According to ARDA New England chairman and president of InnSeason Resorts Dennis Ducharme, resorts are facing greater challenges than ever before. “As many of our timeshare resorts have aged, so have their original owners,” says Ducharme. “Many of them are facing changes in their financial condition or ability to travel and are no longer interested in retaining their week. One of the topics we’re addressing at the meeting will be a case study of a resort that is successfully dealing with this situation.”

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“It’s a great honor for us to receive the top food and beverage award again this year,” said Fadi Hamad, Corporate Director of Food and Beverage for Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort. “It validates what our entire food and beverage team does each and every day to provide the best culinary experience for our members and guests. We constantly challenge ourselves to deliver something unique and high quality, such as the Kosher Vacation Program we just rolled out this past year.”

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Debuting at ARDA’s globally-focused Convention in Las Vegas, owners from Lifestyle Holidays talk about their vacation experiences, giving a glimpse into a world of better vacationing. Their video is the sixth in a monthly series showcasing the passion of timeshare owners. It is the first international property profiled.

Several long-time members tout the charm and relaxation of the Dominican Republic resort, including families from the United States and Canada.[members]

“We have been members since 2006 and just love staying in all the different villas Lifestyle has to offer here in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. This is the best vacation experience we have ever had, relaxing, walking, looking out on the ocean,” said Norm and Cheryl Scott of Spokane, Washington. “We take the Lifestyle helicopter from the airport to the resort whenever we can. It’s just delightful with great views of the island. And we love all the new things they keep adding and improving with the many restaurants like AZUL and VIP Gourmet.”

With more than 8 million owners, a satisfaction rate of 85 percent, and an occupancy rate that outpaced hotel occupancy by more than 20 percent*, it is clear that this segment of the travel industry is faring well. Take the time to find out why. Visit http://www.VacationBetter.org for more information.

Next month, look for vacation memories from Disney Vacation Club owners who are passionate about their timeshare. [/members]

Talk of the stalled U.S. economy and a fractured national political process wasn’t enough to dampen optimism during the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Fall Conference, held November 9-11, 2011 at The Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C.

About 400 professionals from the vacation ownership industry met to discuss association projects that are in the works for 2012 as well as issues concerning the secondary market and prospects for the approaching U.S. Presidential election.

“I was really pleased. This was our best attendance in five or six years,” said ARDA president and CEO Howard Nusbaum. “During the meltdown from the financial debacle, many ARDA members had a lot of layoffs, were going through a lot of change and turmoil and the attendance at both our big convention and fall conference was compromised because of that. To see us have numbers that are the best, I think, since ’05 or ’06 tells me that the industry is healthier again and that people are eager to come together.”

The Secondary Market
ARDA released statistics indicating the significant impact of resales on the overall sales process as 43 percent of consumers they surveyed had bought an interval through a non-developer avenue at some time over the last two years. According to the survey, the median price of a timeshare on the resale market is $8,000.

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The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following statement:

“Requirements for existing swimming pools will be extended for 60 days. The department will also publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with a 15-day comment period on a possible six-month extension in order to allow additional time to address misunderstandings regarding compliance with these ADA requirements.”

ARDA is recommending that member companies should proceed forward in complying with the pool lift requirement under the ADA, albeit with a more realistic implementation schedule. Properties featuring pools and spas will still need a means of entry.

Aspen National Collections, the timeshare/shared ownership industry’s premier collection agency, announced their support of various events being presented in 2012 by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). These include providing for a “Friend of the Convention” sponsorship for the annual spring convention and exhibit – ARDA World 2012 – being held April 1-5 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas; a number of regional meetings and seminars being held throughout the United States and the ARDA Fall Conference to be held November 14-16 at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC.

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Dr. Dan Curran, in his 10th year as the University of Dayton’s president, will participate on behalf of the University’s role in the software revolution spearheaded by Triton’s John Staley, a graduate of the school.

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Ten owners share their experiences vacationing with timeshare and give us a glimpse into a world of better vacationing.  Their video is the fifth in a monthly series showcasing the passion of timeshare owners.

One owner in the video explains.   “Owning this timeshare has transformed our lives, our world,” says Sheri L.   “We are visiting places we never thought we’d see.”

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]]> http://perspectivemagazine.com/blog/2012/03/07/owners-from-bluegreen-vacations-featured-as-march-timeshare-fans-of-the-month/feed/ 0 http://perspectivemagazine.com/blog/2012/02/21/american-resort-development-association-welcomes-mexicos-tourism-board-as-global-development-sponsor-at-upcoming-international-themed-annual-industry-convention/ http://perspectivemagazine.com/blog/2012/02/21/american-resort-development-association-welcomes-mexicos-tourism-board-as-global-development-sponsor-at-upcoming-international-themed-annual-industry-convention/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:43:09 +0000 Susan Knox http://perspectivemagazine.com/?p=14151 The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and Mexico’s National Trust for Tourism Promotion (FONATUR) announced the alignment of their organizations in the presentation of the 2012 ARDA World Convention in Las Vegas.

“We’re delighted to welcome FONATUR as our Global Development Sponsor for the 2012 ARDA Convention, the industry’s largest gathering of shared vacation ownership professionals,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA.  “With our international development focus at this year’s ARDA Convention, this is the ideal opportunity to provide information and access to the growing Mexico market,” continued Nusbaum.

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This month, Hilton Grand Vacations went around the world to see and talk to their owners while they were out enjoying their vacations and captured not only beautiful locations but from-the-heart words on why vacations are important and why timeshares are a better way to vacation. The video captures owner experiences on the beaches of Hawaii, the wonder of the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, and the streets of New York City to name just a few.

Bill and Phyllis Hopkins of Ohio are this month’s spotlight owners. They have been Hilton Grand Vacations Club Members since 2007 and they own at West 57th Street by Hilton Club in New York City as well as at Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Orlando. When asked why they love their timeshare so much, they said, “Membership resolves the potential ‘beach house dilemma’ of vacationing in the same place year after year. Our passion is to explore new places and discover new cultures.” With timeshare they have gotten to do that, visiting Paris, Brussels and London as well as many U.S destinations.

With over 8 million owners and a satisfaction rate of 85 percent and an occupancy rate that outpaced hotel occupancy by more than 20 percent*, it is clear that this segment of the travel industry is faring well. Take the time to find out why. Visit http://www.VacationBetter.org for more information.

