – such as CLC World which has built a highly regarded reputation for product quality and member satisfaction over almost three decades.

It is important for me to have my finger on the pulse of what consumers want from their holiday products and emerging trends. I am fortunate to work for a far-sighted company that is characterised by innovation.

Increasingly, ‘in perpetuity’ - so long part of traditional timeshare - no longer holds the same attraction. People want a limited life product that – and this is important - still gives many of the same benefits.

Created from this, our latest proposition is so strong that we are getting an inflow of new and enthusiastic customers.

Fractionals, the opportunity to buy a share in a freehold property rather than a large investment in whole ownership, have been taken up by the industry in the U.S.A., and now Europe, to meet changing customer needs.

At CLC World we have taken that a step further. We have designed a fractional ownership product that would satisfy the desire for holidays worldwide and for bricks ‘n’ mortar.

What makes our product different? We begin with a product we call Fractional Property Owners Club, which is designed to give customers a fractional stake in a holiday home that will ultimately be resold by our trustees, FNTC. Owners receive their pro-rata share of net sales proceeds at the end of a specified number of years. Where our product excels is that we have utilised our unique vacation club points to assign a ‘points value’ to that stake, giving the owner complete holiday freedom

and flexibility during his years of ownership.

We are all tremendously upbeat about the possibilities of this product and there’s been highly encouraging feedback from members.

Fractionals have invigorated our business and we can expect to see them grow. Our ability to marry points with property means owners can select when and where they travel, with a choice of more than 150 destinations and many more benefits attached.

An unforeseen issue from traditional timeshare is the limited opportunity to unlock rigid timeshare clubs, especially those based on title registration in countries such as Spain and the U.S.A. Structures, which offer use of a specific week and unit, are likely to affect the viability of some clubs. Owners will need to work with the industry to find ways of replacing these with more flexible approaches.

Among other issues, if an elderly person no longer wishes to pay annual fees the industry has to find ways to accommodate this without too great a fee burden falling on remaining owners.

Exploring new thinking and ways forward are part of the fun of being involved in our industry. At CLC World we are developing ideas to help resolve future challenges. We are prepared to share these with developers and owner-run resorts, at the same time protecting the resort experience for those wishing to continue having timeshare holidays.

BIOGRAPHY Leslie McCann has more than 30 years’ experience in the timeshare industry.

Prior to joining Club La Costa World Resorts & Hotels (CLC World) as marketing director, he had similar roles with two notable timeshare companies. He was an early pioneer of a diverse range of marketing programmes in 1981 for Gulf Leisure Group.

Contact Leslie on Tel: +44 (0) 2089 064 400; mobile: +44 (0) 7771 611 811; email: leslie.mccann@clcworld.com

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Conference review Meeting the challenge

by Geoff Chapman, TATOC director

T

he theme of the conference was Meeting the Challenge – how to create a better future for members and TATOC affiliates.

What has TATOC achieved over the last twelve months?

• Code of conduct – implemented summer 2011; • Re-sale accreditation – implemented with Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket the first re-sale company to take part; • Helpline guides available on the TATOC website – a range of guides is now available on line; • Individual membership programme – set up and proving very successful; • Resort survey – over half of the resorts contacted did not respond so this will not be continuing; • Ten new member resorts – achieved; • Ten new affiliates – achieved; • Helpline results survey (contacting consumers who rung/emailed the TATOC helpline for help) – underway but only a small sample at the moment (90) but results are promising.

Over the past twelve months, the TATOC helpline received: • 9271 calls; or • 773 per month; • 1,590 e-mails; and • 125 other contacts per month Of these calls: • Two-thirds of all calls were general enquiries; • One third were complaints; and • Of these complaints, 90 per cent were about rogue, non-timeshare companies and just ten per cent were about reputable timeshare companies Statistics from the helpline answer the question: has the new European directive helped consumers? The answer is that the directive has made an impact but the rogue companies have found areas that are not included such as bogus legal firms and ‘take over’ companies.

An analysis shows: • Consumer complaints down 31 per cent • Total contacts - sales & marketing timeshare products down 39 per cent • Actual complaints - sales & marketing timeshare products down 52 per cent • Total contacts - bogus legal companies up by 39 per cent • Consumer complaints - bogus legal companies up by 180 per cent • Total contacts - ‘take-over’ companies up by 65 per cent • Complaints - ‘take-over’ companies up by 77 per cent

The association agreed with this and while charitable status would have assisted with new revenue streams, it was giving the wrong image of timeshare ownership.

While the association had the chance to resubmit, it was decided that TATOC would not do this.

By March 2012, TATOC has 97 member resorts representing 400,000 ownership weeks and 430 individual members. There are 12 platinum and 14 silver affiliate companies.

There are 29 accredited resorts (six more than 2011) and there are five requests already for this coming year. Accreditation has proved to be a powerful tool for resort sales and marketing activities.

“The commission recognised all the work that TATOC undertakes, the mission statement was considered positive and timeshare ownership considered to be a good thing.”

One of our 2011 plans was achieving charitable status for TATOC. The commission recognised all the work that TATOC undertakes, the mission statement was considered positive and timeshare ownership considered to be a good thing.

As such, the commission believed that timeshare owners didn’t fall under charitable status. To be a charity you need to identify “a significant difficulty or problem and a resulting need for action”.

The specific “beneficiary group” are timeshare owners, timeshare committees and potential owners. The commission does not consider this group to be disadvantaged, underprivileged or vulnerable (Charities Act 2006).

Timeshare owners don’t need a charity.

“TATOC has 97 member resorts representing 400,000 ownership weeks & 430 individual members.”

Everyone involved knows the main challenges facing the industry: For existing owners: maintaining standards; owner retention; controlling maintenance fees; fee collection and income; realistic exit strategy; and effective re-sales.

For new owners: a new generation of consumers; evolving holiday requirements; different expectations; the Internet environment; historic perception and image; and product enrichment and projection.

The timeshare world is changing and resorts of all ages cannot fight this. The industry needs to look at: • New products; • New time-scales (shorter life products); • New target audiences; • Different marketing strategies; • Diversification; • Greater choice and flexibility; and • Enrichment

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Simon Jackson presentation:

The importance of a comprehensive exit strategy

by Sharetime reporter

C

hanging perceptions of timeshare was going to be one of the hardest things the industry would ever do. This was the claim put forward in 2008 by Simon Jackson, chief of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts.

In his previous TATOC presentation he asked delegates what they thought the perception of timeshare was among the general public. The answers were as expected – bad reputation, bad press, bad practice, cheaper alternatives online, increasing management fees, no exit strategy, can’t sell and no value.

Four years later they remained the biggest problems facing the industry.

“TATOC needs to build stronger internal relationships with resorts, committees, owners, timeshare companies and U.K. and international industry and trade bodies.”

How can TATOC help with these objectives? By getting bigger, better and stronger.

TATOC needs more member resorts, more individual members, more accredited resorts and more affiliated companies.

TATOC needs better (and greater) recognition, better publicity, better communications, increased visibility, greater public and industry awareness and a clearer understanding of what the association achieves.

TATOC needs to build stronger internal relationships with resorts, committees, owners, timeshare companies and U.K. and international industry and trade bodies.

We need to strengthen our position with the OFT, BIS, CAB, trading standards, the police, consumer bodies and the media. In particular we need to work with the new government body, Consumer Direct.

We also need a stronger board of quality directors with a wider scope of experience and maybe a try-before-you-join policy.

The helpline needs more pro-active involvement with problems; the association guides need to be extended and refined; and we need better analysis and reporting, increased public awareness and media recognition and communication.

Of course we also need strong funding from the industry and from owners.”

Many of today’s owners bought over 20 years ago, he said. They were sold on the idea of access to exotic destinations, owning a home away from home, the pursuit of luxury for their family and even a great investment in holidays for the long term.

In 99 per cent of cases timeshare delivered.

But things have changed.

He outlined “some sobering facts”: • There are at least more than 300,000 weeks for re-sale across Europe; • Fewer than 10,000 resale weeks a year are actually sold; • How do I sell? This is the most frequent (70 per cent) question faced by the TATOC helpline; • Owners are becoming desperate because they cannot pay their management fees; • Their children do not want to take over ownership; • Management fee collection rates are falling; • Paying owners are covering for nonpaying owners; and • Resorts know there is a problem but have no idea how to deal with it So what is Macdonald Resorts doing about this?

In 2006/7, he said, the company began discussions with their owner committees to find a solution. Failure was not an option for either party.

The theory from the start was to consolidate owners who wanted to remain in the system into a smaller number of units on each resort, thus allowing owners who wanted to leave the system a suitable exit solution.

There were some key assumptions: owners had to be flexible, the clubs and Macdonald Resorts had to be prepared to compromise and everyone had to agree that there could be no losers.

The solution had to work for the owners and financially work for both the club and MRL.

The final piece of the jigsaw was to agree future downsizes at intervals to allow happy owners today get out in the future.

“All our clubs have been or are in the process of being surveyed asking owners exactly what they would like to do with their ownership.”

A large proportion of owners had stated that they would like to end their ownership in the next five to ten years.

Wide constitutional changes happened late last year giving the owner committees - with total MRL support - a mandate to look at consolidation and downsizing.

“It is anticipated that owners will be able to exit later this year. However, they need to be flexible. There is no cash payment for those looking to leave; owners may need to move units and so on.”

