Dial An Exchange Continues Free Timeshare Exchange Membership Program May 24, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : Dial An Exchange, News & Events , add a commentDAE is one of the most innovative, friendly and customer focused timeshare exchange systems available. Whether a member is a traditional ‘weeks’ timeshare owner, a ‘points’ owner or a ‘credits’ club member, DAE believes that exchanging ones timeshare should be easy. DAE’s free membership allows owners to book an exchange through its simple online system twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Through this simple online system, a traditional timeshare owner can quickly and easily deposit their week straight into DAE’s exchange pool. While points or credits members, simply use their points to book and confirm a week with their home or club resort and then bank that week into the DAE exchange pool with no banking fees.
Members receive a weeks’ credit for every week they deposit into the exchange. What happens after that is entirely up to the member. They can choose to book a vacation straight away, or save weeks up to create one, long vacation. Once a week is deposited, members have three years to make an exchange and there are no exchange fees until the exchange is confirmed.
Through free membership with DAE, members have access to DAE’s online reservations system. There members can search availability, browse resorts and see all possible destination options. Additionally, members also have access to bonus rental weeks at discounted prices and travel services to streamline the vacation planning process. members even have the option to put a week “on hold” while they work out finances and travel plans or if for some reason, a member cannot locate an available week on-line that suits their travel dates, they are able to fill out a request form and DAE will begin looking for the requested exchange holiday.
With excellent customer service, worldwide vacation options and free membership that comes with low exchange fees, discounted bonus rentals, and 24/7 online availability, there is no other exchange service quite like Dial An Exchange.
For more information, please visit http://daelive.com.
Interval International Adds Italian Timeshare Resort to Its Exchange Network May 23, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : Interval International, News & Events , add a commentInterval International, a prominent worldwide provider of vacation services and an operating business of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), announced the affiliation of the vacation ownership units at the Hotel Club Residence La Castellana in Calabria, the “toe” of Italy’s “boot.” The resort is set on a promontory overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast two miles from the historic centre of Belvedere.
“Hotel Club Residence La Castellana captures the beauty, history, and charm of the less developed Calabria region in southern Italy,” said Darren Ettridge, Interval’s senior vice president of resort sales and business development for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. “The property is surrounded by lush gardens with palm, pine, and olive trees, making a beautiful setting.”
The timeshare units are part of a larger complex that includes a 68-room hotel and 160 apartments. During the summer season, Hotel Club Residence La Castellana offers guests a wide variety of on-site amenities. In addition to three large swimming pools, tennis courts, and volley ball, there are three restaurants, two bars, a gym, a spa, supermarket, and shopping bazaar. Only a half-mile away, the resort has a privately equipped beach offering a choice of water sports, a restaurant with bar, swimming pool, and live entertainment at the seaside amphitheatre.
“We are excited about venturing into timeshare with these first units and we expect to add more for our Italian market,” said Roberto Torri, managing director of Eidos, the developer of the resort. “Our partnership with Interval International will give our owners the ability to travel more widely through vacation exchange and also introduce Hotel Club Residence La Castellana to new markets worldwide.”
Hotel Club Residence La Castellana is 58 miles (93 km) from the nearest international airport of Lamezia Terme.
Disney Timeshare Owners To Get First Shot At Buying Into New Grand Floridian Resort May 22, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : Disney, News & Events , add a commentDisney Vacation Club, the Disney timeshare brand of the Disney empire, has announced that they will open sales for the new Villas at Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando to current DVC members beginning tomorrow, May 23.
The timeshare development at the Grand Floridian will be DVC’s 12th resort, with sales open to the general public on June 19.
“We are absolutely thrilled to add this casually elegant new resort to our Disney Vacation Club portfolio,” said Ken Potrock, senior vice president and general manager, Disney Vacation Club. “This resort will welcome families home with modern luxury and style, in a location that can only be described as spectacular. Within walking distance of a monorail ride to the Magic Kingdom, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will serve as an ideal setting for family vacations and create truly cherished memories for our members.”
