Cendant Timeshare Resort Group and University of Nevada, Las Vegas Create First-Ever Timeshare Curriculum

Cendant Timeshare Resort Group (CTRG), the largest vacation ownership company in the world with more than 730,000 owners, has announced a unique partnership with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), in which both parties will design, structure and implement the school's new timeshare curriculum at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. School officials say UNLV will be one of the first major universities to offer a timeshare program, available to students for the first time in the fall semester of 2006.

The first courses will offer an introduction to the timeshare and the vacation ownership industry, timeshare marketing, sales and sales management, and an examination of the skills, tools and techniques needed for successful strategic management of timeshare organizations.

"We're excited to partner with UNLV to give these students the education and foundation necessary to pursue an exciting and lucrative career in the timeshare industry upon graduation," said Franz S. Hanning, president and chief executive officer, Cendant Timeshare Resort Group, and a 25-year industry veteran. "Timeshare continues to be a rapidly-growing industry and there will be an ongoing need for talented individuals in all areas for years to come."

Professionals within CTRG's two vacation ownership brands -- Fairfield Resorts and Trendwest Resorts -- will serve as course instructors and advisors for the timeshare program. They will also be instrumental in facilitating industry experts as guest lecturers within the classroom, as well as implementing various other initiatives for the field of study.

As part of the program, the university and CTRG have also formed a group called F.I.T. -- The Future's in Timeshare. F.I.T. is an active student organization designed to build relationships, build a knowledge base and enhance members' involvement in the timeshare program. Expected to be a highly recognizable initiative throughout the industry, F.I.T. and the coursework offered at UNLV will serve as models for future curriculums in vacation ownership. More than 125 students have already joined F.I.T.

"Given the growth of the industry and its impact on markets like Las Vegas, we believe there's a great need for this type of program within our hospitality curriculum," said Stuart Mann, Dean of the Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV. "Cendant Timeshare Resort Group is the industry leader and has a significant presence here. Our students will gain invaluable experience and receive a fantastic foundation from which to begin their timeshare careers -- and we're thankful that CTRG has become a strategic partner in the growth and development of this program."

Timeshare Spammer Jailed

Testimony from US ISP Earthlink has led to a one-year prison sentence for a notorious timeshare spammer. Peter Moshou was also ordered to pay $120,000 in compensation this week following his June conviction for violation of the CAN-SPAM Act. Moshou's criminal prosecution was among the first under US anti-spam legislation.

Moshou was charged with sending millions of spam emails in 2004 and 2005 seeking personal information by offering brokerage services for people interested in selling their timeshares after Earthlink sued him in January. EarthLink's lawsuit charged Moshou with CAN-SPAM violations including spoofing sender identities, using deceptive subject lines and failing to provide an electronic unsubscribe option.

Separately, EarthLink announced on Thursday that it secured a $15.4m court order last month against a man implicated in the distribution of hundreds of thousands of unsolicited emails advertising discount ink jet printer cartridges and other printer supplies. Like other such judgments it would seem unlikely that Craig Brockwell and his company, BC Alliance, will ever be able to pay up but the ruling does place an injunction against Brockwell preventing him from illegally spamming any internet user, regardless of the user's ISP.

Info About Marriott Vacation Club International, Timeshare Nation And Aquatology.

TSN was supposed to revolutionize the secondary timeshare market with placement on eBay, backing from MVCI and inventory from developers including Starwood and Hilton.

Instead, TSN ceased operations in April, leaving in excess of $100,000 in unpaid wages and fees.

The TSN Web site ultimately became the home page for Aquatology, a company operating under the same ownership as TSN. The new concept was that of a Miami-based yacht staffed by at least six "hostesses" to attend to the needs of up to four male guests. Once international waters were reached, the yacht would become a floating brothel and casino.

Documents filed with the Florida Secretary of State office show Mike Costigan as president of TSN and Steve Burke as vice president. The board of directors included the senior Costigan, Burke, Derek Eily and Roger Dow, a senior VP with Marriott, Inc. It seems possible that MCVI, and its parent company Marriott, Inc., are themselves victims of several highly placed MCVI employees who shared the trust, but not the values, of the corporation.

Marriott's 1984 entry into timeshare is widely accepted as an industry turning point in terms of product credibility and flexibility.

