The vacation ownership industry recently acknowledged the coming-of-age of the timeshare resale market by inviting top resale executives to join resort developers in a Washington, D.C. think tank.

SellMyTimeshareNOW.com CEOs Jason Tremblay and Mark Eldridge joined the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) in its first-ever timeshare resale think tank last week in Washington, D.C.. Tremblay and Eldridge were part of a high-level group of timeshare resale company executives invited to brainstorm with development and resort executives in "Developing a Roadmap to Creating a Healthier Secondary Market for Timeshare." Previously, there had been more competition than communication between developers and resellers. This was the first think tank ARDA has held in three years, indicating the vacation ownership industry's acknowledgement that timeshare resales have come of age.

ARDA President Howard Nusbaum stated that there is now a "$30 billion overhang in potential resale inventory…. We welcome the resellers into ARDA recognizing that resales are a very big part of the timeshare industry…. More than 9 million households in the US are interested in buying vacation time during the next two years." The reason that timeshare resellers have become an important part of the vacation ownership industry is that they provide the most powerful solution for timeshare owners who want to sell. Eldridge said "SellMyTimeshareNOW.com proudly delivers more buyers through our online marketing efforts than any other company, and this year we're on track to deliver over a quarter billion dollars in offers."

The result of the think tank was a drafted vision statement: "To create an open and ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can easily find each other, offering educated consumers realistic expectations and transparency in all processes resulting in cooperation between parties with standardized practices…." This is quite similar to the tagline of SellMyTimeshareNOW (SMTN): "The Global Leader in Connecting Timeshare Buyers, Sellers & Renters." SMTN was founded on the principals of ethics and integrity, offering timeshare owners an easy, efficient and financially sound way to handle the sale and rental of their timeshares.

In the past, some online companies, just as resort developers, took advantage of consumers with disreputable deals. But, as Tremblay and Eldridge point out, "what legitimized the timeshare industry over the past 20 to 30 years was the emergence of brand names, like Hilton and Marriott, and the same thing is happening in resales. SellMyTimeshareNOW.com is one of the fastest-growing companies in the industry, and we're the most visible online. The information presented in this think tank validated that there is a huge opportunity to provide sellers with a legitimate, safe, secure solution to obtain the buyers they're searching for."

Why is this resale business growing so quickly? According to Craig Nash, Interval International's Chairman, "74 percent of leisure travelers use the Internet to plan their vacations." (Vacation Industry Review, October - December 2006). From airline tickets to car rentals to books, reservations and purchases are easily and quickly made online. Three years ago, when Tremblay and Eldridge started SMTN, there were few viable timeshare resale options. They provided one by focusing on driving highly-qualified buyers to SellMyTimeshareNOW.com. In doing so, they increased the number of offers per week from 10 in 2003 to about 1,000 in 2006. SellMyTimeshareNOW.com has seen exponential growth, moving from grossing $87,000 in 2003 to an expected $5,000,000 in 2006 and it is poised to skyrocket over the next 18 months.

Jason Tremblay is available for comments at +1-877-815-4227 or +1-603-516-0200, or ask for Heather Cate.

Designed with an old world/Tuscan theme, the Vino Bello Resort, the newly opened timeshare resort in the Napa Valley wine country region, features one-of-a-kind artwork from local artists in each unit.
"I'm a big believer in the impact of art," said Shell Vacations Club Design Director Elaine Lazarus. "In creating the feel for this project, I wanted to bring the flavor and landscape of the local community into the units. This project accomplishes that."

Lazarus originally planned to commission one piece of artwork from a local artist but, in the end, commissioned $250,000 worth of Tuscan-inspired art for the property. Four pieces of original local art are in each unit.

Destination design firm Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) designed the interiors, and Interiors Purchasing Group, an affiliate of WATG, handled the procurement of fixtures, furniture and accessories.

The 116-room property has one- and two- bedroom units, with luxury conveniences such as fully-appointed kitchens, living and dining areas, fireplaces, jetted tubs, flat-screen televisions, and private porches.

"This resort is our 'crown jewel' of all of our 23 resorts with elegant, highest-quality custom carved furnishings to meet the needs of our members," Lazarus said.

"Being chosen was an honor," said Kim Wild, one of the artists featured. "My art was on display with other local artists at a gallery in Napa, and three of my pieces that had the abstract Tuscan look were selected by the designer."

Since its founding in 1945, WATG has specialized in hospitality, leisure and entertainment design from its offices in Orlando, Honolulu, Irvine, Seattle, and London. The firm is best known for such international landmarks as The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, Las Vegas; Atlantis Paradise Island Hotel & Casino Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas; Disney's Grand Floridian Beach Resort & Spa, Orlando; Four Seasons Resort, Maui; and The Ritz-Carlton, Bali. For more information, visit www.watg.com.

Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, Shell Vacations is considered one of the most respected independent vacation ownership developers in the United States, operating 23 resorts in seven states and Mexico and Canada. Other California resorts include: The Inn at the Opera, The Suites at Fisherman's Wharf, the Donatello Hotel in San Francisco and Peacock Suites in Anaheim. The company has over 2,000 employees and a hospitality division serving over 100,000 members and owners. For more information, go to www.shellvacationsclub.com or www.shellhospitality.com.