The new development will include 106 two-bedroom equivalent villas on the shores of Seven Seas Lagoon as part of a previously announced expansion of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Once opened, the new property will feature studios and one-bedroom villas that sleep five guests, as well as two-bedroom villas that sleep nine guests. Additionally, grand villas will sleep 12 guests and will feature multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. The estimated opening date for the Grand Floridian villas is October 23, 2013.
But here’s the catch.
As DVC is a points-based product, the initial pricing is $145 per point for any quantity of 25 or more points, with a 50 point minimum to finance the purchase. This rate is only for current DVC members, so look for those prices to go up once DVC gets a better idea of early demand.
A quick look at the Disney Vacation Club products for sale on our website shows just how inflated these new sale prices are, when you can get a Disney timeshare resale for $50-$60 per point. Before you buy a Disney timeshare, do yourself a favor and comparison shop on our website before you make any decisions.
You can begin your search by clicking here.
C.A.R.E. Gives Back Program Scores For The Community May 21, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : CARE, News & Events , add a commentThe timeshare industry and, by extension, the travel club industry gets its share of criticism for the way some companies go about their business. And with merit. However, there are initiatives that take place, often out of the public eye, that need to be recognized for the social responsibility reputable industry professionals bring to the community.
One of these initiatives is the C.A.R.E. Gives Back program. C.A.R.E. (which stands for the Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers) is a collection of resort managers, travel club and timeshare industry representatives who meet twice a year to discuss the state of the travel industry, network and create business development opportunities for their companies.
A staple of these meetings is the C.A.R.E. Gives Back Program, where members volunteer to take part in a community service project in the town where they hold their business meetings.
Most recently, C.A.R.E. member volunteers participated in a service project at The Boys and Girls Club of the Grand Strand (www.bgclubgs.org) following their spring conference in Myrtle Beach, SC. C.A.R.E. members cleaned classrooms and restrooms at the Boys and Girls Club. According to Don Hall, Executive Director, “Volunteers are critical to our success. It is great to have groups such as C.A.R.E. come in and make a difference to the children that we serve.”
The club provides after-school and summer camp programs for children who may not have adult supervision and would otherwise have to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. Club programs enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of belonging, usefulness, influence, and competence. Boys and Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun.
C.A.R.E. will participate in another volunteer event at the conclusion of its 57th Semi-Annual Conference held at Hilton Sonoma Wine Country in Santa Rosa, CA from September 28-October 1, 2013.
BuyaTimeshare.com Releases Top 10 Timeshare Resort List In Time For Summer May 15, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events, Timeshare Rental , add a commentTimeshare resale and rental advertising leader BuyaTimeshare.com has released its Top 10 List of the most popular resorts advertised on its industry-leading online platform. The list was compiled by the number of rental offers placed by consumers looking for timeshare rental accommodation available through the http://buyatimeshare.com website.
Marriott Aruba Surf Club
Aruba timeshare resorts dominate the list, taking four of the top 10 spots. International resorts take five of the 10 positions, with the usual U.S. destinations of Orlando, Hawaii and Las Vegas also appearing on the list.
Brand-named resorts also continue to be popular, with the Marriott brand continuing to carry weight with three of the top five spots. Disney, Hilton and Diamond also make the list, with mainstay Manhattan Club now affiliated with Bluegreen.
The most popular resorts, as measured by consumer interest, are:
- Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club (Aruba)
- Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club (Aruba)
- Manhattan Club (New York City)
- Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Elara (Las Vegas)
- Marriott’s Ocean Pointe (Palm Beach Shores, Florida)
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas (Orlando)
- Divi Village Golf and Beach Resort (Aruba)
- Harborside Resort at Atlantis (Nassau, Bahamas)
- Occidental Grand Aruba (Aruba)
- Diamond Resorts Ka’anapali Beach Club (Hawaii)
“These are all quality holiday locations and we are very pleased to be able to offer such excellent vacation accommodation to consumers looking for their next travel destination,” said Wesley Kogelman, president and CEO, BuyaTimeshare.com.
“Timeshare rental accommodation is becoming more of a sought-after product as consumers discover the major advantages to renting a timeshare holiday apartment compared to a regular hotel room. Separate bedrooms, full kitchens, in-room laundry amenities and larger overall units provide for a much more comfortable experience and we are seeing increased demand for these locations.
