Timeshare Presentations Still A Source of Humor

A highly relevant news item about Las Vegas was published by Reuters yesterday. Heading off the article:

Sue Garrett, in Las Vegas for a birthday party earlier this month, went to what she considers extraordinary lengths to hold down the cost of her trip.

"We decided to sit through one of those blasted timeshare presentations to get a free hotel room," said Garrett, who lives in Los Angeles. She turned down the timeshare but earned herself and her husband a stay on the Las Vegas Strip for her trouble.

If only others had the same will power! Nevertheless, the article details how Las Vegas is finally starting to feel the burn, as it were, of the recent economy downturn, and the development makes sense. As we've covered extensively in other blog articles, folks have less money to spend on gas and airfare to get them to vacation spots, and less money to spend once they arrive. To pick up the slack, many non-timeshare resorts are offering discounts and vouchers just to attract more travelers. For Las Vegas hotels, the emphasis is on gambling, and in order to keep the necessary cash flow pumping most hotels need their slot machines and card tables full of consumers.

The same is true of timeshares, but -- in the case of fractional ownership timeshares -- the individual is already paying for, and owns, a resort that they cannot use. It's a bit like being a business owner in a tough economy -- you live and die with the ebb and tide of money.

That's part of why Timeshare Relief exists...to give some hope to those investors who bought more than they bargained for. And by the way...we don't recommend Sue's method for a budget vacation!

San Francisco Timeshare Examiner

If you live in San Francisco and own a timeshare, or are thinking of buying one, you might be interested in a new column on timeshares by Mark Silverman. In the very first entry, Mark invites readers to write in with their timeshare-related questions and grievances.

He also makes this highly astute point about timeshare resales:

One of the most frequent inquiries is how to sell your timeshare. A couple of ways to address that – first, let’s look at the reasons you made the purchase in the first place. If your expectations aren’t being met, it could be you were over promised at the sales presentation. Or perhaps you have an unreasonably high expectation for what the program can do for you. Many frustrated owners simply are not working the system to the best advantage.

If you are committed to selling, we will focus on the best methods to do that. And minimizing the expense and inconvenience involved. As a general rule, you will not be happy with what you get for your timeshare – remember, it’s not what you get out of the sale – it’s what you get out of.

We couldn't have put it better ourselves, and many individuals turn to Timeshare Relief for precisely that reason -- it's not what you get out of the sale but what you get out of.

Hawaii = Safe Timeshare Harbor?

According to kauaiworld.com, timeshare sales have remained strong despite the flagging economy and its effects on the hospitality sector.

In their words:


Timeshare exceeded hotel occupancy by nearly 20 percent statewide, according to an American Resort Development Association’s Hawai‘i Chapter report last week. The association predicts Hawai‘i timeshare will continue to maintain its high occupancy figures throughout third quarter 2008, evidenced by the confirmed bookings through the month of September reported by Hawai‘i timeshare operators. Timeshare represents about 10 percent of the state’s total accommodations inventory, but is seen in a greater concentration on Kaua‘i.

“These figures demonstrate once again that even during downturns in tourism, timeshare continues to stand out as a reliable source of revenue for Hawai‘i’s economy and provide jobs for Hawai‘i’s people,” Mitch Imanaka, ARDA Hawai‘i chair, said.


There are a few issues with this however -- Hawaii is something of an anomaly compared to the contiguous US, being primarily a tourist economy. Timeshares in Hawaii are also more likely to retain their value than others in the contiguous 48, although the fact that Hawaii can only be reached by expensive airfare is likely to have some negative effect. In fact, the jury is still out on just exactly how the economy is changing the timeshare market. The numbers in Q1 of 2009 may tell an entirely different story.

Read the article.