CARE Timeshare Conference Brings Together Industry Members May 17, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, News & Events, Timeshare Rental , add a commentIf you look closely on the homepage of our website, you’ll see the various business groups that we are a member of as we believe strongly in supporting business and timeshare industry organizations.
The Cooperative Association of Resort Exchangers (CARE) is one of those groups and, while you may not have heard of them, they are one of the best organizations in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry.
Our Sales Director, Peter Emery, attended their latest conference earlier this week in Deerfield Beach, FL, and filled me in on their latest developments.
Now in their 26th year, CARE is a volunteer organization primarily made up of representatives of resorts, travel and vacation clubs and online rental companies who look to network in an effort to find the best vacation inventory possible for their customers. We participate in CARE because of the timeshare rental side of our business since CARE members often look to match up consumer requests for certain vacation destinations with the companies that can fulfill those requests.
These are the people on the front lines of the industry, so to speak, and they work very hard to make people’s vacation dreams come true. They are a fun group of people that knows how to throw a party and the majority of the conference is sponsored in order to keep the costs down. BuyaTimeshare.com was one of those sponsors and we are very proud to be a supporter of CARE.
The conference opened with a fundraising dinner highlighted by a combined live and silent auction that raised $13,500, which was used to offset conference costs. The first day was headlined by Bill Repp of Selling Smart, who facilitated workshops based on developing relationship-building skills in the workplace. The second day saw the president of the American Resort Development Association, Howard Nusbaum, address the group and discuss ways that the national trade association can help CARE improve its efforts to service its various customer and member bases.
There was also an awards dinner and an off-site reggae party that ended the conference on a perfect note.
So why should I tell you about this and why should you CARE about it? Sorry about the pun – not!
Because it is important for you to know that there are thousands of people who work in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry to make your vacations become reality. When you go searching the BuyaTimeshare.com website for a timeshare for sale or a timeshare for rent, there are not only owners advertising their timeshare on our site, but there are also potential vacationers looking for a great place to vacation. Making the connection between the two sometimes takes industry professionals to make that happen, whether it is our account executive creating the owner’s ad on our website or a representative from another company working on behalf of a potential buyer looking for a timeshare in a specific location. And every possible scenario in-between.
It really is a great industry to be a part of and we’re having a great time with it.
You can take advantage of these timeshare properties for sale and rent by clicking on the BuyaTimeshare.com website here.
Timeshare Resales Emerges as a Common Theme During the ARDA Convention April 4, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, News & Events , add a commentLast week, the timeshare industry gathered in Orlando, Fla., for the annual convention of the American Resort Development Association, the national trade association for the timeshare industry.
Our president and CEO, Wesley Kogelman, attended the convention and gave me his insights from the event.
Essentially, it looks like the timeshare industry is rebounding, with the financial sector beginning to thaw and lenders looking to engage the industry once again following the economic meltdown of September, 2008. Wyndham’s announcement of a new $400million term securitization is just the latest example of the brands beginning to attract funding. Whether this translates into job creation and new development remains to be seen, but the trend is encouraging.
Much of the discussion around online solutions, the digital revolution and the impact of social media was the same information that we’ve heard for the last year or so, according to Wes. What we’d like to see is the sessions moving beyond the “you need to engage through online and social media” to “what are the best ways to engage, how can you measure it and is it effective?” So far, they have not addressed these points at the convention.
Case in point was the keynote speech given by Terry Jones, founder of Travelocity. Attendees thought he would be providing tactical insight into incorporating online strategies for hospitality companies. While he did say that 65% of all travel is now booked online, generating $150 billion in 2010, anyone could have guessed that the internet has made a significant impact on travel. But he did say that 20% of all children between 6 and 11 now have cellphones. Gee, I suppose we can start selling to 11 year olds now.
We could have told ARDA and the rest of the attendees that online engagement with timeshare buyers and sellers through the web and social media is a very effective way to engage customers, as we have the numbers to prove it. But that’s for another blog coming up next week.
One area that Wesley Kogelman was very pleased about was the increased visibility for timeshare resales and the desire for the timeshare industry to finally begin talking about the issue in a constructive manner. Not only was there a Resale Forum (which ARDA has held for the last four years) but there were two additional sessions designated for resales along with the topic coming up in sessions ranging from the Luxury Fractional Forum to the Online Results session, the meeting about Postcard Companies and the State of the Industry address.
“It seemed that everywhere you went, someone was bringing up the issue of resales in the context of their session and instead of the usual finger-pointing about whose fault it is, the discussion was balanced and attendees were generally motivated to find solutions,” said Kogelman.
