Mauritius has a number of events for timeshare owners to enjoy.

There are plenty of reasons for timeshare owners to make their way over to Mauritius, especially now that efforts are being made to bring more events to the island.

According to Adam Hanmer, sales and marketing manager for UK & Ireland at the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), work is being done to bring some sports events to the destination.

He pointed to one event that is already held on the island, the Festival International Kreol, which is particularly popular and will be taking place between November 28th and December 6th.

This year's festival will see singers, dancers and musicians come together, while speakers of the Creole family will appear.

Prime minister of Mauritius Dr Navin Ramgoolam and Xavier Luc Duval, vice-prime minister and minister of tourism, leisure and external communications, traditionally inaugurate the event.

Over in the Naiade resorts there are a number of sporting events ready to go, including a triathlon, Mr Hanmer said.

Around 107,000 Brits make their way over to Mauritius every year, making it an especially important market.

There is a lot to enjoy in South Africa, such as safaris and other nature activities.

South Africa offers timeshare owners considerable diversity and its strong currency now means the destination is value for money as well.

Anton De Wit, reservations manager at Rhino Africa, went as far to say that you can find the world in one country.

He pointed to Cape Town, stating that it is similar to Barcelona, while the South African city is now seeing 30 new hotels being built and infrastructure is being upgraded.

Nature loving timeshare owners can have a top time in South Africa, with safaris on offer, and travelsupermarket.com recently noted that the country is one of the most popular destinations to enjoy some whale or dolphin watching.

The website pointed to a number of other popular areas to enjoy this activity, including California, New England coast, Norway, Iceland and Gibraltar.

Swimming with dolphins, meanwhile, is very popular in Florida, the Bahamas and Australia.

Interval International, an RDO Exchange Member, has numerous timeshare properties in South Africa, including SunSwop at Sabi River Sun.

On the banks of the tranquil Sabi River, the chalets at Sabi River Sun Resort offer comfortable accommodations with air conditioning and satellite television. The property boasts an 18-hole golf course, bowling green, squash court, volleyball court, jogging trail, swimming pools, and floodlit tennis courts. For the less energetic, there are nature walks, bird-watching, sightings of the resident crocodiles or hippos, sightseeing tours, or just relaxing next to the river.

There are said to be plenty of top shopping opportunities for timeshare owners to enjoy in Prague.

Timeshare owners will most likely be thinking about where to make their Christmas purchases and it has been said that Prague has much to offer.

Indeed, according to Post Office Travel Services, the Czech Republic capital is the cheapest destination for Christmas shopping.

The Post Office research looked at the price of a basket of eight typical Christmas gifts and found that Prague was nine per cent cheaper than Paris for the same items.

A spokesperson for CzechTourism, the Czech Tourist Authority, recommended visitors make their way to the fashion designers boutiques in Prague, including Hana Stocklassovab and Tatiana Kovarikova.

The most famous shopping street in the city is Parizska, where luxury goods can be found, while Christmas markets are also beautiful places for timeshare owners to visit.

Interval International has a number of resorts in its network across Europe, including one located in Prague - Club Resort La Boheme. This intimate resort is just a short distance from Wenceslas Square and Prague's historical centre.

Timeshare owners have been told that the merger of Iberia and British Airways (BA) would benefit them and other customers.

According to the airlines, timeshare owners will be offered improved flight frequencies and connections, as well as more competitive prices, access to additional VIP lounges and improved frequent flyer benefits.

Antonio Vazquez, chairman and chief executive officer of Iberia, said that the merged organisation will be one of the most important airlines on the face of the planet.

Willie Walsh, BA's chief executive, will lead the newly-formed business if it is given the green light, along with a management team chosen equally from the airlines.

Regulatory approval is still needed for the deal to go ahead, while confirmation is also required from the Spanish and UK Civil Aviation Authorities, among other conditions.

Frances Tuke, spokesperson for ABTA - The Travel Association, has said that the deal will be positive for customers because of the strength of a combined airline.

The number of European travellers, including timeshare owners, heading over to winter sun destinations such as Malta, is on the increase.

Malta is fast becoming an attractive destination for European travellers and timeshare owners hoping to escape the winter sun, says the Malta Tourism Authority.

Figures show that a number of UK tour operators have added Malta and Gozo to their brochures for 2009/10 and Ryanair, BMI Baby and Air Malta are all adding regional routes from the UK to the Mediterranean island next year.

Alex Incorvaja, UK and Ireland director of the Malta Tourism Authority, explained that the hot weather, warm waters and short flying time makes Malta a great destination to escape the winter.

He added that Malta was recently voted as one of the top dive destinations in the Mediterranean.

A number of different activities have attracted tourists into the country, including the Isle of MTV concert in the summer, the Rolex Middle Sea Race in October, as well as diving, rock climbing and other sports activities.

Statistics from On the Beach found that more and more Europeans are extending their winter sun holidays this year with the average stay up to nine nights compared to seven nights in 2008.

RDO member Golden Sands has resorts in Malta.

The Royal Club at Bonnington Tower in Dubai—a renowned timeshare community—is now part of the Interval International network of timeshares.

Interval International already has several Royal Club affiliate and the one in Bonnington tower is the latest to join.

The Bonnington Tower is 40-stories of five-star luxury, featuring 30 spacious and elegantly furnished bedroom apartments and timeshare condos. It has six on-site restaurants and bars and a 24-hour concierge service. It even has a salon and a fitness center. Plus, it is conveniently located near the airport.

