360 Degree Feedback Implemented at BuyATimeshare.com April 23, 2012
Posted by Bryan Connelly in : General, Marriott Timeshares, New Features, News & Events, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel , add a commentBuyATimeshare.com, the top provider of timeshare resales and rentals, has implemented techniques from 360-degree feedback to not only improve the customer experience, but to better team performance and communication.
Sales managers, Randy Medeiros and Evan Carter, joined Wesley Kogelman, President and CEO of BuyATimeshare.com to Park City for a training course with DecisionWise, Inc. The benefits of 360-degree feedback on the business have prompted BuyATimeshare.com to adopt an air of open communications and team building competitions.
“As the most dedicated supplier of by-owners advertising and timeshare resales in the world, BuyATimeshare.com remains committed to utilizing the latest in performance analytics to ensure the best user experience for all of our customers,” Kogelman explains.
BuyATimeshare.com offers a world-class resale marketplace for timeshare consumers looking to buy, rent and sell vacation properties. With more than 300,000 consumers around the world using this online solution, BuyATimeshare.com knows the importance of customer care.
Like any office, it is important to interact with your team in order to ensure the best product is being delivered. By focusing on open communication and team building activities, the organization has witnessed an immediate increase in employee morale and performance.
Along with monthly games to measure performance and to inspire teams to succeed together, people were rewarded with prizes like an iPod, cash and gift certificates. “March Madness” was a successful team building exercise based on performance goals and a bracketed championship. “The Treasure Chest” was another game that rewarded executives with a key and a chance to win the contents of the treasure chest.
Through the tools and coaching techniques derived from the 360-degree workshop, BuyATimeshare.com has been able to encourage the same team environment that has kept the company successful for over 10 years.
The NTOA Meeting Helps Timeshare Owners to Better Understand Their Industry February 28, 2012
Posted by Bryan Connelly in : ARDA, Bluegreen Resorts, General, Hilton Grand Vacation, Marriott Timeshares, New Features, News & Events, RCI, silverleaf, Sunterra/Diamond Resorts, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource, Travel, Uncategorized, Westgate Timeshares, Wyndham Timeshares , add a commentThe National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA) held its latest meeting at The Villages on Sunday, February 19, 2012. This latest meeting was aimed at helping timeshare owners and developers to better understand the issues facing the industry and the variety of resources available to them.
An expert cast of speakers presented their take on such topics as the current state of the resale market, exchange options and even a lesson on timeshare scams from the Attorney General’s office of Florida.
Nearly 160 timeshare owners from around the country attended the meeting for the valuable educational and networking opportunities available at every NTOA meeting.
Peter Emery, Sales Manager of CashOutATimeshare.com lead a discussion for timeshare owners who are looking at potentially selling or renting out their vacation properties. And according to the NTOA blog site, “we’re pleased to report that only a week later, some timeshares have already been sold!”
Rich Muller presented a powerful warning to timeshare owners and developers regarding alleged “Consumer Advocacy Groups.” Shep Altshuler, A representative from TimeSharing Today Magazine presented a discussion on the importance of owner participation in their home resort and the right every timeshare owner has. Those who attended the meeting left with a number of resources to call should they have any questions.
The National Timeshare Owners Association is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping timeshare consumers to better understand their properties and their rights as owners. The next meeting of the NTOA will be held in Baltimore on Sunday, April 15, 2012. This is typically the largest NTOA event of the year. To register, contact Ed Hastry.
BuyATimeshare.com and Wesley Kogelman Sponsors Non-Profit Organization “Send Me On Vacation” February 25, 2012
Posted by Bryan Connelly in : ARDA, Charity, Customer Comments, Donate a Timeshare, General, Marriott Timeshares, New Features, News & Events, Timeshare Rental, Timeshare Resale, Timeshare Resource , add a commentIn an effort to support survivors of breast cancer, Wesley Kogelman and Buy A Timeshare.com donated $1,000.00 toward the non-profit organization Send Me On Vacation (SMOV). While attending the 2012 GNEX Conference in Cancun, delegates like Kogelman took the opportunity to help sponsor a vacation in 2012.
SMOV is dedicated to providing an all-expense-paid trip for women and their families. After an exhausting battle with the dreadful disease, breast cancer survivors are given a chance to visit somewhere stress-free and rejuvenating. A much needed retreat, these vacations allow women and their families to begin the healing process and celebrate life.