Next month, look for happy owners from Wyndham Vacation Resorts who are passionate about their timeshare.

Agreement Encourages Sharing of Industry Information Among U.S. and European Timeshare Developer Members and Global Travellers

The Resort Development Organisation (RDO) welcomes a new cooperative working alliance with its US-based sister organisation the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) following approval by both Boards of Directors.� Each association retains its own identity, but collectively, the associations seek to cooperate on issues of common concern in order to advance the growth of the timeshare industry worldwide, the interests of their members, and the consumers they serve.

�The underlying basis for the working relationship between RDO and ARDA is to establish in the eyes of our respective memberships, a stronger partnership between the two organisations, whilst both retain their full autonomy and financial independence,� said Richard McIntosh, chairman of RDO, welcoming the agreement.

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ARDA is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has almost 1,000 members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC).

As usual, the event kicked off with annual golf tournament at The Legends at Orange Lake Resort, hosted by exchange company RCI, where 144 golfers played in support of the ARDA International Foundation (AIF). The proceeds from the tournament support industry research and education programs. Parties and social gatherings abounded, with highlights including Interval International’s annual tradition, the “Party with a Cause,” which this year featured KC and The Sunshine Band, and also raised funds for AIF. Other officially sanctioned ARDA events included the International Reception, which was sponsored by Baker & Hostetler LLP, Ballard Spahr LLP, Lloydshare Limited LLP, and Preston Arza LLP); the Women in the Industry (WIN) Networking Event, sponsored by First American Title Insurance – V.O. Division; and, of course, the ARDY Awards Gala Dinner and Entertainment, sponsored by Holiday Systems International (HIS).

The ARDA Exhibit Hall provided a focal point for learning about new products and services directly from their suppliers, all under one roof.

General and Educational Sessions
This year’s theme, the “Year of the Consumer,” was emphasized throughout all educational forums, workshops, and sessions, including how to leverage digital relationships, ensuring consumer protections for the secondary marketplace, and enhancing sales and marketing practices.

“Our program featured timely topics and relevant speakers as the industry celebrates the passion of timeshare consumers, which has become vacation ownership’s most important asset,” says Howard Nusbaum, ARDA president and CEO. “We were thrilled to see so many of the best and brightest in our industry and hear from many dynamic speakers as the industry continues to develop vacation products consumers desire.”

Keynote speaker Terry Jones, founder and former CEO of Travelocity.com and current chairman of Kayak.com, shared his insights on how to strengthen digital relationships between business and consumers, particularly in the travel industry where more than 80 percent of today’s consumer utilizes the Internet to make travel choices. Attendees also heard from timeshare developer CEOs representing Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Marriott Vacation Club International, Welk Resorts, and Wyndham
Vacation Ownership on the state of the industry, the sales process, the secondary marketplace, exchange programs, and the value of vacations. ARDA also honored its outgoing Chairman Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club, and welcomed its incoming Chairman, Don Harrill, president and CEO of Orange Lake Resorts, home to Holiday Inn Club Vacations.

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“My kids have enjoyed our timeshare and now they are bringing their kids to enjoy it,” said Kirkwood Edwards, Holiday Inn Club Vacations. “I think this is the way it’s supposed to be.”

And so do nearly 8 million timeshare owners. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is partnering with its members to bring the passion of owners to other vacationers through its “Timeshare Fans” Program. These Fans will explain – in their own words – why they love their timeshare.

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“We congratulate Lubner Group for their participation in our Chairman’s League,” said Bob Craycraft, RRP, VP of Industry Relations. ”ARDA’s VIP members represent the vacation ownership industry’s premier leadership of developers, property management companies, outstanding law firms and quality vendors. These members are committed to the industry’s growth and excellence and are dominant participants in networking events, regional and national annual events and receive recognition on ARDA’s website (arda.org) and in print publications. ARDA’s Chairman’s League was born over 12 years ago, in response to members’ requests for a higher level at which professionals could showcase their commitment to the industry.”

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Ramy Filo Re-Elected to GATE Chair

Ramy Filo President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) and CEO of the Classic Holiday Group incorporating Dial An Exchange has been re-elected for his third term as Chairman of the Global Alliance for Timeshare Excellence (GATE). The position of Chairman runs for a two year period.

GATE was established in 1999 by the leaders of timeshare associations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, Australia, and South Africa to promote the timeshare industry around the world. Each association retains its own identity, but collectively, the associations seek to cooperate on issues of common concern in order to advance the growth of the timeshare industry worldwide, the interests of their members, and the consumers they serve.

“The role of GATE has never been more relevant as our industry continues to grow and consumers expand their horizons through increased access to timeshare products across the globe via the internet. Collective knowledge and consultation provided through GATE will lead to new initiatives that may have far-reaching impact on how the market positions itself into the future. I am proud to be able to contribute for a further two years,” said Ramy.

One current initiative under discussion in conjunction with the ARDA International Foundation (AIF) is an International Study on the Impact of Timeshare Globally. We will report more to you as new ideas and concepts are processed.

The members of GATE include the following organizations: American Resort Development Association (ARDA); Resort Development Organisation; (RDO) Includes members of European Union; European Union, the Middle East and North Africa; Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA); Nine national associations including: Mexico; Argentina; Brazil; Venezuela; Chile; Uruguay; Costa Rica; Columbia; Dominican Republic (AMDETUR); Vacation Ownership  Association of Southern Africa (VOASA); and the Australian Timeshare & Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC) .

2011 ATHOC Conference

The Annual ATHOC Conference will be held from Sunday 11th to Tuesday 13th September 2011 at the Watermark Hotel, Surfers Paradise on the beautiful Gold Coast. This is a must attend event for anyone in the industry or suppliers to the  industry.

The event will see a host of sessions run by industry leaders, organisational experts and talented presenters that can provide you with an array of ideas to take back and implement in your business. We have some very interesting speakers that include: Craig Nash, CEO and President of Interval International & Geoff Ballotti, CEO and President of RCI Pacific, Martin Kandel, Executive Vice President of Global Business Development & Operations for ICE, Dom Albanese, Regional Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service, Asia Pacific Marriott Vacation Club and Harold Derrah, CEO of Anantara Vacation Club .