“Interval International has worked with Royal Club in Dubai and its marketing partner for many years, and we’ve developed a relationship based on shared respect for quality product and service excellence,” explained David Clifton, managing director of Interval International timeshare exchange. “We have no doubt that the Royal Club at Bonnington Tower will be as valuable an addition to our network as the two other Royal Club resorts—Royal Club at Downtown Dubai and Royal Club at Palm, Jumeirah—have been.”

Interval International is a renowned leader in the timeshare exchange industry. The company currently has more than 2,000 timeshare resorts across 75 countries in its extensive network.

Owen Perry, a partner in the highly successful “The Villa Group," has announced a number of updates in its Loreto, Baja Sur, Mexico projects.

Scheduled for a mid-November opening will be the Hotel Santa Fe, a 125-room hotel in downtown Loreto; its sister property, also owned by The Villa Group, is located in Cabo San Lucas. The Hotel Santa Fe is located at the entrance of the town of Loreto next to the famous "Domingo's" restaurant.

The downtown area of the resort town has been completely renovated. The government of Mexico has redone both the streets and the Malacone area. In addition, a new passenger terminal has opened which gives Loreto's international airport state-of–the-art facilities.

The new five-star Villa Del Palmar-Loreto is under construction full speed. Perry says The Villa Group has “saved close to 40 percent from our original construction budget due to the low construction material and labor costs.” The new resort will open in October 2010. It is set with unobstructed views of the Sea of Cortez and Danzante Island; it is situated on a pristine mile-long sandy beach. Villa Del Palmar-Loreto includes a 40,000-square-foot, world-class spa and a variety of restaurants with casual snack to elegant dining experiences.

The property, themed as eco-friendly, is designed so the colors of the property blend into the natural scenery; low-density lights allow the stars themselves to be the show at night. The property will be the largest of all The Villa Group’s properties (161 one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas) whose guests will enjoy a large common area and pools. The main pool with be shaped like a turtle. From high up it will actually resemble and look like a large turtle, with its “legs” creating the outline for smaller pools which cascade into the larger sunken pool creating a waterfall effect.

Perry says the group has US$60 million invested in Loreto and is strongly committed to the location. Loreto is located on the east coast of the Baja California Peninsula facing the Sea of Cortez in the largest protected sea park in the world. With practically no rain and a source of pure water coming from underground springs, it is surrounded by the Sierra La Giganta, one of Baja’s highest and most breathtaking mountain ranges. Loreto, an hour flight from San Diego and an hour and a half from Los Angeles, is one of five beach resort areas that were slated for development as a tourism destination by Mexico’s national trust for the promotion of tourism (FONATUR) 20 years ago. Loreto has a rich history dating back to the first mission of California in 1697. But it is the beauty, weather, and beaches that are making this location the next popular destination on the Baja peninsula.

You're on to date number five. After a movie, supper and serious flirting, you suggest going back to his place.

Never mind that it's Zone 3 with a £50 taxi fare. The Date looks into your eyes and says coolly: "Damn it, let's get a hotel!"

Crash pad hotels are the latest London trend. Instead of trekking home on public transport, you can check into a chic boutique hotel without breaking the bank.

Opening next week is the new Dean Street Townhouse, the latest venture for Nick Jones, owner of Soho House, Shoreditch House and Babington House.

Room prices will start at only £95 a night - and even the "tiny" rooms (they also do small, medium and bigger) will include rainforest showers and antique bath tubs.

You'll be able to wake up in a Georgian house with high-beamed ceilings and oak-panelled walls, then after breakfast and a bit of pampering (all rooms have Cowshed bath products), you'll actually arrive at the office early for once.

According to Jones: "We wanted to create a property that fitted straight into the heart of Soho - a home from home for those finding themselves in Soho for business or pleasure alike. It will be the place to come for a good meal and a good night's sleep - or not - as you feel like it!"

Increasingly, London hotels are designed to tempt the spontaneous overnight guest. Whether it's a boozy night you don't want to end or a first date that has gone particularly well, you can party until late, then walk upstairs to bed.

At the Sanctum Soho Hotel, just off Regent Street, there are four individually designed crash pads with a king-size bed, state-of-the-art entertainment system, mini bar and New York-style wet room.

"A welcome retreat for the fast and furious ... Perfectly sized for short stopovers," enthuses the website. Which as we all know is a polite euphemism for hot sex.

You can even request a box of tricks including a silk eye mask, scented candle, sex toys and a pair of Myla knickers (in case you didn't come with a change of clothes).

No wonder the hotel tagline is "submit to pleasure".

"We're here for all those 'Get a room' moments," says Mark Fuller, the man behind the venture.

His background is in music hospitality - he toured with Thin Lizzy and the Damned during the 1980s, and his company also owns the Embassy club in Mayfair.

London hotels really are undergoing a sea change, according to Fuller. In a recession people balk at paying £700-£800 for one night in a suite.

"When people come into reception at 2am after a night on the town, I say: "Why don't you check into one of our crashpads, they're only £175 a night." He says 30 per cent of bookings are casual visitors who arrive late.

The new crash pad has none of the seedy associations of the 1970s shag pad. Yes, it's upmarket, adult fun.

"Our beds fit three - wishful thinking," says Fuller with a wink. Gone are the days of the budget inn with a very small bed and running hot and cold water.

"We're offering you a five-star crashpad," he says. "OK, it's small but we don't skimp on the decoration or on the TV system or the mini bar or anything else.

"You're just getting a mini version of one of our bigger rooms for a much cheaper price. Plus you get use of all the other amenities, including the 24-hour rooftop bar with the Jacuzzi and the basement cinema."

