Share of Paradise: the Canadians get it Right

We caught a fascinating article this week from the Ottawa Citizen that analyzes the pros and cons of timeshare owning. And while the author is Canadian, there are plenty of references to the US Market -- in fact, the same advice essentially applies to timeshares on either side of the northern border.

The author and his wife are happy timeshare owners, but even they admit that the market is severely flawed, teeming with corrupt sales representatives and scandals. An all too familiar story is recounted:


"We'd been listening to the pitch for two hours when we said enough's enough, and told the salesman we had to leave for another appointment. He ignored our pleas and continued to press on.

After several polite repetitions of the 'sorry, we must go' approach, I insisted we had to depart immediately. The salesman demanded to know what our appointment was. When I told him it was none of his business, his face contorted in rage, he shook his fist in my face and invited me to step outside to settle the matter.

In seven happy years as timeshare owners, this was the only such incident we experienced, and it's one we can now laugh off. Happily, it's not typical. Yet even timeshare's fans admit the industry's sales pitch needs a serious makeover.

'The product and the delivery of the service is exceptional,' said timeshare industry expert Jerry Sikes in an e-mail interview. 'It's the sales and marketing stuff that give the bad rap.'

Sikes, who is president of Professional Resort Operators Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona, says that 'until the developers truly change the way they choose to market and sell the new product, the effort to change the public image will be just smoke.' "

While we disagree with one important point here -- that in many cases the product (timeshares) and the delivery of service is anything BUT exceptional and often empties consumers' pocketbooks on what are essentially worthless vacations, Mr. Sikes has a very valid argument. What worthwhile timeshares that do exist are essentially being ruined by poor sales tactics and an ugly reputation. Maybe if that ugly reputation didn't equal a multi-billion dollar industry yearly we would see some change; until then, it's up to the consumer to be on his or her guard.

Read the full article here.