Wesley Kogelman, founder and President of Buy A Timeshare.com is no stranger to the importance of a vacation. The internet advertising and marketing firm specializes in timeshares and helping families secure affordable vacation properties through by-owner resales and rentals. Along with helping a breast cancer survivor after treatment, Kogelman received a complementary membership with SMOV to keep up with industry topics and future sponsorships.
Rising Hotel Rates Make Hawaii Timeshares a Great Deal January 22, 2012
Posted by Bryan Connelly in : Bluegreen Resorts, Hawaii timeshare, Marriott Timeshares, Sunterra/Diamond Resorts, Wyndham Timeshares , add a commentLast year’s figures for Hawaii’s hotel rates and occupancy levels demonstrate once again the value of Hawaii timeshare.
According to an article in the Pacific Business News, occupancy levels for Hawaii hotels are holding steady at around 73%, which is way up from what it was a few years ago in the midst of the recession. Those higher visitor levels are driving increases in hotel rates, with the average room rate now at $192 a night, up 8.7% from this time last year.
Multiplied out over seven nights, that’s $1,344 a week for the average cost of a hotel room. And who knows what you’d get for an average hotel room in Hawaii. With occupancy rates climbing, it’ll get even harder to book a hotel room at a decent rate.
By now, you’ve probably figured out where I’m going with this.
Hotel rates will continue to escalate as resorts look to recoup the lost revenue of the last few years. Most will give you a basic room with a bed, hopefully a coffee maker, maybe a bar fridge. At the average price, don’t expect much more.
On the other hand, Hawaii timeshare rentals can provide a one-bedroom unit with full kitchen and the resort perks you enjoy from upscale establishments. If you don’t believe me, check the BuyaTimeshare.com website by clicking here.
You’ll find Marriott timeshare rentals on Kauai for as little as $850 for the week! Other brand names such as Wyndham timeshare, Bluegreen and Diamond have timeshare units for rent for under $1,000 a week.
Even units at one of the most renowned resorts in the world, the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas, are renting for about $200 a night.
I bring all this up because timeshare rentals continue to be the best vacation value in the world. When you consider what you get for the money, especially compared to a hotel, it’s a no-brainer. But less than 10% of the public rents a unit for vacations, so we need to get the word out about the best kept secret in the hospitality sector.
Again, don’t take my word for it. Check out our website for yourself by clicking here.
Timeshare Renters Planning Summer Vacations Reveal Their Top Beach Destinations January 10, 2012
Posted by John Stephens in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events, Timeshare Rental , add a commentDid you ever wonder where the most popular destinations are for people looking to rent timeshare over the summer months? Well, the answer to that question is right here. Well, a little lower down the page, but you get the idea.
People looking for timeshare vacation options this summer are requesting Aruba and Florida timeshare locations as their most popular beach vacation destinations according to the requests they are placing through our BuyaTimeshare.com website.
We’ve released our Top 20 list of the most sought-after locations requested by people looking to rent timeshare for their summer holidays, with Aruba timeshare taking four of the top eight spots, including the top three spots. Those resorts are Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club, Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club and La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club, with renters requesting these locations despite the rise in airline fares due to higher oil costs.
“It just goes to show the power of these resorts and the quality vacation experience that top timeshare resorts can provide,” said Wesley Kogelman, president and CEO, BuyaTimeshare.com. “People keep requesting these destinations even though it’s going to cost them more money to get there.”
Florida timeshare resorts were the next most popular destinations, with four coastal locations of the top 20 spots featuring Palm Beach Shores, Ft. Lauderdale, Marco Island and Cocoa Beach.
South Carolina timeshare was next with three spots featuring resorts in Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, followed by Hawaii with two. Coastal locations in California (Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas) and the Bahamas (Harborside at Atlantis) came in with one each.
Other locations requested in the top 20 but not located in coastal communities were Las Vegas, New York City and the always popular Orlando.
The Top 20 Most Requested Timeshare Rentals are:
1) Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club (Aruba)
2) Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club (Aruba)
3) La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club (Aruba)
4) Marriott’s Ocean Pointe at Palm Beach Shores (Florida)
5) Diamond Resorts Ka’anapali Beach Club (Hawaii)
6) Manhattan Club (New York City)
7) Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
8) Divi Village Golf and Beach Resort (Aruba)
9) Marriott’s Harbour Lake (Orlando)
10) Wyndham Bonnet Creek (Orlando)
11) Marriott’s Barony Beach Club (Hilton Head, South Carolina)
12) Planet Hollywood Towers by Westgate Resorts (Las Vegas)
13) Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas (California)
14) Wyndham at Waikiki Beach Walk (Hawaii)
15) Harborside Resort at Atlantis (Bahamas)
16) Marriott’s BeachPlace Towers (Ft. Lauderdale)
17) Marriott’s Grande Ocean (Hilton Head)
18) Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort (Cocoa Beach, Florida)
19) Marriott’s Crystal Shores (Marco Island, Florida)
20) WorldMark Anaheim (California)
You can find information on all of these resorts on the BuyaTimeshare.com website by clicking here.