His clients range from visiting rock royalty to frazzled couples who have managed to get a babysitter for the night. "If you think about it, it's far cheaper than an expensive restaurant or throwing money at a West End night club."

And he often gets businessmen killing time between meetings. "I've done it myself. The crash pad is a great place to go and have a kip. You can sit back on this big old bed, watch telly, or order room service."

Over at Rough Luxe in King's Cross, there are nine rooms with luxury bedlinen, artworks from the contemporary gallery next door and handmade toiletries (plus free wifi access).

A small bedroom with a double day-bed will set you back only £155 for the night, though there is a shared bathroom.

The unspoken message of the crash pad is clear: you are here only briefly to rest and recharge.

No wonder it's the favourite destination for a hot date. Instead of worrying about how tidy your bedroom is, or whether you've got anything to drink at home, you can focus on pure pleasure.

At Terence Conran's latest boutique hotel, Boundary, in Shoreditch, a Victorian warehouse has been converted into 12 guest bedrooms and five suites, with a ground-floor café, the Albion, and the Boundary restaurant in the basement.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the smallest luxury double - 31 square metres - is £160 (£140 on Sundays).

"We get people checking in after dinner, or maybe they've been out to Shoreditch House and want to stay centrally," says the concierge.

At teeny boutique hotel 40 Winks in the East End, the owner, interior designer David Carter, offers a home from home, "where you can hang your hat or park your suitcase while enjoying a little bit of understated opulence and a large dose of quirky style".

Built in 1717, the four-storey Queen Anne townhouse is a favourite for fashion shoots. Canter also organises monthly literary salons and afterwards people can crash in the two guest bedrooms (£100 for the double). "It's such a nice treat to be spontaneous and often cheaper than getting a cab."

Recently, Kristin Scott Thomas was over for a Bafta event and ended up staying three nights. "She had the choice of Claridge's or 40 Winks - and she plumped for 40 Winks!"

The crash pad model is based on no-frills timeshare-style hotels - the sort you get at airports or train stations.

At the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch, during the week you can hire a room for as little as £19 between 10am and 4pm, to sleep, use the internet or entertain friends. But increasingly hotels are wooing customers with flamboyant interiors.

Each of the rooms at Conran's Boundary is inspired by legendary designers from Charles and Ray Eames to Le Corbusier and Eileen Gray, while the decor at Sanctum is a rich palette of chocolate, silver, purple and glittering pastels.

Lesley Purcell of design company Can Do has chucked all the stuffy room components such as the desk, tub chair and luggage rack.

"I've tried to be creative, so if people need a desk, why can't it also be a cocktail bar with a couple of stools?"

And there are proper keys. "I didn't want to have these hi-tech cards," says Purcell. "It's so much more sexy to have diamanté-studded key handles with massive tassels on. The whole experience is sexy - from the entrance to the corridors, with their aubergine plum walls and downlighters, to the key to the room."

Whether you crave a Soho pleasure den or a fairytale Georgian dressing-up box, the crash pad is more of an honest transaction, insists Fuller.

"I think the hotel is the future of London entertainment. People are tired of going out to nightclubs and spending a fortune. In this economic climate it doesn't matter how much money you've got, it's not acceptable now to splash out huge amounts for no reason.

"The crash pad is all about affordable glamour. You don't have to be a rock star to come, but everyone deserves to feel like a rock star for the day."

www.deanstreettownhouse.com, 69-71 Dean Street, Soho, W1 (020 7434 1775).

www.40winks.org, 109 Mile End Road, Stepney Green, E1 (020 7790 0259).

www.sanctumsoho.com, 20 Warwick Street, Soho, W1 (020 7292 6100).

www.hoxtonhotels.com, 81-83 Great Eastern Street, EC2 (020 7550 1000).

www.theboundary.co.uk, 2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch, E2 (020 7729 1051).

www.roughluxe.co.uk, 1 Birkenhead Street, WC1 (020 7837 5338).

SPI Software, the vacation ownership industry’s technology leader, is pleased to announce that Meadow Lake Resort, a premiere golf and ski resort in Montana’s Flathead Valley, has selected SPI Orange System Enterprise software to manage their vacation ownership operations.

According to Kevin Holliday, vice president of Meadow Lake Development, “We chose SPI Orange for a number of reasons. The software provides an integrated solution for all aspects of our company. It was clearly designed by a team that understands the needs of a timeshare company. The ability to track a client from a lead, to a tour and all the way through to owner reservations and payments was a particularly attractive feature. The system is straight forward and intuitive, which will make training easier and will reduce errors. Our decision was solidified when we obtained strong references from other major timeshare developers.”

Matt Brosious, director of sales at SPI, added “We are honored to have been selected by Meadow Lake, a resort that has earned a well-deserved reputation of excellence. Forward-thinking resorts like this continue to make SPI Orange the industry’s software system of choice.”

A whole host of new resorts and attractions are opening up across Sweden in a bid to attract more European tourists, including timeshare owners.

VisitSweden's report highlighted that there will be a range of new restaurants and attractions opening up all over the country in addition to new city breaks.

New attractions are set to include the opening of Fotografiska, a photography museum in Stockholm, and the Stockholm Skyview, which is the largest spherical building in the world.

VisitSweden points out there will be something for everyone this winter.

The report was launched as part of the World Travel Market held in London this week, which featured exhibitions from a number of different countries across the world.

Sweden is a popular travel destination for many European travellers and recent figures released by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office reveal that from the UK alone, more than half a million holidaymakers visit Sweden each year.

