What is Timeshare?

The Timeshare Beat: A Consumer's Guide to Timeshare/Vacation Ownership, and how it works: "Timeshare at its core is essentially a group of people sharing the cost of a vacation home.

The word 'timeshare' has grown over the decades to include a wide variety of vacation products and plans. Also known as 'vacation ownership' 'holiday ownership' and 'interval ownership', its umbrella covers traditional deeded timeshare ownership, fractional ownership, private residence clubs, points clubs, and more. Some would even broaden the term further to include campground memberships and the 'condo hotel' concept, in which a condo is purchased outright but the owner is only allowed to use it for a specific periods of time and it is rented by a hotel management company for the remainder of the time.

Regardless of how loosely or rigidly you choose to define the term, the basic premise of timeshare is simple. You and a group of other people share the purchase cost of a vacation accommodation, in increments of one week (or more) per year of use, thus guaranteeing your ability to use that accommodation during the period of time you choose, either for life or for a specified number of years. Accommodations range from hotel rooms to condos, from cabins to luxury houses and castles, from yachts and cruise ships to RVs and houseboats.

Owning timeshare in the traditional sense means a condominium/villa/house/hotel unit, etc. is subdivided into 52 separate units of time (52 weeks in 1 year), and usually sold to a maximum of 51 owners (leaving one week each year closed down for annual renovations and/or maintenance). Each owner would own 1/51 of the unit. Each share repesents one week of vacation. Each owner is entitled to ownership rights and privileges of the shares that they purchased.

This system makes vacation home ownership possible for many people who cannot afford a second home or who otherwise would not be able to enjoy such resort facilities."

**It is important to remember that purchasing timeshare should never be viewed as a financial investment with the expectation of gaining a profit in either reselling it or renting it to someone else. Timeshare is an investment in lifestyle, in future holidays, in family time together, and when viewed that way it can be a good investment indeed.

Timeshare is 'next growth sector', say tourism leaders

Timeshare is 'next growth sector', say tourism leaders | Interval International: "Timeshare is 'next growth sector', say tourism leaders
The fledgling timeshare industry in the Middle East has been tipped as the 'next hot sector for growth' by tourism leaders.

Vacation ownership, hotel apartments and other timeshare options have been tipped as the new wave of the future by speakers at the recent Arabian Hotel Investment Conference.

According to David Clifton, Interval International's managing director Europe, Middle East and Africa, the development of a healthy and well-legislated timeshare sector in Arabia will pay dividends across the board, right down to increasing average duration of stay.

'The consumer holiday profile here is focused on family travel, long stays and loyalty to key destinations, as well as a need for accommodation units larger than just a standard hotel room, so vacation ownership fits the bill perfectly,' said Clifton.

'In addition, timeshare can help drive the average stay up to seven nights or longer - Dubai is currently hovering around two days only - which is essential for the ongoing development of the tourism sector.'

Statistically, more than seven million people worldwide own timeshare at around 6,000 resorts in 95 countries, and industry sales volumes now exceed US$10 billion annually.

Clifton explained: 'With all the major luxury hotel brands expanding their presence in the region, there will be tremendous choice and fierce competition to win customer loyalty - and vacation ownership is a proven mainstream hospitality product that offer loyal high-spending consumers that return again and again to a destination.'

Interval International has been working with the government and key industry professionals to create a sound regulatory platform that provides consumer protection and allows legitimate businesses the ability to grow, and was involved in the recent timeshare awareness and best practice seminar, organised by Dubai's Department of Economic Development.

'The perception of the timeshare industry is improving rapidly and consumer owners at resorts developed by leading hospitality brands, as well as independents, have judged the product for themselves,' said Clifton.

'Globally, timeshare is booming, recording double-digit annual growth during the past 20 years, helped by effective legislation as well as the entry in to the sector of named hotel and leisure brands.'

A leading global timeshare exchange company‚ Interval International is opening a Gulf sales office in Dubai, based at the Dubai Airport Free Zone, which will work with developers to expand the number of Middle East resorts and destinations available to members.

The company, which launched in 1976 and has a global network of more than 2,000 resorts in 76 countries, already operates a sales and membership office in Egypt and has affiliated resorts in that country and Lebanon, and has also signed a deal with The Royal Club at The Palm, Dubai."

The future looks positive...stay tuned folks...

Did you know about Boat Timeshares?

ArticleCity.com - Boat Timeshares - A Unique Vacationing Experience: "Boat Timeshares - A Unique Vacationing Experience
by: Dana Sanders

If you’ve dreamed of sailing the seven seas, but don’t necessarily have the bank account to buy a luxury vessel, don’t despair. There are ways to make that dream happen without breaking your bank.

Boat timeshares offer a unique vacationing experience for almost any budget. By getting involved in a timeshare, you have the right to use that luxury vessel to make your dreams come true, but you alone are not solely responsible for all the expenses. Timeshares provide an excellent way for someone not willing or able to take on the expense of purchasing a great vacationing boat themselves to still experience the adventure of life on the water.

Basically, a boat timeshare offers a sailor a chance to buy into a piece of a boat for a season. Similar to a yacht club, but without all the expenses of owning your own yacht, these programs lets sailors sail minus the headaches. Some programs allow members to purchase blocks of time over the course of a sailing season to use a boat. Many programs work by giving several “skippers” the same boat during the sailing season. These skippers book multiple sail times, show up, sail, have a blast and return the boat for the next skipper to take over."

aye aye captain...

Timesharing Without Owning A Timeshare

ArticleCity.com - Timesharing Without Owning A Timeshare: "Timesharing Without Owning A Timeshare
by: Dana Sanders

If you’re dreaming of a unique vacation experience, but don’t have a budget to cover outrageous hotel expenses, or to even purchase a timeshare yourself, there are ways to take advantage of the great deals offered by timeshare owners without actually becoming one yourself.

If vacationing is on your mind, but spending a lot of money isn’t, timesharing without owning a timeshare might be a great way to see a new part of the world without breaking your bank. To learn more about timeshare rentals and the unique vacation opportunities they provide, just log on to the Internet and visit locations such as http://www.atimesharesz.com/timesharecondorentals to do a thorough search and decide what is the best location for you and your family to enjoy."

Try before you buy...