Nobody more than Harry Taylor at TATOC had tried to make something happen among industry leaders.

“As an industry, if we want to make it happen the brains and know-how exists to make it happen. It is not about being negative – it is about protecting the future of our industry.”

Questions: Diana Aitchison, Nexus Leisure – Every resort is different and small resorts have their own requirements. Is there a minimum number of apartments needed for Macdonald to take a resort?

SJ – It depends on the resort and making resorts smaller would happen on a gradual basis. Start in 2012, and then look at it again in 2017. From their research, many owners want to be out in five years, but not immediately.

This gives time to plan the use of the site and how it will change to reflect the different types of product being sold.

Alex Radford – In the Macdonald survey, how many owners wanted out and how many will Macdonald allow out?

SJ – Around 70 per cent wanted out within ten years. Macdonald has planned to allow 10-15 per cent of these to leave but it would be an owner-led initiative.

Phil Watson, W WTH – I believe 300,000 resale weeks is an understatement. WWTH has 167,000 on its books at the moment.

From the survey, why did Macdonald owners want to leave?

SJ – There is a fear among owners about leaving a legacy behind. Owners say they do not want to leave timeshare to their children who would have to pay management fees they cannot afford.

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Professor Buhalis keynote speech:

e-Tourism revolution

by Sharetime reporter

T

he Internet has emerged as the most pervasive and robust platform for tourism, destination distribution and management.

The web and consumer generated, content-based social media are developing these issues further and on a global scale.

Only tourism organisations and destinations that can take full advantage of the opportunities will be able to capitalise on the benefits in the future and enhance their competitiveness.

So said Professor Buhalis, of Bournemouth University, giving the conference keynote speech.

He said that 1995 saw things really change in the world with the development of the Internet. Then, in the past few years, social media came along and changed things again.

Thanks to social media, he said, we are now closer to the ones who live furthest away.

“We will never get lost if we have access to a mobile device – and today we have a smart phone, an iPad or tablet and a computer that are all interconnected.

“According to O2, by 2020, there will be 50 billion interconnected devices.”

At any one point, consumers were uploading photos to social networks and websites and adding an interpretation of their experiences.

There were more than 112 million personal blogs; four new blogs were created every second.

What does this mean for our industry?

Hospitality companies are now finding that their guests are speaking to their friends first and not the manager. This can have a huge impact on a business such as a hotel or resort.

The challenge, Buhalis explained, was to pick up responses from customers and handle them.

In the past, hotels and resorts were able to hide things. Complaints came in by letter or telephone and could be dealt with internally.

Now, clients go to TripAdvisor and the world becomes aware of the issues. “We are coming into the age of transparency.”

It was difficult to manage the brand and a company’s reputation over so many channels but social media was changing the way we had to approach these problems.

Professor Buhalis showed delegates how KLM Airlines had used social media site Twitter

“...resorts need to address social media now and not hide from it.”

“Someone is thinking of staying at the Waldorf Astoria. They go to TripAdvisor and view the property from street view. From here they can walk up and down the road, look at and read the reviews on pubs, restaurants and points of interest nearby.

“But it gets even more advanced,” he said.

“Imagine holding up your phone or other digital device against a person you’ve just met or passing by. You’d instantly have information returned about that person within seconds, gleaned from an automatic web, public profile and social network search.

“You’d discover common friends, talking points – and then have the ability to add him/ her to your network. Using a semantic scan, you’d discover negative or positive comments on Google or elsewhere.

“It would be an instant insight into the guy standing right in front of you. This is augmented reality and social media.”

So what can resorts do? Buhalis stressed

“Hospitality companies are now finding that their guests are speaking to their friends first and not the manager. This can have a huge impact on a business such as a hotel or resort.” with their comment and gift programme.

Rather than hiding from social media, the company was using it to create a memorable experience for their customers.

The company stated on its website that it would personally answer every post and tweet within the hour, day and night (in Dutch, English or Spanish).

At last year’s royal wedding, he said, there were: • 74 mentions of it in Facebook status updates every second; • Three million tweets on Twitter during the three-hour ceremony; • The speed of Twitter conversations about the wedding peaked at 250 tweets per second • Web chatter about the event surpassed that around the Japanese earthquake/tsunami and Egyptian revolution

Because they told KLM and their friends on a massive scale. (You can view the video shown to delegates here)

Professor Buhalis added that social media was moving from creating content towards sharing live opinions about real world events and challenging governments.

What lies in the future? Professor Buhalis said he believed it was augmented reality, social media and real life interaction. What does that mean?

“We are facing a digital revolution that will radically change industries,” he said.

Professor Buhalis showed delegates an example using TripAdvisor.

After running the gifting programme for a few weeks, the results showed that an airline could use social media to both surprise and make a small difference to a passenger’s day. How did KLM know?

the importance that resorts need to address social media now and not hide from it. They had to communicate with their customers who are adding material gleaned from personal experience.

“Accept that social media is a tool and learn how to use it – or it will kill you,” he said.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Suzana Gomercic presentation

Lisa Ann Schreier presentation:

Is our product timeshare or hospitality?

Timeshare isn’t rocket science

by Sharetime reporter

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his was the question posed by Diamond Resort’s Suzana Gomercic.

To answer it she looked at what timeshare means to owners, suggesting that today they believe their product is: “A sense of belonging to somewhere when you are away from home in good quality self-catering apartments with comfortable accommodation, offering the flexibility to eat in or out, a holiday that is easy to arrange with a choice of destinations that you can travel to with friends and family.”

In the past, she said, timeshare owners were easy to please. They knew their resort and loved to come back to the same place.

Owners were definitely not as adventurous.

“The committees and management teams must embrace change and new ideas. There has to be on-going staff training, regular refurbishments and modernisation.

“Think about your current and future guests and cater for their needs. At all times, members must be kept informed about resort improvements so that they know where and how their management fees are being invested.

“It is essential that committees and management teams be ahead of the times with upgrades to services and facilities. Look at new ways to get heads in beds and see how new technology can assist you with this.

Listen to your owners and deal with each on a personal basis.”

“Our guests today are more savvy, sophisticated and demanding. Social media and technology means they are looking for constant connectivity.”

While they avoided the masses that went on package holidays, they still wanted secure holidays without any risks.

It was not just about providing a timeshare week. “It is about hospitality. And it is going to be essential for your ongoing success.”

But a lot has happened in the past 20 years she said. “The internet, new technologies and global development have all had an impact on the way we view our timeshare holidays today.”

What has this approach to hospitality done for Diamond Resorts?

In the past timeshare owners were happy with basic facilities and amenities and fewer travel options. But timeshare guests today have much greater demands.

“Owners and guests now want choice, flexibility and value for money. Resorts have to comply with greater legal requirements, competition and be environmentally aware.”

Staff training had now become paramount so that all team members worked towards the same goal. All communications are replied to within 24 hours and followed up personally.

Top-level management is accessible to all members instantly.

“But what about your resort?” asked Ms Gomercic.

Simply explained, she added, “Our guests today are more savvy, sophisticated and demanding.

Social media and technology means they are looking for constant connectivity.

It was now clear, she said, that to be successful management companies needed both good business acumen and hospitality skills. They should motivate staff to provide great holiday experiences while running an efficient, well-managed resort complying with the latest regulations and work practices.

“They have different travel plans so a fixed week of ownership may no longer fit with their lifestyle. Guests are more selective in their search for new, quality holiday experiences.”

“But it is not just down to the management companies,” she said. “Committees play a role too; members need to safeguard the interests of all members and not just the minority.

So how do resorts respond to this?

“They need to be open to change and plan for future generations. They need to let the management company manage, but monitor their performance and remember that the holiday requirements of today are different from theirs.”

For Diamond, it means that technology has become paramount. Resorts offer WiFi, the latest TV systems, iPod docking stations, and computer games such as Wii and X-Box. There is an understanding that new facilities need to be introduced to satisfy every member of the family including teenagers and children (our future owners).

More importantly, the holiday has to be comfortable and seamless.

How can resorts ensure they don’t fall behind?

There were challenges such as exchange rate fluctuations, an ageing member base and increases in management fees.

“But these need to be tackled by looking at new opportunities brought by the Internet and not forgetting that the resort is there to provide guests with a great holiday – and that is down to simple hospitality.”

by Sharetime reporter

W

hy does such a great product like timeshare have such a terrible reputation, even in the U.S.A.?

Ownership penetration rates in the U.S. have hovered around seven per cent for years and the product still has a negative image. Just look at Google search results for timeshare or ask a stranger about their views of timeshare.

So how do resorts tackle the problem and implement change? According to Ms Schreier, they need to view it from the consumer’s viewpoint.

“With rare exceptions, the people in charge of the industry don’t get to the consumer level, have no idea of what consumers encounter and therefore don’t have a real idea of any problem,” she said.

The U.S. has many of the problems facing the European market.

• The value of timeshare weeks on the re-sale market – how do we explain to buyers the difference in the price of new and resale timeshare?

• A product that does not reflect the changes in the marketplace – deeded timeshare for life just doesn’t have the interest as shorter term products • No clear exit strategy – Resorts are unable or unwilling to buy back unwanted or unused timeshare weeks. This has led to the proliferation of so-called ‘postcard companies’ that promise desperate owners quick fixes yet do severe damage to both consumers and resorts.

