EVENT REMINDER: ATHOC Annual Conference – 13 - 15th September 2009

The ATHOC Annual Conference will be held from the 13th to the 15th September at the Courtyard Marriott in Surfers Paradise. More information to follow soon. The conference committee is meeting this week to discuss different alternatives for the September event. If there is something specific you would like to see, let us know as soon as possible.

HOME GROWN: Bushfire Casualties

It has been a particularly bad time for Victoria with the horrendous fires that have been raging. Kerami Gardens Resort at Maryville was unfortunately caught and has been burnt to the ground. We are relieved to say that no staff or guests at the resort were injured.

The ATHOC Foundation is currently looking at a way to help the children of the resort staff. Once we have more details we will let you know what wonderful things your Industry Foundation is doing.

HOME GROWN: Victorian Bushfire Member Appeal  

Accor Vacation Club Members have rallied to the assistance of the Victorian bushfire victims with an impressive donation of 163,000 points and cleaning allocations. This uplifting contribution, a response to an Accor Vacation Club initiative, is going to help other Members families living in the affected regions of Grand Mercure Pinnacle Valley near Mt Buller, and Grand Mercure Forest Resort near Daylesford. This will provide accommodation for Members directly affected by the bushfires, and a much needed break before they start the process of rebuilding their lives and homes. We know that Accor Vacation Club are not the only club who are doing great things, so please let us know what your company has done so that we can tell everyone how wonderful you are.

HOME GROWN: All in the name of charity

What a great day. With over 136 on the field, the weather was perfect and the course at Lakelands even better.

Once again the timeshare industry has dug deep in the name of children’s charities, holding its annual golf charity tournament  at Lakelands Golf Club of Friday February 27th 2009.

Layne Beachly (7 times world Championship surfer) along with fiancé Kirk Pengilly from INXS teed off with the heavyweights of the industry their suppliers and business partners.  Ernie Dingo – whilst professing not to play good golf, took a swing in the name of raising funds for the Gold Coast kids less fortunate.

Some of this year monies raised from the ATHOC (Australian Timeshare & Holiday Ownership Council)  Golf Open raffle will buy 2 Leckey Horizon Standers for a 16 year old  girl who has Cerebral Palsy  and a 10 year old boy who has Cerebellar Hypoplasia, at a cost of approx $8,500 each. Other funds will be distriubuted to children of staff who worked at Kerami Gardens Resort which was burnt to the ground in the Maryville fires.

A special thanks to the Platinum Sponsors: Accor Vacation Club; Classic Group; Group RCI; Interval International; Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific. We will let you know the final tally in the next issue of Industry Whispers.

HOME GROWN: A new pair of jocks!

Long before the people of Australia turned out their pockets and so generously supported the survivors of the Victorian bushfire disaster, the team at WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham Ballarat had seen an opportunity to help “those lucky enough to find themselves only homeless” from the fires.

Whilst the full irony of this statement, made just two days into the ordeal, would only come to light in subsequent weeks, the sentiment behind it was completely admirable. As we now all know, the speed and ferocity of the fires had, even by day two, rendered hundreds of survivors homeless with nothing more than the clothes on their back.

“I found out that these people were in urgent need of the absolute basics like toiletries and knickers”, said WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham Ballarat General Manager, Nola Daniel. “If we could get something together by 1.00pm [Monday – day 3] they would have them that night. We did a whip around the resort and our neighbourhood to raise the cash to go out and buy as many pairs of knickers to fit males and females, of all shapes and sizes, big and small, and get them into a car for distribution.”

Over the course of the day, the knickers appeal grew to include packages of soap, shampoo and conditioner, shaving kits and even toothbrushes. “We were able to supply 367 pairs of assorted knickers, Y-fronts included, to the Uniting Church who distributed them from a truck that night.”

Four weeks on, and with more than $121 million in donations received and countless other appeals still collecting for the survivors, the swift response of WorldMark Resort Ballarat could easily be overlooked, but whilst those who received the clean knickers will probably never know where they came from, Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific is incredibly proud of the initiative and drive the WorldMark Resort Ballarat team showed.

WORLD AROUND US: Sharetime from TATOC

Today sees the launch of the TATOC magazine aptly named “ SHARETIME” . The production of this “glossy” quarterly magazine is a first for the Association.

“In line with our strategy that we launched last year, this is another goal that we set our selves and we are proud of this particular achievement “ said Harry Taylor CEO of TATOC . “Today, more than ever, communication is of paramount importance,” went on Harry “and along side the new website and the help lines, the magazine is the third strata of contact not only with our members but also the industry and consumers”

The magazine is available to members and will also shortly be on the website and available to a wider audience. Articles will be a mixture of regular features such as legislation, resort and industry news, as well as feature articles of particular interest to the membership..

David Eastburn, the chairman of TATOC stated that “One of our objectives at TATOC is vigorously to promote the positive image of timeshare through all communication channels. This first edition of “SHARETIME” is another positive way that we can assist consumers and members alike and also improve the perception of the industry”. 