The newest Royal Club is convenient to the Dubai International Airport, and to major malls, including the Mall of the Emirates with its indoor ski resort, and the Dubai Mall, one of the largest luxury malls in the world

Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services and an operating segment of Interval Leisure Group (Nasdaq: IILG), today announced the affiliation of Royal Club at Bonnington Tower in Dubai. The 40-story, five-star Bonnington Tower is located in the heart of Jumeirah Lakes Towers, one of Dubai’s most prestigious residential and commercial communities.

Royal Club at Bonnington consists of 30 spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments furnished to the highest standards, boasting large balconies overlooking the stunning “New Dubai” skyline and the Jumeirah Lakes. Owners and guests also can enjoy a wide range of on-site amenities, including six restaurants and bars, a Leisure Deck, state-of- the-art gym, hairdressing salons, and 24-hour concierge service. The unique double-height Leisure Deck on the 11th floor has an infinity pool open to the elements on three sides.

“Interval International has worked with Royal Club in Dubai and its marketing partner for many years, and we’ve developed a relationship based on shared respect for quality product and service excellence,” said David Clifton, Interval’s managing director for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. “We have no doubt that the Royal Club at Bonnington Tower will be as valuable an addition to our network as the two other Royal Club resorts — Royal Club at Downtown Dubai and Royal Club at Palm, Jumeirah — have been.”

“Royal Club at Bonnington is our third affiliation with Interval International,” noted Sherif Khalil, chief executive officer of Dermarr Real Estate, owner of the Royal Clubs. “We are focused on quality, so our exchange provider must have the same vision. Interval is not just our exchange provider, but also a trusted business partner.”

The newest Royal Club is convenient to the Dubai International Airport, and to major malls, including the Mall of the Emirates with its indoor ski resort, and the Dubai Mall, one of the largest luxury malls in the world.

British Airways last night agreed a merger with Spanish carrier Iberia and triggered fears of massive job losses.

A senior City analyst said of the £4.4billion deal: "Any merger like this is about cutting costs. It's safe to assume there will be jobs axed. Both airlines are heavily in debt."

Ba, which only last week revealed record losses, will form 55% of the new mega airline with 419 aircraft and 265 destinations.

But BA and Iberia will retain their brand names and logos. The new firm's HQ will be in London yet it will be registered in Madrid.

Iberia's president Antonio Vasquez will head the group with BA chief executive Willie Walsh retaining his post on a new board.

Last night Mr Walsh insisted: "The merger will create a strong European airline well able to compete in the 21st century."

Between them BA and Iberia carry 61.5 million passengers a year with a combined workforce of 62,500. The deal follows news BA was to cut another 1,200 jobs on top of those slashed in recent years.

It also faces the threat of strikes by cabin crew over new working practices.

The merger will need approval from the European Commission but analysts point to Air France's successful merger with Dutch airline KLM in 2004.

Shares in BA soared yesterday as rumours of the merger spread in the City. Negotiations had lasted 16 months.

Last night the union Unite,which is fighting to save the jobs of cabin crew, said it would press for urgent assurances on jobs.

Jim McAuslan, general secretary of air and pilot's union Balpa, said: "Consolidation in the aviation industry is going to happen and a merger between BA and Iberia makes sense.

"We support the move subject to their being employment safeguards."

An airline insider £450million savings were earmarked and added: "New cuts will hit airport check-in desks and ground crew.

"They will be looking to save money by combining the booking and ticketing operations and other back-office work."

Will the BA and Iberia brands be kept?
Yes, BA and Iberia will keep their own brands, national identities and operating companies.

Why are they doing it?
Both airlines are losing money and see the deal as a route back to profit during what is generally regarded as the toughest economic conditions ever faced by the airline industry.

BA lost £292m in the first six months of its financial year - its biggest ever loss for the period - and Iberia lost 92.6m euros (£82.9m) in the first quarter of the year. Employees of both BA and Iberia will be alarmed at the prospect of more jobs cuts as Mr Walsh seeks to find 400m euros of cost savings from the deal.

How will the two companies be combined?
A new holding company has been created that will sit above the individual companies that run Iberia and BA on a day-to-day basis. The new holding company will be run by BA's chief executive, Willie Walsh, with BA and Iberia each contributing seven directors to its board. The company will be incorporated in Spain and the majority of board meetings will take place in Madrid, where Iberia is headquartered. The financial and operating headquarters of the holding company will be in London.

How big will the new airline be?
The combined group will be the third-biggest airline in Europe after Air France/KLM and Germany's Lufthansa. Together, the airlines will have 419 aircraft and fly to 205 destinations.

What will it mean for BA and Iberia customers?
By combining the airlines will significantly expand the range of routes available, with BA enjoying a strong presence in North America, Asia and and Africa and Iberia flying to plenty of destinations in South and Latin America. BA's customers will gain access to 59 new destinations, while Iberia customers will see 98 new destinations open up.

When will the merger happen?
The companies want to get the merger approved by their respective shareholders by November of next year. The deal will also need appproval from regulators.

Japan has emerged as a big hit with British skiers and timeshare owners, reveals Japan Ski Experience.

British skiers are an emerging market for Japan, says Japan Ski Experience.

The country has among the highest number of ski resorts in the world and has emerged as a popular resort for British skiers and timeshare owners.

And those who choose to head to Japan for their winter break can get there with new routes to Nagoya and Tokyo from Atihad Airways, due to commence next year.

