Timeshare Trends Blog

Disney takes more of the burden of troubled timeshare mortgages from Citigroup. With the growing number of timeshare buyers defaulting on their loans, the Walt Disney Company recently assumed more than $200 in liability to preserve a credit agreement between its timeshare subsidiary and banking giant Citigroup.

The maneuvering involves a 1999 agreement in which the Disney Vacation Club would bundle together timeshare mortgages it issued to individual buyers and sell them to Citigroup. It was a lucrative way for Disney to make money, but Citigroup has virtually stopped buying mortgages from Disney, so in order to maintain an agreement, Disney has assumed more liability and will reacquire trouble Vacation Club loans from Citibank.

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Three Marriott Vacation Club International resorts have received Florida Green Lodging Program designation from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Marriott recently revealed that the designation was given to its Grande Vista and Cypress Harbour facilities, along with the Crystal Shores resort on Marco Island. The One Palm label was given to the resorts after they met all of the requirements to officially become part of the environmentally friendly association.

Troy Asche, regional vice-president of operations for the Florida-Caribbean region of Marriott Vacation Club, said that environmental stewardship is a vital part of providing memorable holiday experiences for owners and guests. He added that group efforts of the timeshare organization can make a significant contribution to the preservation of the Florida environment by making resort operations greener. Marriott recently received positive news earlier this month as Marriott Vacation Club International was named as one of the best places to work by the Utah Department of Workforce Services’ Work/Life Awards.

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The nation’s tourism industry could be on the cusp of winning a long sought plum from Congress: a national advertising campaign. The US Travel Association says that leading lawmakers in the U.S. Senate have pledged to bring up the Travel Promotion Act immediately following the chamber’s August recess.

The legislation would create a publicly subsidized advertising campaign aimed at drawing more overseas tourists to the U.S. from countries where they do not have to obtain a visa as well from industry contributions. President Obama was a co-sponsor of such a bill when he served in the Senate.

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Guest satisfaction improved in 2009 for most hotels in a recent study conducted by the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study. The six categories of hotel properties that were studied are luxury, upscale, mid-scale full service, mid-scale limited service, economy/budget, and extended stay hotels.

In 2008, all the scores remained steady from the prior year. In 2009, guest satisfaction in four of the categories actually improved. Only extended stay properties (and these are extended stay hotels, not timeshare resorts or vacation ownership) saw a decrease.

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Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of hospitality companies has opened its first brand in China with a newly constructed 588-room luxury hotel in Xiamen. Wyndham Hotel Group is the world’s largest U.S. based hotel company in China, currently franchising 175 hotels and five brands throughout the country.

The 26-floor, five-star Wyndham Xiamen features five food-and-beverage outlets, 37,000 square feet of meeting space, a 2,658-square-foot business center and diverse fitness facilities. The Wyndham Xiamen has a 66-foot-high waterfall, a 23-foot-tall lobby chandelier, a 23-foot-high statue at the entrance named the Goddess of Heping (the indigenous goddess of the sea), there are 161 suites, 130 serviced apartments that range in size from 500 to 1,065 square feet—and all with views of the ocean or city skyline.

The top five floors comprise the Wyndham Club, with 90 executive rooms, library, business services, meeting room and split-level lounge. Each guest room features high-speed Internet service, stunning glass-design bathrooms with separate shower and bath, feather-down bedding, 32-inch, flat-screen LCD TVs, a safety deposit box with power to recharge laptop, nightly turndown service, room cleaning and refreshed linens. There’s also a 13,558-square-foot, pillarless grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests.

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RCI has welcomed ABC Boat Management to its worldwide network of affiliated resorts. This unique addition to RCI members offers canal boat holidays on the beautiful waterways of England. As part of this relationship, the Anderton Marina and Hilperton Marinas are now a part of the RCI exchange program.

Anderton Marina is situated in the heart of northwest England and offers cruising on local rivers and canals. Anderton Marina also offers easy access and available moorings close to the historic city of Chester. The laid-back nature of canals and narrow boating are an ideal way to relax and escape from the hectic pace of modern life, as well as an opportunity to enjoy the countryside from a new vantage point. Members can moor up at a canal-side pub for lunch or dinner, while all boats, which sleep up to six, come complete with full kitchens including a microwave, as well as central heating, television and other facilities.

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The Whitewater Village Resort in Ontario is the newest Canadian resort to be a member of RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange. The resort is known for being environmentally friendly and is one of the first resorts in eastern Ontario designed and built using a fully sustainable development model. The buildings 50% more energy-efficient than typical cottages, and are built using FSC wood. The resort provides geothermal heating, solar water heaters, Energy Star appliances, solar-powered golf carts, and electric vehicles for transportation in the car-free village.

There are currently three cottages completed; 34 cottages will be available by the spring of 2010. Both pet-free and pet-friendly cottages are available to RCI members. Members may enjoy outdoor dining and scenic views from their private screened-in porch, as well as energizing water activities at the resort’s beach house, including canoeing and kayaking.

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The Ritz-Carlton Highlands Lake Tahoe has recently announced that the northern California resort will open its doors to guests on December 9, in time for the upcoming ski season. The $300 million resort development broke ground nearly three years ago, and has been on schedule to open in late 2009. The property is the first new resort development in the Lake Tahoe area in decades and will introduce its legendary service to the area. It may become California’s premier mountain retreat and is situated mid-mountain in the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski area.

Guest services will feature a concierge with ski-in, ski-out access in winter, as well as easy access to mountain biking and hiking in the spring, summer and fall. An inter-mountain gondola will connect guests between the nearby Village-at-Northstar and the resort. Perched slope-side within a 15-minute drive of both Lake Tahoe and the historic town of Truckee, the year-round destination resort includes 170 guestrooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club fractional ownership residences.

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The Salmon Falls Resort in Ketchikan has recently opened and is only Alaska’s second RCI resort property. The resort features 20 units and offers an array of exciting tours and fishing excursions to help ensure that visitors get the adventure vacation they may be expecting in Alaska. For the fishermen, the resort gives guided Halibut, Salmon and freshwater fishing trips. Other adventure tours include bear watching along the waterways of the Tongass National Forest, glacier viewing near the Canadian border, and sightseeing at the Misty Fjord National Monument.

The main hotel building is constructed of rustic Montana Pine and offers guests the feeling of the wilderness with all of the creature comforts. The large and comfortable rooms found in all units have wireless internet services and private baths.

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