Turkey Set To Take Timeshare To New Level

RCI, the largest travel membership company in the world has teamed up with one of Turkey’s most prominent hotel chains, The Dedeman Group to affiliate 10 resorts in key tourist centres of the country to its exchange network. This new alliance affords Dedeman lucrative opportunities to market timeshare to the wealth of international visitors the country attracts.

Markus Deutsch, CEO & President of Cendant Vacation Network Group said: “Turkey has a booming tourism industry both for domestic and international visitors and is a key growth market for the timeshare industry. Our alliance with Dedeman hails an important milestone for the future of timeshare in Turkey, and is proof of a growing trend that is occurring in the South East Mediterranean region for high profile, well respected hospitality brands to expand into timeshare.”

In addition to affiliating 10 of its hotels to RCI, The Dedeman Group has also launched a new members club, the ‘Dedeman Vacation and Points System’. The club will be managed by RCI as a white label club, facilitating reservations and providing a full range of travel and exchange services to members.

Koray Yetik, Managing Director Dedeman, said:

“This is the right move for Dedeman as we continue to grow our resort collection. Historically, timeshare has been sold predominantly to the domestic market but our alliance with RCI means we can now begin to target and sell to international visitors – a ground breaking step for Dedeman and the industry.”

Resorts include: Resort Dedeman Bodrum; Resort Dedeman Antalya, Hotel Dedeman Istanbul; Resort Dedeman Olive Tree in Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus and a ski resort, Resort Dedeman Palandoken in the Eastern Anatolia region.

Timeshare Ownership Equals Disaster

Q My husband and I recently purchased a timeshare. It seemed a good idea at the time but since owning it we have never used it. What is the best way to sell it?

A A timeshare is a purchase of a future right to use real estate for a limited time period each year. It comes with a never-ending liability to make payments of association dues to maintain and manage the real estate that underlies the timeshare property. Many timeshare interests also require payment of property taxes.


Anyone interested in purchasing a timeshare should focus on the never-ending liability part of the ownership of a timeshare. It is never ending because many timeshares are virtually impossible to sell or even give away. Ebay is one of the only practical ways to sell a timeshare. You can check Ebay to see if any of the type of timeshares you own is for sale or has sold in the past in order to see if selling your timeshare is possible and what the value might be if you put it up for sale.
If you don't see anything like it on Ebay then you may be out of luck. There are various firms, mostly in Florida and Nevada, who will offer to list your timeshare for sale on their "nationwide" network. The cost for listing the property can range from $300 to $1,000. In my experience they make money listing the timeshare on a Web site that no one ever sees. Their business is in listing not selling timeshares. If you ask them for sales data on similar timeshares that they have sold you will quickly understand that they have no data or will give you false information.

A relative of mine recently went to a seminar on how to sell a timeshare. The bottom line was that if you paid them $3,000 they would "purchase" the timeshare.

What can you do if you can't sell it on Ebay?

1) If they will take it for free, give it to someone you don't like and will never see again.

2) Try to exchange it for anything that you can sell or donate.

3) Stop making the dues payments and hope that the association will just reclaim your interest instead of pursuing you for payments. This could affect your future ability to get credit. The association also may sue you for the amount of the payments, penalties, fees and costs.

4) If your timeshare is one that requires payment of property taxes in addition to dues, after five years the county will hold a tax sale of the property and your ownership would cease.

5) Sell your timeshare to a corporation or other entity that is going to shortly file for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

6) Continue to make payments and "enjoy" the timeshare and eventually your heirs will have the "joy" of ownership.

7) See if the timeshare association will accept a deed from you.

I have not met anyone yet who has owned a timeshare that could not have used the money they put into it to stay in a 5-star hotel for far less money and without any long-term liability. If any of the above ideas work, let me know.


Q We recently got an appraisal to refinance our loan and at the same time we had several real estate agents come out and give us estimates of market value. To our surprise the estimates of value are quite different, with the Realtors' estimates being much higher. Why?

A There may be several factors involved. First, the appraiser is working for the lender and not for you. There is little incentive for an appraiser to reach for the highest reasonable value when they are looking only to substantiate that there is adequate security for the refinance transaction. Second, appraisers are looking only at closed sales and not at the future market trends that the real estate agent is attuned to. Third, the appraiser does not have the ability to view all of the comparable properties the way that agents typically do. They are stuck with looking at printed data on the comparable sales and outside views.


