Great news for all as the Northern Awards are now the Australian Timeshare National Awards and open to all members.

Nomination information will be sent out shortly and we encourage you to enter your staff as to be nominated gives staff more confidence and helps make them feel good about their role within your organisation.

For staff who are not based in the Gold Coast area, judging will be completed over the phone. We’d also like to point out that one of last years awards winner from Interval International was interviewed by phone from New Zealand.

The awards presentation will take place on the Gold Coast on July 25, 2008.

Following a meeting with the Registrar or Titles Department of Natural Resources and Water, they have agreed to provide a search facility that will give you information on:

Name of Registered Owner
Lot on Plan Description
Title Reference
Share held by that owner.

This service will be provided once only for each scheme and does require them to co-ordinate extra programming of their system to collate the information.

If you are interested in gaining this information, please contact me for further details including the cost for this service. Do not go directly to the department as your request must have a copy of the letter that I have received from them with it. Email laura.younger@athoc.com.au

Govt declares guidelines for project approval & classification of TSRs

For five star, four star and three star categories
Tuesday, January 08, 2008 (12:00 IST) By Sabyasachi Samajdar | New Delhi

With the aim of providing standardised world class services to the tourists, the Centre has declared guidelines for project approval and classification of Time Share Resorts (TSR) in the five star, four star and three star categories.

According to the Union Ministry of Tourism, hotels and other supplementary accommodation are an integral part of a tourist's visit to a place. Vacation ownership, popularly known as Time Share, is one of the fastest growing components of tourism. TSR is increasingly becoming popular for the leisure holidays and family holidays. The Hotel & Restaurant Approval & Classification Committee (HRACC) inspects and assesses the TSR based on facilities and services offered.

Project approvals are also given in five star, four star and three star categories at the project implementation stage. Classified TSR approved projects are eligible for various concessions and facilities that are announced by the government from time to time besides, getting worldwide publicity through the India tourism offices located in India and abroad, according to official sources.

TSRs and hotels are permitted for mixed use. However, if the TSR intends to use as hotel also mixed purpose, it must provide all facilities and amenities as required for the specified star category of hotel in accordance with the guidelines.

TSRs will be used as vacation ownership. In no circumstances will apartments in TSR be sold individually for residential or any other purpose. TSRs including heritage and resorts which are the members of All India Resort Development Association (AIRDA) will be considered for classification/project approval.

The Ministry of Tourism approves TSR at project stage based on documentation, which enables the TSR to get certain benefits from the government as may be announced from time to time.

Project approvals are valid for five years. Project approvals of the Department of Tourism cease three months from the date that the TSR becomes operational even if all its rooms are not ready. The TSR must apply for classification within these three months.

TSRs will qualify for classification as heritage hotels provided a minimum 50 per cent of the floor area was built before 1935 and no substantial change has been made in the facade. Hotels, which have been classified or reclassified under heritage categories prior to the issue of the guidelines will continue under heritage categories even if they were built between 1935 and 1950, it is learnt. Article found here.

Anfi del Mar and Club La Costa are using a customised, in-house TV channel for resort properties that was launched this month. 

It is the brainchild of Tim Foster, founder of Holiday FM Resort Radio, who believes the service can help reinforce the confidence factor in clients who have purchased timeshare.

The bespoke system is also interactive, facilitating resorts to air on-screen messages.

Mr Foster believes the product provides an entertaining and subtle way of marketing a property. OTE Issue 2, January 28, 2008

Interval International is organising a special conference in Dubai that will highlight opportunities and developments in one of the industry’s fastest growing regions – the Middle East.

The Vacation Ownership Investment Conference will enable delegates to explore the current success and growth potential in timeshare development and other related products. 

It will also encourage delegates to participate in interactive sessions as well as offering networking opportunities.

This fourth annual event will be held at the Arabian Court, One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai 11 and 12 March 2008. For more information go to the website.

The conference is designed to appeal to senior executives responsible for strategic growth and business development initiatives. Over a hundred CEO’s, owners and other top executives from 15 countries attended last year’s event.

According to Interval, this year’s conference focuses on the fundamentals of the industry and its potential for developers, hotel companies, consumers and local economies. OTE issue 2, January 28,  2008.

An agreement with Dubai-based PKN Group to manage the holiday rental and exchange programme for the new Princess Resort has been signed with Group RCI.

Located among the Emirate’s hilly peaks, it has been designed to reflect “the glitz and glamour of a Las Vegas style experience”. The resort comprises 1,600 one- to three-bedroom apartments along with 100 villas and chalets, two five-star hotels and is set for completion by 2010.

Under the agreement Group RCI will manage over 500 units within the PKN holiday exchange programme. OTE Issue 2, January 28, 2008

The QLD State Government will introduce new tax breaks for businesses which encourage staff to work as emergency service volunteers.

The scheme will see Employers exempt from payroll tax for the hours staff spent away from work serving the community with groups like the State Emergency Services and Rural Fire Services. This will come into effect as of July 1, 2008.

This brings QLD in line with payroll tax systems in NSW and Victoria.

Hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and organised in partnership with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation and the Burba Hotel Network, the Pacific Asia Travel Association ‘CEO Challenge - Confronting Climate Change’ will take place in Bangkok from 29 to 30 April 2008. The forum will challenge influential travel and tourism industry leaders from all sectors to agree to and sign a defining industry response to the global threat of climate change. Supporters include Sir Richard Branson and top executives from the UNWTO, Jones Lang LaSalle Asia Pacific, Accor Asia Pacific and Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts.