Company starts “timeshare” for pets

Um . . . well . . . OK. Why not?
By CONNIE BLOOM
McCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

Delaware company Flexpetz has introduced its Flexible Dog Ownership program in Los Angeles and San Diego.

Now, the company says, people can time-share a pooch, a small dog for a pocketbook shopping trip or a luxurious Afghan hound for an afternoon at the park.

“Our members realize that their busy work, family or travel schedules make full-time ownership unfair to a dog,” said Marlena Cervantes, company president and innovator. “A Flexpetz membership enables them to become part of each Flexpetz dog’s extended family.” [more]

Holiday Group Timeshare Webinar Gains Recognition

Earns American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Award Nomination
By: PR Newswire
Apr. 24, 2007 12:00 PM
SEATTLE, April 24 /PRNewswire/ — Holiday Group is pleased to announce that its historic Timeshare Basics Webinar (http://www.holidaygroup.com/webinar) earned a 2007 ARDA (http://www.arda.org/) finalist award nomination for Interactive Internet Advertising.

Webinars are virtual seminars that can be accessed from anywhere via the Internet. In its ongoing efforts to educate consumers about timesharing, Holiday’s webinar addressed such topics as online research, selecting the best family timeshares, getting the best exchange value, and the benefits of buying resale versus retail.

Gail Bennet, a ten-year professional in the timesharing industry and Holiday’s Director of Sales, conducted the seminar. “The turnout was phenomenal,” Bennett said. “It was refreshing to see so many people being proactive in their desire to learn about timesharing. People are savvier today about doing their own research, and webinars allow them to do so on their own terms.”

On Wednesday, March 28, leaders in the timeshare industry met at the annual ARDA convention in Orlando, Florida to recognize companies that have demonstrated excellence in the timeshare and vacation industry. Holiday’s webinar received a finalist nomination for “Interactive Internet Advertising.”

“This year’s awards program was very competitive,” said Holiday President, David Skinner, “and just being nominated was an honor in and of itself. To be considered a finalist was even better.”

As a result of the success of the webinar, Holiday is planning future webinars that will include other members of the timesharing industry, including Lisa Schreier, author of “Timesharing for Dummies,” the Timeshare User’s Group (TUG), and Timesharing Today magazine. Future webinars will provide virtual, interactive seminars to educate and inform consumers about timesharing. Participants will be able to login from their computers, at home or otherwise. The webinars will be open to both current timeshare owners as well as prospective owners.

For more information on Holiday’s webinar, please visit http://www.holidaygroup.com/webinar .

Contact: Geoff Klein (800) 597-9345 geoff@holidaygroup.com

About Holiday Group: Holiday’s online timeshare business connects thousands of vacation buyers with discount timeshares every year. Founded in 1992, Holiday was one of the first timeshare companies to host a comprehensive Web site. Holiday is headquartered in sunny Seattle. For more information, please visit http://www.holidaygroup.com/.
Source: http://www.sys-con.com/read/365933.htm

Interval International Announces New Resort Recognition Program

From the StreetTalkBlog:
MIAMI: Interval International has announced the introduction of its new resort recognition program designed to showcase the quality of vacation properties in its network. The multi-tiered program incorporates refined recognition criteria and takes into account recent trends in vacation ownership products.

PricewaterhouseCoopers’ U.S. Hospitality & Leisure Practice was engaged to assist Interval in the development of the program, which has occurred over the past 18 months. [more]

What’s the Perfect Vacation?

Everybody needs a vacation, but not everybody wants to go to Las Vegas or the beach! A new study reveals what people want in an ideal vacation and where their current vacations are falling short.
So, what is the ideal vacation trip? The report found that overall, rest and relaxation and spending time with significant others are the most important attributes of an ideal vacation trip. Vacation travelers would like to travel more by plane and by ship and, not surprisingly, would like to double the length of their average trip. [more]
It’s no surprise that we all could use a vacation now and then. It’s also no surprise that 80% of all timeshare owners express satisfaction with their timeshares, so reports the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). And timeshare resales, which save you 60% to 80% off retail, give you a satisfying vacation at discount prices!

Hotels Shake Up Time-Share Act

LIKE many other potential time-share owners, Candace Gilbert was hooked first by the freebie. On regular visits to a Hilton hotel in Hawaii, Mrs. Gilbert and her husband, Jim, were offered resort credits for attending sales presentations to buy a stake at a Hilton time-share property.

“We started doing that in 2000, just for the free meal,” Mrs. Gilbert said.

At the time, the couple, who are from Austin, Tex., were considering buying a vacation home in Hawaii. But after looking for a while, Mr. Gilbert, who is 65 and retired, decided he didn’t want the headaches of maintaining a second home, and Mrs. Gilbert didn’t want to be stuck vacationing in the same place every year. What’s more, said Mrs. Gilbert, 53, “the houses we were looking at were a million-plus and they weren’t even on the beach.”

So last June, armed with knowledge gleaned from attending numerous time-share pitches over the years, the Gilberts bought a two-week share at a Hilton property on the Big Island of Hawaii. A few weeks ago, they bought another week at a yet-to-be-completed Hilton resort on Oahu.

As the prices of second homes move out of reach for many Americans, older couples like the Gilberts are buying time shares as an alternative. Baby boomers account for about half of time-share buyers, according to the American Resort Development Association, a trade group in Washington. [more]
(Hat Tip: ARDA Newsbriefs)

Have a question about timeshare? Visit our Timeshare FAQ page. 

Also, if you’d like to hear about how the baby boomers will soon revolutionize the travel and leisure industries, don’t miss Holiday President David Skinner’s groundbreaking presentation, “Dawn of a New Age.” You can view it here.

LifeTips.com Offers New Timeshare Tips Web Page

Buying a Timeshare Resale

When buying a resale or pre-owned timeshare they can usually be bought at a fraction of the cost of a new unit. However, make sure you do not just the “math” but the entire “homework” as well. Check the unit out well so you will not be surprised by unusual upcoming maintenance costs. Understanding all of the variables and your rights as a timeshare owner will give you more self-confidence while negotiating for the desired property…. [more]
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Speaking of timeshare resales, did you know that Holiday has an unparalleled selection of timeshares available at hundreds of exciting vacation destinations–with prices starting at 60% to 80% below retail? Browse our selection today!

Interval International releases 2006 U.S. Membership Profile

Miami, FL, April 2, 2007- Interval International, a leading global vacation exchange company and operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today released the findings of its 2006 U.S. Membership Profile. The research, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2006 by Simmons, an Experian Company, confirms that Interval’s U.S. timeshare-owning members are avid leisure travelers who plan their vacations well in advance and seek out a wide range of activities at those destinations. The new report, which expands upon previous research conducted in 2003, reveals in-depth information about the travel habits, preferences, and demographic characteristics of Interval’s members. [more]