How developers create those solutions is yet to be determined beyond the infrequent in-house program and working with successful online companies such as BuyaTimeshare.com. While more developers seem open to working with companies such as ours, many still seem conflicted and hesitant. The problem is, while they still sit on the sidelines the issue continues and they need to understand that this is a market-driven situation that they cannot control. A timeshare week on the resale market is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, unlike the artificial new sale prices charged by the resorts with marked up prices to cover the 55% sales and marketing costs which are built into that price point.
At some point, resorts and developers will realize that transparency has overtaken the timeshare industry, thanks to the internet, and people visiting the resorts often know more about the resort and their sales prices than the salespeople themselves. Developers know how to build great resorts. Online companies know how to engage buyers and sellers in the new online world we live in.
It seems like a marriage made in heaven. Now, if only the developers would come to the altar.
Hawaii Timeshare Tax Bill Passed Out of Committee March 8, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, Hawaii timeshare, News & Events , add a commentIf you’ve been reading this blog for the last couple of months, you know that we’ve been following a legislative issue in Hawaii regarding a potential tax increase for Hawaii timeshare owners.
According to the American Resort Development Association’s Resort Owners’ Coalition (ARDA-ROC), legislation has been introduced in the state House of Representatives and the state Senate which would increase the accommodation tax rate from 7.25% to 9.25% and increase the amount subject to the tax from 50% to 150% of the daily maintenance fee.
The House version of the legislation, HB809, was recently passed out of the Tourism Committee on a 9-0 vote, with the unanimous vote troubling considering the controversial nature of tax issues in the current economic climate.
I understand that many times these bills don’t even get to the voting stage unless the committee chairman knows he or she has the votes needed to pass, which is often why the votes are unanimous. All of the real wheeling and dealing has already been done behind closed doors by the time the bill comes up for “debate” in committee.
However, this issue is not clear cut by any means.
This vote seems to be more of a “pass the buck” procedure, which can happen if legislators feel that the bill could be voted down in another committee. That chance should come up in the next few days as the House Finance Committee is next on the hit parade to take up the measure.
Industry leaders are against the bill, which Governor Neil Abercrombie called for to help close the estimated $700million state budget deficit. In a recent meeting called by Rep. Tom Brower, Mufi Hannemann, Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association president, said the Legislature needs to approach the issue carefully because Hawaii is positioned well with the timeshare industry and timeshare is a significant growth opportunity for the state.
“We’re very concerned about this initiative,” Hannemann said.
Lowell Kalapa of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii also sounded alarm bells, saying that timeshare and multi-use resorts are currently the only developments able to get financing for new construction or renovation projects. Kalapa said that “(timeshare) adds to the stability of the market in a time of crisis,” adding that timeshare owners maintained their visits to Hawaii much more than other tourists in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“I would think in a down economy the last thing you want to do is raise taxes,” said Kalapa.
Which is exactly the same message that business leaders across various industries have been saying to elected officials throughout the country for the past two years. Let’s hope that the members of the Finance Committee can look to common sense and give timeshare owners a break from any tax hikes.
The debate hasn’t affected demand for Hawaii timeshare, as offers continue to pour in from people looking to buy and rent Hawaii timeshare. There are outstanding deals available on the BuyaTimeshare.com website and you can click here for more information.
Robb & Stucky is the Latest Example of the Rollercoaster Ride of Timeshare February 21, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, News & Events , add a commentThe latest example of the unpredictable nature of the timeshare industry these days can be seen through the eyes of Robb & Stucky Interiors.
Within a seven day span, Robb & Stucky was named as an award finalist for the Resort Design Division of the American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) annual Awards Program, then announced they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
One week, you’re celebrating the recognition of one of the most prestigious industry award programs in the world. The next, you can’t even write a check to pay the bills.
Is there a more accurate scenario that describes the current state of the timeshare industry?
Industry spokespeople have been telling us for months that things are beginning to turn around. Indeed, tourism numbers are up and optimism has started to return to a timeshare industry that has seen sales numbers plummet by over 30% in one year, in 2009. The industry has started to stabilize. However, there are casualties of the recession and Robb & Stucky appears to be one of them.
Yes, it is too early to tell how this bankruptcy filing will affect the company, if at all. They may come out of it lean, strong and ready for growth. On the other hand, they may never reach the success they once had if the company is sold and new management takes over. This is a business that is dependent on the creative minds that help design the resorts of the future. Brain-drain could be a real problem for them if they cannot afford to keep their best people from leaving their ranks.
