I think the global economic uncertainty is throwing a wet blanket over what last year was a more optimistic attitude. It just doesn’t “feel” as good as it did last year. Is it just because I am in Mexico or is it a non-geographical or multi-geographical feeling?

I have heard the same things, Steve and that is what not only old timers are asking for but the newbies to the market. Nothing is forever anymore in this day and age and people are less and less willing to commit to “owning” anything “forever.” It’s not just men who are afraid of committment [...]

1.- I think some people will be doing the same things they are doing now and have always done. They are the dinosaurs and an asteroid is heading right for them. 2.- I think there will be both changes to the product and to the way it is sold/bought. Many people who own timeshare have stopped paying [...]

NO, it’s not just you! As we say in the business, “money talks and….” Google is a business and getting bigger and wider all the time. All things to all people they want to be! Many of their changes, innovations and ideas come from the competition–like Bing but when implemented by Google, they become their [...]

Good points, Dirk. On the same line as this topic, this came out in a daily newsletter today: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007821

We do both depending on the volume of the individual campaign, program or company strategy. Here are some examples of the “channels” we have where you can see many other related videos:

http://www.vimeo.com/haciendatresrios

http://www.youtube.com/tresriosonline

http://www.youtube.com/user/Yucatan4Holidays

Of course nothing takes the place of well written, creative, “photogenic,” sensual written content as a framework but I think if you really have a social media strategy as opposed to just having Facebook and Twitter accounts and/or a blog, then you have to incorporate Fickr, Vimeo, YouTube etc. etc.(depending on the region or country [...]

I agree 100% that things have to change. We may disagree on how they need to change but they do indeed need to change. My experience is that both marketing and developers have been run and controlled by sales and sales has produced the majority of the PR problems that the industry has. In my [...]

As in most everything, there are things to do before starting. Things like: 1.- Deciding if you even need a company blog in your particular business at all at this time. 2.- Should it be a personal blog “unrelated” to the business or a personal one related to the business or a stuffy professional one? [...]

1.- It is easier to change terms than to give timeshare a good reputation. RDO in Europe has campaigns going but it is really the sales department and salespeople who have control over the reputation when all is said and done. And whether Developers REALLY have control over their own sales process is debatable. 2.- [...]