Timeshare Trends Blog

The Tibisay Hotel has joined the RCI network of affiliated resorts. The Tibisay Hotel, located in the city of Merida, Venezuela, is a highly desirable destination in the Venezuelan Andes. This hotel consists of an elegant building with splendid views of the Andean mountain range with the latest technology in its rooms that are specially designed to provide the maximum comfort to guests.

Among the main attractions of the hotel, which includes a Presidential suite and 81 fully-equipped rooms, are a spa, heated pool, electronic casino and nightly entertainment center, in addition to the unique “Andean friendliness” of its staff. Visitors at the Hotel Tibisay can easily access the lagoons, cable cars, deserts, and other attractions in Merida and the surrounding area.The Tibisay Hotel has joined the RCI network of affiliated resorts.

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Celebrity Resorts has pulled through its bankruptcy proceedings fully intact and with no job losses. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early 2010, the Florida-based Celebrity Resorts is back to business as usual with the Florida courts confirming the firm’s reorganization plan.

In a document submitted to the Court, the company blamed their bankruptcy on disagreements between family members that started and owned Celebrity Resorts. As part of the recovery plan, a lending subsidiary of Textron Inc., a multi-industry conglomerate best known as the maker of Cessna airplanes, has agreed to provide Celebrity with $4 million in financing. Celebrity Resorts has 13 properties located in Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Colorado.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership properties have now expanded into Vermont. The Smuggler’s Notch Vermont Resort has entered into an exclusive sales and marketing agreement with Wyndham Vacation Ownership and will serve as the exclusive sales and marketing agent for the sale of vacation ownership interests at Smugglers’ Notch, with sales expected to start by the second quarter of 2011.

Situated in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Smugglers’ Notch is a favorite family vacation destination featuring mountainside condominiums ranging from studios to five-bedroom homes, clustered around a village core. The resort is noted for its year-round recreational programs and facilities, including eight heated pools and four waterslides in the summer and more than 1,000 acres of skiing and snowboarding terrain in the winter.

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Ixchel Residences is now a member of the RCI timeshare exchange company. RCI has expanded its network in Mexico through its affiliation with Ixchel Residences, a well-appointed development at north Isla Mujeres, a popular beach destination just outside Cancun.

Developed by Group I Maroma, Ixchel Residences is located less than 13 miles from Cancun International Airport and features 14 exclusive luxury villas and 117 deluxe rooms. The property offers several on-site amenities including a gym, heated pool, and an area with lounge chairs on the beach and high-speed wireless internet. Isla Mujeres also boasts a myriad of activities including the area’s largest marina that offers various water activities such as swimming with dolphins, snorkeling and reef diving, kayaking, fishing and catamaran rental.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership has now added the Emerald Grande Resort to its Florida portfolio. Wyndham recently announced it has executed a sales and marketing agreement with Emerald Grande, LLC, its fourth fee-for-service sales model agreement overall and second to be signed in 2011. The resort will be marketed as Wyndham Vacation Resorts Emerald Grande at Destin. Through this agreement, unsold vacation ownership interests will become part of Club Wyndham Access, the company’s flexible club-based product. Wyndham will become the exclusive sales and marketing agent for the sale of vacation ownership interests at the Emerald Grande at Harbor Walk Village, with sales anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2011. The resort prides itself on being the photographed waterfront view in Destin with 286 luxury residences, a full- service European spa and world class fitness, security and covered parking, a full service marina, among other amenities.

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The Melia Marbella Banus is the newest Sol Melia Vacation Club resort. Located in Costa Del Sol, Spain, the Melia Marbella Banus is surrounded by the best beaches and golf courses in Costa del Sol and is located in the exclusive Puerto Banús area. Just a few miles from the old town of Marbella and less than an hour from the Malaga Airport, the resort offers Sol Meliá Vacation Club members accommodations that include studios for two people, one bedroom suites for up to four people and two bedroom suites for up to six. The Sol Meliá Vacation Club (SMVC) is a leading international vacation membership club with locations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, Europe, and four member resorts in the Canary Islands.

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Marriott is spinning off its timeshare operations. In a recent announcement, Marriott International has announced that it will be splitting up into two publicly traded companies. Marriott also reported a higher quarterly profit as a strengthening economy has enabled more companies to send employees back out on the road to do business.

Under the spin-off plan, Marriott representatives have stated that the new company will focus on the timeshare business under the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton brands. Marriott International will concentrate on the lodging management and franchise business. In 2010, Marriott’s 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.

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The Bougainville Parque Hotel is now an RCI exchange member. The hotel is situated at the world’s largest hydrothermal complex in Caldas Novas, Goias, Brazil. Located just five minutes from the heart of Caldas Novas town, the property features 58 spacious and modern apartments fully-furnished with appliances and furniture that compliments the style and atmosphere of the hotel. The amenities of the hotel include two large swimming pools, a pool bar, a natural pool surrounded by bountiful flora and fauna, and a full restaurant offering authentic Brazilian cuisine. The Bougainville Parque Hotel renovated its timeshare units as part of its new affiliation with RCI. Refurbishment included new beds, flooring, and complimentary high-speed internet connections in every room.

The Bougainville Parque Hotel is the newest RCI exchange property in Brazil. It is located in the world's largest hydrothermal complex in Caldas Novas, Goias.

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