One Year Late – Spain Adopts the New Timeshare Directive
RDO is pleased to announce that on 16th March 2012 the Spanish government passed the ‘new’ European Timeshare Directive into national law. The law, the “ Ley de Contratos de aprovechamiento por turno de bienes de uso turístico, de adquisición de productos vacacionales de larga duración, de reventa y de intercambio”, comes into force the day following its publication in the Official State Bulletin (possibly the week commencing 19 March) and all timeshare companies will need to ensure they are in full compliance by this date. The government, which was only elected in November of last year, took urgent steps to...
2012 And All That
Post RDO 2 and ARDA Fall in September and November respectively, I seem to have been endlessly writing pieces for various journals so the writing of blogs went very much to the back of the queue and then we had Christmas etc etc. So apologies for all those of you waiting with baited breath for my pronouncements on matters of moment within the industry – not that there are that many of you I would venture to think! New Year is of course a time for resolutions and new leaves being turned, but I tend to give those a miss –...
RDO2 2011 Conference Wrap Up
Take a look at all of the action from RDO2 2011 conference in Marbella. ...
What is RDO?
Setting the Standards for Vacation ownership What is RDO? RDO (Resort Development Organisation) is the trade association for vacation ownership across Europe, encompassing a number of usage types including timeshare, fractional interests, private residence clubs, condo hotels, destination clubs etc, all aimed at providing holidaymakers with quality holiday accommodation through various concepts of use. RDO members are made up of resort developers, exchange companies, trustees, management companies, resale companies and finance providers. RDO members represent the best in European vacation ownership and are committed to high service standards and integrity. They are bound by a code of conduct and an independent arbitration scheme,...
RDO Spain’s response to the draft bill implementing the second Timeshare Directive
On 10th June 2011, the Spanish Government approved a draft bill to implement the second Timeshare Directive (2008/122/EC) RDO Spain responded to the draft, recommending a series of amendments designed to ensure the draft reflected the realities of the industry. Following these submissions, the draft was slightly modified by the Ministry of Justice and then RDO made further comments on this second draft. Given the importance of the contents of our submissions, you will find attached full copies of both submissions in Spanish together with a brief synopsis in English. Download Follow the link below for a copy of the latest draft law http://www.lizarza.com/enlaces_abogados.htm If you...
After The Conference
I returned from what I thought was a really good conference determined to write a blog on the highlights of the event, but such is the demand for instantaneous news and views, that by the time I am back at my desk I have already provided a piece for RCI Ventures and Perspective Magazine on the conference and on what 2012 holds for the industry and am beginning to run out of "bon mots"! This just proves what we were told at the conference about the speed of news transmissions, social media and comment etc. So is there anything left to...
Timeshare and Exchange
A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a very helpful lady in the Exchange Department of one of Europe's 2 Exchange Companies. I have to admit straight away that I am not the world's most reliable timeshare owner, in that I am notorious for forgetting to deposit my week for exchange if that's what we've decided to do that year, or conversely, fail to book a week at our home resort until it's almost or often is too late to get anything. I imagine this gives you the general picture and needless to say my family are baffled...
Levitin Group Announces the Launch of Timeshare U
Levitin Group has announced the upcoming launch of Timeshare U, the timeshare industry’s first and only online training university. It is the only place where salespeople, managers and marketers can have 24/7 access to educational videos, podcasts, webinars and courses from industry experts in an entertaining and interactive environment. “Industry staff, from new hires to seasoned pros, even those considering a career in timeshare, can access lessons on sales techniques, closing skills, leadership, customer service and more, as well as motivational content from a variety of authors,” says Shari Levitin, CEO of Levitin Group. There are three main parts to Timeshare...
Interval International executive receives award from ATHOC
Interval International announced that Joe Hickman, executive director for Asia Pacific, was recognised with the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Timeshare Industry by ATHOC (the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council). The presentation took place at its 20th annual National Industry Awards ceremony held in the resort town of Surfers Paradise. The award acknowledges Hickman’s 30-years of experience in all aspects of shared ownership, his numerous contributions to industry growth in the region, and his tireless efforts to educate new entrants, media, and government bodies about the industry. Hickman is an ATHOC board member and has also served and continues...
RCI Releases Updated “Share Your Vacation” Application for Facebook
With this updated application, users can enter their past and future vacations by either searching by any destination around the world or by specific RCI affiliated resort name. They can also upload their favorite photos and videos from their trips by pulling from existing Facebook albums or uploading them from their computers or mobile devices. The benefits of the app go beyond the ability to keep track of personal travel. Users can play with the different map functions to view their friends’ holidays or all app users’ holidays. They can also browse the posted recommendations, photos and videos to get an...