The nature of the improvements on the inside often provide a greater insight into value than just data on square footage and lot size, which give the real estate agent an advantage.
Appraisers may also reach different opinions of value even though they are looking at the same data. Valuation of property in an area of tract housing or condominium development tends to be much more straightforward since the number of variables are reduced. However, most of the Bay Area has a wide range of housing types within relatively small neighborhoods making comparable analysis much more of a guessing game. I would generally advise relying on the information provided by real estate brokers who are familiar with the area and market trends.

Be careful not to accept the market value opinion that has no data to back it up. Agents who just give you a number off the cuff are just guessing and could merely be interested in "buying the listing" by giving you a high valuation only later to browbeat you into lowering the price because it isn't selling. Conversely, an agent could give you a low valuation so that your home will sell easily once it is listed. This is a strong incentive for you as the seller to obtain more than one opinion of value and make sure that the supporting data justifies that opinion.

Study Looks At Impact Of Condo And Timeshare Conversions

A new study says a projected increase in statewide visitor accommodations is expected to help augment hotel room tax and general excise tax collections.

The study released by the Hawaii Tourism Authority says the additional inventory is being driven primarily by development of new timeshare and resort condominium properties.

Rex Johnson is president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

He says until now, information on Hawaii's changing visitor accommodations has been largely anecdotal.

Johnson says the report prepared by Hospitality Advisors L-L-C attempts to quantify what's been happening and what will occur.

Timeshares Vs. Condo Hotels For Vacation Home Ownership

Condo hotels, also known as condotels, are a relatively new concept in vacation home ownership. They allow individuals to own condos in luxury hotels and have access to all the amenities of that hotel. When not using their condo unit themselves, owners have the option of placing it in the hotel's rental program and receiving a percentage of the revenue it generates.

Because the condo hotel concept is so new, it's often confused with timeshares, a popular vacation home option that has been around since the 1970s. In reality, condo hotels have many qualities that set them apart from timeshares and make them appealing to a unique segment of the second home market. Here's a comparison between these two types of real estate investment.

FLEXIBILITY IN USE

Timeshares - When you purchase a timeshare, you choose not only a set location but also a specific week or two that you will use your vacation home every year.

Condo Hotels - With a condo hotel, you have flexibility to use your unit whenever you want. Keep in mind, however, that some condo hotels do have living restrictions that prevent you from making your condo a permanent residence.

AMENITIES

Timeshares - The average timeshare has a community pool and some common areas.

Condo Hotels - Condo hotels have many of the amenities you would find at luxury hotels. In addition to a pool (or pools), there is probably an on-site restaurant (possibly several), a lounge, a full-service spa, a state-of-the-art exercise facility, a poolside bar, etc.

FURNISHINGS
Timeshares ? Timeshares are sold fully furnished. The quality of furnishings depends on the individual development. The cost for the furnishings is built into the price.

Condo Hotels - Condo hotel units are sold fully furnished typically with high-end furniture, appliances and fixtures selected by a professional interior designer. The cost for furnishings is included in the price of the condo hotel unit.

SERVICES

Timeshares - In a timeshare, you are responsible for your own housekeeping and unit upkeep during your stay.

Condo Hotels - You get daily housekeeping as you would in a luxury hotel. You have access to room service, concierge services, maintenance services and check-in services. The vast majority of condo hotels are operated by big-name hoteliers like Ritz Carlton and Hilton, the consummate professionals when it comes to customer service. Most of the same services available at their high-end hotels are offered at their condo hotels.

LOCATION

Timeshares - Timeshares are located in highly-desirable resort areas.

Condo Hotels - Condo hotels are also located in highly-desirable resort areas.

PRICE

Timeshares - Prices for timeshares vary greatly but are typically lower than condo hotel prices because you are only purchasing one or two weeks of usage. In addition, you do not receive any of the revenue generated during the 50+ weeks that your timeshare unit is used by others.

With timeshares, as much as 40%-50% of the price goes to sales commissions. Why are the sales commissions so high? The developer must maintain a large sales force in order to make approximately 50 sales for every unit (one for every week of the year).

Condo Hotels - You receive deeded ownership to the property. Although more expensive, condo hotels tend to give you more for your money than timeshares. More of your dollar goes into ?bricks and mortar? high-quality finishes not sales commissions.

In addition, when not using your condo hotel unit, you can place it in the management?s rental program and receive a percentage of the revenue it generates, helping to offset your maintenance costs and debt service.

