RDO Research: How can the timeshare industry target customers more effectively through social media?
RDO has today released the results of a study conducted on its behalf by final year students at the School of Tourism at the University of Bournemouth into how social media campaigns and e-commerce can best be utilised to reach the industry’s target audience, the 30/40-year-olds. The research included a case study of RDO developer Pearly Grey, visits to Club La Costa, Club Olympus and Silverpoint resorts in Tenerife as well as telephone conference calls with senior personnel at key RDO member companies It also included analysing the results of focus group meetings with the target demographic. The research students found that...
Registration for RDO4 2013 Conference now open
Registration for this year’s conference, “RDO 4: Standing Together”, is now open on the dedicated website www.rdoconference.org. Delegates can register online to attend the conference, which will take place from 15 to 17 September 2013, and also book their accommodation at the Lopesan Baobab Resort in Gran Canaria, the chosen venue for this year’s event. Discounted Early Bird rates are available until midnight on 12 July. Further details about RDO4, including information about the venue and an outline schedule for the event are also available on the conference website. Diamond Resorts International®, Holiday Club Resorts Oy, Interval International and RCI have been confirmed...
Vacation Ownership Industry Outlook is Strong According to Latest RCI® Research
The future of the vacation ownership industry looks bright based on findings announced by RCI. RCI released the results of its annual membership profile survey, offering perspective into the purchasing patterns, travel intentions, and key demographics of U.S. owners. RCI also shared findings from another survey which analyzed the perceptions and expectations of vacation ownership among consumers. “Our latest research shows that consumers are happy with the ownership experience, and the flexibility and choice they receive through vacation exchange programs play a big part in that” said Phil Brojan, senior vice president of marketing, RCI. The 2013 RCI® Membership Profile Survey, conducted...
Godspeed Ron Haylock
It is just over two weeks since the industry was stunned to hear of the sudden death of Ron Haylock and I was fortunate to be able to attend the funeral service this Tuesday at Dingley Church, tucked away in the rolling hills of the Northamptonshire/Leicestershire borders – good hunting country they used to call it and I am not sure if there wasn’t at one time a Dingley Hunt. I have to confess to the fact that I spent my formative years as a young barrister in Chambers in Leicester and my Head of Chambers at the time lived...
Industry Pioneer Frank Chapman calls for more support for trade associations and industry events
Industry Pioneer Frank Chapman calls for more support for trade associations and industry events. Having received a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from both RDO and ARDA, timeshare industry pioneer and RDO Board member, Frank Chapman, reflects on the relevance of trade associations’ annual gatherings nowadays. “I have been attending the ARDA convention for more than 20 years, and the RDO Conference since it commenced in 1998, with very few exceptions, and have seen how they have changed, or rather evolved, to adapt to the new realities of our industry. From the early concept of timeshare, the industry has diversified enormously, with fractional ownership,...
ADR Proposals Approved by the European Parliament
Today the European Parliament approved two new instruments for settling disputes between consumers and traders- the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Directive and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Regulation. They aim to solve disputes concerning cross-border and domestic transactions and e-commerce purchases, without going to court, within 90 days. Unlike court proceedings, which are time-consuming (court proceedings in the EU last on average 500 days), expensive and burdensome, ADR and ODR offer speedier and cheaper solutions that will aid consumers in seeking compensation and take full advantage of the Single Market. Alternative Dispute Resolution is an out-of court instrument where the entities help resolve...
Spring is in the air….
Early February found me in Berlin, meeting with Klaus Juhl, whose PR Firm works with Hapimag in promoting timeshare in Germany and also promotes RDO and its members. The German media appears to have a more difficult reputational relationship with the industry than here in the UK (if possible) and there is to be a hearing in April before the relevant committee of MP’s in the Bundestag to enquire why that is still the situation. RDO is of course providing material and evidence to Klaus for that. It was great to see the RDO Logo up in Berlin and to listen...
January And All That
Is it just me or do others regard January as the worst month of the year? Certainly from a London perspective it is not without its challenges - Christmas and New Year behind us, snow paralysing transport in the capital, not forgetting trains delayed and planes cancelled. Those credit card bills accumulated when buying presents to be paid off and the tax man waiting at the end of the month for his pound of flesh! No wonder Monday 21st January was supposed to be the worst day of the year! All that said, we have got off to a pretty good...
Timeshare welcome here!
It has been a busy few weeks, apart from RDO’s Autumn Board and Council meetings, we have had Management Meetings and various outside conferences/forums, the latter giving rise to this Blog’s title. I was at the “Visit England” Economic Forum recently,held at the HQ of RBS/NatWest in the City. I was talking to the representative of the Local Enterprise Partnership for West Devon (which as I understand it is the equivalent of the old Regional Development Board) ie their job is to help grow local businesses in their region with the use of government funding and part of their remit is...
Economic Impact of Timeshare Not Sufficiently Recognised
The timeshare industry, which has developed into the fastest-growing segment of the tourism sector worldwide, is often still viewed with indifference in Germany. In particular, the economic impact of this sustainable accommodation concept receives too little recognition. Timesharing is actually one of the few tourism concepts which unites the interests of both tourists and the locations they visit. This was the opinion expressed by Klaus Brähmig (CDU/CSU), Chairman of the Tourism Committee of the German Parliament, following an expert discussion with members of the committee and industry players. Kurt Scholl, a board member of the association of the European timeshare industry...