Sharetime 20 Winter 2014

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

The Las Calas story: delivering the product

Conference will be

biggest ever Resorts who care for

disabled guests

El Golfo Atlantic near Lago de los Clicos, Lanzatore Š Hobox

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SHARETIME

Facing challenges together

by TATOC executive chairman, Harry Taylor

During this 25th anniversary year, the TATOC team has been busy implementing the aims and objectives of its second five-year plan. With the TATOC Consumer Helpline busier than ever and increasing demands from consumers and industry, CEO Harry Taylor believes that the services offered by the association are more essential than ever.

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his is the last edition of Sharetime for 2014 so I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some key achievements from what has been a busy year.

We have welcomed four new resorts into membership and affiliated six companies – all of whom will now follow the TATOC code of conduct.

Resort accreditations continue and five went through this robust process this year. As accreditation lasts just three years, we are now undertaking re-accreditations to ensure that standards are maintained.

TATOC has worked closely with resort committees, industry and other agencies on timeshare contracts, constitutions and the perpetuity issue.

In line with our mission statement we believe it is essential to establish procedures that will enable the departure of existing timeshare owners without prejudicing the interests of other owners.

The TATOC health check programme for mature resorts continues to be a popular option and our ambassadors are working hard and enjoying some great results.

This year has also been a year of developing relationships and working with a range of interested parties.

TATOC has formed a working alliance with the National Timeshare Owners Association, based in the U.S.A., and has assisted American fraud agencies to prevent scams.

Our media exposure continues to grow and TATOC is called upon to provide information and insight from a consumer perspective.

We have worked with the industry to ensure new products are developed that encourage timeshare ownership by a younger market.

TATOC has been criticised by some for our close links with the industry.

However, we are facing challenges arising from an ageing owner base, a difficult financial and marketing environment and the evolving requirements and expectations of today’s holidaymaker.

Not one body - either consumer or industry - has the total solution so we must face these challenges with a unified approach.

TATOC believes that all parties have a fundamental role to play in the successful future of timeshare.

The focus must be to service the on-going needs of existing owners, provide the facilities and services they purchased while at the same time satisfying the emerging needs of younger markets. This can only be achieved with a secure and strong timeshare industry.

It is not possible for TATOC to exercise a positive influence on the industry from the position of ‘antagonistic outsider’.

There is no conflict of interest in a good relationship between consumers and reputable timeshare companies. TATOC is proud to work with reputable timeshare businesses to protect, promote and enhance the future of timeshare for owners.

TATOC is independent and impartial in representing the best interests of owners and fighting against rogue companies and bad practice.

The TATOC Consumer Helpline has rapidly gained a reputation for being professional, well informed, unbiased and genuinely beneficial.

Not only does it have direct contact with timeshare owners but also receives referrals from the The Competition and Markets Authority, Citizens Advice Bureau, the police, banks, solicitors, media and other government agencies.

In line with our five-year plan, the current services of the Helpline will be extended to give specific assistance to individual consumers in difficult circumstances where general information is insufficient to resolve their enquiry.

Helpline has now been registered as a separate company, with its own constitution, logo and trustees.

The TATOC Conference 2015 will take place from March 6 – 8 at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, Warrington, Cheshire, England.

Early bookings are predicting it will be another sell-out.

The conference officially begins with registration on Friday afternoon, but will be preceded that morning by the second joint seminar organised by RDO and TATOC. The first seminar saw a full house covering emotive topics - 2015 will possibly be more outspoken.

Further details of the conference, delegates’ packs and the seminar can be found on the TATOC website.

I must give thanks to the Manchester office staff for their unstinting commitment. At times it can be harrowing when dealing with distressed callers.

Thanks also to the board for a year of hard work with difficult issues successfully resolved and to Emily and Colin Collins for the production of Sharetime Magazine.

I am confident that 2015 will be another year of achievement for TATOC. Wishing all a happy Christmas and that the New Year brings health and happiness.

The Helpline will be introducing pro-active measures to respond to incidents/trends and provide information to timeshare businesses, government agencies and all other interested parties.

The Helpline has an essential role to play. To continue its expansion the TATOC Consumer

Harry Taylor, executive chairman

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

The long road

to charity status

by Harry Taylor, TATOC executive chairman

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n the day-to-day business of TATOC in the new millennia it became increasingly clear that people were being targeted by fraudulent companies and getting into extreme difficulty and distress.

People who, in many cases, were vulnerable by circumstances of age, financial difficulty, bereavement and so on.

In an attempt to address this problem a joint industry/TATOC initiative known as VOICE (Vacation Owners Independent Coalition in Europe) was established to deal with these consumer difficulties.

However, funding for VOICE was always challenging and, in addition, VOICE experienced difficulties in delivering the desired service to consumers. The programme closed in 2007.

Unable to ignore consumer needs, TATOC in 2008 established a dedicated helpline at its offices in Manchester. Since it started the helpline has received more than 50,000 calls and e-mails relating to more than 18,000 individual consumer cases.

Ninety per cent of the people who ask for our help with complaints have suffered at the hands of companies who set out to be misleading, deceptive or deliberately fraudulent.

In setting out to help them, TATOC has never made any charge for the helpline service and never used premium-rate telephone numbers.

Indeed, every call and e-mail to the helpline carries a significant cost in telephony and internet services, salaries and office administration.

We decided to seek charity status as a way to help with the difficult task of fund-raising so the work of the helpline could continue.

In June 2011, the TATOC board agreed a project description and milestone plan and an application was made to the Charities Commission for charitable status.

Consumer Helpline in isolation, as a separate entity to the wider responsibilities of TATOC. To achieve this, a totally new company was established in February 2013 to support the separated helpline’s responsibilities and activities.

Help was sought from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Community and Voluntary Service in Manchester (known as MACC) and the Charity Commission advisory service. We are tremendously grateful to these bodies for their help and support.

With all details finalised, a second application was made in February 2014. But even so the path was not a smooth one. The Commission has a responsibility to ensure that charity status is awarded only to bodies established wholly and exclusively for the public benefit.

They take this responsibility seriously.

Following several months of discussions the application was once again rejected because the Commission did not feel the TATOC Consumer Helpline had sufficient separation from the larger TATOC Association, and required greater clarity of purpose to demonstrate public benefit.

After so much work (and considerable cost), and driven by an absolute certainty and belief that the helpline was unquestionably established wholly and exclusively for charitable purposes, the TATOC board challenged this latest rejection to the Litigation and Review Process in July 2014.

After further communications and discussions with the Commission, the sincerity of the objectives and intentions of the TATOC Consumer Helpline were recognised and on October 17, 2014 we were delighted to receive the following e-mail: “We are pleased to tell you that we are satisfied TATOC Consumer Helpline is established for charitable purposes for the public benefit. It has therefore been entered on to the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1158892.”

We were greatly disappointed when this was rejected. But, following discussions with the Commission, we recognised and understood why: much of its scope lay outside of the requirements for charitable status under the Charities Act 2011.

It has been a two-year battle but the work and reputation of the helpline has proved the deciding factor. We gave an assurance to the Commission that the helpline will continue to be exclusively for the public benefit and that we will do everything in our power to maximise that benefit.

The Commission suggested that an application might be more favourably received if it was made on behalf of the TATOC

So now the work begins! The motivation for seeking charity status was not an academic exercise or some casual ‘label’ we sought for

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CONSUMER HELPLINE the TATOC Consumer Helpline.

It was to enhance the reputation and recognition of the helpline to assist in its work, and to help in attracting funding to continue, broaden, and expand our consumer help wherever it is required.

TATOC conference 2015 – Time To Change “The theme of TATOC’s 2015 conference will be ‘Time to Change’ and I believe this is something that everyone involved in the industry needs to consider.”

So said Harry Taylor, TATOC CEO, who is planning the association’s key annual event.

The industry is experiencing challenging times.

Legislators throughout Europe, the media and consumer bodies are looking at how TATOC is tackling the issues of perpetuity contracts and exit policies.

“All parties involved in our industry have had discussions and debates – now is the time to act.”

Taylor has chosen a wide range of speakers who will share their thoughts, suggestions and ideas for positive change - building a long-lasting future for owners with a legitimate industry.

Speakers announced to date include: John Spence - Karma Resorts Gregory G. Crist - National Timeshare

Owners Association Darren Ettridge - Interval International Michael Coletta – Hilton Grand Vacation Club Stuart Carrington - Thomas Westcott Accountants Calvin Lucock - RDO Robert Webb - ARDA ROC Geoff Chapman - TATOC Mark Caldicott - TATOC Consumer Helpline Alex Radford - My Lawyer in Spain Group Phil Watson - Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket Francis Taylor - DAE Ramy Filo – DAE

Second RDO/TATOC seminar: The second joint RDO/TATOC seminar will take place on Friday, March 6th, 2015 at the TATOC conference venue.

Delegate booking forms and further details on speakers, the programme and the seminar are available on the TATOC website.

Introduce your resort’s owners to a whole new world of

Choice Freedom Flexibility Value With a low initial entry cost, part exchange options and probably the most cost effective annual fees in the industry, eXpectations Holidays private members club is a natural choice for owners wishing to increase their holidaying options and may provide a simplified exit route for members when the time comes.

Marketing support and incentives available to resorts and owner’s committees.

To discover more call us now on

01202 41 41 51 or email phil@wwth.net

www.expectationsholidays.co.uk

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

In my

view

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Working together to make a difference

by Robin Mils, managing director, Aroma

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haretime magazine spoke with Robin to find out his views on the future of the timeshare industry.

Take as an analogy the mobile or cell phone.

The average consumer utilises only 20 per cent of a smart phone’s functionality.

What is your background in the timeshare industry and what experience have you gained during that time?

We should learn from this and offer a product that the majority of our clients will use, keeping it as simple and transparent as possible.

I joined the industry in 1985 just as so many others at that time, by pure accident!

From a consumers’ perspective I feel that only in recent years have they started to become as pro-active as they could and also should.

I cut my teeth in the Algarve working with one of my greatest mentors, Jorge D’Almeida.

It was mental but very enjoyable.

Some years later I went on to set up Interval International’s Portuguese operation. From there I went on to assume varying positions culminating as group sales director.

Interval was a tremendous training ground for me in all aspects of the industry. It was here that an appreciation of the consumer’s needs in product development really started to feature in my thought process.

After my time at Interval International, I went on to develop a points scheme for RMI called Infiniti. I subsequently managed the merger of RMI with Jack Petchey’s Portuguese operation.

Most recently I have been working with Club Leisure Group to develop a European operation. I am working to promote our management company First Resorts as it expands its portfolio into Europe starting with the acquisition of Brockwood Hall.

Further, I hold several key positions within the Resort Development Organisation (RDO), the European trade body. I do feel that my years of experience in the industry give me the ability to contribute positively as a ‘navigator’ to the differing directions we are certainly going to head in the coming years.

What changes have you seen over the years for consumers and the industry?