• Lack of education and knowledge among owners – or the wish on their part to learn.

Owners purchased timeshare to have stress-free holidays, NOT to join owners’ groups, spend hours on on-line forums and join class action lawsuits.

• So while there are resources out there, not enough timeshare owners are taking advantage of them.

• Consumers’ resistance to being sold to traditional timeshare still relies on out-dated and antiquated marketing and sales practices.

We still talk about hard-sell techniques that give the industry a bad name.

However, all is not lost and Ms Schreier predicts that in seven years from now, the industry will be very different.

• Timeshare will cover shorter time periods; • Buyers will be able to buy their weeks/ points on-line; • There will be significant diversification; • The product will no longer be deeded; and • Gifting will change “Change is inevitable and consumers do have the power to enforce change,” she said.

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SHARETIME

European Directive - a guided tour to the timeshare industry’s legal landscape

by Susan Crook, director of legal services, Diamond Resorts International

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hile the world isn’t getting smaller, it certainly feels that way: countries are more accessible and cross border transactions more commonplace.

There are various external forces that shape our industry and it is clear that “we are not alone”. When it comes to the implementation of new laws, there are plenty of influencers who jump on board.

The most influential is the European parliament in Strasbourg. This body can enforce legislation, which the European states have to implement, and are constantly churning out laws and directives protecting consumers.

We are all aware of the 2008 timeshare directive.

So what did this legislation bring to the table that wasn’t addressed in the ’94 directive?

Aims of the new regulation were to: • Plug the gaps of the ‘94 directive in respect of re-sale and exchange; • Regulate new products that had evolvedspecifically long-term products which it felt had been developed to circumvent the legislation; • Be more prescriptive with information provided at the point of sale; and • Enhance legal certainty for the benefit of consumers and businesses by requiring member states to implement the new rules in a more consistent manner than previously required.

Focusing on the last objective, domestic legislation in Spain under the old directive differed significantly from that implemented in the U.K. Spain had a ten-day cooling off period, compared with 14 days in the U.K. No advance payments were allowed in the U.K. but in Spain they were, as long as they were paid into an escrow account.

For companies involved in timeshare sales, the new maximum harmonisation of the new directive has brought consistency across the member states. Apart from the initial investment cost in amending the paperwork, it has eased cross-border sales and facilitated the use of virtually identical contractual documentation.

Consumers who are familiar with the legislation in their own country will know what to expect if buying abroad. The prescriptive nature of the ‘Key Facts’ document certainly enables consumers to develop a good understanding of the product before they commit.

So the European Parliament required an implementation date of no later than February 23, 2011. The U.K. implemented the directive exactly on that date. But were we alone?

Of the 27 countries obliged to adopt legislation, 24 have now implemented the directive (Spain subsequently did so on March 18 this year).

Fourteen member states failed to transpose the directive on time and the Commission started infringement proceedings against them. Ten of these have now been closed. This leaves Latvia, Slovenia and Poland and legal action has been stepped up against them.

In the U.K. the maximum harmonisation principle was adhered to and the legislation was implemented without deviation from the directive.

The law was extended to cover timeshare but also re-sale, exchange and long- term holiday products. Timeshare nights of a duration of more than one year became regulated and information following a prescribed and more comprehensive format had to be provided.

A cooling off period of 14 days and a prohibition on advance payments in respect of timeshare sales already existed in the U.K., so there was no change there.

However, there is a requirement to draw these provisions to the purchaser’s attention and have the consumer sign the section of the

Consumers have generally welcomed the detailed explanation and usage of plain English.

The introduction of a running order for the presentation of documents at the point of sale has also proven to be a positive as it gives structure to the verification process. We rarely now get asked questions during this process and this is indicative that all aspects are covered in the paperwork and are clear.

Surprisingly, the introduction of cancellation rights for our trial products was generally welcomed as it gives us credibility with clients.

It has also made it more difficult for illegal operators to continue selling - although they are now being more creative.

So what are the regulators doing?

Under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002, the OFT and Trading Standards are able to apply to the court for an enforcement order.

It requires the company or individuals to discontinue any breaches of consumer

For re-sale companies, advance payments are not permitted at all until the sale has been completed or the contract terminated. contract dealing with these matters. Similarly there was no change in the requirement to supply the contractual documentation in the language of the EEA state where the consumer resides or is a citizen.

Non-compliance can result in prosecution and fines and the contact will be unenforceable against the consumer if the key information is not provided, if the withdrawal period and ban on advance payments isn’t notified or if the contract isn’t in English (for a U.K. consumer).

For re-sale companies, advance payments are not permitted at all until the sale has been completed or the contract terminated. For longterm holiday products there are distinct rules.

So has all this legislation impacted our industry?

The legislation was introduced at a time of global recession so its impact is hard to assess.

However, when comparing sales in 2011 to sales in 2010, the cancellation rate for DRI’s full product timeshare sales has shown no demonstrable change.

protection laws that have occurred. If they subsequently breach the order they can be held in contempt of court leading to a possible fine, imprisonment and seizure of assets.

To bring prosecutions the OFT and Trading Standards need consumers to register complaints.

Currently Consumer Direct is responsible for collating complaints. It offers advice by means of a telephone helpline and e-mail and a national database is maintained which details all complaints received.

From April 2 2012, the function of Consumer Direct is being taken over by the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The one caveat to the activities of the OFT and Trading Standards is that enforcement action brought by regulators is not a means of pursuing individual redress.

So where does that leave the consumer? And where does it leave the businesses that are in it for the long term?

Cancellation rates for our trial products did increase by 10 per cent overall which you might expect - not least because previously consumers had no cancellation rights per se.

In my view the adage “prevention is better than cure” is right. As individuals you need to use the law to shield yourself. Familiarise yourself with the law and be alert to the telltale signs of illegitimate operations.

Interestingly the feedback from our sales teams is overall very good. The key information document enables sales teams to better explain some aspects of membership and is regularly referred to when members seek clarification.

Companies need to use the law to their advantage. Work with Trading Standards to report unlawful practices. Allow your business to shine by ensuring full compliance with the legislation and letting consumers know their rights.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Industry first: delegates question a panel of industry experts

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n an industry first, the TATOC conference hosted an industry panel of experts who were questioned by timeshare owning delegates only.

This was the first time that timeshare owners were able to ask questions directly to professionals representing resort developers, re-sale organisations, exchange, media and management.

The panel included Simon Jackson (Macdonald Resorts), Dimitris Manikis (RCI), Linda Freer (Resort Solutions), Phil Watson (Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket), Janice Anderson Pearne (Interval International), Stuart Lamont (Aroma) and Paul Mattimoe (Perspective International).

The event was moderated by Robin Mills (RM).

Adam Johnson, Club Las Calas – Where does the panel think the industry will be if we don’t embrace the challenges?

JAP – The industry has always evolved and developed but we are not good at selfpromotion and telling new entrants that the product has changed, does offer good value and will meet their needs.

DM – The industry is already developing new products and the exchange systems will adapt accordingly – we just need to find the way to explain this to the younger generation, which I am sure we will.

LF – The biggest challenge is to embrace change. People in timeshare are negative themselves about the product so the younger generation don’t know what to expect. It is essential that resorts don’t just think about their needs and the future will be ensured.

PW – I believe new owners will come from new developers in the marketplace and the re-sale market. Owner committees, mature developers look at your constitutions and start to sell your stock. It is not just the responsibility of the industry.

PM – There is so much negativity from current owners and many resorts have nothing to attract the younger generation.

It is essential that resorts consider the demographics of future owners differently.

Mr Beale, Los Amigos Beach Club – Tell us how to fix the issues. Why are we not educating our owners? They don’t know how to use their membership.

SJ – We need to wake up and educate owners, know their requirements and open a dialogue with them. We try to engage and educate but it is not always easy.

PW – We often speak with owners and ask why they want to sell. On many occasions, we train them and teach them to how use what they have bought. In many cases, they come back and buy more. We believe that 20 per cent of people wouldn’t be selling their timeshare if they knew more.

DM – TATOC just needs to carry on doing what they are doing, getting social media working.

SL - We need to look at other business models and follow their ways to bring in new people.

Committees are responsible for the future of their resorts so they must bring in new people.

They must market, spend money, and improve their services or else they are going to die.

Ken Whittaker, Royal Tenerife Country Club – It is not owners that give the industry bad press so is it not possible for resorts to work together and undertake some positive promotion?

PM – The timeshare industry is unlike many others. There is no budget for training and all the resorts operate individually. Working groups have been set up but it is hard to make progress without universal buy-in. Therefore everyone does it all and not successfully.

JAP – Interval’s social media activity makes interesting reading. II doesn’t get involved in it at all but it seems that members educate other members. There are over 100,000 posts with owners learning from others.

DM – Ten years ago this question would not have been asked. But in the good days of strong growth we didn’t build strong enough foundations and didn’t focus or spend time on the owner. The emphasis was on selling the dream. But this can be reversed.

Question from the floor: The purchase process leads to disillusionment and disgruntlement.

What does the panel think about this?

PW – Typically in the past the sales process had little follow up with owners once they had paid. Resorts need to look at this – especially when it comes to understanding the exchange opportunities as this is once of the best parts.