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While regulation of the timeshare industry has developed and matured over the past 30 years, specific regulation of the secondary market is still in its infancy.  The current economic environment has led to a rise in disreputable resale companies trying to profit from vulnerable timeshare owners and as a result the resale process has become confusing to many consumers.  “With the rise in fraudulent resale practices and the far too many dishonest resellers preying on consumers, it is necessary to establish legitimate guidelines to help safeguard consumers and ensure a safe resale experience with reputable companies,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA (the industry’s not-for-profit advocacy group).

Over the past eighteen months, ARDA and its member task force have worked diligently to propose model legislation for the secondary resale market as part of an effort to standardize and legitimize timeshare resellers and the resale process.  The Model Resale Act calls for specific guidelines related to resellers, including standards for sales and marketing practices and more stringent penalties for fraudulent behavior.

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RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), recently announced the introduction of RCI Weeks PlatinumSM to Europe following the programme’s successful U.S. debut earlier this year during the American Resort Development Association’s annual conference. The new premium tier of membership gives timeshare owners access to exclusive exchange privileges and year-round lifestyle benefits.

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“People are still making budget-conscious decisions when it comes to travel, which is why the value proposition of timeshare products is so appealing to our approximately 8 million owners,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA).  Compared to a 58 percent occupancy rate at U.S. hotels last year, ARDA points to the spacious accommodations, such as the option to prepare meals in the timeshare unit rather than dining out for every meal as with a traditional hotel stay, as a primary reason for continued high occupancy rates at timeshare resorts and satisfaction rankings from timeshare owners.

In the past year, the industry has also added sophistication and ease to the way owners can buy timeshare intervals. Instead of selling just one week per year, many now offer increased flexibility by offering “points” that owners can use to customize their vacation needs. They can break up or extend vacation weeks, travel during various times of the year, and/or stay in various unit types at a range of locations.  Some also offer biennial products that allow owners to use intervals every other year, instead of each year.  About 73 percent of survey respondents have intervals of the traditional weekly variety; about 55 percent have some form of points-based products; and, 36 percent of respondents have biennials.

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TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, conducted a recent survey which showed 83 percent of respondents are planning at least one family vacation this year, a four percent increase from 2010. While 59 percent of Americans are planning a trip this summer, up from 51 percent in 2010, according to an American Express Company Survey .  That same survey also found vacationing consumers plan to take an average of two week-long vacations, spending an average of $1,200 a person, and three weekend-getaways, spending $300.  Nearly 70 percent of those planning to travel said they’ll go with their immediate families, and girlfriend getaways and “man-cations” are growing in popularity. 

While travel plans are on the rise, most travelers are still budget conscience and make travel decisions based on cost-savings factors.  With hotel stays costing five to ten percent more this year than last year (AAA/HIS Globlal Insight 2011 Memorial Day Holiday Travel Forecsast), ARDA believes this is an opportunity to reach travelers unfamiliar with timeshare. 

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It was an awkward moment. One that I had a feeling would be on the horizon when I accepted the assignment to cover the Women In The Industry (WIN) Florida Regional Conference this past January for Perspective Magazine.

The conference, held at the Marriott Cypress Harbour Resort in Orlando, Florida, brought together some of the timeshare industry’s leading professional women to discuss issues pertaining to their unique roles within the industry. They could not have been more welcoming and gracious, even though there were a few quizzical looks as some of the attendees tried to process why a guy would spend his Saturday morning at such a venue.

Matt McDaniel, editor of Perspective Magazine North America, and I covered the event for the company and, as the only two guys in the audience of about 100 women, we had a feeling that there would be some good-natured teasing going on. The first hint would be during the first break between sessions when the ladies stood sentry in front of the men’s restroom to commandeer the facilities. As you would expect, their numbers were a little unbalanced regarding their own acilities. Oh well, what’s a few more minutes of waiting ….

Lani Kane-Hanan, senior vice president for resort planning and development for Marriott Vacation Club, hosted the event on behalf of WIN. Explaining the mission, she spoke of the group’s desire to advocate, educate and provide personal and professional growth through networking, education, research and philanthropy. In 2010, WIN was involved in activities such as assisting with college scholarships and fundraising activities for the purchase of breast cancer screening equipment for the women of Abaco Island in the Bahamas. In all, WIN raised $20,000 for projects during the course of the year.

The major discussion of the morning was the announcement of WIN’s partnership with the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and how this new relationship would affect the group in the future. ARDA is providing administrative support for WIN during 2011 to allow for greater growth and avoid a duplication of resources that both groups felt was unnecessary. The move will allow ARDA to include WIN in a new diversity platform for the association and provide enhanced research, social networking options and a voice for the organization through its membership publication, Developments. “They were at a point where if they were going to move forward, it would take a lot of capital investment and a lot of time and we already had the platform in place that they could build on, so we can take the diversity element and that becomes a driver within our HR Council,” says Darla Zanini, executive vice president, ARDA International Foundation.

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“It’s a huge honor for us to receive this award our very first year of entry,” said Hamad.  “It validates what our entire food and beverage team does each and every day to provide the best culinary experiences for our members and guests.  We constantly challenge ourselves to deliver something unique and high quality.”  The Food and Beverage Award Category is a new category featured for the very first time in this year’s ARDA Awards.

Also submitting four nominations in Advertising, Promotion & Communications, as well as in Design, reflected LHVC’s commitment to excellence in working with the Charmed Creative Group so that company image and branding is reflected in its high end product consistently across the board in all corporate materials. “We are grateful to Linda Mount and the entire Charmed Creative team for raising the bar in branding and positioning LHVC through our upscale collateral material and signage,” said Hans Larcher, Managing Director of Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club.  “The nomination of their work is a barometer of our continued goal to reach for excellence.”

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“Throughout our 35-year history, Interval has fostered an environment in which employees are encouraged to follow rewarding career paths that best capitalize on their talent and interests,” said Craig M. Nash, chairman, president, and CEO of Interval Leisure Group. “The ACE Employer Award recognizes this dedication to our team.”

Tom Bell, Interval’s senior vice president of governmental affairs, received the coveted ACE Volunteer Award. He has been involved in vacation ownership for nearly 30 years and is a longstanding member of ARDA’s State Legislative and Federal Issues Committees. Bell’s advocacy for strong and balanced legislation around the country — and around the world — earned him this distinction.