I cannot help but feel that we really have not changed our offering anywhere near to the extent that we should have over the years to stay up-to-date with our clients’ rapidly changing requirements. The industry is not offering products for a new, far more diverse client base.

I am certain we over-complicated points programmes initially to give the perception of tremendous change from the existing product.

We also tried to build far too much into the product, when in reality the inner core was very much more of the same thing.

With TATOC to help, they have the opportunity to take the product and the industry to the next level.

Can the industry reverse the poor perception of timeshare in certain sections of the media?

Certain sections of the media do not want to ever have their perceptions changed, whatever we do. We need to appreciate this and move on.

We must work together with the media as a whole and on all platforms and levels. We need positive campaigns with clear achievable objectives.

We have a fun product – and we should be championing this to all ages. We need to make changes to keep us ahead of the game and our product competitive within the mainstream leisure and tourism sector.

Is there a market for existing owners to sell their weeks and points?

Until we change the perception of our product offering as well as of the industry as a whole, I am sorry to say that this is not viable.

Ours is a product that is still in the main sold and not bought. Once we are able to reverse that, then most certainly there will be a resale/secondary market.

Again, at the risk of becoming monotonous, we will only achieve this by all stakeholders working as a team and pulling in the same direction to achieve a common set of objectives.

What is the likelihood of new products being introduced to existing owners and programmes to improve the experience of long standing owners?

Robin Mills, managing director, Aroma

Biography Robin Mills, managing director of the points-based holiday programme Aroma, will be celebrating 30 years in the industry in 2015. His experience includes working with timeshare exchange organisation Interval International through to his work with the industry’s trade association, the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) – with much more in between. by default, the experience of long-standing existing members will be improved.

We all need to deal with the two ‘elephants in the room’ – exit and re-sale.

It is imperative that in the very near future we come up with a strong and manageable exit policy that both works and is fair to all parties.

With your crystal ball, tell us what you see for the timeshare industry and buyers in the next five years?

I hope what I see matches what I wish for all of us.

I would like to think that we can develop further a flexible, dynamic industry that is in a position to meet the ever-changing requirements of our existing owners – as well as attracting many new clients.

As for management fees, I feel charges will evolve in the coming years to be more biased towards usage as opposed to being purely fixed.

I feel there will be continued consolidation of our existing business, which will assist in resolving some of the on-going problems of our legacy resorts. It is essential that we do not just leave them to hang out and dry.

There certainly will be. New offerings have already started. But they do need to go much deeper and change considerably in order to appeal to a far broader range of consumer.

I do feel that resolving the exit issue will go quite some way to paving the way for creating a re-sale solution. We have been an industry of innovators over the years. We must not lose sight of that element.

Finally, everyone appears to be of the same opinion that change is essential as well as being integral to a strong future. Therefore,

But we need to work hand in hand with consumers while utilising innovation to achieve a more certain, brighter future.

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SHARETIME

Pergola chairman celebrates silver anniversary

Resort news

Kololi sets up library in The Gambia

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he Isle of Man Family Library is spreading the world of books far and wide – with a gift to help set up a library in The Gambia.

It has made the donation through the International Black and White Association (IBWA), a non-religious and non-political charity, which stands for respect between different races and cultures.

The charity helps people who are disadvantaged and exposed to intolerance via link ups with local charities around the world.

Books donated by the Family Library and the Mobile Family Library have been sent to a children’s library in Kololi, in the Gambia.

Martin Freestone, developer of Kololi Beach Club and director of the IBW Association, said: ”With the donation of the books it was important that they found a good home and that they were made available to those who

Local boys enjoying the new Kololi library

need them. Setting up a library here in Kololi was the answer.”

The books range from those for young children to large print editions for adults.

“This is a wonderful donation and one that will make a real difference to people in The Gambia,” said Jennie Thompson, fellow director of IBWA. Mary Cousins, librarian in charge of the Family Library, said: ‘We are more than happy to donate books we no longer have need for to such a worthy cause. Having met Jennie, we were impressed with the aims of the charity and more than happy to help.”

For more information on Kololi Beach Club visit www.kololi.com

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he Langdale Estate, in the English Lake District, has added to its award-winning sustainability credentials by generating sufficient electricity via water wheel to power its two electric Twizy cars.

Set in the former gunpowder works’ original water wheel pit, the innovative new model is now producing enough electricity to effectively run its two electric cars.

The Langdale Twizzy

The Twizy cars are offered for hire to Langdale Estate guests, enabling them to explore the Lake District scenery while enjoying peace of mind that their journey is effectively carbon neutral.

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he Pergola Club in Malta has been celebrating 25 years of Ann Jennings’ role as committee chairman.

Ann and her husband Chris have been owners at the Maltese resort since 1986 when they first visited with their children.

At this time Ann was teaching full time before her move to head of further education for a national charity and setting up their new centre in the Midlands.

After this, Ann continued her career in teacher training and became the education and training manager for a national company.

“The first annual general meeting took place in June 1989. In short, I wasn’t happy with the agenda and travelled over to Malta to attend. It was from there that I was voted on to the committee and have been re-elected every year since then.”

As Ann’s work with the club increased she decided to become even more involved and her company Medjen was appointed the collecting agent for the resort’s maintenance fees.

Langdale water wheel generates ‘Twizy’ power

The estate recently partnered with the University of Cumbria to install the new water wheel, which is a modernised, state-of-the-art version of the usual classic design.

The developer John Grima presents a plaque to Ann Jennings

The new water wheel

Charity coffee morning

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“I remain passionate and committed to the club and its members,” she says. “There have been many ups and downs over the years but I am happy to say we have come through them and are still enjoying our holidays.”

One example of Ann’s relationship building with Pergola members is the club’s annual weekend activity held in the U.K.

n September 25, Azure staged a coffee morning at its Malta resort as part of the 2014 World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, a worldwide fundraising event by Macmillan cancer support group.

Azure Malta invited members, staff and guests at the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Golden Sands to “pop in and sample some of the mouthwatering cakes on display” and make donations to Macmillan – the largest cancer care and support charity in the U.K. “It was a lovely event and a great achievement.

Well done to everyone involved,” said Gaye Shakeshaft, an Azure member.

Azure management doubled the amount raised on the day to €2,570.

Members enjoying the annual weekend event

This year’s event was held at the Hollins Hall Hotel, Shipley. Some 60 guests enjoyed a Bavarian-themed gala dinner and the weekend included a visit to Lotherton Hall, in Leeds, and a steam train experience to Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters.

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

Diamond launches additional guest services

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Resort news

Diamond Resorts has introduced a range of guest services in their U.K. and European resort destinations. They include:

Universal sockets

Conscious of the stringent luggage rules imposed by airlines, Diamond has installed one ‘universal’ socket in all its managed resort accommodation across Europe, with the exception of the U.K. at this time.

This means that guests do not need to worry about packing adaptors for any electrical appliances they bring, as their normal electrical plugs will fit into the new socket.

Clubs to hire

A brand new service available for golfers enables them to hire golf clubs and other equipment.

With several locations throughout Europe, including two retail shops at Malaga and Faro (Algarve) airports, local handlers will meet customers at the airport or the resort to deliver and return the hired equipment.

Coffee to go

Guests who now fancy a coffee while at reception can take advantage of a new service available at all European resorts.

New Nespresso machines with different capsule coffee flavours are ready for guests to use.

Start your day the fresh bread way

Local bakeries have been contracted to deliver, where requested, freshly made bread and pastries to guests in their apartments every day.

Changes to WiFi

By the end of March 2015 and across all Diamond managed resorts in Europe, WiFi access will now be offered to members free of charge for two concurrent devices per bedroom.

Access will be limited with members restricted from downloading movies, video streaming and so on.

Resorts will do their utmost to supply sufficient bandwidth to cover all members’ connectivity needs.

Launch of DRI Monscierge app

The rollout of Monscierge, an advanced technology of interactive touchscreen devices, has been successfully installed at 27 European resorts.

In addition to the lobby devices within the resorts, members and guests can now download the Diamond Resorts International Monscierge mobile application for iOS or Android devices prior to their stay.

Crown recognised by industry Crown Resorts has again been recognised by the industry for its renowned welcome and the holiday experience it offers to thousands of members and guests each year.

For 2015, RCI has awarded the resort a Silver Crown, Interval International its Select Quality tier and TATOC has recently confirmed reaccreditation for a further three years.

These awards consolidate Crown Resorts’ position as a club offering top holiday experiences.

Emphasis at the resorts centres on ‘value for money’ holidays and is supported by all the staff working within the resort.

The front of house team provides a range of services; the animation team offers seasonal activities and cultural programmes for all age groups; the food and beverage staff provides meals and drinks in the restaurants and cafes; and the maintenance and cleaning staff handles the apartments and public areas.

Finally, the Crown Resorts PLUS department offers a range of add-on holiday enhancements including an internal exchange service, airport transfers, car rental, meal plan offers, discounted

They can use the app to discover resort specific information such as on-site amenities, event information and navigate nearby restaurant recommendations, as well as excursion opportunities and off-site activities.

The app allows guests to receive updates and information on upcoming events and activities, special offers in resorts and the latest news.

The app is available for both iOS and Android operating systems through the search engines by entering Diamond Resorts International and choosing the Monscierge option.

Those downloading from iTunes will need to select the iPhone only option, even if downloading from an iPad.

Diamond Resorts joins Instagram Diamond Resorts has expanded its social media presence on to Instagram.

The platform’s ability to connect highly visual content with a large number of people is ideal for Diamond’s new organising principle, Stay Vacationed.

Instagram’ s engagement rates are claimed to be 18-times higher than Facebook and a staggering 48-times greater than Twitter, accounting for more than 1.6 billion photo-likes per day.

golf green fees and accommodation rental.

Crown’s commitment to on-going improvements is supported by the annual investment made in the apartments and general facilities. The owners’ committee has approved the following works for winter 2014/2015:

• Up-grade of the reception area at Club Marbella;

• Creation of indoor seating and a billiard area in Club Marbella’s international restaurant;

• Completion of the apartment door security card locking systems;

• Continued investment in purchasing soft

furnishings: curtains, pillows, duvets, sofa covers, cushions, and so on; and • Continuation of complete apartment refurbishment including kitchen and bathroom upgrades.

Along with the investment in the apartments and resorts, the club continues to invest in staff.

Every year a number of training course

The Crown team with their RCI awards

requirements are identified. These can vary significantly, from reviewing the ‘meet and greet’ offered by staff to members and guests on arrival, to supplying regular up-to-date information on the recently launched club website.

Committee chairman David Francis explained: “We are a club focused on continuous investment and improvements, excellent ‘value for money’ and customer service. Members can enjoy a lifetime of holidays in one of the club’s five locations, with a wide variety of sizes and styles of apartments - a choice to suit all.

First Resorts, is one of South Africa’s most dynamic management companies, providing resorts and hotels with the highest levels of Service Excellence. Managing Agents for over 60 resorts throughout the country, our comprehensive resort management programme incorporates properties ranging from boutique bungalows to resorts with over 200 apartments.

