ARDA announces winners

Last week, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) announced the winners of the 2009 “Bring Your Vacation to Life Contest” at their vacation website.

This annual contest is launched in conjunction with the National Travel and Tourism Week in May. Participants are asked to share a memory of a timeshare vacation that touched their lives and their family’s.

This year’s winners were entitled to an American Express gift card.  The winners were Sally Lessig, Alexis MacDonald, and Tracy Dunn (respectively).

On the subject of vacations,  here’s a video featuring Howard Nusbaum, President & CEO of ARDA, talking about how Vacations makes kids smarter!

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U.S Industry updates

2009 State Legislative Roundup

If that headline interests you, please click here to the ARDA website to check out news reports & happenings at their state level legislatures.

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Dubai as a timeshare destination

Titled ‘ Dubai Timeshares, the perfect winter escape ‘ the website http://www.timesharesdaily.com reports,

Dubai timeshares are easily accessible and affordable—making them a great winter escape for British tourists.

Check it out here

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Wyndham 3rd quarter results

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation has announced results for the 3 months ended September 30, 2009.

Gross Vacation Ownership Interest (VOI) sales were $366 million for the third quarter of 2009, a 35% decline from the third quarter of 2008.  This decrease was primarily driven by the previously announced initiative to reduce the capital deployed in this business, which included sales office closures and a reduction of marketing efforts that resulted in fewer tours.

For the full report of the Press Release carried on Reuters.com, click here

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World Tourism facts & figures

Look no further than the WTO site, folks!

Did you know, for instance:

• In 2008, international tourist arrivals grew by 2% to reach 922 million, up 18 million over 2007.
• International tourism generated US$ 944 billion (€ 642 billion) in 2008, or 30% of the world’s exports of services.
• 1.6 billion forecast international tourist arrivals worldwide by 2020

For the latest info & trends, click here

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For a new perspective

Some popular articles at Perspective Magazine that are informative & eyeopening.

Check them out.

What you really need to know about Resort Development in 2009

Its a whole new game – changes in shared ownership marketing continue

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket – growing relationships between resale companies & developers

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Affluent Shared Ownership Buyer: A Market Profile

You know what they say: Better late than never.

We missed out sharing this news report with you.

Affluent leisure travelers interested in resort real estate strongly believe in the value of their vacations, as nearly nine in ten report that vacationing is important to their well-being and to the health of their personal relationships. They appreciate leisure travel experiences and activities such as spending time with family and friends, exploring unique and interesting destinations, taking part in new experiences, and setting aside time for rest and relaxation – all components that support their commitment to the concept of vacationing.

Other notable findings of the study:

• Affluent leisure travelers interested in resort real estate overwhelmingly tend to be married (93%) and White (80%) with an annual household income of $250,000 or more (52%) and a reported net worth of $1 million or more (72%).

• More than four in ten are Boomers (44 – 62 years of age) (42%) and approximately four in ten are Generation Xers (30 – 43 years of age) (37%).

• Affluent leisure travelers interested in acquiring resort real estate have taken an average of more than seven (7.4) leisure trips during the past 12 months.  Of those who took at least one trip in this category, approximately five (5.3) were to domestic destinations, whereas two in seven (3.5) were to international locales.

You can read this article here (Link Source: Hotelsmag.com)

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RCI launches green awards

Vacation exchange provider RCI has announced the launch of the RCI Going Green Award for its affiliated resorts in the Pacific.

Developed in conjunction with Griffith University in Australia, RCI’s Going Green Award is based on some of the top green certifications and awards in the tourism industry.

Full article here ( Source: Fractional Life.com)

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A twist in the tale?

Over at  Timeshare Authority.com, Jason offers an insight into how US hotel stocks are faring at current prices to 52 week lows.

Check it out. Here’s a snapshot.

Company	Closing Price as of 10/09	52-Week Low	Rise From Low
Wyndham Worldwide	17.92	2.55	603%
Host Hotels	11.43	3.08	271%
Starwood Hotels	33.26	8.99	270%
Marriott	26.80	11.88	126%

Source: Yahoo! Finance

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Attending World Cup 2010?

With the World Cup just around the corner, timeshare owners can start planning for the event.  So says http://www.gotimeshare.org here

With qualifying close to finishing, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is drawing closer and there will be a sharp rise in tourists heading to the country next year.

Timeshare owners can look to book their trip for the football feast, with one option being to stay at the Langebaan Country Club on the RCI network of resorts.

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