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Brand Tango, a Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based marketing, technology and design firm, received three Gold ARDY awards at the American Resort Development Association’s 2011 convention in Orlando this week. “Brand Tango prides itself on providing clients with great service and excellence in all deliverables, and it’s wonderful to have that recognized,” says Joe Russoniello, the firm’s president and co-founder. “Coming off this successful convention, we’re looking forward to providing even more clients with Brand Tango’s expertise in strategic and cost-effective branding, marketing and technology solutions.”

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RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), received four awards last night at the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) 2011 Awards Gala Dinner. Among the most prestigious of the accolades was the ARDA Circle of Excellence (ACE) Innovator Award, which RCI received for making significant enhancements to its RCI^® Weeks exchange program, transforming the vacation exchange experience for timeshare owners around the world.

As a result of these enhancements, RCI Weeks members are able to compare the trading power value of their deposited week to the trading power value of the timeshare interval they want to exchange into and can also combine deposited timeshare intervals, allowing them to exchange into vacations having a higher exchange trading power. RCI now also provides its Weeks members with a “Deposit Credit” if the trading power value of the interval they have exchanged into is less than that of their deposited interval.

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“I couldn’t be more pleased with having Don as our industry leader especially at this unique moment for vacation ownership,” said Howard Nusbaum, RRP, ARDA’s president and CEO. “Don has been a long-time advocate and tireless voice for our industry, as well as someone I’ve learned so much from during these challenging economic times.   With his strong business, financial, and management skills, he is poised to be a truly effective leader for ARDA.”

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Over 370 delegates attended the conference, a 50 percent increase over 2009 and the largest turnout for this event in six years.

“This is as large as it’s been since 2004 so that tells me a couple of things. There’s some pent up demand to get together. It tells me that things are starting to get better. It tells me that people want to take their report card out and see how they’re doing compared to other people. The energy here was the best it’s been in years, so that excites me,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO, ARDA.

Even with the usual committee meetings and legislative overtones of the event, conferences are still about businesses conducting business. Robert Kobek is president of Mobius Vendor Partners, a business process, design and management firm, and he was very pleased with the event.

“This conference is hugely successful for us, it always has been. Mostly because this particular conference has more decisionmakers than most conferences that you can attend,” said Kobek. “We come to this conference every year, and this year in particular, because we meet decision-makers and we sign new business. We get new business out of this.”

Kellene Safis, National Director of Contract Sales, Whirlpool Corporation added that “as for what Whirlpool looks for when we come to these kind of events, it’s both a relationship-building experience for us with other suppliers, understand how they’re successful in the hospitality sector of the business, as well as meeting potential customers that we don’t do business with today and presenting our solution and why it’s a good fit for their timeshares and fractionals.”

Changes have been made throughout the vacation ownership industry as a result of the 2008 economic crisis and ensuing after-effects, but the resiliency of the industry has been documented in research commissioned by the ARDA International Foundation (AIF). These studies show an extremely high 84 percent owner satisfaction rate with the product and a near 80 percent occupancy rate.

Nusbaum has seen the way the industry has reacted to the economic climate and adapted to the consumer.

“We’re seeing down payments now approaching 20 percent as opposed to barely being 10 percent. We’re seeing FICO scoring, we’re seeing developers getting rid of inefficient programs, selling in a more consumer-centric way,” Nusbaum added.

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“Timeshare rental programs bring high Value per Guest (VPG) customers who actually pay to be on property.  LeisureLink clients report VPGs of up to $1,800 and a reduction in the need for expensive OPC incentives or mini-vac efforts.  LeisureLink clients use our platform, including our revolutionary Active Revenue Management (ARM) product, to drive maximum rental volume and tour flow,” stated Erik Hovanec, President and CEO, LeisureLink.  “The key to success is driving volume, and LeisureLink’s ARM system uses advanced airline-style pricing to maximize both tour traffic and rental revenues.”

“The results of the initial test of ARM at our Cimarron Resort were eye opening.  Rental revenues were up nearly 100% over the prior year. The ARM system delivered on the promise of airline style pricing by using frequent rate changes to deliver additional revenue,” responded Jeff Brodzeller, Director of Revenue Management, Raintree Vacation Club.

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“ARDA-ROC members are already an active and engaged audience,” said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA.  “But now, we will be able to inform and motivate owners to become more vocal with policy makers to preserve, protect and enhance vacation ownership,” he continued.  A voting timeshare owner or Home Owners Association (HOA) member who contacts his or her elected official will strengthen the efforts of ARDA-ROC’s legislative team and volunteers.

At its core, the site provides information regarding current and resolved legislative activity around the country as well as from select international jurisdictions, such as the Caribbean.  Users can stay well-briefed on breaking news, upcoming events, and the latest headlines.  Users can also track the progress of specific bills of interest and eventually specific legislation. 

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Selected from a field of international entries, Robb & Stucky’s design work at Bluegreen Corporation’s Harbour Lights vacation ownership resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and the Carriage House Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada were both selected as finalists in the resort refurbishment category. In the category of Interior Design for a New Resort Unit, the Robb & Stucky design team was also named a finalist for its design of the Presidential Suites at The Fountains Resort, located in Orlando, also a Bluegreen property. The top award winner in each category will be announced at a Black Tie Gala held in conjunction with ARDA’s annual convention in Las Vegas on March 30.

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Brand Tango, a Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based marketing, technology and design firm, has had seven Advertising and Promotion entries selected as finalists in the American Resort Development Association’s ARDY awards competition. In addition, Larry Talley, Brand Tango’s vice president of application development, is a finalist in the Management and Administration category.

“We’re thrilled to be in contention for ARDY Gold again,” says Joe Russoniello, president and co-founder. “Although Brand Tango is now in heavy demand by other industries, the vacation ownership sector, our original client base, is still very important to us.” Brand Tango’s creative for Live Mexico, Sunset World, Blue Strawberry Resorts, Absolute Resorts, and Hacienda Tres Rios were named as finalists for ARDY Gold.

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It was a great opportunity for customers, new and old, to meet the experienced team from Travel & Leisure. Customers took the chance to talk about all aspects of the timeshare industry and were ‘very pleased to see a reputable resale company taking the opportunity to meet their clients face to face’. This positive approach gave the team a wonderful opportunity to explain how Travel & Leisure act as an independent broker between private individuals, assisting them to buy, sell or rent a timeshare. It was also a perfect location to educate new buyers about the timeshare industry, reinforcing customer confidence in the product.