DM – If I had spent £10,000 on a week of timeshare, would I leave it 12 months without doing something about it, finding out more and learning how to use it? The owner has some responsibility in this.

SL – Sales people are sales people and they will always create an unrealistic view of the product. We have implemented follow-up during our cooling off period which explains to the buyer what they have bought and how they can use it.

David Eastburn, TATOC board member – How do we get more resort committees to attend the TATOC conference?

LF – Eight of our fourteen resorts are represented today. Owners need to spread the word about TATOC.

RM – From an RDO perspective, we are working on two programmes to do just this.

SL – We are all actively trying to spread the good news.

PW – Yes. TATOC has a site that enables you to do this.

Tony Pearce, Royal Sunset Beach Club – Members learn more from other members so we set up a Yahoo group and then a website.

Some 80 per cent of our owners are happy and many just want to know that an exit strategy is available to them.

SJ – Yes, owners do change their minds once they know the facility is available.

LF – We believe that 90 per cent are satisfied with their ownership as they continue to pay their fees.

SL – In South Africa, we have a programme in place for the over 70s and it is very successful.

RM – So what will be industry be like in ten years?

SJ – Shorter-term products will be the norm.

JAP – High quality products and services and great flexibility will be key.

LF – People are still going to want holidays – we just need to be able to provide them.

DM – The product will evolve to reflect the new consumer. There will be consolidation but there will be pride in being involved in timeshare.

PW – Once the economy improves, we’ll be here selling new products.

SL – We’ll sell/promote/explain more and bring in new consumers.

RM – it seems the upshot of all of this is that as an industry we need to learn, listen, innovate and respect.

19

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ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Shall we, shall we not? by timeshare owner John Woodward who crossed to the other side with a private villa rental and lived to tell the tale

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his was the dilemma we found ourselves faced with for our holiday to Spain: we had never stayed in a private villa on a typical Spanish urbanization before having always erred on the side of caution and taken timeshare, allinclusive package or touring holidays.

However, after much deliberation, asking questions and looking through airline schedules, we took the plunge and went for a two- week break at Casa Alison, a privately owned villa, situated near to Torrevieja, on Spain’s Costa Blanca.

Our taxi driver, an expat whose tan would better any brown boot polish, met us at Alicante airport and we were soon whisked away with the various points of interest explained to us as we flew by.

On arrival, the owner’s agents welcomed us to Casa Alison, a small villa, tucked between larger properties. They explained to us where all the facilities were, how they worked and then showed us around.

Our first impression was of a well-kept, clean and tidy unit maybe a little smaller than what we had been used to in the past. Taking the spiral staircase on to the terrace for our first “cuppa”, we felt our holiday was going to be an experience as we watched the world go by.

The agents mentioned that they would visit us in the morning to see if we had settled in well and also to give us an update on the many local activities and trips so that we could get the best from our stay.

We awoke the following morning to a brilliant, warm ray of sunshine on our faces. In all the holidays we have taken, nothing had been as intense as this and the effort to rise a little earlier to witness each sunrise would be well worth making for a good start each day.

Our first priority was a trip to the supermarket for all essentials. And what a shock we had!

Everything seemed so expensive. Having lunch out was a ‘no go’ so we took advantage of the locally made baguettes and cooked chicken instead – accompanied by a bottle of our favourite wine.

Sunbathing on our private terrace was heaven; nobody could see us and while a few lengths in the pool seemed a good idea, in practice the water was icy cool and the plan soon changed.

Naturally, staying in a privately owned home made us discuss the possibility of owning a holiday home or even living as an “expat”.

It became quite apparent to us that the old adage is true… all that glistens is not gold!

We spoke to many residents and expats and were shocked at their many problems thanks principally to the present economic climate.

Several were working part-time to make a little extra cash to supplement their pensions.

Timeshare owners who complain about utility charges at their resorts should bear in mind what the residents on an urbanisation have to pay and also how restricted they are with only an electricity input box of 15 amp!

We spent two hot days of our holiday in Torrevieja and then took a ‘blanket trip’ to Benidorm.

We journeyed towards the top of the village through alleyways surrounded by shops selling honey, ceramics and souvenirs of all description.

But the effort was worth it with a superb view of the reservoir that supplies Benidorm. It was the end of a great day of wonderful sights, great company and ‘value for money’.

The town did not have the crowds that we expected and is, of course, totally different to the TV programme! Various parts of the beach were choc-a-block with people trying to get a better tan than their neighbour - sun tan oil being the order of the day!

The highlight of our stay at Casa Alison was a day trip to Guadalest and the Algar Waterfalls. The coach picked us up at 8am and as we journeyed along to our destination, the guide pointed out the many landmarks and unusual sights.

As the many different field patterns from various crops unfolded our attention was taken by the many fountains built on the roundabouts! These were spellbinding as the droplets were mirrored into many prisms of colour, each catching the rays of the mid-day sun. What a difference the combination of sun and water makes!

After lunch we walked towards the Algar Waterfalls.

The approach was breathtaking. From the water cascading over rocks to the several scantily clad females who were swimming or sunbathing, this was a photographer’s paradise.

The main destination of the trip was Guadalest; a village perched like an eagle on a mountaintop. As we walked through the village we passed a ‘white maiden’, a lady who sits motionless until thanked with a small tribute. Then her arms unfold and an acknowledgement is made with grace and charm.

After two weeks of wonderful weather our last day was a disappointment. Rather than a day topping up our tans all we had was rain, rain and more rain.

This last day made us realise that it was grossly unfair to compare a timeshare holiday with a stay in a private villa on an urbanisation!

Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed our stay but the rain made us realise what a wonderful word ‘space’ is compared to what we had been used to in the past.

In conclusion we would like to thank the owners of Casa Alison who gave us the opportunity to ‘taste’ another way of life, the agent who showed us around and the many expats who gave us an insight to their way of living.

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SHARETIME

Australia road trip:

PA RT

Whale watching in Queensland

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Jan Murphy of Dial An Exchange suggests this 3-week trip that might provide inspiration if you are thinking of exchanging down under.

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Transport for London is making commuters aware of 49 station ‘hotspots’ which are expected to become exceptionally busy during London Olympics 2012.

From now until November, the Queensland sub-tropics are blessed with more than their fair share of great destinations to view these awe-inspiring behemoths of the deep.

Itinerary Week One Fly or drive to the Gold Coast Week Two Drive Gold Coast to Sunshine Coast 150 – 200 km - approx two-three hours Week Three Drive Sunshine Coast to Fraser Coast 150 - 200 km – approx. two - three hours

Gold Coast - A whale of a time The endless golden beaches, theme parks and rainforest-clad hinterland make the Gold Coast one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations year round. Add the chance to tick off one of life’s must-do’s - getting up-close and personal with the majestic humpback whale – and its desirability as a holiday destination becomes unparalleled.

No matter where you are on the coast, there are half-a-dozen different cruises you can choose from. For those more adventurous souls, combine your whale watching with some diving or snorkeling with turtles.

On other blue-sky days, go jet boating in the Broadwater on an Aquaduck tour (which combines land and water) or deep-sea fishing.

For landlubbers, choose from over 40 championship golf courses, ranging from value-for-money courses like Gainsborough Greens, in the north, to Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman Signature courses midway, and the popular, picturesque River Course, in Tweed Heads.

For shopaholics, there’s everything from high fashion to chic pre-loved gear. Marina Mirage features exclusive, top-end designer stores. Harbour Town is at the opposite end of the scale with plenty of factory outlets.

Surfers Paradise has everything from flagship stores to tacky souvenirs. Robina Town Centre combines great shopping with Max

I

f you have friends, guests or clients travelling to London during the Olympics a specially designed website called Stay Ahead of the Games could provide important information.

he visceral thrill of a humpback whale breaching against the deep blue of a clear winter sky is something that will raise your pulse.

Guaranteed.

Add the fact that the winter temperatures can be mild enough for many visitors to break out their T-shirts and this is the kind of extended holiday well worth planning for.

Avoid Olympic travel chaos with new ‘hotspots’ map

Brenner’s Chocolate and the coast’s best movie cinemas.

Get away from it all hiking through one of the marvellous national parks in the hinterland, have lunch on Mount Tamborine’s Gallery Walk and be home in time for dinner in one of countless restaurants, many award winning.

Catch a train to Brisbane. Explore the interactive Sciencentre, parkland and café’s at Southbank, catch the Rivercat across to lunch at Eagle Street Pier and stroll it off at the Botanic Gardens.

Leave the car behind and go on a tour of the local wineries, some of which have won international wine and tourism awards. Or drive out to quaint Stanthorpe, the coldest place in Queensland and home to more wineries and multiple fruit orchards.

Mind you, if the weather’s anything like it is today, you’ll be spending your first day on the beach. Tell your family it’s the best place to work out a wishlist that works for everyone. Even if they don’t believe you, they’ll have fun!

Highlights on the Gold Coast *Hand feed the wild birds at O’Reilly’s in the beautiful Lamington National Park or Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. *With Wet & Wild, Dreamworld, Sea World, Movie World, Australian Outback Spectacular and more all easily accessible, this is theme park mecca. *On Moreton Island; hand feed wild dolphins, search for dugongs or spot whales from the Cape or aboard a cruise. *Race the waves in a 4WD on North Stradbroke on your way to the North Gorge Headland to watch for humpback whale calves. *Actually see all the Gold Coast has to offer from the Q1 observation deck.