Lindsay Colbert from the Japan Ski Experience explained that the most popular and internationally renowned area for skiing is Niseko on the northern island of Hokaido, which has already been a big hit with Australian and Asian skiers.

She went on to say that British people are starting to learn more about the powder snow and ski resorts in Japan.

Figures from the Ski Club of Great Britain reveal that the total UK snowsports market now stands at 1.27 million people.

Holiday Inn Club Vacations, launched in 2008 at IHG’s Annual Investors’ and Leadership Conference, is now, just one year later, proving to be a successful “tale of two systems.”

The new timeshare brand, formed as a strategic alliance between IHG and Orange Lake Resorts, operates using a fresh business model previously unseen among major players in the timeshare industry that allowed Holiday Inn Club Vacations to enter the industry at an advantage.

“This is the tale of two systems coming together to create a better timeshare business model,” said Christian Hempell, vice president, New Business Delivery, the Americas, IHG. “The unique nature of the two-system alliance means that we at IHG can concentrate on promoting the timeshare resorts through the power of Priority Club Rewards and our world-class distribution channels. Orange Lake can capitalize on their 30 years of proven timeshare success in the top leisure market in the U.S., one of the strongest management teams in the timeshare industry, and their strong balance sheet with existing capital to invest in growth. By focusing on the strengths of publicly-traded IHG and privately-held Orange Lake Resorts, we’ve made Holiday Inn Club Vacations an industry success story.”

As some timeshare companies are forced to temporarily halt growth and reduce sales staff in a challenging time for the industry, Holiday Inn Club Vacations remains a bright spot. Several success measures point to the strength of the alliance, including a new call transfer system introduced by IHG that has delivered approximately 1,000 phone calls per day to Orange Lake Resorts from guests interested in learning more about vacation ownership. An additional 5,000 guests are expected to tour Holiday Inn Club Vacations resorts in 2010, representing a new pool of potential timeshare owners. As the primary method for garnering sales, these tours provide an opportunity for prospective owners to truly gain an understanding of the value and benefits of Holiday Inn Club Vacations timeshare ownership. Orange Lake Resorts has seen a 14% increase in tours since the launch of Holiday Inn Club Vacations, more than half of which is attributed to IHG channels. Additionally, instead of making staff cuts, Orange Lake Resorts has hired an impressive 700 employees year to date.

”It’s been an exciting year for us, and we’ve not even seen the full impact that we expect as a result of our alliance,” said Don Harrill, president and CEO, Orange Lake Resorts. “Next year, we’ll welcome thousands more guests to our resort destinations who are being introduced to Holiday Inn Club Vacations—and for some, timeshare—for the very first time. We are proud to present a product that can enhance vacation lifestyles for more families, with a brand that’s known and trusted worldwide.”

Contributing to the success of Holiday Inn Club Vacations is the global brand relaunch currently underway for Holiday Inn. As the global relaunch, the largest in the history of the hospitality industry, improves the consistency of the more than 3,200 Holiday Inn hotels across the globe, Holiday Inn Club Vacations stands to benefit from an even bigger boost in consumer confidence from its association with the Holiday Inn brand family.

Holiday Inn Club Vacations grew from one resort to six in just over three months, and Orange Lake’s acquisition in April 2009 of resorts in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Gatlinburg, Tenn., serves as a testament to the solid foundation of the alliance. The unique structure of the alliance allowed IHG to enter the timeshare industry purely through an exclusive licensing and marketing agreement with no capital investment. Orange Lake will continue to own and operate these resorts as a privately held company.

The Holiday Inn Club Vacations brand is built upon both companies’ shared vision for growth. The brand is seeking opportunities to expand in top North American destinations like Las Vegas and Hawaii, in order to build a strong presence in the Western half of the U.S. Orange Lake also has the potential to develop up to 2,500 more timeshare villas at the Orlando location.

It's now possible to make a virtual visit to many monuments across the country

Google’s street view program which allows users to see streets and monuments in 360 degrees on their computers and mobile phones has been expanded across new areas of the country.

New areas including the Costa del Sol, Costa Cálida and Costa Blanca, have been added to the system giving almost 80% coverage of the country, and the expansion has put Spain second in the world for most street view coverage.

Special attention has been given to the monuments in Spain and now you can walk along the Camino de Santiago, and make a virtual visit to the Alhambra in Granada, the Mosque in Córdoba, Toledo Cathedral, the Aqueduct in Sevilla, or the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.

Given access problems in many areas, the company has been using tricycles to record the three dimensional images.

A recent study indicates that Twitter is often used by timeshare businesses for marketing purposes. On the average, more than 50 percent of timeshare companies on Twitter update their statuses 4 to 10 times daily and more than 25 percent update tweets 10 times a day.

The study also found that a bulk of the tweets came from hotel owners, timeshare owners, and travel industry managers and directors. The social networking site is used to inform consumers about services, products, new features, and promotions.

Timeshare resale companies are following similar marketing campaigns on Twitter to extend their customer service efforts and strengthen relationships. The study also revealed that some consumers on Twitter are basing their decision to avail of products and services based on their Twitter conversations.

Twitter gives clients instant access to several timeshare companies, making it a perfect platform for advertising. It is clearly beneficial for consumers and timeshare companies.

RCI Timeshare Exchange has launched the “RCI Going Green Award” for its affiliate resorts in the Pacific.

The Green awards will center on timeshare and resort operations, recognizing companies that have promote ‘green’ business practices.

Together with Griffith University, RCI will have a two-phase assessment of selected Pacific-based resorts. First, the environment practices of a timeshare will be evaluated. The second part of the assessment will be an on-site inspection. Timeshare resorts that pass the first phase will qualify for the second phase.