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The Signature Sponsors for this year’s exciting ARDA event are American Express, Diamond Resorts International, Equiant, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Hilton Grand Vacations, Holiday Systems International (HSI), International Cruise and Excursions, Inc. (ICE), Interval International, RCI, ResortCom International L.L.C, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., TimeShareWare, and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

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TripAdvisor estimates that 69 percent of travelers will take international trips this year, and of that group, 52 percent will travel to Europe, 13 percent will visit Asia and 12 percent will journey to South America. According to them, the top three international destinations U.S. travelers plan to visit in 2011 are Paris, London and Rome, with 75 percent planning to visit a U.S. city. Las Vegas, New York City and San Francisco are the most popular choices.

“This resurgence of travel is terrific news for the timeshare industry,” said Howard Nusbaum. “More travelers are beginning to understand the value and comfort of a timeshare vacation and with resorts in all of theses popular 2011 destinations, vacationers will find exactly what they need.”

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An exclusive interview with Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Development, Inc. and chairman of the board for the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) on Disney Vacation Club’s upcoming Aulani resort, DVC’s ties to the new Disney Dream, and the state of the shared ownership industry. Lewis spoke with Perspective Magazine Editor Matt McDaniel in December 2010.

PM: The big news lately is Aulani – how is that coming along?

JL: The resort is progressing nicely. I was just there for a week in September, and we’re extremely happy. It’s located on 21 acres of oceanfront property on the island of Oahu. The resort is going to have 359 hotel rooms and 481 two-bedroom equivalent timeshare villas – and we are on track for our scheduled opening of August 2011.

There is a perception among some people that your most popular DVC resorts have been located adjacent to Disney theme parks – how is the Hawaii project different from the DVC projects in Vero Beach and Hilton Head?

That’s kind of a myth, because the fact of the matter is all of our resorts are very, very popular. And when you look at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, those resorts get very high guest ratings – as a matter of fact they’re among some of the highest in our entire portfolio. So we think that Hawaii is not going to be much different in terms of very high guest ratings: it’s going to be fun for the whole family and it’s going to be a great place for families to reconnect.

We’re working hand in hand with the locals there to create a place that really celebrates, honors and pays tribute to the Hawaiian culture and history. So it’s going to be fabulous, and we have no doubt that it’s going to be a great experience. The success that we’ve had in Vero Beach and Hilton Head is actually one of the factors that gave us the confidence to make this investment in Aulani.

What have you learned from Vero Beach and Hilton Head that you’ve taken to Aulani and maybe
expanded or improved on?

The great guest service that we provide is legendary, and we can transport that anywhere around the globe. We have great guest service at Walt Disney World and the resorts at Disneyland, but you know what? The guest experience is great in Hong Kong, it’s great in Paris, it’s great in Tokyo, it’s great in Vero Beach and Hilton Head. Hawaii is just one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and there’s a lot to see and do. It is a place that’s known for warm greetings, storytelling and attention to detail – and those are also terms that are synonymous with Disney. We think it’s a perfect match, and we have no doubts, no concerns. We expect it to be hugely successful. We have a variety of different amenities that we’re building into the resort there; we’re going to have a spa that’s going to be 18,000 square feet – it’s going to be out of this world. The way we have incorporated the storytelling element – it’s going to be a lot of fun, but also very educational. The folks in Hawaii have given us big-time kudos for the research that we’ve done by really going out and talking to people, and for using a lot of the locals as consultants to guide us and make sure we
got it right. We’re just excited. There are great excursions obviously; we’re not too far from Waikiki Beach and the terrific shopping; we have a very user-friendly beach and manmade lagoon, and great food – a lot of the things that people come to expect if they visit a Disney resort.

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Women in the Industry (WIN) was originally formed to advocate, educate and connect women in the vacation industry.  It is a dynamic, diverse, non-partisan global organization providing leadership, mentoring, philanthropic and educational opportunities to women and those who support women. Formed two years ago, the group has continued to grow its scope of appeal.  The grassroots, volunteer non-profit organization has steadily grown with support from many industry corporate sponsors and interested individuals.  Member benefits include educational sessions, philanthropic contributions, mentoring, and networking opportunities, such as WIN Wednesdays held in various areas of the country.

According to Co-President Lani Kane-Hanan, WIN’s mission has always been to advocate, educate and connect its members by fostering personal and professional growth through networking, education, research and philanthropy.  “As our groups unite, ARDA will incorporate WIN’s operational needs within its existing infrastructure, allowing us to operate more efficiently while furthering our common goals.” 

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“Bob Kobek has been a part of the fabric of the ATA for the past seven years and has a long history of contact center experience at all levels.  Currently, he and his team are responsible for the successful operations of our annual conventions.  As Interim President, Bob will continue with convention operations with the added responsibilities of managing our daily operations.  We retain the highest confidence in our management team and staff that facilitate all of the daily activities of the association. The ATA experiences a high-level of engagement from our members and we will continue to serve the needs of our members while advocating the value of customer communication channels,” says Board Chairman, Phil Grudzinski.

Kobek’s MVP is an Indianapolis-based company that that provides business process management and market research services to companies, associations and non-profit organization. In addition to his role at ATA, he is also President of the Information Services Advisory Board of the Information Services and Operations management (ISOM) Department of Miller College of Business at Ball State University.

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Dan Lubner, President, Hospitality Design Division - Robb & Stucky Interiors,

Dan Lubner, President of the Hospitality Design Division of Robb & Stucky Interiors, (www.RobbStucky.com) has recently been named to a three-year term to the prestigious Suppliers Council of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA).

Suppliers Council members are called upon to provide insight into current industry issues and to help develop and guide association programs. Membership indicates a high level of commitment to the vacation ownership industry and provides direct contact with the ARDA Chairman and association president. Comprised of leading industry firms, the Council was formed in 2005 to provide education and networking for ARDA’s supplier members and to serve as subject matter experts for the association in terms of product and service procurement trends impacting the resort industry.

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More than 120 executives and personnel from Interval-affiliated resorts in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America heard the latest about Interval and vacation ownership from industry leaders, including Craig M. Nash, chairman, president, and CEO of Interval Leisure Group; Jeanette Marbert, Interval Leisure Group chief operating officer; Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA); and Peter C. Yesawich, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of Ypartnership.

“We created this event 22 years ago, so that our clients could capitalize on their affiliation with us. Attendees have consistently told us that they gain valuable knowledge about how to better serve their owners and manage inventory more efficiently,” said Bryan Ten Broek, senior vice president of resort sales and business development for Interval International. “The 2010 seminar showcased Interval’s existing products and services and previewed what’s coming next to assist resorts’ marketing, sales, and operations initiatives.”