In our next issue: Welcome to paradise on the Australia’s Sunshine Coast.

One million more commuters are expected on top of the usual 12 million this summer, meaning many lines will be packed at peak times.

East London, particularly around the Olympic Park in Stratford, is expected to be one of the worst hit areas.

The Transport for London organisation is warning that the only way to avoid travel chaos is if commuters stay vigilant.

Through the new website it is urging travellers to adapt their habits and stay flexible when the time comes.

Travellers have also been warned that the transport network is set to be busier in the second week of the Paralympics – the time when schools re-open after the summer holidays.

National Rail has drawn attention to a further 34 rail hotspot stations which are expected to be busier than normal during the period.

The Olympics run from the opening ceremony on July 27 through to the closing ceremony on August 12, while the Paralympics are held from the August 29 through to September 9.

Peter Hendy, London’s transport commissioner, said: “As the competition and events programme moves around we need to manage demand on the transport network, which will be very busy and at certain times and certain places will be much busier than usual.”

An extra three million trips will be made on the busiest days of the Olympics where there will be 88 TFL and 59 National Rail hotspot stations.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Getting the most from any investment

by Annette Pisani, a professional interior designer with experience working with leading timeshare resorts around the world.

Sharetime asked Annette how in these difficult economic times, resorts can make the most from investing in their resorts.

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n the last decade timeshare resorts have been under intense financial pressure.

It’s been challenging for developers and committees to put significant money into maintaining, yet alone reinvesting and upgrading properties.

I’ve heard from many that they’re opting for a short-term refurbishment fix, rather than investing in the long-term future of their property.

The immediate result is that any investment in the property can feel piecemeal, making little significant difference to the overall resort.

Then, because individual timeshare owners may not see the impact of any spend on their property or the site, they may not see the value of the investment or the disruption caused by any work.

There is a way of getting more from any investment in the property that will return

often seen how resort developers and owners try to save money and go it alone without design experience or a clear project plan.

The immediate result is that any work takes up a significant amount of time and often causes emotional stress. But, most damaging of all, the results may not reflect the time or money that has been spent on the investment.

Involving an interior designer can save time and money while improving the overall design quality and appeal of the site. I believe I have saved my clients more money than the fees for my services.

Here’s an example: At the Pearly Gray timeshare resort (140 apartments in Tenerife) owner James Beckley decided three years ago to appoint my company to oversee a programme of redevelopment of all the apartments and the lobby, bar and restaurant area.

Ana Alvarez, Pearly Gray resort manager, told us that owners were almost falling out of love with the resort so we needed to inspire them and help them realise our commitment to the future of their holidays.

more value from any spend both in terms of how the space is used and the quality of the resulting design.

Involving an experienced interior designer can make a dramatic difference by ensuring through the lifetime of the project that work is co-ordinated, cost savings achieved and, ultimately, buildings finished with stunning designs that will last the test of time.

Over the last 15 years, I have worked with timeshare, hotel and villa developers. I have

Underpinning the high quality design was a project management approach that ensured all of the work was co-ordinated to save time and money. We scheduled activity to make the most of any building days while minimising impact on the residents.

The programme is well under way, with the restaurant, bar, reception and gymnasium fully renovated and one-third of the apartments complete.

While the financial downturn has had a significant impact on resort owners and their willingness to spend on development, it has also made competition for timeshare owners more intense.

The target demographic of those aged over 55 have more choice, but also have greater aspirations for their future than ever before.

This means that it is even more important for timeshare resorts to outshine industry competitors.

High quality design can be a critical factor in terms of attracting interest and securing a customer. In turn, maintaining high design standards and interior quality is vital to making sure a timeshare owner wants to continue returning to the property and paying an annual maintenance fee.

“It is a tough market at the moment,” said Annette. “Throughout my career I have worked on timeshare projects, resorts and hotels around the world and know the financial pressure to deliver great design to budget. In the current climate and with the changing demands of customers, this has even more difficult. This is why it is so important to keep learning, applying new techniques and being really ambitious about design because it now, more than ever, is fundamental to attracting customers and therefore the future of any development.

“Too often it’s assumed that an interior designer is an expensive luxury that should be cut back on. But, appointing an experienced interior designer is often just as much a financially sound decision as an emotional one. Pisani Design’s track record demonstrates what timeshare resorts can achieve by combining design expertise with robust commercial insight when undertaking any development.”

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SHARETIME

&

Cruise

Stay

Many people wait a lifetime before taking one and then find that one is never enough! We are talking about cruise holidays and two RCI members tell us why they’ll soon be returning to sea.

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During the conversation the guide reminded them that, using their RCI membership, they could book cruise holidays through RCI Travel.

RCI Travel has extended its portfolio of cruise holiday associates to bring some great value deals to RCI members, who can now sail to hundreds of destinations, often combining a stay in resort with a week at sea to create an extraordinary multi-destination holiday.

“As soon as we were aboard, our luggage was taken from us and we were enjoying a lovely lunch before exploring the ship, which can best be described as a floating fun palace.

e all know millions of timeshare owner families who year in, year out enjoy a world of fabulous holiday experiences, But how many of those owners ever think about using the flexibility of their holiday exchange membership to, quite literally, widen their holiday horizons?

Afloat on a glistening ocean, with virtually every leisure and entertainment amenity available, staff on hand to ensure you have everything you need, waking up to a new view each day and visiting not one, but several of the world’s premier ports of call... Does a holiday get any better?

For two RCI member families, who recently discovered the joys of holidays at sea, the ocean escape is now a family favourite.

First time cruisers When Pauline and Lawrence Pringle, RCI weeks members who own at Orange Lake in Florida, thought about cruise holidays they were filled with dread.

“The thought of being part of a captive audience was awful,” said Pauline. “We imagined it would be boring, with nothing to do but eat cheap food. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Our first cruise experience on Independence Of The Seas was the complete opposite.”

“RCI Travel beat Virgin on price and so we set sail from the U.K. last August to visit Cannes, Florence, Rome, Sicily and Majorca,” said Pauline.

“The food was simply gorgeous, such a selection and the most deliciously tempting puddings – be prepared to put on a stone at least during a cruise!

“One of the best things was the entertainment which kept our two young children happy around the clock. We were spoiled for choice when it came to things to do between ports, as everyone was catered for. We were out for a week but that time went so quickly.”

There is another cruise bonus for those passionate about travel, as Pauline discovered: “It’s the perfect way to get a ‘taster’ of places that you might consider holidaying in, but without spending the time and money on a full holiday.

You also visit places you may never have dreamt of going and find you want to return.”

The Pringles are now planning a second cruise to check out further possible holiday destinations. “This year we’ll be exploring the Western Mediterranean on Grandeur Of The Seas and can’t wait to set sail!” says Pauline.

Ship & Shore Florida had long been a holiday hot spot for Margaret and Mark Curtis, who had visited many times during their 15 years’ RCI membership.

The Pringle family enjoy some shore leave

The Pringles have enjoyed many years of RCI exchange holidays and were looking for a new holiday experience.

They were about to book a Mediterranean cruise with Virgin when they were called by an RCI guide to discuss their annual deposit.

The couple own at Mijas, in Spain, and last year exchanged into Floridian resorts Orbit One Vacation Villas and Orlando International Resort Club – as well as taking a cruise.

“We love Florida and visit often, but last year we wanted to do something different,” said Mark. “We took our first cruise last Easter and found our girls, Annie and Bibby, were a great age at 11 and 15 to really enjoy it.

“So we thought we’d use our RCI membership to get the best of both worlds

The Curtis family at home onboard

and booked a cruise-and-stay holiday.

“We had a week at our resort in Florida, before sailing round the Caribbean on The Carnival Liberty visiting Ocho Rios, in Jamaica, Cozumel, in Mexico, and George Town, in the Cayman Islands, before returning to shore for a week’s relaxation in our resort.”

The couple found RCI Travel came in at about £1,500 less than other booking agencies. “When I told my mother the total cruise cost for the four of us she thought it was a per person price!

It was amazing value,” Mark added.

Among many memorable cruise holiday highlights for Mark were massage and cocktails on the beach in the cooling breeze of the Cayman Islands, relishing freshly spiced Mexican food followed by lively party nights in the bars with their ‘ship mates’ in Cozumel, river rafting in Ocho Rios and learning to play Craps in the ship’s casino which was ‘hilarious’.

“You can get a little stir crazy going back to the same place each year. The cruise kept each of us entertained the whole time,” explained Mark. “The international clientele was brilliant. It was especially good to see our children mixing with other children from all over the world. The boat was great; so much to do and the freedom to do your own thing felt really good.”

This year the family will be heading off for another cruise and stay holiday, combining a week at Walt Disney World, a cruise and a week’s chill out on resort in Orlando. “Its real holiday magic!” said Mark.

Cruise & Stay Holidays If you want to find out how you can use your RCI membership to combine the best of ship and shore in your next holiday call 0845 60 86 380. If you’re not an RCI member and want t learn more about RCI holiday choices call 0845 60 86 345.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

Timeshare the best kept secret!

word, there is still a lot of negativity around the timeshare world.

more resorts will continue to be happy, fun holiday communities.