“I am absolutely delighted to be working on this initiative with RCI,” commented Dr. David Weaver, a professor of Tourism research at Griffith University. “I expect an award program such as this will really raise awareness of and participation in environmentally-friendly best practices within the sector.”

To commemorate the opening of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disney Vacation Club's new Castle to Castle promotion offers DVC members who purchase 100 vacation points at Disneyland's newest hotel four complimentary annual passes to the Disney Parks.

The Castle to Castle promotion gives DVC members the chance to enjoy the best of both worlds, Disney style. Current DVC members who purchase 100 vacation points at The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel will receive two annual passes to Disneyland and two annual passes to Walt Disney World.

The Grand Californian is the only DVC property located at Disneyland. Its spacious interior lobby is reminiscent of Disney's Wilderness Lodge at the Walt Disney World Resort.

The DVC villas are Disney's version of a timeshare, with vacation homes featuring spacious accommodations and full kitchens. DVC members are allotted a certain number of vacation points each year, and they can redeem the points at any DVC property at Disneyland, Disney World, or at select DVC resorts across the globe. DVC points can also be applied to a Disney cruise or Adventures by Disney vacation.

The Castle to Castle offer is good through January 31, 2010. For more information, contact a DVC representative at 1-800-500-3990.

As a result of the current economic environment, disreputable companies are using unscrupulous tactics to take advantage of owners who may need to sell their timeshares. In fact, several state attorneys general have addressed concerns about resale “scams.” Since the re sale industry is largely unregulated, the American Resort Development Association or ARDA is working with its members, including reputable resale companies, to ensure transparency on both the buying and selling process.

In September, ARDA released two consumer advisories to help consumers and timeshare owners navigate through the secondary market, which includes timeshare resellers, Internet advertisers and other resale companies, to ensure a safe and positive selling experience. The advisories were developed to help dispel the growing misinformation and confusion in the secondary marketplace by providing specific tips on reviewing timeshare resale companies, their practices, costs and services in the marketplace. Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, delivered this statement in response to the Florida Attorney General’s Office move Monday, November 2, to seek an emergency injunction against a West Palm Beach timeshare resale operation for fraudulent practices

“This is not an indictment of our reputable resale company members, but rather a problem faced by everyone who loves this industry being painted with the same ‘timeshare scam’ brush,” said Nusbaum. “We continue to work with stakeholders to craft what we believe will be guidelines for best practices and legislation,” added Nusbaum.

Although there are many reputable companies that provide resale services, the largely unregulated secondary market also includes some that use unscrupulous tactics to take advantage of owners who may wish to sell their timeshares. The Florida Attorney General’s Office took action against Creative Vacation Solutions, a timeshare resale operation in West Palm Beach, for charging nearly $2,500 in marketing fees from hundreds of customers but did little or nothing in return.

The first of the two consumer advisories focuses on the types of timeshare resellers with four steps to guide consumers through the process: utilizing existing resources, understanding timeshare resale companies, choosing the best option, and following basic rules. The second advisory provides tools to evaluate resale companies with a list of tips.

Added Cindy Thomas, Stoneridge Resort Manager: “It’s simply a matter of buyer beware. With the state of the economy today, a large number of our owners are being approached by a variety of companies, with offers of previously unheard of rental revenues or resale prices, and even just “getting out from under” one’s timeshare week. Many of these offers are hard to understand, even for the savviest of timeshare owners. Unfortunately, we have heard from many owners who were dissatisfied with the end result of these transactions and little can be done about it after the fact. As always, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Be aware and be diligent. Do your own research and check with your own timeshare resort association before doing anything.”

“We applaud the efforts made by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum to investigate dishonest resale companies whose actions taint the industry’s reputable resale companies ARDA continues to work with its members to ensure transparency on both the buying and selling process,” said Nusbaum.

ARDA encourages consumers and timeshare owners to conduct research and due diligence on any resale company or advertiser in advance of paying any money or signing any contract or agreement.

It was supposed to be an innocuous briefing on a new business proposal, recalls Arun Nanda, chairman of Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Ltd, of a meeting in the mid-1990s that he had with Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman of Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.

The agenda was to evaluate the concept of timeshare—a form of ownership or right to use a property, typically a holiday resort—as a potential new business opportunity to diversify the group’s interests from manufacturing tractors and utility vehicles.

Nanda took along to the meeting a bunch of clippings to make his case for a business that, in those days, made news for all the wrong reasons, such as dubious promoters and fly-by-night operators. What swayed Mahindra into green-lighting the proposal was that no newspaper questioned the concept of timeshare as a business, per se.

Incorporated on 20 September 1996, Mahindra Holidays received an infusion of Rs18 crore from the group to start its business. The venture turned out to be a rare multi-bagger; Mahindra Holidays, which raised Rs180 crore in a June initial public offering (IPO) that saw demand for 10 times the stock on offer, now commands a market value of around Rs3,000 crore.

The company’s flagship Club Mahindra Holidays brand has a customer base of at least 100,000 members and around two dozen resorts in India and abroad, offering holiday activities ranging from indoor games to adventure sports, water sports, camping and treks.

For the group, timeshare was the second attempt at entering the hospitality sector. A 50:50 joint venture with Accor SA, Europe’s largest hotel company today, had proved to be short-lived.

In hindsight, the decision to end the venture with Accor and cut losses was a prudent move, says Nanda, a Mahindra veteran of 36 years, who joined as an accountant in the management trainee cadre and plans to give up all executive positions in the group effective 1 April while remaining chairman of Mahindra Holidays and Resorts.