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Approximately 120 industry representatives gathered for the conference on Thursday, October 14, to hear the latest developments in the Canadian shared ownership industry. Attendees were given the results of a survey, commissioned by CRDA and conducted by the research firm Ipsos Reid, which discovered that 80% of Canadians know about timeshare but 72% have not been exposed to offers for the product and 68% have never attended a timeshare presentation. Such statistics indicate that the Canadian marketplace is open to the good news of vacation ownership.  

Of those Canadian consumers who have been offered the product, direct mail was cited as the most influential method of contact. On the other hand, outreach over the phone seemed to be a turnoff for Canadians, with about 45% of them getting their vacation information from the Internet and another 37% primarily from friends and family.

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Since March 2008, Ballotti has served as CEO of RCI, overseeing the largest vacation exchange network in the industry with more than 4,000 affiliated resorts in approximately 100 countries and 3.8 million members worldwide. Christel DeHaan, the co-founder of RCI, created Christel House in 1998 with the goal of helping children around the world break the cycle of poverty, realize their hopes and dreams and become self-sufficient, contributing members of their societies. Since then, Christel House has expanded its programs and locations to serve more than 3,000 students, their families and communities, and employ more than 250 dedicated professionals who help the children optimize their potential and achieve productive, self-sufficient lives.

“The ideal attributes of a board member include a passion for the mission, high intellect, strong business acumen and robust leadership skills. Geoff Ballotti is the ideal board candidate, as he not only possesses all of these traits, but also is a strong proponent of corporate social responsibility. I am so pleased that he has accepted our invitation to join the board and very much look forward to working with him,” DeHaan said.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be appointed to serve for a charity that our company cares so deeply about,” added Ballotti. “The history that RCI and Christel House share is remarkable and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to become more involved with this wonderful organization. RCI’s associates around the globe are passionate about supporting Christel House and their ongoing commitment to the countless fund-raising initiatives they embark on every year will continue to make a meaningful difference in improving the lives of these children and their families who live in many of the international communities in which we serve.”

As a charity of choice for the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), Christel House is largely supported by timeshare developers, resorts and vendors. Christel House is also a signature charity of Wishes by Wyndham, the philanthropic program of Wyndham Worldwide. Founded in 1974, RCI is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and is recognized within the industry for its longstanding history of social responsibility.

About RCI
RCI is part of Wyndham Exchange & Rentals, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the European leader in vacation rentals, with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 65,000 vacation properties in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Exchange & Rentals is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection program, the world’s largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation Rentals, Landal GreenParks®, Novasol®, and other renowned vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a variety of property types, from city apartments to villas; and NorthCourse® Leisure Real Estate Solutions, a research and consultancy firm providing advisory services to the global leisure real estate industry. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world’s largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit our media center.

About Christel House
Christel House International is a 501(c)3 public charity helping children around the world to break the cycle of poverty, realize their hopes and dreams and become self-sufficient, contributing members of society. Christel House learning centers – located in India, Mexico, South Africa, the United States and Venezuela – provide education, nutrition, health care and character and life-skills development for children. For additional information, please visit www.christelhouse.org.

“SPI has been providing timeshare resorts with software for more than 25 years,” says McClendon. “We have been strong supporters of ARDA throughout our history and feel part of our responsibility in giving back to the timeshare community is serving on ARDA committees.”

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Orlando-based Webb is a partner at Baker Hostetler, one of America’s largest law firms, where Webb maintains a diverse real estate, business, and hospitality law practice with a strong emphasis on resort development, timeshares, fractionals, hotels, condominium hotels, second homes, cruise ship and residence vessel programs, and the growing national travel and leisure industry.

Webb is the senior member and was the founding leader of the Baker Hostetler Hospitality Industry Team. He has practiced in virtually all aspects of the international resort and leisure industry over the past 30 years, and was instrumental in the creation, design, and development of many of today’s leading multisite timeshare plans, including the Disney Vacation Club, the Hilton Grand Vacations Club, the Hyatt Vacation Club, the Allegro Vacation Club, Club Navigo, and the Four Seasons Residence Club.

Rob has participated in the drafting and adoption of every Florida statutory amendment and administrative rule affecting the timeshare industry since 1983, including the lock-out law, the timeshare solicitor and owner referral laws, the timeshare resale broker law, the vacation club law, Florida’s streamlined timeshare foreclosure law, and the personal property timeshare amendments of 2003.

Rob has been active in the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the national timeshare trade association, since 1981. He currently serves as Treasurer of ARDA, as a member of the ARDA Board of Directors and its Executive Committee, as a board member of the ARDA International Foundation, as an ARDA Trustee, as Chair of the ARDA Legislative Council, and as counsel to ARDA-Florida.

Are you a native Floridian?
No, I was born in Tehran. My father was career military – he had sort of a quasi-political position and had a lot of political postings. One of them was in Tehran after the Shah overthrew his father.

When did you move to Florida?
We moved to Florida, for the first time in 1965, and then back in 1971, six months before Disney opened – and I’ve been here ever since. That’s a long time, and so you can imagine all the changes I’ve seen.

You’ve seen it all, I guess!
Well every time I think that, something else happens! But I’ve seen a lot of it.

Today you’re a partner with Baker Hostetler. When did you join the firm and what did you do before?
I started at a small firm in Orlando called DeWolf, Ward & Morris. My mentor there, Max Morris, had one of the early timeshare practices, and we represented Kemmons Wilson when he did Orange Lake Country Club in 1981, Deb Linden at Island One in 1983, and Marriott in 1984 when they bought American Resorts and got into the business. We came to Baker Hostetler in December of 1988, and except for my year off at Island One, I have been here ever since.

You said “we” came to Baker Hostetler?
Max Morris; Brian Lower, who is now executive vice president at Orange Lake; and I – as well as a law clerk named Andy Marcus, who is now chief legal officer and COO for Tempus Resorts. One of the great joys of my life and my practice is that I have had a number of protégés over the years who continue to make me very proud. Brian and Andy are certainly two of the major ones.