Marriott Takes Next Step Towards Spinning Off Marriott Timeshare Entity June 30, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events, Ritz Carlton, Timeshare Resale , add a commentThe Marriott Vacation Club is closer to becoming a separate timeshare company.
According to Forbes.com, Marriott International filed paperwork earlier this week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission designed to transition Marriott Vacation Club into a separate publicly traded timeshare company by the end of the year.
The new company will be known as Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation.
In a press release issued by Marriott, Stephen Weisz, president and chief executive officer of Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, said, “Our filing today is an important step toward our spin-off, as we continue to be on track to launch our new company by year-end 2011. With the spin-off of Marriott Vacations Worldwide, we look forward to tremendous opportunities to build our vacation ownership business and deliver value to our new shareholders. We’ll have a new corporate name to complement our new future but the names of our industry-leading brands, Marriott Vacation Club, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, and Grand Residences by Marriott, and our focus on delivering outstanding vacation experiences to our over 400,000 owners, won’t change.”
Marriott officials continue to state publicly that there will be no visible changes to consumers as a result of the transition. In the July issue of industry trade publication Developments Magazine, Weisz said that “this transaction will not affect our Marriott Vacation Club owners or Grand Residences by Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Destination Club members. They will see no changes in the branding of their properties, services, usage options, or use of Marriott Rewards points to access Marriott International’s hotels and other benefits.”
While Marriott owners are understandably concerned about the potential ramifications of such a move, the perception is that Marriott International is the one who stands to gain from the separation.
In that same issue of Developments, Marriott Vacation Club Vice President Ed Kinney said “we have $1.5 billion in inventory in our pipeline.” That’s some major inventory that Marriott isn’t moving anytime soon, considering that the entire U.S. timeshare industry reported total sales of $6.4 billion last year, only up 1.9% from 2009, according to the American Resort Development Association.
With stagnant sales and Marriott International’s stated desire to concentrate on the franchising and hotel management side of their business, it’s no wonder that they want to proceed with an amicable divorce.
The irony is that the Marriott timeshare brand is the strongest brand in the timeshare industry. Marriott timeshare weeks hold their resale value better than just about any brand in the industry and weeks tend to sell quicker than anyone else. It is this brand strength that owners are most concerned about losing if the spin-off leads to significant management changes at Marriott Vacation Club.
I can’t see where MVC would try to fix something that isn’t broken by tinkering with the brand or the level of accommodation and service that owners have come to expect. The issue is a long term one, since cutting the umbilical cord from the mother company could mean even slower development plans as the company reacts to its new status. And even more Wall Street pressure to perform with no hiding behind Mom’s skirt when times are tough.
The good news is that there are plenty of Marriott timeshare resales and timeshare rentals at wonderful resorts around the world. You can browse those weeks by clicking on the BuyaTimeshare.com website here.
Timeshare Tax Increase Proposed in Maui April 18, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : Hawaii timeshare, Marriott Timeshares, Sunterra/Diamond Resorts , add a commentTalk of a hike in property taxes for Hawaii timeshare owners has made its way to the local government level on the Hawaiian island of Maui, as the Maui County Council considers a proposed rate hike.
According to a report in the Maui News, a plan offered by Mayor Alan Arakawa would raise the property tax rate for timeshare owners from $14 per $1,000 of assessed value to $19.60, a whopping 40% increase. The plan is part of the County Council’s fiscal 2012 budget review process.
As expected, the proposal has met with stiff resistance from timeshare owners and the timeshare industry in Maui, which is one of the most sought-after timeshare locations in the world.
“My BlackBerry is almost dysfunctional with all the emails I’m getting from timeshare people,” said Council Member Gladys Baisa.
Mayor Arakawa has stated that taxpayers should not actually pay more money under his plan. Instead, the proposed rate increases are designed to be “revenue neutral” and balance out declines in property values, he said, so that the amount of tax revenue actually collected by the county would remain the same as last year.
“Some people will try to play semantic words and say, ‘You’re raising the taxes,’” he said. “We’re not raising the taxes.”