RENTAL INCOME POTENTIAL

Timeshares - You have the option of renting out your timeshare to someone of your own choosing or placing it in a rental program if you decide not to use it during your allotted week. If you participate in the rental program, you will split the revenue generated with the property?s management company. Remember, you are only renting out the one or two weeks per year that you own.

Condo Hotels - Like a timeshare, you have the option of finding your own renters or placing your condo hotel unit into the rental program. You may participate in the rental program and receive a portion of the revenue it generates any time that you are not occupying your unit, whether it be for one night or 365 per year.

POTENTIAL APPRECIATION

Timeshares - Historically, timeshares depreciate in value from the time they are purchased. Values have been poor because of the large number of resales on the market and a continuous stream of new developments competing with them.

The secondary market for reselling timeshares has never taken off. The fact is, most people who buy a timeshare will have it for life, whether they want to or not.

Condo Hotels - Because condo hotels are a relatively new type of property investment, they are limited to just a handful of locales across the country. The supply is small and demand is currently high and growing, all of which contribute rapid and significant appreciation. Another factor to keep in mind when reselling a condo hotel unit is that you?re selling not only the actual unit but also the luxury lifestyle that comes with an amenity-filled, high-service property.

Many condo hotels are sold out in pre-construction. Often the developers, sensing the high demand, will themselves raise prices many times before all units are gone.

For example, The Mutiny condo hotel located in Coconut Grove, Florida was the first condo hotel to be built in South Florida. From the time the developer began accepting deposits until it sold out in pre-construction, there were nine price increases. People who bought early did exceptionally well.

Technology Rapidly Changing To Accommodate New Timeshare Trends

Over the last year or so, the traditional timeshare concept has been expanding to include two new trends. Now, in addition to the multiple-ownership timeshare model, there are two non-traditional hybrid models gaining wide acceptance throughout the industry: condo-hotels and private residence clubs. While these two models are similar to the original timeshare model in many ways, they are some marked differences. Needless to say, technology has been quick to adjust to these new trends. Many new software solutions have been introduced in recent months to meet the challenges of both the condo-hotel and private residence club models. In most cases, because these new models are different enough from the traditional timeshare model, completely new technology has been written to accommodate these new hybrids.

The Most Beautiful Beaches In The World

For many of us the perfect vacation existing in our
fantasies is sitting on a white sandy beach while a warm,
turquoise ocean laps at our feet. We long to go somewhere
and unwind while tall palms sway above us. Let's explore
some of these prime locations throughout the world.

Hawaii boasts some of the most romantic sun- drenched
beaches year round in the United States. If you want to get
away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, then the
island of Kauai is the place for you. It has balmy
temperatures no matter when you head there. Kauai is the
least developed of any of the Hawaiian Islands and has very
lush, green surroundings. You can find sections of pristine
white sandy beaches that you can enjoy all to yourself.

Be sure to check out Poipu Beach while in Kauai, it's
perfect for the entire family and you can enjoy a variety of
water sports. Snorkeling is especially popular here since
the waters are crystal clear and there are many species of
beautifully colored tropical fish.

Don't miss a trip to the famous South Beach if you are
heading to Florida. It has a topless beach and is a
playground for adults. This is not the place for a family
vacation. The beach itself is actually man made and
stretches for miles with clean tropical water. The funky art
deco culture that surrounds the beautiful scenery is the
draw to South Beach. Many martini bars and live music venues
line the waterfront. Be sure to visit some of them for a
shot of Latin culture.

Further south is the Ipanema Beach in Brazil. Ipanema Beach
located in festive Rio de Janeiro, was made famous by a song
in the 60s bearing its name. Ipanema Beach is the place for
you if you want to be surrounded by scantily clad beautiful
people (both men and women). A visit to the surrounding area
and this beach is a wild ride worth taking. Miles of white
sand beaches equals many days worth of sun, fun, and
excellent people watching.

Back up north in Canada. Long Beach in Tofino British
Columbia proves many people wrong those who think that
Canada does not have beautiful beaches. Long beach is
simply breathtaking though the waters ar not turquoise. The
shore is perfect for surfing and taking long walks. There
are plenty of tidal pools full of interesting sea life such
as starfish. Tofino itself is full of eccentric locals and a
quaint little fishing town.