● On and off site Operational Management ● Proven Revenue Generating Strategies ● Reservations and Rental Programmes ● Certified and Accredited Training ● Bulk commodities and Consumable Purchasing ● Design Marketing, Web and Online Strategies ● Efficient and comprehensive Financial Management ● Wellness Spa Expertise ● Food and Beverage Facilitations ● Sophisticated Customised Software First Resorts provides our clients with a complete 360° Service.

Contact us for service evaluations and tailor made solutions for your property.

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

The top resorts for disabled travellers The team at Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket has examined the importance of providing accommodation and services for disabled guests visiting resorts. Their top selection in the U.K, Tenerife and Spain is outlined here.

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or many of us, choosing our next holiday is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. However, families who have to consider a loved one’s disabilities before travelling, can find the process far from straightforward.

Holiday ownership should be a great option for those looking for peace of mind that their selected accommodation will be well suited to their needs. But this is not always the case.

Many resorts have not adapted their accommodation and facilities to meet certain requirements. They simply do not provide services and facilities for people with disabilities.

Diamond Resorts International is committed to providing top class holiday experiences for members, owners and guests and makes a conscious effort to provide disabled guests with adapted accommodation and facilities.

An Auxiliary Accessories Catalogue is now available, offering important items for different impairments, including mobility, hearing and visual needs.

Woodford Bridge Country Club, Devon, England As an old coaching inn from the 15th century, Woodford Bridge Country Club, in southwest England, gives travellers with disabilities an excellent choice of one- and two-bedroom lodges, each with its own private parking bay.

Ground floor lodges come with spacious patios so guests can easily take in the beautiful surroundings of the Devonshire Countryside.

The resort has a heated indoor pool and an easily accessible bistro serving up first-class menus.

The Big Sheep Theme Park has a full programme of year—round entertainment with great accessibility.

South of the resort is the must-see Eden Project, awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2014, which is also easily accessible for all.

Pine Lake Resort, Lancashire, England

Common areas within the resort are regularly up-graded with ramps, non-slippery floors and special parking facilities available in front of the adapted accommodation and by reception.

Offering stunning lakeside views and a beautiful backdrop of mountainous terrain, Pine Lake Resort has a selection of studio and two-bedroom ‘Scandinavian-style lodges in the heart of the English Lake District.

All Diamond team members have also carried out accessibility training and ambassadors have been appointed to personally take care of guests’ requests.

The leisure centre has an indoor pool and spa with a pool hoist. Two parking bays are available directly outside the entrance and there’s an adapted changing area. A team member is also on duty for assistance during opening hours.

Below are four Gold Crown resorts from Diamond’s portfolio. All boast swimming pool hoists on internal or external pools.

There is dedicated accommodation with adapted bathrooms and a range of facilities inside the accommodation to make holidays as seamless and relaxing as possible.

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The towns of Carnforth, Lancaster and Morecambe are all accessible and have disabled toilet facilities. A brief drive north takes travellers to Grizedale Forest, which offers a wide array of family activities with easily accessible trails and the only remaining indigenous woodland herd of red deer.

Sahara Sunset, Malaga, Spain Moorish inspired architecture is a distinctive feature of Sahara Sunset, a year-round resort providing guests with disabilities a choice of one- and two-bedroom apartments from which to enjoy Spain’s sunshine coast and sandy beaches.

In addition to three easily accessible swimming pools, the Santa Ana Beach, only a stone’s throw from the resort, has been adapted with wheelchair accessible ramps and specially adapted buggies available to take guests with special needs right to the water’s edge.

The resort’s Casbah Café provides guests with casual meals on the terrace, while the on-site dining facility is complimented by team members providing hours of entertainment.

Santa Barbara Golf and Ocean Club, Golf Del Sur, Tenerife Nestling on the southern coast of Tenerife, Santa Barbara Golf and Ocean Club offers one- and two-bedroom adapted apartments overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Apartments provide ramped access, grab rails in bathrooms and a wet room. The spacious ocean-facing swimming pool is easily accessible while live entertainment and local cuisine can be enjoyed at the Ocean Lounge & Restaurant.

The local commercial centre is wheelchair accessible with shops, restaurants and bars.

The market stalls of Los Cristianos to the west are easily accessible while Las Vistas Beach has superb support for visitors with mobility impairments.

For more information on these resorts, please visit www.diamondresorts.co.uk. To find out more about other resorts well suited for those with disabilities, visit www.timesharehypermarket.com/blog

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

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SHARETIME

Affiliate news

Finding the missing element A third ‘element’ available as part of the Resort Solutions Limited (RSL) and VRI Europe’s new management proposition is proving a potent factor in the work of equipping and transforming resorts to face the future with renewed confidence.

RSL managing director, Brad Revell explains.

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t’s been over a year since U.K.-based resort management company RSL became part of VRI Europe through Interval Leisure Group’s (ILG) joint venture partnership with CLC World.

Headquartered in Leicestershire, we are now an operating arm of VRI Europe with access to greater resources and expertise, while retaining autonomy in our day-to-day dealings with committees.

Hutchinson celebrates 3 0 - y e aarr y s annive r

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utchinson & Co Trust, one of Asia and Europe’s leading trustees in the shared leisure industry, celebrates its thirtieth anniversary in 2015.

Hutchinson was incorporated in 1985 - the same year that Microsoft released its first version of Windows and comedian Ernie Wise made the first mobile call in the U.K. Timeshare had also started to take off as a new type of leisure product and Peter Hutchinson took his first steps into the industry, offering a simple collections service to one resort in Portugal.

Initially running the administration from his home with colleague, Joy Pope, the business grew as timeshare boomed. Hutchinson was

A re-designed, modern-looking website (www. resort-solutions.co.uk) that is easy to navigate, and a contemporary rebranding of the logo, are visible signs of RSL looking to the future.

There are a number of areas where the support of VRI Europe has been invaluable including providing the assistance of CLC World for those resorts in need of sales solutions.

Recent RSL-managed resort success stories published in Sharetime have included features on Monte Carvoeiro and Club Las Calas, which point up the additional benefits of the new arrangements; a direct result of the backing and resources of experienced business partners which can translate into accelerated refurbishment programmes and new lifeblood through re-energised sales.

Brad Revell, RSL managing director

Monte Carvoeiro had experienced difficult times – appointing a professional management company was the turning point for that resort.

We professionalised the management, started a refurbishment programme and stabilised and reassured the owner base.

The other piece of the jigsaw was CLC World Sales & Marketing coming in and saying we will back that up by taking inventory at the resort, at the same time bringing other benefits to the table.

Similarly at Las Calas – the resort was experiencing little demand for its traditional fixed weeks and it did not have the sales and marketing expertise to generate new potential clients in the way that CLC World can.

By taking on inventory, CLC has helped the resort bring forward refurbishment plans far more quickly.

appointed as a trustee completion agent and the team saw an opportunity to establish themselves as timeshare trustees.

In 1987, the company became Hutchinson & Co Limited, which later became Hutchinson and Co Trust Company Limited. By the end of the 1980s, its head office was set up in Camberley, Surrey, from where it has been servicing its growing resort client base ever since.

The nineties was a decade of change. Germany was reunited, Nelson Mandela freed and the World Wide Web was invented and the use of the Internet grew exponentially.

The timeshare industry continued to grow and the first meetings of the Timeshare Association, now TATOC, took place.

The nineties saw big changes at Hutchinson, too, as it expanded its business globally, establishing two overseas branches in Bangalore, India (1994) and Bangkok, Thailand (1998).

Many years’ experience and understanding of the timeshare industry are brought to bear by RSL/VRI Europe. We embrace the expertise and excellent record of CLC World in mainland Spain and Tenerife.

RSL/VRI Europe is able to seek solutions to resorts affected by an ageing and declining membership base, reduced fee income and old stock; with RSL applying its considerable knowledge for restructuring and turning resorts around.

By being part of something bigger, we have more strings to our bow in which the option to sign up with CLC World can, if required, play a key part.

With the majority of RSL/VRI Europe managed resorts located in Spain, the Canary Islands, the U.K. and Portugal, these locations are a natural focus for expansion.

Taking their developed management skills into other resorts, notably those facing difficulties, with the benefit of the ‘third leg’ access to CLC World sales and marketing power, has shown success in nurturing these back to health.

It has also introduced innovative holiday products tailored to changing consumer demands, offering unique fractional ownership and exit package options backed by CLC World’s established points system.

RSL/VRI Europe is cultivating together the modern face of resort management – one designed to offer a lifeline to resorts fighting for survival and exit products for those that need them. These have been created from a combination of the old, in terms of well honed over many years’ professionalism and experience in all aspects of resort management, with new thinking and the backing of leading industry businesses.

The nineties also saw the introduction of key consumer legislation for the timeshare industry and the foundation of the industry body Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE).

Peter Hutchinson played a key role together with other industry colleague, in creating the OTE Code of Ethics. He also assisted the Thai government in establishing the relevant timeshare legislation.

The new millennium had a very bumpy start with an economic crisis and major upheaval in the Middle East.

Hutchinson firmed up its global expansion by establishing an office in Spain and another in China.

It now offers bespoke services to resort clients across Europe, Asia and the Far East. The group employs more than 100 staff worldwide, holds property and assets in trust in excess of US$1 billion and runs over 100 client escrow accounts.

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

On-line timeshare sales – is it just a dream?

Can timeshare be sold on-line? It’s already happening says Wesley Kogelman, CEO of timeshare re-sale and rental company BuyaTimeshare.com.

T

echnology is a concept that can mean different things to different people. Some of us thought using a fax machine was a major technological achievement. The technology of today can make your head spin.

Stunning advancements in technology have shown some in the timeshare industry trying to figure out how to leverage today’s tech tools and sell timeshare products and programmes to a new, younger audience.

interact with timeshare owners to purchase or rent their product.

In 2013 alone, we saw 13,365 purchase offers made on timeshares advertised on our website at an average of just over $6,100 per offer. We post the timeshares that sold on our website once we receive documentation that the sale has closed.

Industry support

Wesley Kogelman

What amazes me is that there is still debate within the industry as to whether the product can even be sold through websites and using devices such as mobile phones and tablets.

People who have built their careers selling the product still speak at conferences saying that timeshare is not sought out by consumers but must be sold, indirectly challenging the concept of on-line timeshare sales.

I’m here to say that timeshare transactions are taking place on-line and I have the statistics to prove it.

Talking timeshare on-line Prospective buyers are using the internet every day to search for information about the timeshare product.

According to Google, people enter about 129,000 searches per month into their search engines using three terms with buyer intent - 74,000 searches for ‘timeshares for sale’, 33,000 searches for ‘timeshare re-sales’ and 22,000 searches for ‘buy timeshare’.