Unless timeshare property values have decreased 40% in Maui since last year to balance out the increase, I can’t buy into that argument. Sorry.
This argument usually hinges on accommodation taxes, which are paid by hotel guests, and the perceived lack of accommodation tax that timeshare pays into local government coffers. The thought is that higher property taxes for timeshare can balance out the supposed revenue discrepancy. But this argument comes unhinged because timeshare is not the same as hotel accommodation due to the nature of the real estate ownership model. It’s apples vs. oranges and local governments have tried for years to confuse the issue as a way to get more money out of the industry. They should be happy that occupancy rates for timeshare have run about 20% higher than hotels, which means more money being spent in the local community and funding the jobs that those resorts create.
Timeshare owners are an easy target because, while they technically own property, they are not considered constituents and elected officials know they can try and ride their backs for more revenue. But the real opposition officials run into comes from the industry itself, which is in a position to fund reelection campaigns and knows that higher taxes are not good for business.
“I’m before you today to voice our concern over the proposed property tax increases for timeshares,” said Gregg Lundberg of the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas.
He noted that Maui timeshare units pay the highest property tax rate in the state, and said higher tax bills could discourage potential visitors from buying Maui timeshare units, or lead to more units being foreclosed.
He called the proposed rate increase “unfair.”
“Timeshare properties are good employers, are good for the community and pay their fair share of taxes,” he said.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Maui is home to some wonderful timeshare properties such as Marriott Maui Ocean Club, Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas and Diamond Resorts Ka’anapali Beach Club. Timeshare resale weeks at these, and more, resorts on Maui can be seen on the BuyaTimeshare.com website by clicking here.
Timeshare Industry Deregulation in Florida Appears To Be Over Before It Began March 28, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : Disney, Marriott Timeshares , 1 comment so farWell, that didn’t take long.
Following an outcry from industry groups, language in a bill in the Florida legislature which would have deregulated the timeshare industry has been removed from the bill just days after it was introduced in committee.
We blogged about the original story last week and, while I’d like to think we played a part in the change of heart in Tallahassee, something tells me it had more to do with the involvement of Disney and the media attention it received in Florida.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, language that would have eliminated state oversight of timeshare developers has been stripped from a revised version of HB 5005. The Sentinel reported that if the language had remained in the bill, government regulators would not have been able to provide oversight, such as review offering documents by timeshare builders to ensure they include adequate disclosures for consumers or in advertising materials to ensure they aren’t misleading.
The move comes after the timeshare industry balked at the proposal. They pointed out that state oversight was first imposed to weed out shady developers who gave the timeshare business a dubious reputation that big-name players such as Disney, Marriott and Starwood have spent years attempting to overcome.
Disney had come out in public opposition to the proposal, with Disney lobbyist Brian Bibeau quoted as saying “Florida has what some people would call a colorful history of land fraud that goes back 100 years. Others would call it a lurid history of land fraud. The division (of condominiums, time shares and mobile homes) was put together to force the bad actors out of these areas of activity. We think it’d be a terrible mistake for (the state) to deregulate those areas of the division. We strongly oppose it.”
Even with the regulations in place, former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum said state agencies ordered 137 operators to cease and desist their timeshare solicitation operations in 2010.
Now, it’s all a moot point as legislators have come to their senses. But is this really the way to govern the fourth most populated state in America? Just throw a bunch of crazy ideas into a bill and see if anyone is paying attention? I thought that type of “strategic leadership” was reserved for the U.S. Congress, not state government.
Now, developers can go back to the high pressure, arm-twisting tactics that they are known for when they sell timeshare to the traveling public. Aren’t you glad you know better and look for deals to buy timeshare on the resale market?
You can find bargains on Disney timeshare, Marriott timeshare and Starwood timeshare products on our BuyaTimeshare.com website by clicking here.
Speculation Feeds the Rumor Mill Following the Marriott Split Announcement March 1, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events , add a commentA recent visit to the Caribbean island of St. Kitts by Marriott International CEO Bill Marriott, Jr. would normally have gone unnoticed if it were not for the great Internet Age that we live in. And because of that little announcement Marriott made a couple of weeks ago, something about a split you may have heard about?
That announcement of the spin-off of Marriott’s timeshare division continues to send shockwaves throughout the hospitality industry. So much so that, according to the St. Kitts & Nevis Observer, Mr. Marriott made a special visit to St. Kitts about 10 days ago regarding the company’s hotel and timeshare resorts on the island.