Finally, we come to the French Riviera of St. Tropez. This
is now one of the most popular and hot destinations in
Europe. Once it was the hideaway for movie stars. St. Tropez
is close to Cannes and filled with those who appreciate the
finer things in life and don't hesitate to flaunt it. The
bright blue waters make the beach stunning, if you're not in
the mood for the beach then there is still plenty to do.
While visiting this exciting local, people watching at one
of the beachfront cafes are a must.

People have always loved the scenic beauty of beaches and
there are no shortages of destinations. Just a few on the
worldwide list are Mexico, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Bali, and
Australia. You can be one of the many who visit exotic
beaches every year.

Middle East Timeshare Consultancy Unit Promotes Dubai Timeshare Opportunities To European Operators

Platinum Resorts International, the Timeshare Consultants based in Beirut, Lebanon, have recently announced that Dubai will be centre stage for the mega boom in real estate based timeshare and fractional ownership over the next ten years in the UAE.

They have taken this message now to many of the delegates of the European Forum on Timeshare, the OTE, to identify where joint venture and collaboration partners for such ventures might best be involved. RCI and Interval International, two of the major companies providing services to timeshare members worldwide, are now both active in the Dubai arena, a testimony to the importance of its potential market yield. Well known timeshare hospitality brands such as Marriott and Hilton have been tipped as long term active residents in the Dubai timeshare community. As a result of these brands anchoring the market, it will result in attracting every other major operator in the region and internationally. The OTE, the Organization for Timeshare in Europe, meets in Prague, Czech Republic, on November 4-5 during its annual event, attracting over 500 Company delegates throughout the world who contribute responsibly to the growth of the industry.

'We felt this was an opportunity to match up some our legacy clients with potential long term partners that could make our Dubai winning equation work for their company growth plans, and therefore our delegation has come to Prague',said Bassam Nakad, Vice President of the Group. The company earlier this year introduced Resort Franchise Associates which lends a turn key start up to sell out formula for Developers wishing to maximize their investments through a unique custom tailored franchise system. 'Timeshare was responsible for over 7 Billion dollars in sales revenue worldwide last year, he said, and we envision Dubai becoming one of the top ten timeshare destinations markets in the world in a very short time.' In Prague, Platinum and Resort Franchise Associates, together with timesharestaff.com will present an award to members of Time4sharing.org who have raised the image of the timeshare industry in the Middle East and Europe through its various projects. Timeshare will have a new darling in the Middle East and that will be Dubai. 'Dubai will be the best regulated, most demanded destination in the Middle East, and efforts to portray the real value of Dubai, and the real value of Timeshare, such as time4sharing.org, go hand in hand and are to be commended', added Nakad.

Selling A Timeshare

It can be difficult to sell a timeshare and the resale price is often much lower than the price you paid for it. Timeshare resale organisations may be able to help. You should think about asking several timeshare resale organisations to value your timeshare to get an idea about how much it is worth.

Before signing an agreement, check thoroughly that the terms and conditions offered by the organisation are suitable for your needs. For example, some timeshare resale organisations do not deal with timeshares which work on a points scheme and some may ask you to pay a fee up front. If an organisation is a member of a trade association, this may give you extra protection as it will be required to follow a code of practice.

You may have received an unsolicited telephone call or fax from a timeshare resale organisation saying that it has buyers keen to purchase your timeshare. In return, the organisation will ask you to pay a fee up front. After the fee is paid, the organisation may disappear, the sale of the timeshare may not happen, or the price the timeshare is sold for may only just cover the fee you paid to the resale company. You should consider any offer from a timeshare resale organisation very carefully, as there is often very little you can do to put things right if you have a problem.

If you already own a timeshare, a seller may try to persuade you to buy a better one, on the understanding that they will sell your existing timeshare. You should be very careful about accepting this type of offer as you may find that your existing timeshare is never sold, but you are still committed to buying the second timeshare. This is known as the 'buy-sell con'.

If you are thinking of selling your timeshare, you should talk to an experienced adviser, for example at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including details of those that can give e-mail advice, click on nearest CAB.

How Timeshares Help Local Economy

A new report to local hoteliers found that timeshares pick off travelers who might otherwise use motels. That reignited the controversy over what the timeshare industry contributes to local tourism.