“The hotel business is a very capital-intensive business and it’s not easy to become the No. 1 player in the segment, as the capital requirement is very high,” Nanda said in an interview from his fifth floor office in the red brick headquarters of the Mahindra group, a signature building in Mumbai’s Worli area.

In the conventional hotel business, the promoter would need to invest for six-seven years before reaping any returns. “It takes years to make a profit, two-three years to build the business; whereas in this business, you sell timeshares today and give the right to use 12 months later. Hence, financially, the timeshare business model requires low capital,” Nanda says.

Analysts agree that the business model works, obviating the need for timeshare companies to borrow.

“As Mahindra Holidays charges membership fees upfront, it helps the company build resorts without resorting to borrowed capital,” Manav Vijay, an analyst at Edelweiss Securities Ltd, said in a report dated 12 October. “Securitization of membership fees gives the company access to lump-sum money. As the company retains the title of the property, it provides holiday resorts services over a period of time to members.” The Indian timeshare industry has posted a compounded annual growth rate of 15% since 1998, and growth is expected to accelerate, said the same report.

Fly-by-night operators
The timeshare concept was viewed with suspicion in the 1990s when it first took off in India. Because enlisting more and more new members is what helps the business expand, some thought it was akin to a Ponzi scheme—a business that pays returns to investors from their own money or money paid by later participants than from actual profit.

Many fly-by-night operators entered the business and vanished with the money of customers or folded up, tarnishing its reputation further.
“Most of the problems started because there was temptation in the business to take money out,” says Nanda. “If you have multiple businesses and cash comes upfront, there’s a temptation” to divert funds. Some timeshare companies tried projects such as golf courses and got into trouble, Nanda added.

When he approved the venture, Mahindra’s only directive, recalls Nanda, was to get the right person to head the business.

Nanda hired Ramesh Ramanathan, managing director of Sterling Resorts Ltd, to lead the new initiative, and incorporated the company about nine months after Ramanathan came in.

The initial five years were tough, says Nanda. It took time to attract members.
As the venture became successful, two of the top three Indian hotel chains eyed the timeshare business, but backed out when they realized the high entry barriers, says Nanda, without naming the chains.

Running a hotel chain is vastly different from operating a timeshare business. It requires time and effort to gain a catchment of around 100,000 members, crucial for the success of the business. To attract members, a timeshare operator needs to build a chain of resorts and hire staff to service the resorts.
“We created destinations,” Nanda says. “Munnar (in Kerala), for instance, was not known, except for Tata Tea Ltd’s tea gardens. When we went to Munnar, the land price was 2-5% of the present real estate rates.”

No to Western model
Mahindra also took a conscious decision not to ape the Western model, which offers customers a fixed-time, fixed-location holiday destination, and little else by way of service.

“They give you the key and nobody comes to change the bedsheet. You will find no service, no restaurants; even if you want to use the swimming pool, you use your own card key to open the door to the swimming pool,” says Nanda.
He attributes the success of Mahindra Holidays to the “creative marketing mind” of Ramanathan and his own “little knowledge” of finance.

Club Mahindra customers pay between Rs1.5 lakh and Rs7.67 lakh as a 25-year fee, the amount depending on the size of the holiday accommodation—from studio flats to two-bedroom apartments— and the season.

The business model seems to be working. Edelweiss’ Vijay says: “The company gains as it gets the membership fee upfront and uses the money to create resorts. We expect the company to generate free cash flow of Rs500 crore” over 2010-12.
In the quarter ended September, Mahindra Holidays posted a net profit rise of 38% to Rs28.07 crore from a year earlier on revenue of Rs119.95 crore.

Mahindra gets a lot of its business—almost 45% of it— on referrals from existing members, says Ramanathan, managing director of Mahindra Holidays.
“We have spent a lot of time understanding the holiday habits of people and what they expect from a holiday, and we designed products accordingly and didn’t ape the Western one,” says Ramanathan.

For Mahindra Holidays, only 60% of the income accrues from new member subscriptions, with the rest coming from annual fees, interest income, and services such as food and extra-curricular activities offered to customers, he says.

Signing up new members

To be sure, scaling the business and funding the purchase of new properties is only possible by enlisting new members.
“We believe that the company is ill-equipped to handle any significant increase in its eligible customer base, even on planned expansion,” analysts Pritesh Chheda and Sachin Bobade of Emkay Share and Stock Brokers Ltd wrote in a 23 June research note before the company’s IPO.

Customers have their share of complaints. Harish J., a Bangalore-based doctor who opted for a premium membership in 2006 paying Rs3.5 lakh, says that while he is satisfied with the service standards and the packages offered, he is upset about the wait involved in getting a confirmed booking.
“When you pay such a large amount upfront, you don’t want to wait for 45 days to two months to confirm the bookings,” he says. The company has been slow in adding rooms in proportion to the increase in the number of members, according to the doctor.

Mahindra Holidays also risks upsetting loyal members if it chases new customers without adding to its resorts.

Debashish Roy, a Chandigarh-based senior executive at Blue Star Ltd, has been a member since 2003. Roy, who paid up to Rs2 lakh, has been to most of the resorts in India and abroad that are offered as part of the package and doesn’t mind revisiting them. He, however, says: “Though they have added quite a few new destinations since I took the membership, with a growing number of members they need to add more as getting reservations is difficult.”