The well-known problems of the past with dodgy players have been dealt with and today timeshare suffers no more than any other industry that attracts scam merchants.

Let’s shout it from the rooftops.

by Terry Lee of affiliate LiveShareTravel

So, with such a great story to tell and with a hugely impressive satisfaction rating, why aren’t we in the timeshare family shouting it from the rooftops?

S

hhhhh... We know a secret that could change the lives of millions.

Well, actually, you as a timeshare owner know it too. Timeshare is one of the best-kept secrets in the world of travel and lifestyle.

For the life of me I can’t think why we are so hush-hush about the benefits. But it is a secret and it does none of us any good to keep it under wraps.

For over 40 years timeshare owners have been enjoying the great value for money travel and lifestyle benefits that only timeshare can provide.

During that time the timeshare holiday has grown and grown in popularity with surveys of owners revealing that 87 per cent of them are delighted with their lifestyle investment.

Any industry that achieves such high approval ratings is clearly meeting the needs of customers and is doing something very right.

TATOC provides a platform to tell the tale and is always encouraging happy timeshare owners to share their great stories.

We at LiveShareTravel.com also want to hear from owners about their holiday experiences - so why not drop us a line with your story, or share it on our Facebook page?

There are always plenty of outsiders willing to spread bad news, but owners can really tell the truth and set the record straight. So why not join us and others in the industry by spreading the good news?

The more people who know the truth, the Yet, despite the great news we have to tell 1and 24/05/2012 CAT Medal Advert 210x148.5mm v2(O).pdf more new09:05 owners we can attract, and the the great efforts of TATOC in spreading the

It’s vitally important for the future growth and maintenance of resorts that fresh blood keeps coming in.

Without new owners it will be difficult to keep resorts maintained to the proper level and sustain the community and lively atmosphere that is so widespread within timeshare. After all, every club or organisation needs new members to survive and flourish.

So come on: let’s tell the truth about your timeshare, about the great times you’ve had at your resort, about the great exchanges you’ve enjoyed. If you’re happy with your timeshare, tell us about it and we’ll tell the world on www.livesharetravel.com.

Just send TATOC or us the story and let the world know what it’s missing and, more importantly, what they can become a part of.

Join us on Facebook and tell your great timeshare story there: www.facebook.com/livesharetravel Scan this QR code for some positive news from

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SHARETIME

Christel House a visit to the Cape Town school

by Linda Freer, managing director of Resort Solutions

After being shown a video - which actually featured the head girl a few years earlier starting out at Christel House - it was left to the students to show us around the classes and to meet the teachers and other students ranging in age from five to 18 years old.

In every class and activity that covered academic subjects, computing, arts, and crafts and sports the words pride and achievement were repeated.

The students were so proud of each other, of the achievements of individuals and of teams that represented Christel House.

The teachers and staff were equally engaged and joined with the young students in a game of cricket during their break. The older girls and boys typically sat on the wall and cheered their fellow students on.

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fter a business trip to South Africa, followed by a holiday along the Garden Route and topped off by a visit to Christel House South Africa, I find I am left with an unprecedented impression: the business trip and holiday were fantastic but the visit to Christel House was unique.

Their smiles from ear to ear spoke louder than words, their politeness when we entered a class were remarkable. Every student promoted the success of Christel House without even realising they did so.

We were then taken to the homes of two of the students and of course reality sank in: these children could not be born into a lifestyle further removed from privileged. They are chosen from the townships surrounding Cape Town and are living in poverty.

The visit has left me with such a good feeling about the success of Christel House and the fact that I, my business and all others who support Christel House are making a difference...

The families live in one room, two if they are lucky, with no running water or sanitation and often the relations live in a back-yard house, which is just a tiny shack between others.

The inspiration and founder of Christel House is Christel deHaan, a founder of RCI, the timeshare exchange company.

One mother we visited had a child at Christel House, twins and a month old baby and lived with her grandmother and other family members. Another mother was suffering with HIV and drink-related problems.

When she sold the company back in 1998, she embarked on an education programme designed to help the lot of deprived children in various points around the globe. Today there are international schools in Mexico, India, South Africa and Venezuela.

We had heard about Christel House and contributed to the schools. Now was our chance to experience the operation.

You could not escape the confidence that flowed from all three students, who were 17 and 18 years of age and about to sit their final matriculation exams. Their eyes sparkled with shear delight and enthusiasm.

You could easily believe they had come from the most privileged background but nothing could be further from the truth.

by Lisa Ann Schreier

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alk up to a random person on the street, ask them what they think of when they hear the word timeshare and, chances are, their answer will have something to do with the timeshare sales presentation.

And chances are that it’s not a positive response to the sales presentation.

Yes, I know that we in the industry would like to think differently and are quick to point out that we’ve come a long way since the “congratulations, you’ve won a free television…” pitch of the 1970s and 1980s.

Having said that, nothing changes customers’ expectations more quickly or more permanently than radically changing the paradigm and proving it by actions.

As an example, let’s look at Apple stores.

Back in 2001, when Steve Jobs and Apple executives opened the first Apple retail locations, expectations (from everyone BUT Apple) were not high.

Flash forward 11 years and Apple retail locations are continuing to blow everyone away. Their Regent Street location in London is the most profitable store in London!

Apple radically changed customers’ expectations, including yours and mine, of a computer store. You could come in and experience all of the different products and not be harassed by a salesperson to purchase anything.

The schools are charity-dependent – though the administration costs are all borne by Mrs deHaan, meaning that every pound contributed goes direct to the Christel House schools.

We were met by Sharon Williams, director of marketing, and three students: the head boy, head girl and a young lady, who I feel sure is destined to be head of marketing and public relations for some corporation, sometime in the future.

What are you doing to change customer expectations?

The students are taken into school even if they are ill because they have a better chance of seeing a doctor and being well cared for.

The school runs adult education lessons and the student themselves pass on what they have learnt to their families and friends.

Breaking the cycle of poverty will take a long time but through Christel House the journey has started and those children are given hope of a better future.

For further information on Christel House, visit the website at: www.christelhouse.org

If you had questions, Apple had ‘geniuses’ readily available to answer questions. There’s also the matter of the physical layout of the stores and the incredible attention to detail of the materials used.

Taken together, Apple totally invented the computer retail store and customers showed and continue to show their appreciation by the only currency that truly matters: sales.

Now you may not think that neither your timeshare resort nor any timeshare resort has anything in common with Apple stores. But it’s not about comparing a two-bedroom in high season to the newest iPad.

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

It is about changing your customers’ expectations and yes, stereotypes, in any number of ways.

Everything counts…the shape of the tables, the temperature of the ‘hot breakfast’, the dress code (or lack thereof ) of your salespeople, the way your sales managers are or are not hovering in the background waiting to swoop in… everything.

We in the industry talk a lot about social media. USE social media for what it’s best at…to listen. Listen to what people are saying about timeshare and use that feedback to change customers’ expectations.

You have a unique opportunity to be one of the first timeshares to change the paradigm and succeed by the only true standard… increased sales.

Ready to change? I’m here to work with you and eager to hear your success stories.

Tenerife sees boost from U.K. tourism say Holiday Hypermarket

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he year 2011 was a bumper one for Tenerife holidays, according to leading on-line travel retailer, Holiday Hypermarket.

Topping their list of most popular destinations and most-booked flights from London airports in February, Tenerife continued to be a hot holiday choice for U.K. visitors - even in the winter.

This is in keeping with figures released by the Tenerife Tourism Corporation which show that Tenerife welcomed nearly 1.66 million British visitors in 2011, representing a 10.6 per cent increase from 2010.

There was also an increase in tourist arrivals in the winter months, reaching its highest level in recent years.

The biggest jump was in the peak month of September, when there was an increase of 34 per cent, with a large proportion of holidaymakers choosing to stay in hoteltype accommodation.

Calum MacDonald, on-line marketing manager for Holiday Hypermarket, comments: “Tenerife has earned a reputation as a place where Brits can get anything from boutique weekend getaways to cheap holidays in upscale resorts.

Tenerife provides diverse accommodation - from luxury hotels to self-catering lodges - so tourists can pick and choose according to their budgets.”

Life in the day of: Patrick Duffy Chief experience officer, Diamond Resorts International

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OW… A day in the life as chief experience officer with Diamond Resorts International is one that is very simply about PEOPLE. Taking our company philosophy, ‘The Meaning of Yes’, we are training our teams worldwide on the ease of understanding specific identifiers and actually delivering the philosophy each day to our owners, members and guests.

The day begins and ends with communication, whether it is Blackberry or mobile. As a global

“My office is situated within human resources, which gives me a group of colleagues who have spirit, feelings and a real meaning in their careers.” company with our headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada, we have many time zones during each 24 hours.

Those time zones cannot be a permitted excuse or obstacle for not caring for our team members and certainly our owners, members or guests (OMG).

Arriving at our offices in the morning is always a pleasure, simply because it is the prime opportunity not only to begin my day on a positive, but to share that feeling/sentiment with those just beginning their day as well.

For me, the day must be one that has OPTIMISM; that is a day full of possibilities. It starts with greeting anyone who comes in my path.

I mean, WHY NOT? But the greeting is not the typical head nod, it’s a greeting that contains a question of; “How are you?”, and await the response.