Joe Cantrell, vice president for finance at King's Creek Plantation timeshares in York County, defended the industry in a recent letter to the editor. The Gazette followed up with several questions. His responses on local data reflect only King's Creek. Industry data he provided were derived from studies done by the American Resort Developers Association International Foundation. Italics offer supplemental information for the entire community.

How many units do we have?

King's Creek currently has 110 three-bedroom units and 84 two-bedroom units. When we complete our latest phase in late 2006 or early 2007, we will have a total of 116 two-bedroom units. We plan to start our next phase of 52 units in early 2006. Our current master plan outlines a total build-out of approximately 900 units taking place over the next 15-20 years.

Another industry source put the total number of current timeshare units in greater Williamsburg at approximately 4,000. A second source projected the eventual build-out at 12,000 units, eclipsing the number of hotel and motel rooms.

How many developments?

The developers of King's Creek are local, and the resort in York County is their only timeshare resort.

In addition to King's Creek, there's Sunterra, Fairfield, Marriott Manorhouse, Williamsburg Plantation, Peppertree and Westgate.

How do we compare with other areas?

There are 1,668 timeshare resorts in 47 of the 50 states. Florida leads the way with 378. Virginia ranks 12th with 39 resorts.

Is there a saturation point?

Looking at the timeshare industry as a whole, only 3.87 million households in America owned a week of timeshare as of January. In recent years, the number of “owner” households has been increasing at about 13.5% per year. As the baby boomers retire and have more time to vacation, we think this growth rate will continue and possibly accelerate. If we look at the local market, the saturation point is directly related to the success of Williamsburg as a tourist destination. If tourists look at Williamsburg and all it has to offer and decide they want to vacation here, we believe the saturation point is far into the future.

It that happens, what's the effect?

If we reached a saturation point, we would stop building units. But it's important to note that if we did stop building units, the owners of the timeshare weeks would still vacation in Williamsburg year after year and spend money at local businesses.

Why are timeshares so popular?

There are a number of reasons, but I'll focus on three.

1. The units and the resort property have a great deal to offer. The units are spacious, well-appointed, have full kitchens, and multiple bedrooms. Our units, for example, are furnished with fireplaces, big-screen TVs, leather sofas, washer/dryers, and Sony Playstations. We make significant investments in amenities, like our new $2.8 million aquatic center with a large indoor pool, exercise room, hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms. We also have two large outdoor pools and gas grills which are scattered throughout the property.

2. One of the inherent benefits of owning a week at a resort is the ability to deposit that week in an exchange network, like Interval International, and vacation almost anywhere in the world.

3. It gives people the ability to vacation in accommodations that are very much like a second home. We think it's a great alternative to a second home since you can go many different places and it is much more affordable.

What are the typical prices?

At King's Creek the prices range from $5,900 to $29,900 per weekly interval. Prices vary based on number of bedrooms, the season the week is in, and whether an annual or every-other-year occupancy is purchased.

What do you get for that?

Our owners receive a fee simple deed to 1/52nd of a building here at the resort. Depending on what product you purchase you would receive usage at King's Creek, preferred access to a local golf course, and the ability to trade into other resorts all across the country.

How many owners are local?

King's Creek has approximately 9,600 owners. Of that, 1,256 or 13% are from the Peninsula. We have 250 owners who live in Williamsburg.

What is the default rate?

Our owners default on their loans approximately 15% of the time.

What causes it?

The most common reason for default is financial hardship, usually loss of job, health problems, etc.

How do you promote tourism?

We are very proactive in bringing people to Williamsburg and to our resort. This is how we create the opportunity to talk with people about buying a week of timeshare.

Since King's Creek opened in 1998 we have spent more than $30 million marketing the area, which resulted in more than 70,000 tours coming to Williamsburg. We accomplish this by marketing Williamsburg vacation packages over the Internet, in magazines, through direct mailers and over the phone.

For example?

Some customers purchase “mini-vacation” packages in which they come to Williamsburg for three nights and four days. The package includes hotel or resort accommodations and a variety of other benefits, such as tickets to local attractions, dinner gift certificates, shopping gift certificates, etc. These packages typically cost $300.

How does that relate to tourism?

The money we collect for these packages does not cover all of the cost of the rooms, incentives, and support staff we have. So this shortfall adds to our marketing cost. All these efforts result in tourists coming to Williamsburg who might not otherwise have decided to vacation here.

You're typical of the industry?

