Timeshare Trends Blog

The Sol Melia Vacation Club at Gran Melia Palacio de Isora has won RCI’s Developer Innovation Award. The Developer Innovation Award recognizes a resort with new vacation ownership projects that are eco-friendly, have unique features, are family friendly, provide a high level of service, starting with the point of arrival.

The Gran Melia Palacio de Isora is a new property located in Tenerife of the Canary Islands that features 200 one and two-bedroom oceanfront suites with lavish amenities such as plasma televisions, fully equipped kitchens, and upscale wood and granite accents. The resort also includes five restaurants, six bars, room service, wine cellar, golf simulator, two tennis courts, a world class Yhi Spa, four adult swimming pools, two children’s pools, including one of the largest swimming pools in Europe.

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The Solluna Resort in Uttarakhand, India is now a member of the RCI Network of affiliated resorts. RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies recently announced the affiliation with the Solluna Resort. It is located in India’s largest wildlife sanctuary, Jim Corbett National Park and the affiliation brings the total number of RCI affiliated resorts in destinations across India to more than 80.

The property is a five-hour drive from Delhi on the foothills of the Himalayas and is spread over 25 acres of lush green along the banks of the Ramganga River. Nestled within the National Park, the resort offers visitors tranquility along with opportunities for adventure including river rafting, fishing, open-top jeep rides, elephant safaris, horseback riding, wildlife tours and cultural activities such as folk dances and evening bonfires.

The resort replicates the essence of nature in its interiors, and the theme revolves around wildlife with 47 elegant cottages. It is equipped with 24 hour room service, a conference hall, restaurant, bar, swimming pool, library, mini theatre and travel desk.

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Fairmont Resort Properties has signed an affiliation agreement with RCI. Fairmont is the largest Canadian-owned vacation ownership developer with resorts located throughout Canada and USA, along with a worldwide network of resort hotels.

Two of Fairmont’s newest properties are also now a member of the RCI network of more than 4,000 affiliated resorts. The Fairmont Vacation Villas in Fairmont Hot Springs and the Sunchaser Vacation Club at Fairway Cottages, located at the Makaha Resort & Golf Club in Hawaii now carry RCI membership and exchange opportunities.

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Jimmy Johnson’s Fisherman’s Cove in the Florida Keys is Florida’s newest resort to become a member of the Registry Collection Exchange Program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program offered by Group RCI, the European leader in vacation rentals, and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands.

Fisherman’s Cove epitomizes the best of the Keys outdoor and entertainment opportunities including celebrated sunsets, world-class sport fishing, outstanding diving, a thriving art community, lively nightlife and delightful waterfront dining. This private residence club has only a total of 48 owners. Guests enjoy on-site amenities that include an outdoor swimming pool and cabanas, private dock and boats for personal use of owners, rooftop terrace with a jetted tub, wet bar and sunbathing area, a state-of-the-art fitness center, waterfront dining and room service, and an exceptional staff to handle all needs and requests.

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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 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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The resort is currently under construction and will eventually include 135 units. All cabins will enjoy luxury furnishings and sleep up to ten guests. They will have two full baths, custom kitchens, and two beautiful porches. The luxury resort will feature an all-season pool, basketball courts, expansive Frisbee grounds, championship golf course, and off-road snowmobile trails.

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Group RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange, and Disney Vacation Club, one of the world’s fastest-growing brands in the vacation-ownership industry, announced the agreement, which now allows subscribing members access to an even broader array of vacation opportunities.

RCI now becomes the exclusive third-party exchange provider for Disney Vacation Club, enrolling Disney Vacation Club’s more than 135,000 member families into RCI’s global exchange network. RCI has one of the most expansive portfolios of high-end affiliated vacation resorts, as well as more choices in more countries than any other exchange network.

Disney Vacation Club Members will now be able to enjoy vacations at a variety of destinations across six continents and 25 countries and have access to a significantly broader range of resorts, including all-inclusive options, more nightly exchanges and a selection of luxurious, high-end fractional properties. Similarly, RCI’s more than 3.6 million members will now also enjoy the opportunity to exchange into Disney Vacation Club resorts throughout the year.

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Timeshare sales have continued to drop in 2009 much like they did in 2008, which experienced the biggest drop in the roughly 35 year history of timeshares. According to an executive for Group RCI, there are glimmers of hope in the industry.

Many of the potential buyers of vacation homes, after having been hammered by the economy, are now beginning to turn to timeshares. Unfortunately, this new pool of buyer is generally being required to make down payments of between 25% to 30% of the purchase price. Even in these difficult economic times, customers continue to pay their mortgages and maintenance.

Customers believe that they must protect their investment in their property, which can exceed $24,000. The resorts are also watching their expenses closely, and they do not want cost cutting to impact the customer’s experience. On the chopping block are the 40% of costs generally spent on marketing.

Resort executives believe that they have seen the bottom, and that in the future there will be more resorts built. Many of those resorts will be more austere, and will have less in the way of amenities and luxury features like granite kitchens and stainless steel espresso machines.

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