My office is situated within human resources, which gives me a group of colleagues who have spirit, feelings and a real meaning in their careers. Not your typical ‘personnel department, but a fully-fledged team that is intent on creating a global operation with fullfocus on people, from team members to guests.

I then quickly scan my computer for any OMG e-mails, craft answers and seek the relevant departments to assist me.

Being in the work place and people business for 40 years (yes, for those who know me, I started at 12 years old), I realised long ago that attempting to control any, or all, is a silly effort.

One gets so much more reward when a team concept is utilised. I don’t have to be the one with all the answers, or the one who immediately answers “No, we can’t possibly do that.”

Optimism and possibilities are created from groups of like-minded, customercentric, hospitality drivers. That to me is team Diamond.

Mentoring our team members in delivering The Meaning of Yes is a GREAT part of the day.

A good portion of my time is spent in our resorts with one of the most sensational parts meeting our members.

I have had many chance meetings with our guests that have resulted in warm relationships: we still keep a note of birthdays, holidays and the like or answer a note of concern.

We help them out and, in the end, keep the relationship as one where we can always count on each other.

Throughout the day we are met with many opportunities to count on each other: resort to corporate and back; team member to team member; department to department; OMG to resort and back…

In my role, which is one that has substantial visibility, I meet daily with our company leaders - Stephen J. Cloobeck (chairman and CEO), David F. Palmer (president and CFO), and Steve Bell (executive vice president).

As my day continues, Diamond is a company that believes in giving and sharing.

When the workday wraps up, and I am on my way to a board meeting or home, I have, when looking back, hopefully touched many.

“One gets so much more reward when a team concept is utilised. I don’t have to be the one with all the answers, or the one who immediately answers “No, we can’t possibly do that.”

Whether through e-mail, phone or in person, just be a change agent to someone’s day.

To realise that, we may all look and feel different, we may all speak different languages or be from different regions. We may work together yet have very different lives.

But in the end, our similarities are greater than our differences, and in hospitality, it’s all about CARE and CONCERN. Real easy!

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Unlock your timeshare...

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Flexible Aroma

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Take advantage of our special deals and promotions

Trade Aroma

Unlock your timeshare by converting your timeshare to Aroma

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Call: 0845 600 8116 or visit www.aroma.eu.com

ISSUE 10 • SummerADVERTORIAL 2012

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A concept that evolved out of change Although timeshare was the best method of pegging holiday costs over the past 30 years, flexibility was limited, even with the exchange organisations. A new product presence was needed which had all the positive attributes of timeshare but none of the negatives. The need was met with the formation of AROMA in December 2010.

Adding AROMA AROMA falls within the timeshare industry but it is not timesharing in the true sense.

It is a holiday club whose members receive certain rights which enable them to holiday in many destinations throughout the world.

Members of the club do not acquire individual timeshare weeks but purchase holiday points.

Each week of holiday accommodation is valued on a points basis - from week 1 to week 52 throughout the year, resort by resort. The number of points required for each week depends on the time of the year, the quality of the resort and the number of bedrooms per unit.

account and it continues to grow until you withdraw it, as and when you need to and however much you need.

Each year you are re-credited with the number of points that you have acquired.The points are held to the credit of the member’s account and can be accumulated for up to three years. At any time the member can make a reservation and his account will be debited with the number of points required for the particular unit in the particular resort of his choice.

AROMA’s policy has been to acquire holiday properties mainly in the peak holiday periods and at the moment, a high percentage of the points held are in peak periods.

Conversion of a Timeshare Week AROMA has a unique facility allowing timeshare owners to trade in their timeshare in the name of the club for points to the value of the week - a useful option as needs change.

current market value of their unit and they could purchase additional points which would be added to their trade-in enabling them to holiday during school holiday periods.

The couple with the three-bedroom unit would have a large number of points, enabling them to take four or five out-of-season holiday weeks. Alternatively they could give points to their children or surrender surplus points back to the club.

The AROMA system is the most flexible holiday option available and allows you to holiday anywhere and anytime, in any size unit. The choice is yours.

The industry is moving more and more to the points system and the majority of the sales within the timeshare industry are on a points basis. Club Leisure Group, pioneer of the points system, has shown phenomenal growth over the last 25 years.

No restriction is placed on the number of points the member may acquire and the member may purchase additional points at any time. The total of the members’ points in the club is represented by the asset made up of holiday accommodation owned by the club. Once the member has been allocated points he can book a holiday.

For example. a young, newly married couple bought an out-of-season studio week at a cost of possibly £5 000, while a family man acquired a large, three bedroom unit in peak season at a cost of £30 000. Ten years later, the couple now have three children and the other family’s children have all left home.

Ideally the two families now need to swop each other’s weeks.

In February 2011, a new directive in respect of timeshare and long term holiday products came into force around Europe.This directive has been welcomed by Aroma as it finally allows for a level playing field within the industry, it has slowed sales down considerably as many entities struggle to adapt, however Aroma believes that it was exactly what was needed in the industry and has always been a firm supporter of considerable consumer protection and Aroma really is now in a position to be the Club of our time....

The system can easily be compared with that of a bank, where you deposit money into an

With AROMA, the family with a studio unit would be allocated points amounting to the

www.aroma.eu.com

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SHARETIME

Auntie Betty says...

Our favourite Spanish ex-pat tell us how things really are Don’t you just love it... well don’t you?

Or are you also thinking about what else comes with your holiday at your timeshare resort? Salesmen, OPC’s, stress and the constant pressure to buy, upgrade, change to points holiday clubs and all the rest.

Now I could give you a list of warnings like don’t forget the sun cream, don’t forget your passport. I could - but would you read them?

Would you take the warnings seriously? t’s summertime. Sea, sand, sunshine, walks on the beach, holidays, time off, the smell of sun cream on the wind, lobster coloured skin and the freedom to do what you want.

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There is a booklet written by business guru Steve McDermott called ‘How to be a complete and utter failure in life, business and everything’ and it is based on the premise that you will not read or hear the first word in a sentence. In this case ‘Don’t’.

Aaah - I can feel the atmosphere of anticipation mingling with the smell of hot dogs or fried calamari. Don’t you just love it? Just think of all that time with your family.

For instance when I say “don’t forget the sun cream”, you will hear “forget the sun cream”; “don’t forget your passport”, you will hear “forget your passport.” You get the gist.

But you know that after the 3.00 am start to get to the budget airline in time, the wait at the airport, the rush to the queue to get the best seats, you and the family will be fraught.

So where am I coming from today? What words of wisdom are going to spring from this page? (I would rather have said pen but then we all know that would not be true. Maybe a quill? No, not even Auntie Betty is that old).

And after three days you suddenly realise that you had forgotten the irritating habit of Uncle Joe leaving his false teeth in the kitchen.

Bearing in mind the advice from Mr McDermott, read the following simple tips so you will

enjoy your well earned break in the sun wherever it may be: • Don’t leave your credit cards behind when you go out for a walk; • Don’t wear a hat and sun cream when you are on the beach; • Don’t pay for travel insurance; • Don’t tip the waiter; • Don’t forget to talk to the salesman; • Don’t forget to sign any papers and, please • Forget that the new European Directive protects you for 14 days.

There, easy isn’t it? Of course we could all stay in the U.K., watch the Olympics and wave our Union Jack flags like mad as Lizzie and Our Phil celebrate the diamond jubilee.

So go on and be a devil. Drag it out of the cupboard under the stairs, get out the old cardboard box from the attic, use the duster, wash it down and polish it up.

What is ‘it’ you ask? Well, ‘it’ is our nation’s pride. Seems like it could do with an airing and there are plenty of opportunities this year.

But just remember this, wherever you are this summer - DON’T enjoy yourself.

Perspective Interactive to transform on-line marketing services

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he recent launch of Perspective International’s latest endeavour, Perspective Interactive, is set to completely change the way resorts look at online marketing. The company’s newest division delivers a one-stop shop for all of the timeshare and fractional ownership industry’s marketing needs.

Through a co operative partnership with Xeputu, an interactive marketing firm based in the U.S. the new division combines Perspective’s proven history in traditional media with Xeputu’s cutting edge online marketing services. Perspective Interactive now offers the shared ownership industry a comprehensive range of options never before provided by one organisation.

“The ability we have to not only integrate print offerings with online campaigns, but to track results from offline media through a client’s website, is staggering”, said Paul Mattimoe, president and CEO, Perspective International.

The goal is to work with existing marketing teams to complement their efforts with services that identify what is working and to implement advanced tracking methods that give clients a clearer idea of the effectiveness of their marketing programs. Services offered include:

The Marketing Audit Perspective Interactive reviews an existing website and interactive marketing presence to deliver a detailed analysis and report.

Strategic Consulting Perspective Interactive can either develop an entire online marketing strategy or work with your existing vendors or agencies to incorporate their skills into a team approach.

Website Development Our expert website architects can design purpose built, original sites for your corporate brand.

Search Marketing From basic Google Analytics to in-depth custom reporting, we can identify how much of your marketing spend is being tracked, manage your paid search campaigns and optimize your website.

Social Media Marketing Perspective Interactive will show you how to use your social media accounts as customer retention tools and how to interact with your audience through interactive marketing campaigns.