Who knows for sure? And that’s the rub for the entire industry at the moment.
According to a recent press release, Robb & Stucky claims that “the company’s Hospitality Design Division has completed domestic and international commercial design assignments for hotels, condominiums, timeshare and fractional resorts located from Denver to Dubai.” This is a well-respected company which has built up years of industry good will and designed some of the top creative projects in the world for name brands such as Bluegreen, Westin, and Hyatt. However, resorts hit the brakes on construction during the recession and new development has not returned. Judging from their latest announcement, renovation work has not been as brisk as first thought, as many of the design and construction companies have been relying on redevelopment to keep them afloat until the new projects are resurrected.
If it can happen to them, then who else could be next?
This is a symptom of an industry just coming off of life support after the train wreck of 2008 and we wish the good people at Robb & Stucky the best of luck.
However, the good news is that the lack of new sales activity puts a premium on the timeshare resale market and the weeks that are available at great prices.
People are still looking to buy timeshare and more potential buyers are discovering the deals to be made on the resale market. You can find those deals on the BuyaTimeshare.com website.
Reaction to Proposed Timeshare Tax Increase in Hawaii February 4, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, Hawaii timeshare, News & Events , 1 comment so farLast week, I blogged about the Governor of Hawaii’s call to increase taxes on timeshare in the Aloha State. More information has since surfaced regarding the proposal and it didn’t take long for reaction from the industry – in full force against the idea of any additional taxes on timeshare.
According to the American Resort Development Association’s Resort Owners’ Coalition (ARDA-ROC), legislation has been introduced in the state House of Representatives and the state Senate which would increase the accommodation tax rate from 7.25% to 9.25% and increase the amount subject to the tax from 50% to 150% of the daily maintenance fee.
To put this into perspective, ARDA-ROC uses the following example that “under current law, a timeshare owner with a $1000 maintenance fee pays a TAT (transient accommodation tax) of $36.20. Under the new legislation, the TAT payment for the same owner would be $138.70. For an owner with a $2,000 maintenance fee, the TAT would go from $72.50 to $277.50.”
“Enough is enough,” said ARDA-ROC Chairman, Ken McKelvey. “We have a responsibility to the more than 1 million timeshare owners who contribute to ROC and the hundreds of Home Owners’ Associations (HOAs) who volunteer and financially support ARDA-ROC for this very reason – to make sure that ’the tax the visitor rather than voter’ mentality doesn’t overtake the rights of timeshare owners.”
This is not only a feeble attempt to help close the $700million state budget deficit, but it’s just a bad business decision. Since when is it a good idea to make a tourism-related product more expensive during an economic downturn?
Oh yeah, I forgot. The economists tell us we’re no longer in a recession. I guess that settles it, then.
ARDA has been fighting against increases to the accommodation tax since its inception in 1998 and has a battle on its hands this time.
The ARDA-ROC Executive Committee has requested that ARDA staff and legal counsel make recommendations of a course of action to fight this legislation and says it will pursue all options to fight this proposal, including litigation.
We applaud the efforts of our industry trade association to fight against these tax increases and ask Hawaii timeshare owners to lobby the state legislators in their resort’s districts to vote against these proposals. You can find information at www.ardaroc.org about how to get involved in the debate.
If you own Hawaii timeshare, don’t be discouraged about these proposals since they have been successfully defeated for a number of years now. Hawaii timeshare is still one of the most sought-after vacation ownership products in the world, with a number of great deals available on the BuyaTimeshare.com website. Click here for more information.
Timeshare Resales is Finally Getting Its Just Recognition January 14, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA, News & Events, Timeshare Resale , 1 comment so farWell, it’s taken a while, but it looks like the secondary market is finally being accepted as a legitimate option for people looking to buy timeshare.
According to numbers published by the ARDA International Foundation (AIF), using “an online timeshare resale company” was named as the most popular method that owners used to purchase additional timeshare, with 25% of owners surveyed using this method. These figures are part of a report issued in 2010 that also stated the category as tied for first among overall purchasers of traditional timeshare, with 16% using online resale companies to make their purchase.
Think about the significance of this for a moment. Among people buying timeshare resale, online resale companies were more popular than management companies, HOAs and brokers.
This is astounding, especially when considering how long those supposed “traditional” methods have been around and how relatively recent the use of the internet has become to make such purchases.
This acknowledgement from the AIF carries a lot of weight, since the AIF is associated with the leading timeshare industry association in the country, the American Resort Development Association. The AIF figures can be seen on the ARDA.org website by clicking onto the AIF Foundation tab.
