Here's an idea - Timeshare Childcare

What is Time share childcare?
One of the growth areas in timeshare is actually facilitating the "swapping" of times that you are supposed to use the facility.

What if you organised a website where parents log on and "buy" into childcare timesharing. Then for X weeks in a given year you host a pack of screaming kids at your place before the next person takes over at their place and so on.

You charge a membership fee and a deposit to cover a nanny if people renege on their commitment for providing the time matching service.

...there's potential...

The Chaser

technorati tags:time, share, childcare, swapping

Here's an idea - Timeshare Childcare

What is Time share childcare?
One of the growth areas in timeshare is actually facilitating the "swapping" of times that you are supposed to use the facility.

What if you organised a website where parents log on and "buy" into childcare timesharing. Then for X weeks in a given year you host a pack of screaming kids at your place before the next person takes over at their place and so on.

You charge a membership fee and a deposit to cover a nanny if people renege on their commitment for providing the time matching service.

...there's potential...

The Chaser

technorati tags:time, share, childcare, swapping

Gov’t looks at timeshare rules

By Alan Markoff. Caymanian Compass.

The Cayman Islands Government has asked the Attorney General to look into the possibilities of regulating the timeshare industry in the aftermath of the failure of Indies Suites, Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbett said.

“We certainly would like some way to protect timeshare owners in cases like [Indies Suites],” Mr. Tibbetts said.

Indies Suites failed after Hurricane Ivan because the operators were about 50 per cent underinsured and could not afford to rebuild the facility. The former timeshare owners of that property publicly called for some regulation in Cayman’s timeshare industry after they had to negotiate a compensation settlement for about 20 cents on their dollar invested.

Although Mr. Tibbetts did not get into any specific elements of regulation, the Indies Suites group had suggested at minimum timeshare operators should be required to have adequate insurance coverage to rebuild their property if destroyed.

The former Indies Suites club members would also like to see timeshare owners have a registered interest in the property. Because they were not registered, the former Indies Suites owner was able to sell the property to a third party without consulting with, or even telling the club members of the sale until months after the fact.

“There’s no protection for timeshare owners here,” said Mr. McCallum. “The laws do not allow for the subdivision of property to that extent.”

Mr. McCallum thinks it would be good for business to give timeshare owners a registered interest here.

Rod Broome, a former Indies Suites timeshare owner who represented about 230 other owners during the civil action against the former owners, was happy to see the Government respond to the issue.

“We are glad to see that the Cayman Government is finally going to act on matters related to the timeshare industry and take some action to protect the rights of timeshare owners in Cayman,” he said, adding that it is hoped any new regulations are enacted promptly.  

“While for the ex–Indies Suites club members it is too late, for the Cayman timeshare industry this would be a big boost as we believe this would be the first of its kind of action in the worldwide industry to level the playfield between timeshare resort owner/operators and resort club members.”

...this is promising news to protect timeshare owners

Cayman Islands - Cay Compass News Online - Gov’t looks at timeshare rules

technorati tags:timeshare, Cayman, Islands, Government, Vacation, Ownership, Indies, Suites, regulate, timeshare, industry, Reef, Resort, timeshare, property, Tom, McCallum

Kauai time-share firm bought by Wyndham

Wyndham Vacation Ownership Inc. has acquired privately held Pahio Resorts Inc. and Pahio Vacation Ownership Inc., both of Kauai.

Wyndham's resort portfolio now will include 12 resorts throughout the state. CEO Franz Hanning said he was "excited to accelerate our growth in Hawaii."

The company will assume property management, sales and marketing for Bali Hai Villas, Ka Eo Kai, Kauai Beach Villas and Shearwater and Makai resorts, which collectively have 20,000 owners and more than 400 vacation ownership units.

"Hawaii remains one of the most popular vacation destinations for our more than 750,000 owner families, and we look forward to introducing them to the wonderful island of Kauai," Hanning said.

Wyndham entered into an exclusive relationship with Pahio CEO David Walters to expand the Bali Hai Villas resort, adding 125 vacation ownership units and a new club house.

"Wyndham Vacation Ownership will provide Pahio with a robust platform for future growth," Walters said.

...there maybe refubishments work on the time-shares...

Kauai time-share firm bought by Wyndham - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

technorati tags:timeshare, Wyndham, Vacation, Ownership, Pahio, Resorts, Pahio, Vacation, Ownership, Kauai, Hawaii

EC prepares to act on timeshare scams

Standardisation of ‘cooling off’ periods and extension of the scope of consumer protection were among possible changes to the Timeshare Directive under discussion at a workshop held by the EC’s Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General last week.

Its ideas for changes designed to combat ‘timeshare-like scams’ have been published for consultation as part of a review of eight consumer protection directives.

’Consumers should have every confidence that they will not be taken for a ride if they opt for a timeshare formula or similar products’, said Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. ‘I want to make sure that unscrupulous traders do not take advantage of potential clients – many of whom sign up to these products after falling in love with a holiday resort’.

After strong growth in the 1970s and 1980s, the European timeshare market slowed the early 1990s with the growth in sales halving from approximately 30 per cent to 15 per cent. Since 1996 the rate of increase has dropped further and now stands at less than 5 per cent - in strong contrast to the rest of the world and in particular the 10 new EU member states and eastern Europe, the USA, north Africa, South Africa, the Middle and Far East, and Mexico, according to the EC.

European timeshare industry sales were an estimated £1.6bn in 2001, with £1.3bn being spent on new timeshare and £280m on resale timeshares. About 217,000 households acquired about 260,000 timeshare weeks, or the equivalent in points. Latest figures suggest 80,000 timeshare transactions were completed in 2005.

The EC said it receives regular complaints about timeshare, timeshare-like products and travel discount clubs. Most come from UK citizens, although it says information from other sources shows that citizens from other Member States are also significantly affected: in particular those from Germany, Sweden, Finland and, to a lesser extent, France and Italy.

Most consumer complaints relate to timeshare-like products, travel clubs and other new products developed since the Timeshare Directive was introduced, said the EC.

In reviewing current timeshare laws ‘the Commission’s key goals remain to enhance consumer and business confidence in the internal market through a high common level of consumer protection, the elimination of internal market barriers and regulatory simplification through the application of the principles of better regulation’, it said. ‘In this area this could be achieved by undertaking measures with the aim of:
• Extending the protection that consumers enjoy when purchasing classic timeshare products to the timeshare-like products and travel discount clubs;
• Ensuring appropriate protection of consumers entering into resale contracts and exchange systems;
• Harmonizing fully the consumer protection provisions throughout the EU (right of withdrawal, administration and management systems etc) where appropriate;
• Ensuring effective enforcement;
• Enabling consumers to make informed choices; and
• Enabling legitimate timeshare businesses to flourish across the EU and protect them from unfair competition’.

...this is a good move forward in protecting the consumer against timeshare scams

Fly2let - Overseas Property Investment News

technorati tags:timeshare, scams, EC, Timeshare, directive