Distribution and Revenue Management Consultation Turn unused inventory into an online rental and inspection visit strategy. We will provide guidance in developing a room rate and distribution plan to maximize rate, occupancy and RevPAR. Web Analytics and Tracking Website analytics are now standard best practice but what most teams are missing is an analytical strategy. Learn the difference and implement it with the help of Perspective Interactive.

PR Management From press release writing and distribution to full service media marketing, we will deliver more exposure for your message, rigorously tracked and reported to provide clear, increased results.

If you would like to know more, please request a brochure at http://perspectivemagazine.com/interactive

ISSUE 10 • Summer 2012

CAA warns passengers ‘make sure you know what you are booking’

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ir travellers have been warned to check details of their bookings or face the prospect of missing their flights, paying additional costs or even being denied boarding.

The advice comes from the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) after studying the terms and conditions and websites of the top 20 airlines operating in the UK. With booking information varying greatly from one airline to another, the CAA has added new advice to its passenger portal to help passengers understand the importance of airline terms and conditions

Face behind the business PROFILE: Paula Vickers Company: Dial an Exchange Europe Position: Resort services manager Nature of business: Holiday accommodation exchange Resides: Gargrave, Skipton North Yorkshiree Email: paula@dialanexchange.com Website: www.dialanexchange.com

• Be clear about your check-in time. It can differ from airline to airline, and if you miss your flight you may need to buy another ticket.

Tenerife backs ABTA’s Travelife sustainability project

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• If you miss your outbound flight of a return trip, contact your airline straight away to make sure your return flight is not cancelled.

enerife’s tourism minister has pledged support for ‘green’ tourism as he backed the Travelife sustainability certification scheme for hotels.

• Code share agreements mean that the airline you book with isn’t always the one operating your flight. This may affect your rights if you are denied boarding or your flight is cancelled or delayed.

Carlos Alonso outlined the island’s tourism strategy as 55 local hoteliers attended a roadshow run by Travelife.

• If you’re pregnant, check to see if your airline requires a medical certificate from your doctor or midwife to let you fly.

• If you need special assistance, make sure you tell your travel organiser or airline well before you’re due at the airport to help the airline understand your needs.

Iain Osborne, group director for regulation policy at the CAA said: “Airline terms and conditions are often lengthy and difficult for some passengers to understand, but they also contain important information.

“While these tips are timely reminders, we strongly advise that all air passengers consider their bookings carefully and don’t just skip to payment. Only then can they really choose the flight that suits them best and not risk getting caught out.”

These tips for passengers are part of the CAA’s pre-booking advice, available from its on-line passenger portal – where advice is available before booking prior to or after travel.

Location?

Venice out of season Shop?

Desigual Restaurant / pub?

The Grove Ilkley, Grassington House Hotel. Great local places where I eat often TV Programmes / Films?

QI, Downtown Abbey. Pride and Prejudice Schindler’s List Actor?

Robert De Nero, Liam Neeson, Daniel Day Lewis Actress?

Kathryn Dimmery (one of my oldest Friends), Meryl Streep Musicians?

Maverick Saber, Annie Lenox, Amy Winehouse, Adele CD? 21 - Adele

The CAA has picked out top tips for passengers to think about when booking: • Check you’ve entered passengers’ details exactly as they are on their passports. It may cost to make corrections.

FAVOURITE THINGS:

He said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our tourism strategy and initiatives such as Travelife are an important part of our plans.

“We’ve developed a strategy which focuses on Tenerife’s volcanic landscape, encouraging customers to see more of the island than just its beaches and allowing them to track their carbon footprint while on holiday.

“Hotels play a key role in encouraging holidaymakers to explore and engage with what the island has to offer and so getting them involved in sustainability initiatives is a central part of our strategy.”

Travelife relationships manager Fiona Humphries said: “A growing number of holidaymakers are thinking about the impact of their travel and schemes like Travelife enable hotels to communicate the achievements they have made in sustainability.

“The Tenerife tourism minister and his department are leading the way on ensuring healthy future development for the island and the strong turnout shows that businesses are recognising the need to take these issues seriously.”

Holiday resort?

So many to choose from and I try to go somewhere different each time. In the U.K. I think Auchrannie Country Club, on the Isle of Arran, has to be one of my favourites or Hope Barton Barns, in Devon.

Food?

Pretty much anything as long as it is locally sourced and well cooked.

Drinks?

Russian Mule for a cocktail or a good bottle of Shiraz or champagne anytime.

Business icon?

Steve Jobs, Anita Roddick Business?

Virgin Website?

Trip Adviser Newspaper, magazine?

The Guardian on Saturday for all the Arts stuff.

Sport?

Athletics or figure skating Hobbies?

Acting, dancing, singing, theatre, visiting museums, galleries and exhibitions; walking and swimming.

With whom would you like to be stuck on an island with?

My partner Dave, as he is my best friend as well as a person I would trust with my life and he’s always good for a laugh!

Personal description?

I’m a great believer in what goes around comes around. I love people and having good human interaction is the most important thing in life, be that at work, at play or at home.

I love my job as I get to speak to and meet so many wonderful people at resorts all over Europe. I like to work hard but as I have an adopted daughter with challenging needs getting the right work/ life balance is very important to me.

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SHARETIME

Conference 2013:

TATOC to encourage member attendance

by Harry Taylor, executive chairman

T

he recent TATOC conference was considered by many as the best to date.

With delegates representing a number of resort committees and several of the major players from the timeshare industry, it was a great opportunity for networking and discussion.

We were able to announce good progress on all major initiatives launched at the 2011 conference and proud to report 11 new member resorts, a 1,000 per cent increase in individual memberships, six newly-accredited resorts and ten company affiliations.

But we were disappointed that some committees and resorts were not represented.

TATOC is rightly proud of its independence from any timeshare company or body but must also recognise that we ‘sail in the same boat’ as reputable developers, management companies, exchange companies and re-sale companies.

There is only one timeshare industry and a successful future for owners is inseparably linked to that of a successful and reputable industry.

Consumers are stronger when we work together, and stronger still when we maintain good communications and relationships with the companies who manage and deliver our holiday investments and services.

It is impossible to influence major industry people, companies, policies and practices from the outside.

The TATOC annual conference is a tremendous opportunity for committees and owners to share success stories and to discuss problems, opportunities and solutions.

It is the perfect environment for committees to engage with major industry players to represent their owners’ views and to hear first-hand the industry thoughts on the trends, factors, challenges and opportunities that will shape the future for timeshare.

At previous conferences we announced the launch of TATOC’s consumer helpline, the TATOC code of conduct, resort accreditation, re-sale company accreditation, the industry working party on owner exit strategies (which I chair) and many other major initiatives.

The 2013 conference will report on all current major initiatives and launch new ones that will continue to drive TATOC forward as the principle consumer representative for timeshare owners in Europe.

Planning for TATOC 2013 is already under way and, as well as the many major companies who regularly attend, we have invited some leading industry speakers to address delegates covering a range of topics of interest.

Scottish resort celebrates Green Tourism Week

The location will be the prestigious Crewe Hall hotel, near Crewe on March 8 - 10 and the theme of the conference will be Finding Solutions.

The conference will begin on Friday evening with canapés and an opportunity for informal discussions and networking followed by an informal dinner.

Saturday is a busy day packed with presentations and workshops and, in recognition of a hard day, finishes with a gala dinner. Sunday morning continues the hard work and closes with the TATOC annual meeting and lunch.

Early-bird rates which include the delegate fee, all accommodation and meals are now available and committees are urged to take advantage of these. Booking forms are available from the TATOC website. If you would like to discuss attendance, contact Harry Taylor directly.

Resort Solutions staff raise over £1,100 for charity

M

elfort Village celebrated Green Tourism Week for the first time with a number of different initiatives.

Taking place May 21 – 27, the resort’s super ‘Green Team’ encouraged staff and guests to think about green issues.

Guests were encouraged to take an interest in wildlife and the staff had a morning on a local wildlife watching boat and saw sea eagles, seals, red deer and goats. They also spent an hour on the resort’s beach picking up litter and tidying it up.

There was also a very successful staff swap shop and any unwanted items were donated to a charity shop. A mobile phone “amnesty” led to ten unwanted phones sent off to charity.

Guests were encouraged to spend one day at the Village not using their cars and exploring the local area, and bike hire was free throughout the day.

The ‘Green Team’ has issued guidance to all departments giving ideas about what they can do to develop the resort’s green policy. Everyone was asked to reduce the amount of waste being created, recycle more and increase energy efficiencies.

S

ix staff members from management company Resort Solutions have raised over £1,100 for cancer research. The team took part in the annual five-kilometre Walk for Life in Stamford on May 13 in aid of Cancer Research UK. They explained their reasons for taking part: “We know so many friends and family who have had cancer and we wanted to make a difference for them and for the future. This year is particularly important to us because our resort manager at Alto Golf and Country Club is living with cancer. Pat is our colleague and very special friend and we want her to know we care”.

Each department was given specific tasks, such as planting a herb garden and improving the composting system (grounds), switching off lights and reducing the amount of chemicals (housekeeping).

Christine Roberts, resort manager, explained: “One very definite product of the Green Awareness Week has been increased co-operation and motivation within the staff. The reduction of waste and chemicals is also saving us money.“ The ‘Green Team’ is made up of Christine Roberts (manager), Linda Brown (admin), Brenda Ritchie (housekeeper), John Bird (grounds) and Donna MacAuley (pool attendant).