These are people who have a desire to find out more about timeshares with intent to purchase. No one searches ‘buy timeshare’ or for ‘timeshares for sale’ without having an intent to buy.”

The concept of on-line marketing of the timeshare product is how I have based my business model, and for nearly 15 years we have seen prospective buyers and renters

This on-line development is an industry trend. In 2012, the American Resort Development Association released the Shared Vacation Ownership Owners Report through its research arm.

The report stated that the percentage of timeshare sales in the U.S. that came from re-sales grew from 17 per cent in 2010 to 32 per cent in 2012, a staggering growth in just two years.

But the more pertinent information to this discussion is that the most popular re-sale channel used by consumers was an ‘online timeshare re-sale listing company.’

The global economic downturn, which began in 2008, had an impact on the growth of re-sales as consumers became more price-conscious.

But this does not fully explain the continued momentum we see as buyers and renters use the web to interact with owners looking to sell and rent.

Even the major brands are recognising this.

Marriott Vacation Club, for example, has recently launched a re-sale page on its website in an effort to tap into the growing on-line demand for timeshare.

On-line acceptance As Christmas approaches, millions of U.K. residents will use the internet to do their holiday shopping. Last December, on-line trading in the U.K. for non-food purchases grew 16.5 per cent from the previous year.

With such an acceptance of buying products on-line, is it such a stretch to think that consumers would use the internet to research, and ultimately buy, a timeshare? I think it’s a natural progression and one that is only going to grow over time.

13

Affiliate news

RFS focuses on mature resorts

R

esort Fiduciary Services is celebrating ten years in business and has decided to turn its focus to the issues facing many committee-run resorts.

Andrew Horton, managing director of RFS

Established by Mike and Andrew Horton, who sold their interests in Continental Trustees, the company recently acquired the services of industry stalwart Jennie Thompson.

Said Mike Horton: “RFS provides a range of services to the industry for a cost effective price. Historically, resorts used a trustee to provide certainty to timeshare purchasers that an independent third party would securely hold title to the property.

“Naturally trustees make an annual charge for providing this role. But times have moved on. Resorts, which initially sold ninety per cent of their inventory, have in recent years been suffering an erosion of membership. This means the costs of such services are spread over a smaller membership and this increases the annual management fee.”

The RSF team has identified that the fall in member numbers has other consequences for mature resorts.

“The committee now has to ask itself how it is going to handle surplus accommodation, develop a rental programme and organise a sales outlet.”

According to RFS, many committees need to acknowledge that long-term timeshare products are no longer a viable product option.

“RFS has the industry knowledge and experience to help established resorts find a way forward – especially those where the committee determines policy and is responsible for the management,” added Horton.

For more information visit: http://www.resortfs.co.uk

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

TATOC resort accreditation – the best is yet to come With new TATOC resort accreditations this year and the first round of re-accreditations, TATOC director and accreditation inspector Geoff Chapman shares the continued success of this programme.

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esort accreditation is TATOC’s kite-mark of quality and the highest accolade the association can give. It is awarded to a resort as recognition for delivering the highest standards of accommodation, facilities, and services, and an excellent overall holiday experience to owners and guests.

There is a place in the TATOC director resort accreditation Geoff Chapman programme for resorts of all shapes and sizes. We recognise that not all resorts are the same. Inspections are not against a fixed benchmark but take into account the country, location, size and nature of a resort.

The requirement for accreditation is for a resort to demonstrate that it fully embraces the TATOC code of conduct - a commitment to the highest standards of products and services – correctly sold, well managed and well maintained, with the consumer as the principle focus.

TATOC’s resort accreditation programme was launched in 2009 and there are now 41 accredited resorts, with others awaiting their first inspection.

This year has been the busiest since the programme was launched. Five new resorts have been recognised and 14 resorts had their accreditation renewed. Resorts have been visited in Spain, the Canaries, Menorca and the U.K. Three more properties are currently

Club Las Calas

being evaluated and a further 11 are due for inspection in the first quarter of 2015. This will make a total of 33 resort approvals in the 12 months to March 2015, and will deliver the accelerated programme announced at TATOC’s 2014 conference.

Resort visits in 2014 have shown very clearly that timeshare is evolving to meet the changing needs of owners. In facing the challenge of maintaining standards (while controlling management fees), resorts are developing innovative products and gaining expertise in attracting guests to maximise occupancy.

TATOC news New Helpline telephone number

T

he TATOC Consumer Helpline has a new telephone number specifically for those calling from mobile phones and with inclusive-call packages from their landline provider.

The new telephone number is: 0345 230 2430.

The current 0845 230 2430 number is still in operation.

Overall my experience has been one of excellent resorts, good management and strong relationships between owners’ committees and their resorts for the benefit of owners.

It is a genuine delight to hear ‘hot on the lips’ of every member of staff, and to see at every resort without exception, a dedication and passion for consumer service and for excellence in delivery of the overall holiday experience.

It is this dedication at all levels of a resort that makes it stand out from the crowd.

And it is this dedication that differentiates timeshare from other products and makes it still one of the finest holiday experiences available.

Resort Accreditation is something we are rightly proud of and the success of the programme demonstrates resorts feel the same way.

Our next target is to reach the milestone of 50 TATOC accredited resorts, and 2015 should see us well on the way.

Timeshare is evolving and so must TATOC if the recognition programme is going to see another truly exciting year, especially as we extend TATOC accreditation to incorporate points clubs and other flexible ownership products.

We’ve had our successes but the best is yet to come.

Club Marbella

15

Sharetime updates website look

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esponding to increased traffic, TATOC has updated the design of the Sharetime magazine website.

The modern, easy-to-navigate design incorporates the latest news from the timeshare industry, interesting business and resort features, offers from TATOC affiliates and competitions.

The site also includes an archive of all previous editions of Sharetime magazine.

These can be viewed directly from the website or can be downloaded as a PDF for later viewing or printing.

The website is sponsored by RCI, Dial An Exchange, Merlin Software and Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket.

Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are still available.

Visit the updated site at: www.sharetimemagazine.com

Club Caronte

16

SHARETIME

Resort in focus

Las Calas Club Las Calas, located on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, was the first resort to receive TATOC accreditation in 2011. As the resort is set to undergo reaccreditation, Sharetime spoke with committee chairman Mike West to learn more about this ever-popular resort.

Facts and figures Las Calas comprises four distinct areas.

• Las Calas 1: 18 one-bed apartments and two-bed bungalows; • Las Calas 2: 56 one-bed apartments and four two-bed apartments; • Las Calas 3: 38 one-bed apartments, 16 two-bed apartments and two penthouses; and • Mimosa: eight one-bed apartments and two two-bed apartments.

There are two bars and restaurant facilities, a games area which has children’s play equipment, a squash court, gym, table tennis, DVD and book library and mini shop selling essentials such as milk, bread, water and so on.

There are 4,500 owners and approximately one third of our occupancy are exchange guests from RCI and Dial an Exchange.

The resort operates a successful rental programme, both on-site and through Resort Solutions.

The resort has achieved RCI Gold Crown status for 14 years and has been voted the number one destination in Europe by Dial An Exchange members for the past two years.

Could you tell us a little about the history of Club Las Calas?

Las Calas is located in Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote. While this is a busy area of the island, our resort is a short walk from the seafront, which is ideal for guests, and situated in a quiet, residential setting.

One of the swimming pools at Las Calas

The building and opening of Las Calas 2 and 3 quickly followed, with the bars and restaurant facilities opening in these areas at the same time.

Mimosa was a stand-alone complex and subsequently incorporated into the Las Calas portfolio.

You use the services of a professional management company - why did you choose this option?

We feel it vitally important that our resort is managed and maintained in a professional way.

Using the services of a management company gives us this benefit.

The resort has an elected committee working with the management company so we feel we have the best of both worlds: a professional approach that is balanced by the needs of our owners and guests and represented by our elected committee.

Rachel, who has been at the resort for over 25 years, manages Las Calas and her knowledge of ‘all things Las Calas’ is what keeps us the friendly, family resort it is.

Many of the staff have been with us for more than 15 years and present friendly, welcoming faces to our regular guests. We pride ourselves on our clean and well-maintained site. This is only possible due to the hard work of our team of cleaners, maintenance staff and gardeners.

How have timeshare sales fared over the past five years? How do you sell your weeks and do you offer a re-sale service for your owners?

It offers relaxing, quiet holidays – yet is close enough to local bars, restaurants, shops and local transport to make it a superb position.

Traditional timeshare sales have been slow so we entered into agreements recently with business partners who have products available to bring new people to our resort.

Las Calas 1 was built and opened some 28 years ago. Many of the original owners are still regular guests on the resort.

To some degree this has worked and has certainly helped us be in a healthy financial position.

We recognise this should not be our only avenue towards making sure our resort remains viable. We are always exploring other ideas to generate sales and footfall on the resort.

We sell to owners, friends and family should they wish to purchase more fixed weeks and, latterly, have tried initiatives to enhance this opportunity.

How do you keep your product attractive to today’s holidaymaker while still making ownership financially viable?

Given other holiday options available in the marketplace, this is hard.

Our greatest sales points remain the continued quality of the resort, its family feel and the high standards of maintenance.

Alongside this is the opportunity to visit the resort time and again, knowing what to expect. This seems to be the driving force in retaining our owners.

What are the key points of Club Las Calas’ success – and what are your main challenges as a mature resort?

The key points are the family feel, consistently providing what owners and guests expect and quality accommodation and facilities with realistic and affordable maintenance fees.

Our owners have matured with the resort so the key challenge is to generate a new group of owners who have the passion to return to the resort year after year.

We recognise that to do this we need to be creative in our thinking and not just rely on traditional timeshare style ownership.

By entering into the agreement with our current business partner the committee has been able to draw on their sales and marketing expertise and offer a variety of ownership solutions.

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

How do you keep your owners engaged with the resort so they pay their maintenance fees and return each year?

To date nearly all comments have been complimentary. There are a few negatives - but we know we will never please everyone and lots of good ideas that we will, subject to cost constraints, try to incorporate.

We use a variety of media to keep owners informed on what is happening at the resort and with the accommodation.

How important is your resort website and do you get involved with social media?

Las Calas has a Facebook page that allows us to promote the resort to owners and nonowners alike. We also have a website (with a separate, password-protected section for owners), where we provide information and news to keep people informed about all that is happening.

The website deals with any issues that are consistently raised by owners. This ensures they understand what is really happening rather than rely on rumour and word of mouth.

Our website is extremely important. Facebook is also important as it gives us a platform to communicate with non-owners and they can see what we do and have to offer.

We are very careful that we add only general news on our Facebook page. It is not the correct place to share information that is pertinent only to those people who have a ‘stake’ in our resort.

Everyone was kept informed of the plans at the AGM and on the website. One apartment has now been completed and is available for owners to view when they are in Lanzarote. There is a book available to capture comments.

There are pictures on the website and we have set up a dedicated e-mail address for comment.