Perhaps now developers will take notice and consider the impact the internet is having on the timeshare industry in general and resales in particular.
If the car industry operated like timeshare, it would take more than a government bailout to help them. According to an Edmunds.com analysis, 65% of all automobile sales are resales. That helps determine the value of a specific model as the resale value of an automobile is one of the most important factors used when buying a car.
This is where BuyaTimeshare.com comes in. For the past 11 years, we have been working hard to bring maximum exposure to the resale market and educate consumers about the value of timeshares on the secondary market. Timeshare owners tend to be more educated and when they buy additional weeks they buy from online resale websites like ours, according to the AIF.
Timeshares are a great way to vacation and can save you loads of money if you buy on the resale market. BuyaTimeshare.com provides a great place to find timeshares at amazing prices, so begin your search to buy timeshare or rent timeshare by clicking here.
Timeshare in South Carolina could be a target for additional taxes in 2011 January 11, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA , add a commentMyrtle Beach timeshare owners and timeshare owners throughout the rest of South Carolina could be faced with additional taxes this year if local governments in the Palmetto State have their way.
According to a report in the Myrtle Beach Sun News, the Municipal Association of South Carolina would support a measure recommended by the state’s non-elected Tax Realignment Commission to tax maintenance fees on timeshares. While the Commission’s recommendation is not binding, it could become part of legislation during the up-coming state legislative session and Association Executive Director Miriam Hair said her group would support such a tax if raised during the session.
Last week, the North Myrtle Beach City Council passed a resolution supporting the Municipal Association’s agenda , which states that the tax measure is one of 13 “priorities to monitor” during the next session. In addition, the Myrtle Beach City Council is scheduled to vote on the agenda on January 25.
This has a long way to go before even getting to the legislative stage. Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, thinks the recommendations won’t even get to first base in the state capital and was quoted as saying “the consensus is it’s going to land in Columbia with a loud thud and go nowhere.” Even so, the issue has attracted the attention of industry trade association ARDA, which has stated that it “will fight to keep (the recommendations) from being included in any legislative proposal in 2011.”
A more far-reaching recommendation by the Commission would remove a current sales tax exemption for new timeshare sales, resales and exchanges. This would effectively impose new taxes on just about every timeshare transaction in the state and speaks to the desperate tone of cash-strapped local governments that they would even consider additional taxes during the current anti-tax climate throughout the country.
Don’t count on these measures going through, as elected officials and business leaders have repeatedly said over the past few months that there’s little chance they will be taken up by lawmakers.
That’s good news for owners, as Myrtle Beach is a fantastic location and one of the best values for timeshare in the country. You can buy Myrtle Beach timeshare here at BuyaTimeshare.com and save a huge amount of cash by clicking here.
Buy a Timeshare Supports Efforts to Improve Timeshare Resale Best Practices December 21, 2010
Posted by John Stephens in : ARDA , add a commentMany of you involved with timeshare may not realize that there is a national association charged with advocating on behalf of the industry. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is the non-profit group that works with the companies involved in timeshare and undertakes lobbying efforts with state and local governments to improve the regulatory standards that govern how the industry operates. And because timeshare is regulated by the states, this can be a very tedious process.
ARDA, of which BuyaTimeshare.com is a member, has been working with its members for over a year to establish a model timeshare resale act that the group can offer to states as a template to use to develop regulatory standards governing timeshare resales. In November, the ARDA Board of Directors approved the much-debated model act, which will now be available for ARDA staff to use beginning with the 2011 legislative season.
For people looking to sell timeshare or buy timeshare, living in states with a lack of regulation can leave them open to operators looking to take their money and not provide the promised services to those consumers. There are definite regulatory gaps that need to be plugged and BuyaTimeshare.com supports efforts by ARDA to improve consumer protection guidelines.
“Some companies are telling consumers that they have a buyer waiting to buy their timeshare, then the consumer pays them upwards of $3,000 to pay closing costs and nothing happens,” said Wesley Kogelman, president and CEO, BuyaTimeshare.com. “No seller should pay closing costs in advance of a sale and, in the majority of cases, the buyer pays the closing costs anyway. And sellers should never do business with a company who says they have a buyer waiting.”
If you are looking at advertising your timeshare for sale, you should do your homework on any company you’re thinking of using for your advertising. For example, ask them how they plan to attract buyers who are looking to buy timeshare.
“In the case of Buy A Timeshare, we spend an enormous about of time and money on internet search engine optimization, which is why we rank on page one of Google for word searches such as ‘timeshare’,” said Kogelman. “Last month alone over 800,000 people searched for the word ‘timeshare’ on Google and anyone doing business online must rank on page one to have any chance of success.”