“Offers to rent timeshare from our site increased 85 percent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to last year, so we are definitely seeing more people not only looking for this type of accommodation but actually making offers to book them from our owner advertisers,” added Kogelman.
For more information about holiday accommodation options, please visit http://buyatimeshare.com
Wyndham Australia Timeshare Division Launches Charity Foundation – Wishes by Wyndham May 13, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : News & Events, Wyndham Timeshares , add a commentWyndham’s Australia timeshare brand, Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, is pleased to announce its support for the Cancer Council Australia in 2013 as part of its philanthropic foundation, Wishes by Wyndham.
Wyndham will give financial support to the Cancer Council Australia through fundraising events, raffles and merchandise sales for its staff as well as an Employee Workplace Giving Program.
Since August last year, Wyndham’s employees have raised more than $20,000 for the Cancer Council through fundraising initiatives.
These initiatives are coordinated by the Wishes by Wyndham committee which is made up of a team of employees from across the company.
CEO and Managing Director Barry Robinson said, “We are proud to have Cancer Council as the signature charity of Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific. In the vacation ownership business, we spend our days making holiday dreams come true, while the Cancer Council helps families during more difficult times with funds, research, education
and support.
To learn more about the Cancer Council visit www.cancer.org.au
Some Cancer Council Australia facts
• Peak national non-government cancer control organisation
• Helps prevent, detect and treat cancer as well as advocating for the rights of cancer
patients for the best treatment and supportive care.
• Contributed more than $50 million towards cancer research in 2011
• Each year, an estimated 124,910 new cases of cancer are diagnosed with that number
set to rise to 150,000 by 2020
• 1 in 2 Australian men and 1 in 3 Australian women will be diagnosed with cancer by the
age of 85 and nearly 15,000 more people die each year from cancer than 30 years ago
due to population growth and aging.
• The death rate from cancer has fallen by 16% in recent years and more than 60% of
people diagnosed with cancer in Australia will survive more than five years after
diagnosis.
Marriott Golf Academy Debuts at Marriott Timeshare Resorts in Orlando and Palm Desert May 7, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events , add a commentMarriott Vacation Club, the branded Marriott timeshare product, has introduced the new Marriott Golf Academy, with locations at Marriott’s Grande Vista resort in Orlando, Fla., and Marriott’s Shadow Ridge resort in Palm Desert, Calif. Formerly the Faldo Golf Institute, the new Marriott Golf Academy debuted on May 1st, with special introductory pricing and packages for 2- and 3-day golf schools and 3-hour sessions through September 30, 2013.
Marriott Golf Academyoffers a wide range of expert instructional programming for golfers of all skills levels, from low-handicap elite golfers seeking a competitive advantage to newcomers seeking an introductory golf experience that is matched to their needs. Among the Academy’s premier golf school programs are 2- and 3-day golf schools, 3-hour full swing & short game sessions, private lessons, on-course instruction, corporate programs, junior programs and a selection of programs and services from the ClubFitter’s Workshop™, an important complement to any golf instructional experience.
Located in highly desirable golf destinations, Marriott Golf Academy? is based at two acclaimed Marriott Vacation Club resorts, offering spacious and luxurious one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, fully equipped with all the comforts of home and complemented by an assortment of on-site amenities and activities for golf groups, couples or the entire family.
The Orlando based location, adjacent to Marriott’s Grande Vista resort, boasts a 35-acre instructional facility offering full swing and short game areas, a 9-hole golf course, Swing Analysis Studio, Club Fitter’s Workshop™, and is adjacent to Marriott’s Grande Pines Golf Club, which provides the perfect 18-hole championship golf experience for students. The Marriott Golf Academy?, located just minutes away from the family attractions exclusive to Orlando, serves as the ultimate family vacation destination.
Marriott’s Shadow Ridge resort is located in the scenic Coachella Valley, a popular international destination for golf aficionados set against the beautiful backdrop of the snow-capped Santa Rosa Mountains in Palm Desert, Calif. The golf resort, which boasts acclaimed luxury villa accommodations and unmatched amenities for the whole family, is complemented by a world-class practice facility, a state-of-the-art swing studio, Club Fitter’s Workshop™ and an 18-hole championship golf course. This beautiful and peaceful valley is often referred to as the “golf capital of the world” because of its ideal playing conditions and abundance of courses.
