Timeshare Trends Blog

The Honua Kai Resort & Spa is Hawaii’s newest luxury beach resort and is already expanding. The fabulous resort opened on schedule in January 2009, and it is located right on Kaanapali’s famous North Beach. This is only the first phase of the resort.

The second phase of the resort is scheduled to open in Spring 2010 in a building known as the Konea, and will open with 310 guest suites, a lobby café, beachside restaurant, two pools, and a spa.

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A bill favorable to timeshares is moving through the Florida legislature. In current legislation that appears to be moving forward in the Florida State Legislature, timeshare resorts will have to pay bed taxes when timeshares are rented out like hotel rooms, but they would be exempt from other transactions, such as promotional stay over packages and room rentals made through timeshare exchange programs.

The legislation is backed by the American Resorts Development Association and individual timeshare companies. It is designed to enact a state law that was a recent court victory the industry had won over Broward County—and to block any future local government lawsuits.

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February revenue was way down for the Orlando area hotel industry. According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, historically February is supposed to be one of best months of the year for Orlando area hotels. In 2009, it was a bitter disappointment.

The percentage of rooms filled and the average price paid for a night’s stay fell by double-digit percentages compared to a year ago. The average hotel in the Orlando market was only 65.9% full—a decrease of 12.5 % from a year ago. On top of the less than full rooms, the average price for a room fell 15.1% to $106.74. This may signify tough times in the tourist industry, but it also means terrific values for those willing to travel right now.

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The credit market is finally starting to ease up for Orlando based Marriott and Wyndham resorts. The nation’s timeshare industry is finding ways around the current credit freeze that has cut off growth in the timeshare industry for the past six months.

Two major timeshare companies based in Orlando have been able to convert some of their customer’s mortgages into cash. Marriott has been able to sell about a quarter-billion worth of timeshare notes, and Wyndham Worldwide has just completed a deal for $46 million worth of timeshare securities. It seems lenders are beginning to return to the table because they are beginning to realize that if their timeshare clients can’t afford to grow or even maintain their existing resorts more timeshare owners might default on their existing loans and some companies might even fold. The deals are unconventional, but at least the banks are beginning to ease up. The Orlando market represents 10% of all timeshare resorts in the world

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FRAUD ALERT—LANDMARK TIMESHARES

BEWARE–Landmark Timeshares www.landmarktimeshares.com has been calling our customers and stating that they have a buyer for your timeshare. They are asking for a payment for the sale to be completed.

**DANGER** WE URGE YOU TO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM. THEY DO NOT HAVE A BUYER AND YOU WILL NEVER HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN AFTER YOU PAY THEM YOUR MONEY.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT LANDMARK

1. AS OF APRIL 17, 2009, THERE WAS NOT EVEN A WORKING SEARCH ENGINE FUNCTION IN THERE WEB SITE TO FIND TIMESHARES THAT THEIR OWNERS HAVE PAID TO LIST!
2. AS OF APRIL 17, 2009, THEY HAD LESS THAN 10 TIMESHARES THAT WERE LOADED ON THEIR SITE.
3. ON INFORMATION AND BELIEF, LANDMARK ACCEPTS PAYMENT AND DOES NOT EVEN LIST THE TIMESHARES ON THEIR WEB SITE!
4. LANDMARK TIMESHARES IS BASED IN WALTHAM MASSACHUSSETS. YET THERE IS NOT A COMPANY BY THAT NAME REGISTERED WITH THE MASSACHUSSETS SECRETARY OF STATE.
5. THEIR WEB SITE DOES NOT INDICATE IF THEY ARE LICENSED OR BONDED.
6. THE WEB SITE WAS CREATED ON DECEMBER 14, 2008. THEY HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ONLY 4 MONTHS!
7. THERE IS NOT EVEN AN ADDRESS OR TELEPHONE NUMBER ON THEIR WEB SITE.
8. LANDMARK IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH TIMESHARES BY OWNER.
9. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A COMPANY THAT YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH? NO!!!!!

If you are contacted by this company, please call Timeshares By Owner customer service 888-707-8463 or email info@timesharesbyowner.com and advise the details of who the sales rep for Landmark was, what they stated, advise if you have any paperwork, and provide your contact information.

WITH YOUR HELP, WE CAN PREVENT THIS COMPANY FROM TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MORE OWNERS IN THE FUTURE

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In a story that is becoming all too familiar, ILX Resorts timeshares cites the tight credit market and the growing economic recession as causes. However, there is an important fact to remember; ILX Resorts timeshares are open for business and will continue to operate. It is a chapter 11 filing, which is an important distinction, as that is designed to protect a company from its creditors during a period of restructuring. ILX Resorts has not filed chapter 13 bankruptcy, which is liquidation bankruptcy.

ILX timeshares owns eleven timeshare resorts, most of which are located in the southwestern US. They also own one Mexico timeshare in San Carlos. In the US, ILX timeshares can be found in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and South Bend, Indiana. Premiere Vacation Club is owned and operated by ILX Resorts Incorporated and is a vacation ownership program offering the flexibility of staying as few as two nights or as long as multiple weeks in your ILX timeshare. Affiliated with Interval International, Premiere Vacation Club timeshares can be exchanged internally through the ILX Resort system or through Interval International.

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Monte Cairo Resort in Egypt has been added to the Interval International global network of resorts. Interval International, a leading provider of vacation services, has announced the affiliation of Monte Cairo, an urban resort in the Egyptian capital of Cairo.

This new development is situated on top of the Moqattam Hill and overlooks the heart of the city. The property is comprised of 80 timeshare units, with a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom units that are spacious and tastefully furnished. Amenities include a swimming pool, café, and restaurant. Monte Cairo is located within easy reach of the city center, international restaurants, local cultural attractions such as the pyramids, and the renowned Egyptian Museum.

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RCI has added two new resorts in Serbia to its portfolio of over 4,000 affiliated resorts worldwide—its first vacation ownership properties in Serbia.

RCI, the largest timeshare exchange company in the world, has added the Club Satelit and Kraljevi Konaci Resorts. Both properties are located in the Zlatibor mountain region in western Serbia, at the crossroads of central Europe.  The area is known for its clear mountain air, spas, skiing, outdoor activities of all kinds, and more. It’s also well known as a health and well-being holiday destination, rich in history, architecture, and heritage.

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