According to the newspaper, “during his one-day visit to St. Kitts, Bill Marriott expressed confidence in the island’s tourism product and indicated a willingness to expand the brand. He toured the Christophe Harbour Development on the South East Peninsula, accompanied by Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil and other government officials.”
“We have a good team here [visiting] and a great hotel, and it has been successful and we want to do more here. We hope we can do a Ritz-Carlton sometime,” the legendary hotelier said. “You have great potential here. You have lovely people, beautiful climate.”
Why would Marriott even need to consider making the trip? Rumors began to circulate that Marriott was considering pulling its brand from the resorts, which touched off wild speculation online by timeshare owners concerned that such a move would lead to plummeting timeshare values. While Mr. Marriott’s visit and subsequent comments appeared to quell this speculation, just the mere possibility of such a discussion touched off such a firestorm that people were blogging online even before the visit took place.
This shows just how nervous Marriott timeshare owners are about the announcement and it got me thinking – what if such deliberations are actually taking place at the Marriott corporate compound in Bethesda, Md.?
Name changes in the corporate world happen often, but Marriott has been such an iconic brand name for so many years that the ripple effect could be enormous. On our First Annual Buyer’s Choice List for 2011, 11 of the top 20 most sought-after timeshare resorts were Marriott branded resorts, so the demand for Marriott timeshare is strong.
Would Marriott even consider pulling its name from its timeshare division? Only time will tell, but on the surface it doesn’t seem like a good move. Good brand recognition takes years to develop and can be worth billions of dollars if done right. In Marriott’s case, it was done in spectacular fashion and they are clearly the market leader, so devaluing their product in such an unnecessary way just doesn’t make good business sense. They have bigger fish to fry, like dealing with the approximately $1.5 billion worth of unsold inventory on the market.
Marriott timeshare still provides some of the best vacation value in the world, and you can find great deals on Marriott inventory by clicking onto the BuyaTimeshare.com website here.
Marriott To Spin Off Its Timeshare Division February 17, 2011
Posted by John Stephens in : Marriott Timeshares, News & Events, Ritz Carlton , add a commentBy now, you’ve probably heard about Marriott International’s plan to spin off its timeshare division, Marriott Vacation Club, into a separate business. If you pay any attention to industry news on the internet, it has been impossible to miss the subject and it blew up all over Twitter earlier in the week.
Ah, social media strikes again, although not quite with the flair of an Egyptian revolution.
Initial reports have been favorable of the move, with Marriott International’s share price up about 5% at the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the announcement.
Under the new scenario, Marriott International will become more of a hotel management and franchise business, looking to get away from the type of capital-intensive business structure that timeshare presents. The new Marriott timeshare business will continue to operate under the Marriott and Ritz Carlton brands, presumably continuing the MVC brand for timeshare and fractionals to proceed under the Ritz Carlton name.
“Marriott Vacation Club owners and guests and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club members should see no change in the branding or quality of their properties, services, usage options, use of Marriott Rewards points, or access to Marriott International’s hotels,” said Marriott International chairman and chief executive officer, J.W. Marriott, Jr. “The companies will continue to work together to provide outstanding vacation experiences, similar to the relationship between Marriott International and the franchisees of its hotel properties. After the split, both companies will remain dedicated to the highest standards of quality and value and the brand promise for which Marriott and Ritz-Carlton are well known and widely respected.”
In 2010, Marriott said its timeshare segment reported revenue of around $1.5 billion. At the end of last year, it operated 71 timeshare and fractional resorts with more than 400,000 owners and some 10,000 employees.
It also held $1.5 billion in unsold inventory, which brings me to the question that no one seems to have asked yet, although it is still early.
How does this affect the resale market?
This, obviously, is the question that is nearest and dearest to our hearts, especially following the release of our Buyer’s Choice Top 20 List earlier this week which revealed that 11 of the top 20 timeshare resorts most requested from buyers were Marriott timeshare resorts.
Some estimates have as many as 60,000 unsold Marriott weeks currently on the market and speculation has begun about how a stand-alone company can afford to support this kind of available inventory.
More to the point – will the company provide an exit strategy for owners, would resale companies be involved and what would such an option look like? The Marriott buy-back program has been unreliable at best in recent years, not that Marriott would want to promote such a program themselves.
For now, all we can do is wait and see if Marriott makes any changes to deal with low new sales volume and the thousands of resale transactions that take place with Marriott timeshare every year.
Fortunately, there are a number of Marriott timeshare weeks on our website at BuyaTimeshare.com and you can check them out by clicking here.