“The new Marriott Golf Academy offers a memorable golf instructional experience at two of the finest resort destinations in the world,” said Bill Nault, Vice President, Marriott Golf. “The certified golf instructors are truly experts at tailoring a program to ensure students are learning at a pace suitable to their game.”
The Clubfitter’s Workshop™ at each location is equipped with Trackman® — the most advanced launch monitor, swing analysis technology and software program in the industry. Recognized among America’s 100 Best Clubfitters, the renowned Clubfitter’s Workshop™ offers golfers a dynamic club fitting experience to ensure students are properly fit with equipment that will help optimize their performance.
The Alumni Clubhouse™, a popular web-based resource center, is available for all golf school attendees. The Alumni Clubhouse™ enables golfers to communicate with their school instructors, review lessons, view video-swing analysis and study archives of their game-improvement history. Moreover, golf school attendees can access a complete library of video drills designed to support each student’s game improvement plan, at their desired pace.
Virginia Beach Timeshare Resort Wins Industry Project of Excellence Award May 5, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : ARDA , add a commentOcean Beach Club‘s newest Virginia Beach timeshare addition, Oceanaire Resort, earned the distinguished Project of Excellence Award at the 2013 ARDA World Convention. The international award is presented to the premier new resort that demonstrates excellence in architecture and amenities and benefits the local community.
Located on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, the Ocean Beach Club complex features 536 deluxe rooms and suites, four oceanfront pools, including an adult only infinity pool, 2,600 square feet of ocean view meeting space, a 17th floor ocean view fitness center, an exclusive 10th floor lounge and sundeck, a tropical themed restaurant and tiki bar, an elegant martini bar and convenient access to beach amenities.
The ARDA Circle of Excellence Awards (ACE) are international awards that honor those who have attained the highest level of excellence in the resort industry and whose accomplishments and dedication spur the industry to new heights.
Craig Nash, Chief Executive Officer of Interval International, said, “This year’s Project of Excellence embodies every quality we aspire to as an industry.”
The Project of Excellence Award was among two awards Gold Key | PHR Hotels & Resorts earned at the 2013 ARDA World Convention, held April 7-11, 2013 in Hollywood, Florida. Vice President of Sales, Mary Reinhardt, was also crowned “Sales Management Executive of the Year.”
Previously, Gold Key Resorts and Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Thompson, have been honored by ARDA for community service and philanthropic endeavors.
“We’re also honoring their commitment to their community, to their values, and to the principles that we want people to think of when they say the word ‘timeshare,’” said Stephen Weisz of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation.
In response to the recognition, Bruce Thompson said, “We built the Oceanaire Resort to complement the assets at Ocean Beach Club, and to create the region’s best vacation destination for owners and guests. With the May opening of Big Italy, featuring three restaurants, Mama’s Italian Kitchen, Café Amarino, and Pizzeria, and the 2014 opening of Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront, we will further enhance our best in class resort experience.”
Disney Timeshare Guests Get 24 Hours Of Magic Over Memorial Day Weekend May 2, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : Disney, News & Events , add a commentDisney timeshare guests visiting Disney World and Disneyland over Memorial Day weekend will get an added bonus.
Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort will kick off a Monstrous Summer by keeping three theme parks open for 24 hours nonstop on Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of the family travel season.
The Magic Kingdom Park in Florida and Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park in California will stay open from 6 a.m., May 24 to 6 a.m., May 25, 2013, local time* marking the beginning of a summer of fun inspired by the upcoming Disney•Pixar comedy adventure Monsters University.
The oversized fun of a 24-hour Disney park “All-Nighter” called for an equally epic announcement, and the huge sphere of Spaceship Earth was transformed from Disney Parks icon to Disney?Pixar “Eye-con,” becoming a 180-foot-tall, fully animated Mike Wazowski, the loveable green-bodied, one-eyed monster who joins best pal James P. Sullivan (“Sulley”) in the prequel to Monsters, Inc., this summer as college students with hopes of becoming Scarers.
Walt Disney World President George Kalogridis joined Mike to share the news of the first-ever, three-park All-Nighter.