So far in 2010, we have received over $52 million in legitimate offers from people looking to buy timeshare or rent timeshare from our advertisers. Our company tracks every inbound offer, verifies it by contacting the person making the offer, and forwards the qualifying offer directly to the owner.
“The key to the success of any business in the resale sector is finding buyers,” said Kogelman. “We rank number one for organic searches on Google, Yahoo and Bing for the term ‘buy timeshare’, so consumers looking to buy the product are going to find us.”
Women in the Timeshare and Shared Ownership Industry October 16, 2010
Posted by Bryan Connelly in : ARDA, Charity, General, Marriott Timeshares, New Features, News & Events, RCI, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel , add a commentSince the inception of BuyATimeshare.com the Company has focused on returning back to local businesses, communities and industry affiliated organizations. Examples of the Company’s philanthropic endeavors are the Rotary Club, supporting its local Boys and Girls organizations and the Chamber of Commerce.
Although BuyATimeshare.com is not directly related to WIN (Women In Industry) the company would like to recognize the women who play crucial roles in the day-to-day success as well as the future success of BuyATimeshare.com. Without the support of the women and men alike, and the passion for connecting worldwide timeshare sellers and buyers, BuyATimeshare.com would not be the leader it has become and having done so in positive light of the Better Business Bureau.
While membership is not solely for women, this nonprofit organization is committed to fostering the growth of women in the vacation ownership industry by connecting and mentoring them through charities, businesses, and through educational and networking events.
All of the timeshare resorts that benefit from WIN can be found at BuyATimeshare.com, where the resale market continues to save vacationers millions of dollars every year. Resorts like Marriott Vacation Club, Wyndham Worldwide, Shell Vacations and RCI memberships continue to provide unforgettable memories for families around the world.
About WIN
WIN (Women in Industry) is a nonprofit organization supporting women in their effort to be the best they can be as well as attracting and cultivating women leaders of tomorrow in the vacation industry.
The goals of WIN include: Providing a forum for women in the vacation industry to unite and leverage best practices, foster networking and business training through social and educational events and ongoing community and philanthropic activities.
In addition the organization focuses much of its efforts on developing a membership base that is reflective of women across diverse businesses. They do this by promoting and recognizing women’s achievements in the vacation industry. By facilitating research in the vacation industry and providing scholarship opportunities, women are able to attain industry certifications and attend training programs in order to advance their career path.
Vacation More Often and for Less Money with the Best in Timeshare Resales October 6, 2010
Posted by Bryan Connelly in : ARDA, Customer Comments, General, Hawaii timeshare, Marriott Timeshares, New Features, News & Events, RCI, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel, Uncategorized , add a commentIf you are looking for the perfect alternative to a second luxury home on the beautiful island of Hawaii, look no further than Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club! With the magnificent Lahaina and Napili Towers, this beachfront resort is set in the heart of beautiful Maui and allows owners access to the finest destinations! If you are serious about buying or renting, let BuyATimeshare.com be your guide to the wonderful world of Hawaii. Our expert customer service and easy to use website makes it simple to find your dream vacation.
A leading timeshare resource, our firm specializes in Hawaii timeshares and residences and we offer free guidance and knowledgeable advice. Also, we have aligned ourselves with an effective closing company and reliable financing for a full service timeshare solution. Don’t let your next purchase slip through the cracks—let BuyATimeshare.com match you with a Marriott Maui Ocean Club timeshare today!
This luxury resort is comprised of 12 floors and 277 villas that range from efficient studios to posh presidential suites. The resort offers 4 exquisitely appointed restaurants, 3 outdoor pools and a wide range of on-site activities. Situated on the Lahaina Coast, this resort offers a vast retreat that is close enough to Ka’anapali for guests to enjoy the famed shopping, nightlife, and activity there. Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club Lahaina and Napili Towers feature spectacular views of the mountains, lagoons, and sandy beaches, and the resort offers winding pathways throughout the area, fish ponds, tide pools, streams, tropical gardens, and much more for you to explore.
Let BuyATimeshare.com show you how diving into pristine waters can be affordable. Discover coral reefs ablaze with exotic fish, or hike a valley trail. Take a helicopter to the top of Haleakala and explore its massive terrain. You are certain to enjoy your vacation more knowing that you paid a fraction of what the resort would have charged. At BuyATimeshare.com we believe that if you can vacation make vacationing affordable, you will vacation more often. Contact one of our professionals today to start planning your next Hawaiian getaway!