We have adopted the RDO guidelines regarding perpetuity and have communicated this to our owners. We are looking into building this formally into our constitution.

We are trying to identify suitable exit strategies and one such plan was launched last year. Owners who meet certain age and length of membership criteria can exit the club while retaining the right to re-visit at owners’ rates as long as they wish to.

Club Las Calas was the first resort to receive TATOC accreditation. What have been the benefits of this to the resort and why did you choose to become accredited?

Our management company, Resort Solutions, has always been a great supporter of TATOC and they suggested that Las Calas put itself forward for the accreditation programme.

An upgraded bedroom at Las Calas

We undertook a survey last year asking owners what they would like to see in the refurbishment. We then made critical decisions on what we could afford to do and what may need to wait for a second phase.

With so much focus on perpetuity contracts and exit strategies at the moment, what are your plans for the next five years?

Our plans for the next five years are in the development stage and will evolve as we agree new and varied opportunities.

An upgraded kitchen at Las Calas

The committee has been planning the refurbishment for some time and setting aside funds to ensure we have sufficient to undertake the necessary work without having to approach the owners for more.

activities, as are the management company and resort management team. It works because all parties work together.

Our contract with our current business partner also offers some form of exit strategy to our owners should they wish to take that path.

We post an annual newsletter with the maintenance invoices and communicate by post before and after the annual general meeting to highlight key issues and to inform owners of proposals and outcomes from the AGM.

You are planning a refurbishment programme next year. What is your approach to this, how is it being funded and how do you keep your owners happy and informed?

17

The upgraded reception at Las Calas

You have a relatively new owners’ committee at the resort. How important is this group to your business activities? How involved are they in the daily resort operation?

Our committee is elected to represent our owners’ interests, to ensure that their voice is heard and to ensure the financial wellbeing of the club.

The committee works alongside the management company and resort management team and is very aware of the resort’s daily operations. The resort manager attends committee meetings with a key member of the management team.

Full and frank discussions takes place between all parties and the committee is responsible for establishing and monitoring the strategic direction of the resort.

The committee is critical to the business

We believe that our association with TATOC enhances our credibility with owners and guests. While the accreditation programme gives us reassurance that we are operating to the highest standards, both in terms of quality of the product we offer and the ethics with which we conduct our business.

Their industry experience is also invaluable to the committee.

What do you think the future is for timeshare in general?

Timeshare in its traditional form is perhaps no longer suitable for the younger market and the way people choose to take holidays these days.

We have to adapt and identify new ways to attract people to resorts: shorter membership lengths, different product offerings (maybe some form of all-inclusive deal as an example) and consider whether our resorts have the facilities people are looking for.

We all need to evolve and not think the way we currently do and it will remain good for the future.

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SHARETIME

Help to make business more accessible

Hadrian’s Wall, near Housesteads ©VisitBritain / Rod Edwards

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Destination

Scotland

new £45,000 on-line training programme is set to help Scotland’s hotels, visitor attractions, pubs and restaurants better cater for the requirements of people with access needs including those with disabilities, elderly visitors and parents with small children.

Available free of charge, the initiative from the Scottish Tourism Alliance will be available to all Scottish businesses.

As well as promoting good practice, the training, which is split into four categories (accommodation, visitor attractions, restaurants/catering, and pubs and bars), will provide users with a better understanding of the requirements of this growing market.

Scottish tourism employment levels up 16 per cent

E

mployment in tourism has increased by a sixth in the space of a year, according to official figures. The number of jobs in the tourism sector increased by 29,700 between 2012 and 2013.

This represents an increase of 16.4 per cent from 181,500 to 211,200.

Within the sector, the largest rise in the number of jobs is in the restaurant and mobile food business, which has risen by 19,500.

Hotels and similar accommodation rose by 3,500.

Tourism minister Fergus Ewing said: “Our strong tourism sector provides over 210,000 jobs and is of significant value to the Scottish economy, making up around five per cent of our GDP.

“Tourism plays a vital role in promoting the Scottish brand and it is important that we continue to build on our success in this area.

“We are committed to supporting the tourism industry and are working with the Scottish Tourism Alliance to deliver Tourism Scotland 2020.

“This strategy seeks to make Scotland a destination of first choice for a high-quality, valuefor-money and memorable customer experience, delivered by skilled and passionate people.

“The Scottish Government is supporting, through Skills Development Scotland, a tourism skills investment plan.

“This plan will improve management, leadership and enterprise in the sector, ensuring staff have the skills to deliver a high-quality visitor experience, raise the attractiveness of the sector and provide high-quality training.”

Activities will spotlight, celebrate and promote Scotland’s natural larder and quality produce, promoting Scotland’s reputation as a land of food and drink.

Surveys have shown that 49 per cent of people visiting Scotland want to try local food and two-thirds of Scotland’s visitors think that quality food is an important factor when deciding where to go on holiday.

Scotland’s celebrations are set to continue in 2015 with the launch of its Year of Food and Drink.

VisitScotland will deliver a comprehensive marketing and PR campaign promoting the year and Scotland as a Land of Food and Drink.

Food and drink is an important part of Scottish cultural identity and heritage and is a key strength in promoting Scotland as a holiday destination.

Note: TATOC would like to hear how our Scottish member resorts are you going to capitalise on this brilliant opportunity.

Scotland The Friendly

S

cotland has been voted one of the friendliest countries in the world by readers of on-line travel magazine Rough Guides.

In a year that has seen Scotland welcome the world by hosting the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Homecoming and the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, the country is the only European nation to appear in the top ten.

It was voted the ninth friendliest country following votes made on the Rough Guides website and via Twitter.

Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: “We are famed for the warmth of our welcome and this is a true testimony to that. 2014 has taken Scotland’s profile and reputation to great heights and we are determined to make the most of this for the future”.

According to a VisitScotland Visitor survey, 80 per cent of visitors agreed that they were made to feel welcome by locals.

The top-ten friendliest countries in the world according to the Rough Guides are: 1. Cambodia 2. The Philippines 3. Laos 4. Nepal 5. Thailand 6. Myanmar (Burma) 7. Indonesia 8. Fiji 9. Scotland 10. Sri Lanka

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

19

2014 - Scotland’s year The year just passed was billed as ‘The Year of the Homecoming’ and Scotland did not disappoint. An entire year of events and truly spectacular international attention provided the opportunity for Scotland to showcase all that’s great about Caledonia.

RCI’s Marj Anderson and Blair Grant from QLodges at Cameron House and The Carrick on Loch Lomond, look back at the year and consider what the future has in store for the Scottish timeshare industry.

They took great pleasure in telling us how much they appreciated the proximity of such globally renowned, family friendly and memorable events taking place here and in the surrounding areas.

Blair Grant looks back at 2014

The lodge rental business did phenomenally well, too, as we welcomed guests from Scotland and further afield.

I really can’t emphasise greatly enough how big a year this has been for us.

First came The Commonwealth Games spectacular, which was delivered by the city of Glasgow and gave everyone involved the chance to shine.

The resort team and guests were embroiled in the buzz which the international sporting phenomenon brought to the west of Scotland.

Here at Cameron House and The Carrick, we saw owners and rental guests alike immersing themselves in the coverage.

Some staff members even took the oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to volunteer as a Clydesider Volunteer and make themselves invaluable to the delivery of the Games.

And as if the Games weren’t enough, the Ryder Cup soon followed.

This gave many of our owners the chance to stay with us on the banks of Loch Lomond and make the short trip to Gleneagles for the event. In their downtime, they even enjoyed a round or two of golf on the resort.

As the sun set on a magnificent summer, November brought the internationally acclaimed MTV European Music Awards to Scotland.

Both our younger and more mature guests enjoyed the entertainment and excitement that such a huge show brings to the area.

2014 has also been a tremendous year for our owners had some of the most memorable holidays they have enjoyed in years.

The benefits of all that has happened in Scotland in 2014 have reverberated around businesses in the country including us here at QLodges (formerly De Vere). We anticipate 2015 with great excitement and hope to deliver yet another year of great memories for all who visit.

Marj Anderson looks to the future

View up to Edinburgh castle on Castle Rock. ©VisitBritain/ Simon Winnall

The team at Kilconquhar in Fife is diversifying into new products and have managed to hold their maintenance fees at the same rate for the past three years. Auchrannie enjoys superb scores from our exchange guests and Melfort Village has just brought its restaurant back in house under the management of the resort.

Of course, the perpetuity issue is a hot topic and RCI is watching closely as companies and their respective committees launch their solutions.

It is an exciting time for timeshare in Scotland. Recent events in Scotland have boosted the country’s profile and all owners have benefited from this.

When timeshare was launched in Scotland we all wanted the forever product and would probably not have bought it otherwise.

Not only does Scotland have the highest propensity of RCI Gold Crown resorts than any other country in the world but some of the U.K.s leading hospitality groups are prominent players in the area.

Thirty years later things have changed and owners do not want to pass their timeshare to their children. By giving owners the opportunity to exit, even it is only every couple of years, means that they do not have this worry.

Twelve of RCI’s 15 resorts in the area have achieved Gold Crown status while there are seven resorts that have attained Interval International’s Premier Resort status.

It might not be right for all owners at the moment, but at least they know the option is there should they need it.

Many of the resorts are mature but this does not mean that the developers have lost interest in them. Indeed, it is quite the opposite.

Hilton at Craigendarroch has enjoyed huge investment recently and there is now an onsite sale team and Macdonald Resorts have also invested heavily at Spey Valley Golf & Country Club Forest Hills Lochside Resort & Lochanhully Woodland Club.

And it is not just the large groups that are investing and enjoying success.

I think in the coming years we will see more resorts entering the market. There is great opportunity in the West Coast of Scotland for example. We will also see new products and ways to sell off weeks by mature, sold-out resorts.

There is huge experience and knowledge among the developers and committees at our Scottish resorts and I am really proud of the work they do. I have been the account manager for the area since 1999 and many of them have become good friends and we have a great working relationship.

The Cairngorms national park. ©VisitBritain/ Joe Cornish

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

21

Resort reviews

Review of a resort:

Langdale

Regular Sharetime reviewer and timeshare owner Stephen Burton shares his thoughts on Langdale, a TATOC member resort, located in the Lake District.

The lodges at Langdale

angdale was one of the earliest timeshare resort developments in the U.K and it’s my guess that, if there was ever a vote to decide the best resort in the country, Langdale would be voted best of all.

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I have stayed once at Elterwater Hall at Langdale. There are several apartments located in a large converted property just a couple of minute’ walk from the main development.

It comprises four resorts that are affiliated with RCI. They include Langdale, Chapel Stile Apartments at Langdale, Elterwater Hall at Langdale and Aroma at Langdale.

The apartment I stayed in was superb and had a sunken ‘Roman-style’ bath. It rates as possibly the finest timeshare apartment that I have stayed in during my 34 years of timeshare ownership.

I have stayed on five separate occasions at this resort: four times at the main Langdale development and once at Elterwater Hall at Langdale.