Mahindra is moving to address the complaint. The proceeds of the June IPO will be used to finance the expansion of five of its resorts at Ashtamudi in Kerala, Coorg in Karnataka, Ooty in Tamil Nadu, Tungi in Maharashtra and Theog in Himachal Pradesh and building new ones in addition to funding general corporate expenses.
Mahindra Holidays plans to further optimize its assets by adding holiday plans that cater to teenagers and the youth segment that has been tentatively called Gypsy, offering tented accommodation close to its resort properties, and one called Harmony for senior citizens.

Nanda says the company is still fine-tuning the new offerings.

Asked by when Mahindra Holidays would get its next lot of 100,000 customers, Nanda has an evasive counter-question. How long did Infosys Technologies Ltd take to reach $2 billion in revenue after getting to the first $1 billion, he asks.
Infosys, India’s second largest software services firm, founded in 1981, took 23 years to reach $1 billion in revenue. It took just two years to double revenue to $2 billion.

More than nine out of ten active leisure
travelers in the United States report they are familiar with the concept of
timesharing, reinforcing the wide-spread belief that this form of vacationing
has established itself as a recognized, understood, and increasingly popular
alternative to more traditional lodging accommodations. And among those familiar
with the concept, approximately 2.3 million households state they are interested
in purchasing some form of vacation time during the next two years.

These findings are from Future Timeshare Buyers: 2009 Market Profile, which was
developed from a nationally-representative sample of active leisure travelers
who have expressed interest in acquiring some form of vacation time during the
next two years, and supplemented through insights revealed in the
Ypartnership/Yankelovich, Inc. 2009 National Leisure Travel MONITOR(SM). The
study was authored exclusively for Interval International, which is releasing
the results during the American Resort Development Association's (ARDA) 2009
Fall Conference, held in Washington, D.C.

"Given the economic environment during the past year and the effect it had on
both the demography of those interested in purchasing vacation time and
respondents' interest in travel overall, the level of purchase interest revealed
in this study is quite remarkable and underscores the high degree of interest
consumers have in this form of vacationing," said Peter C. Yesawich, chairman
and chief executive officer of Ypartnership. "Particularly noteworthy is the
fact there are an estimated 2.3 million households interested in purchasing
vacation time during the next two years."

Active leisure travelers who are interested in purchasing vacation time have
taken an average of seven qualifying leisure trips during the past year and
nearly four in ten (38%) state they are likely to take more leisure trips during
the next 12 months (than they did during the last). Eight out of ten prospective
purchasers took at least one leisure trip of five nights or more in duration,
and a similar proportion find a naturalistic component (such as a beach or a
lake) to be an important aspect of their leisure pursuits.

The study also revealed that active leisure travelers interested in purchasing
vacation time have a solid understanding of the concept of timesharing and are
receptive toward the vacation ownership product. An estimated 85 percent have a
positive or neutral opinion of timesharing, and more than three-quarters (77%)
state that they would be willing to take a two- to three-day mini vacation to
attend a timeshare sales presentation. Furthermore, approximately six in ten
(62%) report that they are likely to stay at a vacation ownership resort during
the next two years.

"These findings provide valuable insights for resort developers to better
understand the travel habits and preferences sought by leisure travelers," said
David C. Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for
Interval International, a leading global provider of vacation services.
"Possessing an appreciation for how these potential purchasers travel and view
the vacation ownership product enables them to fine tune marketing and lead
generation programs aimed at these consumers."

The data for this analysis were collected from interviews conducted online with
a panel of pre-qualified active leisure travelers. Respondents had taken at
least one leisure trip of 75 miles or more from home requiring overnight
accommodations during the previous year, were familiar with the concept of
timesharing or vacation ownership, and expressed interest in acquiring some form
of vacation time during the next two years.

Other Notable Findings:

* The majority of active leisure travelers interested in
purchasing vacation time are married (61%) with an annual
household income of $50,000 or more (88%).
* Nearly two-thirds are between 30 and 62 years of age, and
nearly eight in ten have completed at least four years of
college education (78%).
* Approximately four in ten (35%) reside in the Midwestern region
of the United States, while an estimated three in ten live in
the Northeast (29%) or West (27%).

As winter weather hits UK shores, many timeshare owners will be looking for warmer climes and Dubai is one place where they can find some respite from the cold conditions.

The destination is also one of the easiest and most affordable ways for timeshare owners to get some winter sun, according to Dan Linstead, editor of Wanderlust.

He said that Dubai offers affordable luxury and is a mid-haul flight, meaning holidaymakers do not have to travel too far, adding that the city is great for a high-class beach getaway.

Flight Centre have recently named Dubai as the top winter sun destination, with Thailand, Egypt, Antigua and Australia taking up the other 4 places.

The organisation predicted that the Middle East will be popular this winter as travellers will take advantage of the guaranteed sunshine and great value deals on offer.

According to Flight Centre, Dubai is home to some excellent hotels and resorts as well as a plethora of duty free shops providing timeshare owners with plenty of shopping opportunities.

Disney Vacation Club is adjusting its salary and bonus strategy to give its timeshare staff more incentives and increase timeshare sales in the process.

These administrative changes were announced by the company last month. Disney also said that it will be reducing the base pay of its front line timeshare sales staff by 10 percent, but will be increasing bonus payments for those who reach certain objectives.

“We have made changes to the pay structure among our advance sales associates to allow us to provide more reward and recognition to top performers,” said Rena Langley, a spokesperson for the Disney Vacation Club.

If the changes work, the Disney timeshares sales staff will have the chance to earn more if they reach certain milestones.