WORLD AROUND US: New Owners Perspective Magazine launched

The first issue of Owners Perspective, the new monthly magazine for existing timeshare and fractional owners and prospective buyers, is out now. 

The launch in January follows a successful five-month trial period during which content could be read for free online at www.ownersperspective.com, receiving very positive feedback from owners.

“It was demand from owners what gave us the idea for the magazine,” said Paul Mattimoe, CEO, Perspective International. “There was just nothing out there for them, and we saw a huge potential in creating a magazine for timeshare and fractional owners, and for the public in general.”

The new magazine had already reached 10,700 subscriptions, even before its official launch in January. A free online version, with many other interactive features, is also available. (OTE Volume 9)

WORLD AROUND US: Southern Africa Timeshare Association renames

The Timeshare Institute of Southern Africa (TISA), the only self-regulatory body for the timeshare industry in the region, has relaunched as the Vacation Ownership Association of Southern Africa (VOASA).

The new name aims to encompass the increasing range of products that make up the shared vacation ownership industry in Southern Africa, including fractional ownership and destination and private residency clubs. A new Fractional Ownership category, launched recently, will have proportionate representation on the VOASA Board.

As well as the new name and logo, 2009 will also see the first VOASA annual industry conference, which will take place from 24th to 26th May at the Southern Sun Grayston Hotel in Johannesburg. A new website, www.voasa.co.za, is also being finalised and will go live later this month.

Members can also expect to see a new draft of the industry Code of Conduct in response to new legislation such as the Consumer Protection Bill, which presents new challenges for the timeshare industry.

VOASA currently has around 200 members covering all aspects of the timeshare industry, from developers to managing agents. The association saw a 10% increase in membership during 2008 and expects that the new brand will help attract further applications. (OTE Volume 9)

WORLD AROUND US: Starwood renews affiliation with Interval

Interval International and Starwood Vacation Ownership have renewed their multi-year affiliation.

The agreement, originally signed in 2000, covers 20 existing resorts under the prestigious Westin and Sheraton brands, as well as properties constructed during the term of the deal.

Sergio Rivera, chief executive officer of Starwood Vacation Ownership, recognised Interval International as a key strategic partner. “It’s important to be affiliated with a great exchange company that has an entire roster of what we believe are comparable developers, and in turn, comparable resorts,” he said.

“For companies like Starwood, the idea of comparable properties is extremely important,” added Craig M. Nash, chairman and CEO of Interval Leisure Group. “That’s why we remain focused on expanding our high-quality global exchange system to offer owners the most memorable vacation experiences possible.” (OTE Volume 9)

WORLD AROUND US: Registry collection adds three fractional properties in France

The Registry Collection, the luxury exchange programme offered by Group RCI, has announced a new affiliation with French luxury resort company Avenio Prieurẻ, adding three properties in Provence to its 100-plus portfolio.

The three properties will be developed on the sites of existing boutique hotels, run under the Les Maisons de Baumaniẻre luxury hotel brand, and sold in fractional use periods. They will be managed by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Andrẻ Charial, famous for his restaurant Oustau de Baumaniẻre in Baux de Provence.
       
Each property will have 24 residential two- and three-bedroom apartments, plus access to the hotel facilities, spas and Michelin-starred restaurants. The average price for a six-week use period in a two bedroom apartment is estimated around €180,000. (OTE Volume 9)

WORLD AROUND US: Is your phone ringing?

Imagine if you received a phone call and was told that you had just won US$25,000! It took three separate attempts to finally contact the winners, but fortunately on the third occasion Accor Vacation Club’s Operation Manager - Asia, Muty Moersjid was able to get through to tell Mr Sunatha L.A and Mrs Wiwi Sunjon they had won US$25,000 courtesy of the Indonesian Trade Promotion. The winning family then hot-footed it over to visit the Asia based Accor Vacation Club’s offices at the Novotel Bali Nusa Dua to collect their cheque in front of a group of local media.

WORLD AROUND US: Flooded with help - Worldmark South Pacific - Fiji

It’s what makes us human – coming together in times of tragedy, helping those who have lost something irreplaceable and restoring hope. 

Fiji’s January floods, the worst in recorded history, saw many of the country’s villages and much of its infrastructure, washed away. But in true testament to the people of Fiji, their spirit soon overcame the devastation.

Given that so many of our staff put their own lives on-hold to ensure our Owners were looked after during the ordeal, it’s only natural that Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific would return the favour.

“Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific stepped up to the plate and made sure that the impact of this disaster on staff who had lost everything was reduced, by purchasing flood relief packages and covering the cost of schools uniforms and school books,” said WorldMark South Pacific Club by Wyndham Denarau Island General Manager, Glenn Daniels.

Owners also lent a helping hand, “One family in particular visited our local village and brought bags of supplies that they had purchased.”

Four weeks on and the waters have dispersed, roads have been rebuilt and Fijians and guests alike are still unified in their efforts to not only rebuild homes, but also restore lives. “The floods for me personally were quite humbling. I witnessed the willingness of staff and Owners to help each other in times of need on a daily basis,” said Glenn.