Unlike others that have a significant number of units for re-sale, often at almost give away prices, Landgale has only a limited number of weeks available.

Indeed, many owners often enjoy a profit from the re-sale of their weeks - which is far from a common occurrence in other timeshare developments.

A principal reason for this situation is the location of the resort. Many of the lodges overlook a tarn (small lake) or are located by the side of a fast running beck (stream).

The other reasons are the high standard of the lodges and apartments and the superb on-site swimming pool and spa.

While I have not stayed at Chapel Stile Apartments, I am familiar with its location, just a few hundred yards from the main resort.

It is in the same building as Wainwrights Pub, named after famous fell walker and guidebook author, the late Alfred Wainwright.

The local Co-op convenience store is located just a few yards from these apartments, making it a very convenient location for shopping for groceries.

There are ten apartments at Chapel Stile and my understanding is that they are of the same high standard as the lodges at the main Langdale development.

Langdale is located in Cumbria, in the Lake District - the wettest part of England. Average annual rainfall is over seventy inches. In fact there are around two hundred days each year when rain falls for part of the day.

The lodges overlooking the beck

On average there are 145 dry days and 20 days when it will snow.

Many people come here for the walking opportunities. If, like myself, you prefer a fairly flat walk, then a walk by the river to Chesters tearoom is to be recommended.

If you like hill walking then those to Scafell Pike, Helvellyn, Skiddaw and Langdale Pikes are popular. I particularly like the walk around Tarn Howes, which is scenic and not too difficult in terms of hill walking.

There are two pubs located close to Langdale.

The Brittania Inn is just yards from the rear entrance to the resort. This pub serves great fish and chips. The other pub is Wainwrights.

I guess it’s a matter of personal choice as to which of the nearby towns and villages are best to visit.

My personal favourite is Grasmere, a charming village right in the heart of the Lake District National Park.

The Langdale spa

It was once the home of the world famous poet William Wordsworth, and it’s possible to visit two of his former homes - Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount.

Other places of interest worth a visit are Ambleside, Windermere, Hawkshead, Bowness, Coniston, and Keswick. The last three are located by Lakes Windermere, Coniston and Derwent Water.

The famous author Beatrix Potter lived in the Lake District for a lengthy period of her life.

Much of her estate is now run by the National Trust, which worked hard to keep the Lake District as a National Park.

One last point I should mention is that this resort is in high demand from RCI members all year round.

If you plan to visit, it’s important you put in an on-going search as early as possible to give yourself a reasonable chance of an exchange confirmation for this highly sought-after timeshare resort.

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SHARETIME

Ron Haylock appeal raises over £60,000

News

ARDA survey identifies today’s new timeshare owner

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ccording to the newly released Shared Vacation Ownership Study from the ARDA International Foundation (AIF), the timeshare industry has returned to growth mode.

In part this is due to the influx of a new type of owner - one that will help to continue the trajectory of the industry.

AIF says these new owners are younger, have higher incomes than current owners and represent a more culturally diverse crosssection of U.S. households.

“We’re excited not only about the fact that sales are up in our industry but also about why they are up,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA. “While existing owners continue to enjoy the lifestyle and purchase more timeshare, it’s the new owners who are responsible for the majority of qualified new sales.”

The study reports that the profile of new owners has changed. They are nearly ten years younger than typical timeshare owners. Thirty-nine per cent are ‘Generation Xers’ (born between 19651980) and thirty per cent are millennials, with the median age of thirty-nine.

Forty-two per cent are African American or Hispanic. They are also highly educated, with seventy-two per cent being college graduates and twenty-three per cent of these having graduate degrees.

Their median household income is $94,800 and they have plenty of disposable income —

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ollowing an outstanding response from friends and colleagues of the late Ron Haylock, more than £60,000 has been raised to create the Ron Haylock Music Room at the Christel House School, South Africa.

forty-seven per cent of new owners made just a single payment to cover their purchase and fifty-seven per cent spent $10,000 or more on their timeshare.

In terms of financial commitment, the new timeshare owner values the long-term vacation savings and flexibility timeshare provides: thirty-six per cent purchased timeshare to save money on future vacations and thirty-one per cent bought for the flexibility the product offers.

The new owners are also savvy consumers, with seventy-five per cent having had some form of interaction with a timeshare resort before purchasing.

Forty-four per cent initially stayed at the resort where they bought as a guest of another owner and forty-two per cent experienced timeshare vacations through renting first.

Thirty-five per cent attended multiple sales presentations before buying.

Overall ownership has increased: U.S. households that own a timeshare rose from 7.2 per cent in 2012 to 7.9 per cent today, with the purchase price having risen to an average of nearly $20,000.

Among overall timeshare owners, timeshare vacations are fairly evenly spread between summer, autumn and spring and forty per cent are as likely to travel under 500 miles as they are to travel 1,000 miles or more (43 per cent).

Seventy-five per cent of owners vacationed at a timeshare resort while sixteen per cent converted their timeshare to a different type of vacation or vacation-related purchase (cruises, airline tickets, car rentals, hotel stays and so on).

Fitzpatrick affiliates to Interval International

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itzpatrick Castle has affiliated nine of its holiday homes to Interval International.

The resort is set in the Irish village of Killiney, 20 minutes south of Dublin. Built on a hillside within the grounds of the 18th century Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, the luxury apartment guests have full access to the hotel’s facilities.

These include two restaurants, an indoor swimming pool, a gym, sauna, steam room, whirlpool and a full-service beauty salon.

Eight of the Fitzpatrick Castle Holiday Homes have a private balcony or large terrace, spacious living and dining area, fully equipped kitchen and separate utility room. En-suite amenities include two flat screen TVs, a DVD player, telephone, Wi-Fi and intercom.

Existing owners will become Club Interval Gold members, entitling them to trade their week or convert it to points for maximum exchange flexibility.

The school has a huge demand for access to music and the success of the appeal means that every child in school years seven to 11 – some 325 students – will now have the chance to take up a musical instrument, receive expert tuition and potentially play in the newly-formed school brass band.

This memorial to Ron Haylock will ensure that future generations of students, teachers and visitors to Christel House in Cape Town will be able to appreciate the legacy of a man who opened so many doors for young people during his lifetime.

The Music Room will display a memorial plaque with a tribute to Ron and a list of the names of all donors, irrespective of the contribution amount. Around 150 donors from 13 different countries have already contributed to the appeal.

For anyone who has not yet donated, but wishes to be included, there is a final opportunity to be part of this tribute.

1. At the JustGiving webpage http://www. justgiving.com/ronhaylockmusicroom and donate via credit or debit card (recommended for U.K. taxpayers as HMRC will contribute Gift Aid at 25 per cent gross).

2. Sending a cheque to (or make a bank transfer to) First National Trustee Company who agreed to act as escrow agents free of charge (recommended for corporate donations in nonsterling denominations). Contact Karen Ainley on +44 (0) 1624 630630 or email Karen.ainley@fntc.com for account details.

3. Contacting Elizabeth Taylor administration manager, Christel House Europe, on +44 (0) 7974 671373 or email ingetaylor@UK.christelhouse.org.

Founder Christel DeHaan said: “Ron Haylock loved music and he had a keen interest in helping young people achieve success. We are grateful to his many friends around the world who have helped create this Music Room to celebrate his life and accomplishments. May everyone—young and old—be inspired by his example of living a meaningful life.”

Christel House seeks to transform the lives of impoverished children around the world — breaking the cycle of poverty and building selfsufficient, contributing members of society.

Robust education for students between the ages of five and 18 and a strong character development programme are complemented with regular health care, nutritious meals, guidance counselling, career planning, family assistance and post-matriculation support.

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

RDO 2014 report - stronger together Nikkie De Waal, director of operations and finance for the industry body Resort Development Organisation, outlines her highlights of the recent RDO5 conference held in London.

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Jules Murray, director from Spider on the Wall Ltd., and Peter Hales, managing director of Michels and Taylor’s managed hotel division, looked at how service levels in the timeshare industry compared with those in the hotel industry.

Delegates were advised on how to create a great guest experience by training staff to truly engage with customers.

Michael Levie, founding partner of CitizenM Hotels, argued that the personalised customer service offered by some organisations is often scripted and feels fake; he encouraged delegates to ‘humanise’ their customer service and be genuine and friendly.

Dean van Leeuwen, co-founder and partner of TomorrowToday Global, presented a session titled ‘Mind the Gap. He highlighted the necessity to understand how each generation’s value systems are developed.

He stressed how these influence attitudes and behaviours and how understanding the impact of different generations can improve customer relationships, communications, recruitment and team dynamics.

Brockwood Hall joins TATOC membership rockwood Hall near the U.K.’s Lake District has become a TATOC resort member and achieved TATOC resort accreditation.

Brand consultant BJ Cunningham, Robin Mills, Paul Gardner Bougaard, Howard Nusbaum, Harry visiting professor at Brighton Taylor and Eugene Miskelly University, kick-started the conference with a highly entertaining and engaging session about ‘the Louse Pentland, fashion and beauty internet power of telling the truth’. A brand is not a communicator, talked about the YouTube logo, he said. It is a promise and the key is to generation and her own ‘Sprinkle of Glitter’ be who you really are. brand, sharing an insight into ‘bloggers’. She explained how to engage with the This year’s moderator Geoff different generations and her highly Grout, a business consultant amusing and frank assessment specialising in leadership, team demonstrated how much has building and peak performance, changed in social media and how led a session on success and the current 20/30 ‘somethings’ are told delegates that success was a thinking about products. decision, reached by setting goals, planning and commitment.

Gerd Leonhard Futurist and global influencer, Gerd Leonhard closed the conference Keys to success were providing sessions with a thought-provoking direction, teamwork, look at digital transformation and communication and the ability how it will shape the hospitality, to change: the difficulty was not travel, and timeshare industries in Michael Levie developing new ideas but escaping the next five years. old ones.

Delegates were told that good, consistent and genuine customer service would result in guest satisfaction and drive positive on-line reviews.

News

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his year’s conference of the Resort Developers Organisation (RDO) saw representatives from the timeshare and hospitality industry gather at the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel in London, for two days of presentations and panel discussions.

Digital is the norm, he said, and everything that can become software is being ‘digitised’.

Added values become an important reason to buy; trust is the only currency that really matters.

The conference also tackled key issues affecting the industry. The risks posed by claims companies and the new regulations for credit lending in the U.K. imposed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), were the focus of a breakout session.

The final panel discussion at RDO5 brought the conference theme ‘Stronger Together’ to life as representatives from RDO, TATOC and ARDA discussed how to find common ground even if they sometimes have different opinions.

“Just like an old married couple,” said TATOC executive chairman Harry Taylor.

Robin Mills, head of the RDO conference working group, said: “Feedback from those attending RDO5 has been extremely positive, and I believe that we delivered a diverse range of speakers, who gave delegates plenty to think about.”

