Timeshare Trends Blog

Among the vacation ownership sales leaders reporting in the recent Sales Leader Survey conducted by Vacation Ownership World magazine, timeshare ownership sales declined at a 5% rate from 2007. Fractional sales volume fell by 9%. This is the first time since the survey started in the early 80s that ownership sales have decreased.

The timeshare industry has been heavily impacted by the worldwide economic downturn and credit freeze. Despite the discouraging news, there was still more than $8.5 billion in vacation ownership sales in 2008. Wyndham Vacation Ownership led the way with $1.987 billion in sales followed by Marriott Vacation Club International with $1.163 billion and Hilton Grand Vacations with $585 million.

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The luxurious, shared ownership property is one of the few ways foreigners may purchase a Bermuda vacation home with strict government regulations that have limited the sale of whole ownership real estate to non-Bermudans. The resort will share the same private pink-sand beach with Bermuda’s most award-winning hotel, known as “The Reefs.”

Club owners will benefit from exclusive amenities, including an infinity-edge pool, rooftop putting green with Atlantic views, state-of-the-art fitness center, and owners’ lounge. The Reefs’ three fine restaurants and new La Serena Spa with eight treatment rooms will be shared by both properties. The Reefs Club maintains the hotel’s intimacy by offering just 19 two and three-bedroom residences, all with unobstructed ocean views and private hot tubs on the verandas. Residences will be furnished in contemporary Bermudan style and will feature amenities such as flat screen televisions, spa bathrooms, and gourmet kitchens. One-tenth ownership starts at $350,000.

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The annual award recognizes resorts that provide outstanding vacation experiences with state-of-the-art conveniences, and modern features and appointments. Windjammer Landing is the first resort in St. Lucia to earn the Interval International Premier Resort award, the highest level designation in II’s resort recognition program, owing to its extraordinary setting, caliber of accommodations, and the impeccable service it offers.

Set among 55 acres on the northwest coast of the island, Windjammer Landing is surrounded by lush tropical gardens and overlooks picturesque Labrelotte Bay. The luxury resort is designed in a Mediterranean style with tiled walkways, sloping roofs, and white buildings, and features 67 elegant villas with scenic views of gold-sand beaches and blue waters.

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The Gull Lake Residence Club in Nisswa and the Causeway on Gull have been added to the Point To Point Destinations list of resort properties. Both resorts are only a brief drive from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

Gull Lake Residence Club brings complete luxury to Point to Point with large well-appointed townhomes. It is a fractional ownership development with all the amenities of a “five-star” resort. The resort has a complete marina that houses your own personal boat slip, as well as indoor and outdoor pools and beautiful walking trails.

Causeway on Gull is a complete timeshare property with amenities that include swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, laundry and more. The Minnesota properties are part of the 39 properties in the Point to Point Destinations group of resorts.

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The fractional ownership project is situated at the base of Aspen Mountain. Among the many outstanding amenities at this resort, is a health center, a rooftop pool, direct ski-in and ski-out access as well as 24-hour maid and concierge services.

The 26-residence property has experienced $80 million in sales thus far. A total of 208 fractional ownership interests were originally available, 200 of which were sold before the site opened. There are 19 three-bedroom properties as well as 7 residences with 4 bedrooms. There’s also access to four ski areas, including Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, and the Aspen/Snowmass airport is minutes away from the resort.

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Stoneridge Resort owners may take advantage of the 20 local golf courses around the resort as well as plenty of outdoor activities, and a nearby theme park. At the resort, there’s a 24,000 square foot recreation center with an Olympic-size indoor pool and three tennis courts. Point to Point was established in 1999 and it originally offered locations in Whistler, Canada.

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Disney timeshare’s newest accommodations are open at the Disney Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. The Kidani Village, is an extension of the timeshare lodging already available at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The timeshare resort’s name comes from the Swahili word for “necklace” and references the physical layout of the resort.

Of the 340 timeshare units that are part of the resort, approximately 60% are now in use. The remaining units are scheduled to be available by the end of the summer. The property will feature nearly 350 timeshare units at build-out. Amenities include a restaurant that serves African cuisine infused with the flavors of India, a water-play area, and the Samawati Springs Pool that features a 128-foot water slide and two whirlpool spas. Other amenities include a pool bar, merchandise shop, room service, fitness center, arcade, community hall, tennis courts, and valet parking. Units consist of every size from studio, to two-story, three-bedroom grand villas. Occupancy ranges from four to twelve adults.

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Florida legislators recently signed into law a bill allowing timeshare companies the ability to sell policies under which they would let buyers walk away from their mortgages if they lose their income. The “debt-cancellation” policies have been made by carmakers, which have offered them in hopes of convincing nervous consumers to make a big-ticket purchase even as unemployment continues to rise.

The bill permits timeshares to sell such policies by ensuring that it won’t be considered insurance, sparing the companies from strict oversight by insurance regulators. Included in the legislation was a law ensuring that rentals of timeshares are not taxable when they are booked through exchanges, such as those run by RCI and the Miami-based Interval International, or when they are booked as part of certain promotional packages. However, it also makes it clear that timeshares are subject to taxes when they are rented for cash, much like hotel rooms. Most timeshare operators already follow that practice.

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Data collected from the Australian timeshare industry confirms that holiday owners are bucking the trend of downward growth because of the global recession, as the appeal of regular holidays and the need to utilize their pre-paid annual points motivates them to book a getaway.

Holiday ownership continues to be a strong and stable component of the region’s tourism economy and is highlighted by findings from the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) that just released occupancy figures provided by timeshare operators for the second quarter of 2008.

These statistics show that timeshares consistently achieved occupancy rates above 94.6%.

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Accor Vacation Club has purchased forty-four (44) one and two bedroom apartments at the Freshwater Point Broadbeach in Queensland, Australia.The units will be made available for Accor club members to use as growth continues.

The in-demand destination, offering high quality, self-contained resort style accommodation boasts a heated pool, spa, steam room and sauna, fully quipped gymnasium, games rooms, on-site café, poolside barbecue, tour desk, and secure undercover parking.

All of the apartments feature full kitchen facilities, private balcony, security intercom, and have wireless broadband available. The nine level resort is directly opposite the Casino and Convention Centre, and a stone’s throw from Broadbeach’s trendy café and restaurant scene and the patrolled surf beaches for which the Gold Coast of Australia is famous.

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