How much of what you do is involved with shared ownership in one way or another?
I’m a board-certified real estate lawyer and I would say I have a fairly broad commercial real estate practice. At the height of shared ownership it was probably 75% of my business; right now, shared ownership is probably 35%. A lot of that has to do with the fact that there isn’t a whole lot of new stuff going on in the industry – we continue to represent existing clients, and I’m doing some new things and trying to stay on the curve of what’s happening next. I’m certainly looking forward to the volume picking up again, and when I’ll be doing more transactions and less litigation and bankruptcy work.

With all the shared-ownership legislation you’ve been involved in creating, what’s the most meaningful or had the most impact?
That’s an interesting question. Understand, there are a lot of people involved in any legislation that gets done around the country – no one person can take credit for it. But I’d probably suggest two or three things. One piece of legislation I had a disproportionately large amount of involvement in, simply because it arose out of two of the timeshare resorts that I was representing at the time, is Florida’s lock-out rule. It doesn’t sound like a big deal – it’s a law that allows timeshare HOAs to deny access to the unit to a delinquent owner. In most cases that’s difficult to do because the owner has the deed, and unless you actually foreclosed the lien and taken their timeshare away from them, in many states it’s very difficult to deny them use because they’re delinquent. I pioneered that particular piece of legislation after having amended a couple of my clients’ bylaws to provide for it, because my theory was the law didn’t say you couldn’t do it.

But the Florida state regulators had the right to review it and accept it, and they refused to accept it; in essence they said, that while the law doesn’t say you can’t do it, it doesn’t say you can. We appealed their denial of the bylaws to two different appellate courts and while both courts agreed with us that it was an important remedy, they also agreed with the state that this kind of remedy would need to be authorized by the legislature.

And so the following year, ARDA-Florida went to the legislature and got it adopted. It’s not flashy, sexy legislation – but it has a provided a means for so many timeshare HOAs to recover unpaid assessments, which not only allows people to lock out delinquent owners, it also allows the HOA to rent their timeshare interest for them and apply the net proceeds to what they owe.

So it’s fairly comprehensive, and without it, particularly in these economic times, there would be a whole lot of Florida timeshare HOAs that would already be in bankruptcy. It’s one of the most important collection tools they have.

Another one of the most important pieces of legislation at the state level would be California’s timeshare law that we got adopted in 2004. California had very repressive subdivision-based policies that they aggressively used to the detriment of the timeshare industry. California regulators didn’t really think much of the timeshare industry – and they had some good cause to feel that way, but as the industry changed, their viewpoint by and large did not. My partner at the time, Dave Sampson, was the drafter of the legislation; he and I worked very hard on that for ARDACalifornia, along with other members of the legislative committee – that really was people working together.

At the federal level, I drafted the amendment to the Internal Revenue Code that we got Congress to adopt in 1997, exempting timeshare association reserves and excess revenues for the most part from federal income taxation – that’s a little bit of an overstatement, but I think for purposes of trying to describe the legislation it’s accurate. ARDA members had been threatened with audit by the Jacksonville, Florida district of the Internal Revenue Service, and the IRS held the position that timeshare associations were different than condominium associations or neighborhood associations who really have a limited role of mostly maintenance and repair and operation – they felt that timeshare associations were involved in all sorts of little businesses and making all kinds of profits that should be taxed. The IRS wouldn’t negotiate with us, and so ARDA national went to Congress and I wrote the amendment to the Internal Revenue Code – again, with a lot of oversight; I’m not a tax lawyer! But we got it adopted and it survived a line-item veto from President Clinton. That was extremely meaningful because, again, if you start taxing reserves and taxing excess revenues it would have an enormously detrimental effect on our business.

Those are the three big ones. Also, last year in Florida we got an exemption from Florida sales tax for all timeshare exchanges – which had been a sword hanging over our necks for 25 years. We had really been afraid; we solved it in other states, but we’d never been able to address it in Florida, and then we had a three- or four-year period that the Florida Department of Revenue focused on it, and they told the legislature they thought it should be taxable, and that forced our hand. We had to try and do something because if you apply Florida sales tax to each side of a timeshare exchange, by our calculation applying the fair-market rental value of a week of timeshare as the tax base, it would have added about $160 to each side of a Florida timeshare exchange and that would have had an tremendously negative effect on our business as well.

It seems a lot of what you do is fight against municipalities and states that seek to draw revenue from timeshare because their constituents aren’t necessarily the timeshare owners.
I think that’s very insightful. As Howard Nusbaum, ARDA’s CEO, likes to say, their attitude is “Tax the tourist, not the
voter.” But the reality is that many of their constituents do own timeshare. One of the most effective things that we do as ARDA is Jason Gamel – vice president of state affairs for ARDA, our lead state lobbyist, and a former Baker lawyer who also is a protégé – spending time with legislators or council members to make them understand just how many of their constituents own timeshare. This isn’t just about taxing the non-resident, non-voting tourist. And that’s a very big part of our revenue-protection strategy, if you will, because every state is trying to get more revenue and they look at a luxury product like timeshare and say it’s ripe for taxation. We say, you’re not just taxing the tourist, you’re also taxing your constituents – but it isn’t even that.

We already pay more than our fair share of tax. We pay very high property taxes in most states because we get taxed in
many cases on more than just the bricks and mortar – the value of property – and we pay sales and use taxes, and transient occupancy taxes when we rent timeshares. We pay state income taxes as developers, employment taxes and workman’s comp, and just about everything else you can think of. So, ARDA does financial impact studies that show states and municipalities how much they got from timeshare over the past few years through all these different taxes.

And when you combine that with how big of an employer the industry is and the fact that while, yes, most timeshare users are tourists, you should welcome us, local government, because we don’t use your schools, thank God we don’t use your hospitals very often, and we’re paying taxes to support your local infrastructures – so instead of overtaxing us, you really should encourage us.

It’s a very, very powerful and effective message.

Switching gears, let’s talk about your year with Island One in 2000. Why did you do that, and why
did you go back?
Deb Linden, who is like a sister to me – I like to tell people she’s my oldest client – is a beautiful woman and a very capable and tough CEO, I believe the only female CEO of a major timeshare developer (I hope I’m not insulting anybody by forgetting someone). Deb came to me in the last quarter of 1999 – I knew she was raising equity to really grow her company – and she said she needed somebody like me.