Added Harry Taylor of TATOC: “For me the take-away from RDO5 was that the industry is rapidly changing. We are realising that we need to be in partnership and recognise the needs of consumers much more.”

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Explaining the resort’s application for membership, director Robin Mills said: “I do not believe it is an option these days.

If you wish to be taken with any degree of seriousness and credibility as a resort it is a must.”

Built in 1884 in the scenic Whicham Valley for the Brocklehurst family, shipping magnates of Liverpool and close to England’s picturesque Lake District, Brockwood Hall now offers 32 selfcatering Scandinavian lodges, which are dotted around the estate.

Overlooked by the Blackcombe and Whitecombe hills, Brockwood Hall provides members with a range of on-site facilities and services including a leisure centre, restaurant and bar and superb walking on the doorstep.

The Lake District with its inspiring landscapes, interesting towns and villages and wealth of tourist attractions is just 40 minutes away.

The resort is also celebrating achieving TATOC Resort Accreditation, joining the ranks of some of Europe’s leading resorts that have undergone this meaningful and robust process.

Robin Mills explained the importance of TATOC accreditation for a resort: “TATOC has developed an in depth process of accreditation as a benchmark for the industry based on many years of experience, it is essential that we adopt those principles as our minimum ‘KPI’s’ as a standard of operating within the resort and build upwards from there.”

Harry Taylor, TATOC’s executive chairman commented: “I have been working with the Brockwood team for some time and am delighted not only that they have joined our membership, but they have achieved accreditation status.

This is a great milestone for the club and I wish them well in their future endeavours.

TATOC will support them as much as possible.”

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

25

AROMA,

A Concept That Evolved Out Of Change

The Club Leisure Group is proud to announce that their latest product, AROMA, will be made available to interested parties in the field of sales.

Already masters in the realm of timeshare and points club products, the Club Leisure Group felt that although timeshare was the best method of pegging holiday costs over the past 30 years, flexibility has become limited, even with the advent of the exchange organisations. It was evident that a new product presence was needed which had all the positive attributes of timeshare but none of the negatives. This led to the formation of AROMA in December 2010.

AROMA falls within the sphere of the timeshare industry but it is not timesharing in the true sense. AROMA members receive certain rights that enable them to holiday in many destinations throughout the world. Members of the club do not acquire individual timeshare weeks but purchase holiday points. Although this may seem very similar to other points schemes, the four distinctive selling points of AROMA ensure that the product practically sells itself: • With AROMA, members enjoy more than one free exchange.

• AROMA is EU compliant.

• All approved marketers have access to credit card facilities and consumer finance.

• AROMA is the ideal exit point for timeshare owners who have grown weary of their timeshare product.

AROMA has a unique facility allowing timeshare owners to trade in their timeshare in 40 Perspective Magazine Europe July-September 2012

the name of the club for points to the value of the week - a useful option as needs change.

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 has three children and the other family’s children have all left home.

Ideally, the two families now need to swap weeks with each other.

With AROMA, the family with a studio unit would be allocated points amounting to the 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 cede points to their children or surrender surplus points back to the club.

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.

Sales have slowed down considerably as many entities struggle to adapt, however AROMA believes that this legislation is exactly what was needed in the industry and has always been a firm supporter of considerable consumer protection. Thus, AROMA finds itself in a strong position to become the Club of our time. The industry is moving more and more towards 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 and introduced many exceptionally well-received products.

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

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. No restriction is placed on the number of points the member may acquire and the member may purchase additional points at any time. The asset made up of holiday accommodation owned by the club represents the total of the members’ points in the club.

Once the member has been allocated points he can book a holiday. AROMA’s policy has been to acquire holiday properties during sought after holiday periods and a high percentage of the points held are in peak periods.

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

For convenience and flexibility, AROMA has no equal in the international market.

Tourism news

One in three travellers busts budgets on holiday

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ne-third of holidaymakers go over budget early into their holiday, a new survey reveals.

While 82 per cent of people set a budget, three quarters of them went beyond that at some time during their holiday.

More than one in five (21 per cent) admitted to going over budget by up to £299.

When asked how they would continue to spend on holiday, more than a quarter (26 per cent) said they would call home to ask for money to be transferred into their account.

The study by pre-paid payments firm Kalixa and Teletext Holidays showed that one in five travellers take between £200 and £299 as spending money for a typical seven-night holiday.

North of England gets multi-million pound tourism boost National tourist boards have welcomed the news that the government is to allocate £10 million to boost tourism in the north of England.

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he cash, which will come from the government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF), will be used to develop a new strategy for tourism in the north.

VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: “This commitment from government clearly demonstrates that tourism is being increasingly recognised as a key driver of the economy which creates important jobs throughout the country.

“We will be working closely with our sponsors, our local partners and the private sector to devise and implement the strategy to be launched next year.”

At present, London attracts 4.5 times more international visitors than the north of England as a whole, while Scotland attracts twice as many tourists as Yorkshire and the whole of the north-west.

Announcing the award, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said: ‘It’s absurd that our great North is missing out on visitors when it boasts such stunning countryside, history and culture.

A spokesman for Kalixa Pay said: ‘’Our research shows an overwhelming tendency

by Brits to embrace the holiday spirit while away, which is great, so long as splashing the cash doesn’t come at a cost to your personal finances when you return home.

“Proper planning, budgeting and knowing your finances are secure can help to ensure a well-deserved break is enjoyed with that allimportant peace of mind.”

“Your resounding call is clear - a strong Northern future relies on putting the North back on the map as a top tourist destination.

From next year funding will be in place for there to be a clear strategy for tourism in the North, bringing harmony to the current offer from 29 individual tourism boards into one great offer.”

In 2012, VisitEngland received £19.8 million from the RGF and implemented a three-year project, ‘Growing Tourism Locally’.

The programme to date has generated a total of £527 million in additional tourism spend and created a record number of 9,800 additional jobs for the sector, beating its target of 9,139 jobs.

VisitBritain said the £10 million allocated for the north would enable tourist destinations in the region to ‘build on their recent success’ and encourage more international visitors to the area.

Sally Balcombe, chief executive at VisitBritain, said visitors spent 16 per cent more in the north of England in 2013 than in the previous year.

Social media: Not just for big boys

A Teletext Holidays spokeswoman said: “We all want to go on holiday to relax and have a good time, but it’s important to keep in mind how much you’re spending.

“It’s easy to spend too much and find yourself out of pocket and having to rely on a credit card or having to call home, which is what a lot of people seem to be doing.”

“Through the Northern Futures project, I asked people what our Northern cities needed in order to compete globally, and to grow.

I

f you thought that social media was just for the big boys in the travel and holiday industry, then a recent award should be encouraging for smaller resorts and companies.

The Cranleigh Boutique hotel, in the Lake District, has won the top spot for the ‘Best use of Facebook’ category at the 2014 U.K. social media awards – beating organisations like VisitEngland, Aldi and Evian.

The Cranleigh Boutique amassed almost 100,000 ‘likes’ in an 18-month period.

“We are still in disbelief at having won this award, particularly against massive corporations such as Aldi and Evian,” said Mr Stephen Hargreaves, owner of the Cranleigh Boutique.

“At the end of the day, we are a small family run hotel in the Lake District, so to be able to compete and win at this level is fantastic.”

Judges from companies such as Google, Twitter and McDonalds said: “We felt this was a genuine Facebook campaign that had great objectives.

A spokeswoman for the hotel said it had attracted followers by posting daily and being ‘proactive’.

The hotel now only sells through bookings.com all other bookings come via its Facebook page.

“The Cranleigh Boutique took control of its customer pipeline to generate leads, shifting them to direct email channels and increasing success.”

Cranleigh says on average 400 followers post comments daily. The most comments received on one post were 23,500 - which was an online anagram.

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

Committee chairman goes for gold

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David Francis

avid Francis, chairman of the Crown Resorts’ committee, has been making a name for himself. Sharetime’s reporter caught up with him to find out more.

Sharetime: David you seem to be a very busy man.

David Francis: Yes, indeed. I was appointed

chairman of the Crown Resorts’ committee when I retired from work some six years ago.

Since then I have often said that it was like swapping ‘a full-time paid job’ for ‘a full-time unpaid one’.

Sharetime: We’ve heard that you find time for some competitive sporting activities.

David Francis: I have always been what you might call ‘the sporty type’ and this hasn’t changed. After I gave up competitive badminton about ten years ago, I turned to table tennis and I play this competitively in my local league.

Sharetime: We’ve heard something about you

27

Committee news

David Francis: A few months after I retired I joined my local ‘50 Plus’ group. During these four-hour sessions, members can take part in a variety of activities, including badminton, racket ball, short tennis, table tennis, volleyball, bowls and swimming.

Before I joined I had never played short tennis - but, helped by my previous two main sports (tennis and badminton), I found that I took to this newly found game quite well.

Every year all ‘50 Plus’ clubs in the region can take part in the Southern England ‘React Games’, a oneday event which stages most of these activities and is referred to as ‘the Olympic Games for older people’.

Anyway, in readiness for the October 2010 React Games, I was selected to represent my club / town in the short tennis tournament - and I accepted the challenge.

My partner and I, somewhat apprehensively, went along to the venue and we took on and surprisingly beat all-comers and won the Gold Medal.

Crown Resorts at Club Calahonda

our title and were again successful - so three gold medals in succession.

Sharetime: What happened the following two years?

David Francis: Fortunately, despite a few pulled muscles, I was able to defend my title in both 2013 and 2014. I am very surprised that on both occasions I again came away without having lost a match - so that is now five Gold Medals in five consecutive years.

Sharetime: Have you competed at these Games

Sharetime: Will a sixth gold medal be beckoning in 2015?

David Francis: The following year I entered

David Francis: To be honest, I’ll be happy if I’m fit enough to compete - but winning again would certainly be ‘the icing on the cake’.

again since then?

with a different partner and, again surprisingly, 1 23/06/2014 20:49 we came away undefeated. In 2012 we defended

CAT2398 Love Timeshare winning Gold Medals - tell Advert, us more.new logo 205x145mm v2.pdf

LUXURY HOLIDAYS OF A LIFETIME FOR A LIFETIME WHY CHOOSE THE TIMESHARESHOP LTD:

The Timeshareshop is a family run business specialising in all aspects of timeshare ownership. We have a 25 year history of providing an efficient and reliable service for all our clients.

Whether you are thinking of buying, selling, renting or exchanging your timeshare we offer friendly and honest advice.

- Buying Timeshare - Guaranteed competitive prices when buying your timeshare We have an extremely competitively priced portfolio of timeshares for sale worldwide and are confident of meeting your needs.

Secure and flexible payment terms available on all slaes.

- Selling Timeshare - Free registration, valuation and advice for sellers We will register your timeshare free of charge and give an honest and realistic valuation of your expected return both in terms of price and timescales.

Our experienced consultants are available on FREEPHONE 0800 542 4466.