“This summer, Disney Parks are bursting with a monstrous lineup of new thrills, shows and happenings,” said Kalogridis. “Guests can start Memorial Day Weekend with a 24-hour-marathon of memory-making as three Parks stay open all day and all night to celebrate the bi-coastal kick-off of a Monstrous Summer at Disney Parks.”
Mike and Sulley will take a break from collegiate life and their Scare studies at Monsters University to host the All-Nighter, dropping in to scare up some school spirit. Guests will scream and giggle with delight at the lineup of thrills and entertainment that promises to make this a day and night to be remembered for a lifetime.
In Florida, the Magic Kingdom will feature a Monsters University theme where Mike and Sulley will be the Grand Marshals of the “Celebrate a Dream Come True” day parade – complete with pomp and circumstance – and make appearances in Tomorrowland. Guests also will find extra entertainment throughout the day and night, including characters in their pajamas in Town Square during the late night and early morning, and late-night dance parties in and around the courtyard of Cinderella Castle.
In California, guests can party the night away at both parks with special entertainment, including a Monsters University“TLT Monstrous” Dance Club and Star Wars characters in Tomorrowland, and late-night Character Pajama Party in Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland. The new Fantasy
Faire Royal Theatre at Disneyland will become a Royal Dance Hall late at night with a live band and dancing, and guests of Disney California Adventure will find Monstrous photo opportunities with new Monsters University “Dorms” in Hollywood Land and a new Monsters University float leading the Pixar Play Parade.
All three parks will feature limited-edition specialty merchandise and food and beverage offerings plus other surprises throughout the entire day.
The All-Nighter is just the beginning of the fun. In California, vacationers at “The Happiest Place on Earth” will see how Disneyland Resort “Just Got Happier” with great new attractions such as the “Mickey and the Magical Map” stage show. It is also the first summer for guests to experience the new Fantasy Faire with Disney Princesses at Disneyland, and they continue to enjoy the exciting new offerings of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure.
Walt Disney World Monstrous Summer includes new offerings and popular favorites in all four parks. This is the first summer for New Fantasyland, which has received rave reviews from guests since its December grand opening as the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. Guests also will find new, engaging offerings for the entire family throughout the Walt Disney World Resort this summer such as an interactive “Pirates Adventure” game at Magic Kingdom, the newly re-imagined Test Track at Epcot, the new Disney Junior show, featuring Sofia The First and Doc McStuffins, as new additions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, plus Wilderness Explorers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that will bring families together in exciting new ways.
BuyaTimeshare.com Shows Solid First Quarter Growth In Timeshare Buyer And Rental Offers April 30, 2013
Posted by Steve Luba in : News & Events, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Wesley Kogelman , add a commentBuyaTimeshare.com, the leading online platform for connecting timeshare buyers and renters with timeshare owners, announces double-digit increases in consumers looking to buy and rent timeshare in the first quarter of 2013.
The dollar value of buyer offers placed through the company’s industry-leading online marketplace increased 68 percent in Q1 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. The dollar value of rental offers was up 44 percent in the first quarter, with the total number of offers placed through the website up 85 percent so far this year.
All of these indicators are a significant sign that the health of the timeshare secondary market is improving according to BuyaTimeshare.com CEO Wesley Kogelman.
“We’ve seen more consumers looking to buy timeshare and rent timeshare and this confirms that consumers continue to use the internet when looking for deals on our products,” Kogelman said. “Recent statistics from the American Resort Development Association even confirm the increased impact that online resales is having on overall industry sales and our numbers support this trend.”
At the recent American Resort Development Association convention in Hollywood, FL, industry statistics shared during the event stated that consumers acknowledge the advantages that resale companies have over developers. Buyers stated that finding the best price, the ability to negotiate price and securing the best terms for the deal as the reasons they purchase through a resale company compared to a developer.
“It’s all about the internet now. We hear about guests taking a tour at a resort, getting the resort price, then checking the internet to see how much they can save on the same product by buying online,” added Kogelman. “And with Google estimating that 670,000 searches for the word ‘timeshare’ are placed through their site every month, that’s a lot of potential buyers.”
For more information about the significant savings available online for timeshare products, please visit http://buyatimeshare.com