I’d been practicing for 20 years at the time and had been her lawyer for most of that time and knew her company very well. Deb told me she could really use my help in house, and told her I wasn’t going to be a general counsel, but I sort of half-kiddingly said I might do it if I became president of Island One. And she said she’d be willing to do that. So I sadly said goodbye to Baker Hostetler, but I was moving on to a new phase in my career and I was going to put my money where my mouth was. Within 30 days after I started, Island One had a licensing arrangement with Carlson Company to use the Radisson Vacation Villas brand for a new project. We made a deal with Ron Jon Resorts in Cocoa Beach to put the Ron Jon brand on our existing product that we couldn’t put a Radisson brand on. I was deep into talks with two different developers to acquire them. It was all so exciting.

And then I learned the meaning of business risk when two bankruptcies happened within 30 days of each other and suddenly the people that were getting ready to write us big checks – many millions of dollars – weren’t willing to do it anymore. They didn’t understand these bankruptcies, they didn’t understand what they said about the stability or lack thereof of the timeshare industry. One of the bankruptcies was Sunterra, which as you remember was a venture-capital rollup of several different timeshare companies. It was a good company, but they had systems and people that didn’t really talk to each other – it was like putting different pieces of Play-Dough together and unfortunately it came apart early in my term as president of Island One.

But the even greater blow was 30 days after that our lender, Finova, went bankrupt. We were trying to raise equity and the primary source of the debt we had lined up was from Finova. Their timeshare portfolio performed beautifully, but it was only 15% of their overall lending portfolio and they wrote off an $800+ million health care loan and they couldn’t survive. So we couldn’t raise equity because these bankruptcies had shaken the capital market’s confidence in timeshare, our committed debt was no longer available and we were scrambling to get new debt. Suddenly the harsh light of business-risk reality hit me right in the face.

I had walked away from one of the most exciting law practices in the country. I’m glad I did it, make no mistake. But lawyers are notoriously risk-averse and suddenly I realized exactly how far I had moved outside that safe little cocoon that lawyers almost by definition tend to practice in. Frankly it was a hard lesson; it cost me a lot of money and it took me a long time to rebuild my practice.

But the lessons that I learned, both at Island One and coming back to Baker and reestablishing myself, made me a much better lawyer than I was before, simply because I understood business risk better, and now my advice means more to my clients as a result of that experience, being able to leaven an academic lawyer’s view of risk with somebody who went out there and did it and took it in the shorts.

But you know what? Honestly, I would do it again. I have every confidence in Deb Linden and Island One is a great company. Sulyn Stumbras, the president of Island One’s management company, is one of the best managers in the timeshare business. I’m glad I had the guts to try it. I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but I have no regrets.

And you were able to go back to Baker Hostetler – so you could go home again, so to speak?
It’s funny you say that – Thomas Wolfe was right: You really can never go home. However, I was welcomed back at Baker Hostetler and encouraged to go out and create new business and get back into my mentoring mode. That made sense to me; it just took me a while to rebuild my practice. So here I am, 10 years later, older and wiser: boy, did I learn a lot.

ResortCom International, the pioneer in providing servicing solutions in the Shared Ownership Industry has received a trio of varied awards for excellence in the past month.

The company was named one of San Diego’s Healthiest Employers in 2010 by the San Diego Business Journal.  According to Sara Radigan, Manager of Human Resources for the international firm headquartered in San Diego, “we were honored to have been nominated for this prestigious award.  It acknowledges ResortCom for our commitment to develop strong workplace wellness programs and for making wellness a priority for our employees.”

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The annual ARDA meeting serves as a barometer for the overall health and general outlook for the shared ownership industry – and this year’s report is a good one. More than 2,500 timeshare industry professionals gathered in Las Vegas for the 2010 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention and Exposition, held March 14 through March 18, 2010 at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino.

The mood, for the most part, was cautiously optimistic. It seems that most companies are doing better than they were
last year at this time – some much better – and there’s a consensus that the economy is improving, financing is becoming more readily available again, and our industry is poised to once again make great strides (perhaps not in 2010, but within the next two to five years).

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The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and the National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA), have announced a year-long campaign to help educate consumers about timeshare vacations. The first initiative answers ten of the most frequently asked questions.

As a first step, ARDA and NTOA contacted consumers to gauge the level of understanding of timeshare vacations, and the data unveiled a need for clarification and education about the industry. As a result, a Top Ten Questions list is available on both associations’ web sites, along with detailed answers.

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The ARDYs showcase outstanding accomplishments among individuals, teams, resorts and companies in a variety of categories.  Tapestry Resorts had two silver finalists in management and administration: Janeth Olachea, general manger of the Park Plaza in Park City, Utah, and Jennifer Laboy, a front desk agent at Club Cala Resort in Boqueron, Puerto Rico.

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The Absolute World Group, Asia’s leading lifestyle property developer, resorts and hotels operator, fractional ownership and vacation club pioneers, have collected their latest international award from the highly respected American Resort Development Association.

The ARDA Awards Program is organized by the American Resort Development Association and is committed to recognizing the best nominees submitted in areas that include overall professional excellence, outstanding sales accomplishments, product design, advertising, and staff.

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The software has been developed by industry veteran Mike Pnematicatos who recently celebrated 25 years in the vacation ownership industry as a resort developer and product innovator. Mike said “as an experienced timeshare and fractional developer, I bring considerable knowledge and expertise to the development of this software. I understand the challenges facing resorts and businesses in the industry today”.

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CustomerCount©, in partnership with the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) and Triton Timeshare Software has launched a survey to ascertain the resort industry’s property management commitment and direction when it comes to Green Initiatives.  The survey which was emailed to over 18, 000  hospitality professionals has provided some initial results, according to  Bob Kobek, President of Mobius Vendor Partners’ creator of the CustomerCount feedback system.

Preliminary tabulations from the real time, online feedback provided by the CustomerCount survey show that  when it comes to “going green”  at their resorts, 80% of those participating are concentrating on water conservation, particularly in the area of internal plumbing, as well as refurbishing showers and toilets to become more water efficient.  Nearly as high on the list of green efforts was trash recycling; according to the cross tabulation report, only 20% of resorts responding were not recycling their trash. Among those who have been, most definitely separated paper and cardboard from the balance of their trash.  Only 67% responded they separated the aluminum.

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As part of the company’s OrangeWeb package, the new web-based modules continue to leverage SPI’s Microsoft.NET technology platform. The latest modules to be announced will provide Web-based functionality that assist timeshare resorts to handle owner servicing, reservations, marketing and sales.

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