- Renting Timeshare - Rental portfolio now available at affordable prices Why not rent your timeshare? Rental timeshare popularity is on the increase. We can rent your unused timeshares and save you unnecessary management fees.

The Timeshareshop Ltd is recommended by the Timeshare Consumers Association.

- Exchanging & Upgrading for Timeshare Are you are finding that you cannot use your existing timeshare or timeshare points? Too far to travel? Too inconvenient?

Management fees too costly? Why not part exchange your week(s) or points for lower management fees with a resort more accessible you and your family.

As silver affiliates of TATOC, The Timeshareshop Ltd will adhere to the code of conduct issued in 2011. All companies wishing to affiliate to the Timeshare Association are thoroughly vetted beforehand and continually monitored. Further details of the code of conduct can be found on the Associations website: www.timeshareassociation.org

- Tailored options to meet your needs - Points packages with massive savings - No cold call promise - Service Quality Assurance Guaranteed

Sales ] 0161 794 5241 Admin ] 0161 794 5240 F ] 0161 794 5242 E ] info@timeshareshopresales.com W ] www.timeshareshopresales.com A ] 109 Chorley Road | Swinton Manchester | M27 4AA

Europe – Asia & Far East – Africa & Middle East – US & Canada – Caribbean & Bahamas – UK & Eire

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

Visit a

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Exchange news

wider world

DAE celebrates anniversary

Island Residence Club @ Golden Sands, in the prime beach setting of the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Golden Sands on the island of Malta, is one of RCI’s new affiliations this year.

Since its introduction, DAE has established itself as a major participant in the global exchange industry.

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CI had signed up 95 new affiliated resorts by the close of Q3 2014 to its global exchange holiday network, and there are many more in the pipeline.

“Knowing the majority of our members want to try something different and like to explore all their holiday exchange options, giving them a wider world of holiday choice remains a priority for RCI,” said Sean Lowe, MD RCI Europe, Middle East, Africa and India.

“Choice – having as much flexibility in holiday planning as possible – lies at the heart of the real value of timeshare ownership for RCI members.

This is why being able to offer our members 50 per cent more affiliated resorts to choose from than any other exchange provider is important to us.

“It’s not about being the biggest – our focus is simply to invest in continued efforts to make the exchange holiday world a wider one each and every year for our members.”

This year so far, RCI has signed 11 new resorts in Turkey and three in Greece, while other holiday favourites, Tenerife, Malta, Finland and Sicily each saw new exchange options.

Offering free membership and a simple exchange process, DAE continues to enjoy growth.

An apartment at Island Residence Club @ Golden Sands.

SEATIME offers two- and three-bedroom yachts sailing from Kultaranta Resort marina in Naantali.

Outside Europe: India, the Philippines, China, South Korea, Thailand, Mexico, Columbia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, the Turks and Caicos Islands, plus Orlando, Las Vegas and other U.S. destinations all added newly-affiliated resorts to the RCI exchange programme.

A critical yet behind-the-scenes service, which RCI provides, is its extensive Resort Operations support.

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The RCI Health and Safety policy is claimed to be among the best within the hospitality industry and is highly valued and trusted by its members.

All RCI resort affiliates and accommodation supplier partners are required to complete an on-line self-assessment checklist and form.

This process is repeated on a three-year cycle to deliver consistency and continuity across local health and safety programmes.

Today it services 1.5 million holiday property owners, including more than 500,000 direct members.

Meanwhile, its keen focus on service has brought several awards for customer care.

Health & Safety First oing beyond assuring the quality of accommodation and guest areas, the RCI resort team works closely with management staff to ensure that the resorts are compliant with the health and safety policy requirements of each market, and that regular reviews are carried out to safeguard owners while on holiday.

Dial An Exchange (DAE) is celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the company’s entrance into the European holiday exchange market.

Marj Anderson

DAE managing director for Europe, Oliver Green, said: “We have so many loyal members who have been with us for the whole 15-year journey. Getting to know them and help make their holidays possible and memorable has been one of the most rewarding aspects of our business.

“We are nothing without our members and our commitment to them is total. We look forward to the next 15 years and beyond.”

As part of its 15th anniversary celebrations, DAE is offering every European member a £15-off bonus week voucher.

Interval recognises outstanding employees

Like her RCI colleagues across Europe, Marj Anderson, RCI affiliate services manager for the U.K., Ireland and Malta, has developed strong relationships with many resorts.

She said: “I visit resorts in my region regularly to ensure the highest standards in every aspect of a holiday, ensuring H&S compliance.

“These checks are crucial. Also important is the scheduling of maintenance weeks, changes in utility charges and other similar matters.

“As our affiliated resorts are quality rated on our members’ welcome home comment card feedback, it is always a pleasure to pass on all the great things our members have to say and let resorts know what they are doing right.”

Crystal Jade winners 2014

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nterval Leisure Group has recognised 20 of its most outstanding employees at a company-sponsored event at the Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach.

They were honoured with Crystal Jade awards, the highest recognition of ILG’s Club Excellence programme.

Started in 1997, Club Excellence is a global recognition programme that acknowledges employees who have shown outstanding performance or exceptional customer service and demonstrated the ability to make a positive difference.

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SHARETIME

Timeshare Management Fee Collection Resort Recoveries, developed by CBC International, is a specialist in the recovery of overdue accounts in the timeshare sector, and, in particular, the collection of outstanding

annual

maintenance

fees

and

finance payments from owners.

Today, Resort Recoveries works with a number

of

resorts

throughout

Europe,

assisting with the collection of fees both in the U.K. and Europe. Key to their success is the understanding that resorts value their owners and want to enjoy a long-standing relationship. Tact, diplomacy and empathy are key skills and crucial to the operation.

Resort Recoveries Specialist Timeshare Fee Collection

So why choose Resort Recoveries?

Roy Caligari, managing director, explains: • We are TATOC affiliates so you are guaranteed that owners will be treated fairly and professionally while ultimately recovering what is owed; • We only charge when we are successful in collecting fees - if we are unsuccessful then the resort does not pay for our service; • We have experienced collectors who understand your business & get results; • We hold the internationally recognised Quality Assurance Accreditation ISO 9001:2008; • We are licensed by the Office of Fair Trading and registered under the Data Protection Act; and • We offer online, telephone and traditional cheque payment options making it easy for owners to pay their outstanding fees

Developed by:

CONTACT US TODAY: | tel: +44(0) 151 515 3014 | fax:+44(0) 151 515 3015 enquiries@cbc-international.co.uk | www.cbc-international.co.uk

ISSUE 20 • Winter 2014

Future proof website launched by Travel and Leisure

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ravel and Leisure Group, Europe’s longest running timeshare and fractional re-sale broker, has updated its website.

The project to create a lightweight, sleek and stylish website was headed up by in-house technology ‘guru’ Jim Wilson together with visual creation designer Soo Smart, from Double S Design.

The new design incorporates the latest platform that is responsive to all technologies and can be viewed from desktop computers and mobile devices.

It also incorporates future-proof technological advancements.

Managing director Maria Farinas commented: “Over recent years, with the advancement of new technologies, the demands and expectations of customers has grown, particularly with regards to mobile devices.

“With smartphones and tablets replacing PCs as the default computing device for many consumers, as a company we needed to recognise this and react accordingly.

“We have also found that more and more people find and use our website while on holiday so catering for mobile devices is now a top priority.”

Silverpoint Affiliate news working for a strong and united future

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n times of financial austerity, keeping customers happy can seem like one of a company’s hardest challenges.

Silverpoint has risen to this challenge with a series of customer-focused initiatives designed to forge the strong relationships needed for a secure and united future.

First, the company has invested in the expansion of its travel agency.

The in house operation will benefit from a range of new technologies and staffing to ensure members get top class vacation experiences.

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These include: Slaley Hall, Belton Woods, Oulton Hall, Mottram Hall, Dunston Hall, The Carrick and Cameron House.

QHotels is an award winning hotel operator of 21 hotels, located across the U.K. They have received many accolades including the prestigious AA Hotel Group of the Year 2014/15 and have been voted number one U.K. Hotel Group in the U.K. by Which?

“Working with QHotels, our first priority is business as usual for our owners’ club members, ensuring we fulfil our commitments,” added Allan Reich, resort general manager based at Cameron House.

This strategy meant a major movement of members into different units.

Not all members were happy with these efforts but Silverpoint stood by the committees’ decisions that this course of action was best for the good of the general membership and supported the transition by providing staff to help facilitate the changes.

Silverpoint chief operating officer Diana Aitchison, said of the changes: “We’ve invested close to a million euros in real additional costs to help committees make this move.

This investment comes at a time when many companies are cutting back and features a ground-breaking concierge service at the Tenerife South airport.

“This was ultimately money that the clubs – and consequently the members – would have had to find. We are glad we were able to play our part and we are excited to see the clubs moving forward.

This provides Silverpoint members with a range of luxury travel benefits - including a fast track service from plane to private taxi removing much of the hassle of airport travel.

“It is fantastic to see so many owners who are committed and happy with their ownership.

It is also good that we have been able to help those owners wishing to exit the system.

Other significant changes have taken place in the restructuring of the resorts.

After being approached by the committees, Silverpoint helped form a strategy that would align the resorts with membership size as well as creating a programme to help those who wished to exit from their membership.

“Inevitably, we have had some negative comments, despite this being a club initiative, but we are now sure that the right thing has been done and we look to a happy future.”

For more information about Silverpoint, or if you have any questions about this article, please contact Silverpoint Customer Service: customer.service@silverpoint.com

BSI audited quality management

New name for leading resorts e Vere Luxury Lodges and six De Vere Hotels have become part of the QHotels portfolio.

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or over a decade, parts of the CLC World resorts management on the Costa del Sol and for the past eight years resorts on the island of Tenerife have displayed BSI certification for quality management system ISO 9001:2008.

It is management of these resorts, a total of 1060 units, that VRI Europe took over and for which the annual BSI audit has continued.

“It demonstrates VRI Europe’s commitment to continual improvement at an international level, audited by the most stringent standards body in the world,” said José Luis Mella, VRI Europe resort operations director.

Close attention to member and guest comments, which are collated each week,

are used at VRI Europe managed resorts to improve the holiday experience.

Mary Jo Dwyer, assistant reception manager at CLC Monterey resort in Tenerife, says the protocols required have become “a normal part of our day to day responsibilities. It’s great to have a certificate on the wall and see clients recognise and appreciate the BSI standard, because it represents how hard the team has worked to achieve it.”

Mr Mella says that going the route of ISO 9001:2008 involves initial process costs and a stiff audit requirement - which entails continued commitment in search of service excellence; the rewards, however, are experienced in a greater degree of customer loyalty and enhancement of brand reputation.

The TATOC 2015 conference and joint RDO seminar:

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TATOC Conference 2015 Date: March 6 - 8 Place: Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, near Warrington

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Bringing timeshare owners, committees and the industry together.

For more information and to book your places visit the TATOC Conference 2014 Info Hub at www.tatoc.co.uk