These are the totals from one small resort in the area. If you factor in the impact of all the timeshares in the Williamsburg area, I think you will see that the positive economic impact on our local economy is substantial.

What tourism committees are timeshares represented on?

I am not sure how the other timeshares are involved on local tourism committees. No one in our organization has been asked to participate on any committees, but we could be more proactive in seeking those opportunities out.

Why are timeshares exempt from the transient room tax?

The owners who buy weeks are deeded a piece of real estate. When they come and use their week or someone else trades in from another resort, they are not subject to the room tax. They own the unit for that week.

Any exceptions?

If an owner stays with us for a weekend getaway, or a non-owner rents a week from an owner, we collect and pay all applicable state and county room taxes in addition to the $2-per-night room tax.

How many nights do people stay?

Based on King's Creek occupancy statistics, the average stay is six nights.

How does that compare to motels?

I don't know. We have never made that comparison.

Do timeshares hurt motel occupancy?

There are a couple of important items to note here. First, the owners who exchange into our resort would not be using hotel rooms anyway, since they already own weeks of timesharing. Second, our marketing efforts bring people to this area who might not otherwise have come to Williamsburg. Many of the tourists we bring to the area end up staying in hotels while they are here. We think the biggest challenge the local tourist industry faces is making the Williamsburg area an appealing tourist destination for the long term. Our whole economy will benefit if our tourism industry is strong.

How do you help the economy?

I think timeshares are excellent for the local economy. If you look at King's Creek, we generate revenue for the county and state through real estate and personal property taxes, transient taxes and real estate recording fees. During 1998-2004, we were directly responsible for generating more than $3.3 million in taxes and fees for the county and the state.

What about the tourism economy?

King's Creek has given out more than $7 million in incentives to the tourists we brought to Williamsburg. These incentives consist of tickets to local attractions and local restaurant gift certificates. We have also purchased more than $4 million worth of room nights from local hotels.

So what's the big picture?

If we examine the economic impact of people staying at our resort, there is a substantial amount of money put into the local economy on an annual basis. According to industry information in Virginia, timeshare owners spend an average of $1,591 on food, shopping, and tourist attractions during each trip. King's Creek averages an 85% occupancy rate on an annual basis. Using these statistics at a 180-unit resort, the tourists who stay with us spend more than $12.65 million annually right here in the Williamsburg area.

How can timeshares work with others?

Having spent some time in the area growing up and having moved back in 1997, I understand how important the tourism industry is to the economy of Williamsburg. The motels, restaurants, shopping centers, tourist attractions and timeshares all depend on the success of Williamsburg as a tourist destination. I think the most important discussion we can have is the discussion about tourism in the Williamsburg area. If we can work together to bring more tourists to the area year after year, then all parts of the hospitality industry will benefit.

How do real estate taxes help tourism?

I don't think real estate tax revenue helps tourism directly. Obviously the more revenue the county collects through real estate taxes the better it is able to provide services to its residents and promote the area in general.

Is there a hidden benefit?

Timeshare resorts and their owners pay the taxes, but we don't burden the county's educational system with new students.

Who's the typical owner?

I don't think there is a typical one. Our owner base consists of large families, small families, retired couples and young couples. I guess you could say our typical owner is anyone who is committed to vacationing on a regular basis.

Why would locals buy a timeshare?

They gain access to our amenities, but I think the main reason is that it gives them the ability to put their week into exchange networks, like Interval International, so they can vacation anywhere in the United States or internationally.

How's the resale business?

At this point we are still developing at King's Creek, so we do not have a resale department.

Organisation For Timeshare In Europe(OTE) Conference 2005, Prague

Theme of OTE’s 8th European Timeshare Business Forum is ‘Taking the lead’. The 2005 OTE Forum will focus on how to accelerate the pace of change in the industry and will include both plenary and workshop sessions, focussing on the biggest issues in Timeshare as well as providing specific sector advice. The annual conference will be held in The Czech Republic at The Hilton Hotel in Prague 3 – 5 November 2005.

The Organisation for Timeshare in Europe, was established to improve representation for reputable companies in the timeshare sector and promote fair trading, quality within- and growth of the timeshare industry.

Its members lead the industry in their commitment to strong ethical standards with the aim of raising the standards of the industry a whole, ensure fair trading and satisfaction of timeshare owners.

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To earn miles anytime, see our Hotel & Timeshare Partners.