Hyatt is making the winter months a bit cozier this year with complimentary breakfast for AAA/CAA travelers on top of savings for the guestroom. Available now through February 28, 2007, AAA/CAA members using the BREAKF offer code when booking a room will be able to "experience the value" of staying at a Hyatt hotel or resort with complimentary breakfast for two every day of their stay while saving 10% on the prevailing room rate. "Travelers are always looking for value, and this year, Hyatt is offering AAA/CAA members the opportunity to enjoy a full palate-satisfying breakfast, along with a great rate," said Amy Weyman, vice president of marketing, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. "The experience is a great value, not only for families but for business travelers as well."
Across North America at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts' award winning restaurants, the recently introduced signature breakfast dishes are complimentary for up to two people staying on the promotional BREAKF offer. Featured items on Hyatt's breakfast menu include: Sticky Bun French Toast, Poached Eggs in a Pot and Breakfast in a Basket. From San Francisco to Miami and all Hyatt hotels in between, guests can be assured of a great night stay and a tasty breakfast that will get them on their way.

NOTE: The 10% savings is off the prevailing rate for the room type requested at the time of booking. Rate is per room, per night. In order to receive free breakfast, guest must request offer code BREAKF.

The American Resort Development Assn. International Foundation's annual benchmark study by PricewaterhouseCoopers of the financial performance of the timeshare industry underscores the robust financial performance of the multibillion-dollar timeshare industry.

The study, which focused on an industry subset of 46 companies encompassing 293 timeshare resorts in active sales, showed key financial ratios such as sales and marketing costs remained in-line as companies posted robust 9.1-percent growth in 2005.

Each year, PWC surveys a group of timeshare resort developers, analyzing industry trends and setting benchmarks on product pricing, sales, marketing costs, financing and other financial indicators. This year's findings reveal a 9.1-percent year-over-year increase in net sales of timeshare resorts in active sales, as the industry subset reported $6.1 billion in net new sales, following sales of $5.6 billion in 2004. About 91 percent of 2005 sales occurred in the U.S. Average net sales per active resort were $21.3 million last year.

Half of respondents sold more than 2,500 timeshare weeks during 2005, with the largest companies experiencing the most rapid growth (11.8-percent increase in net new sales). While most timeshare companies continue to sell timeshares that are based on ownership of an interval week at a specific resort, points-based products, in which an owner has purchased points or credits backed by a usage right to a club's resorts, have achieved a prominent position. Of the $6.1 billion of net new timeshare sales in 2005 (excluding fractional sales), $5.1 billion (84 percent) was classified as interval week sales, while $1 billion (16 percent) was classified as points sales.

We have discussed before the emerging trend of multi-location private residence clubs, such as the Ritz-Carlton Club, and how they offer the ownership benefit of real estate with the flexibility of a destination club.

One such club is Boutique Club International, a new club run by a very experienced team coming from the high-end timeshare companies such as Cendant and Starwood. We recently spoke with one of the founders, Jay DiGiulio, to better understand their strategy and offering.

DiGiulio describes their approach as buying and developing a suite of small, intimate boutique hotel residences, that will then be sold in whole or as fractional ownership slices. The properties will also be available for hotel booking for guests, in the range of $300-$1800 per night. He expects that owners will buy into one property that they know they want to spend 14-21 days at each year and then use a point system to get access to other properties in the portfolio.

Boutique Club has started with with four locations: Aspen, Newport, Rhode Island, Barbuda and Costa Rica - and a property in New York is one the way. The size varies, from Aspen to New York (planned 65 owners) to Newport where there could be as many as 200+ owner families. The club intends to renovate or develop to the same 5 star standard in each location, with the same level of services and amenities. The delivery of this service level is supported by an operating agreement with the Leading Hotels of the World.

DiGiulio clearly understands the high-end fractional business, and is structuring the club to accommodate issues that owners will face: reservation windows, peak travel periods, open reservation windows to allow for last-minute travel and so on. He was also very frank about the decision to buy in. In his opinion, it is a lifestyle decision and as such, he acknowledges that there is no proven resale market yet for luxury fractional products.

We think that multi-location residence clubs offer an interesting option - particularly if you plan to spend several weeks a year at the same location. In that case, a club like Boutique Club may be a good option for you. You can make one of their properties a primary location for your vacations - adding in the additional locations for variety. We should expect to see more clubs/developments like these as the luxury fractional real estate industry reacts to the stunning success of Exclusive Resorts and the other leading destination clubs.

THE tycoon who made a multi-million-pound fortune from Homebase and Debenhams, John Lovering, and Mike Balfour, the gym entrepreneur who founded the Fitness First chain, are to help launch a luxury holiday home investment scheme.
Together with Investec, the bank, the pair have contributed to a £15m fundraising to help form The Hideaways Club, which will invest in a dozen villas across Europe.



The operation will be similar to the so-called “fractional ownership” system that has become established in the US. It has been likened to an upmarket version of timeshare.

Hideaways will soon begin inviting prospective members to join the scheme. Membership will cost about £200,000 with an additional annual fee of £10,000 to cover maintenance.

In return, members will receive a stake in the properties that the club acquires, by being granted shares in Hideaways, and the right to use the villas for a certain number of weeks per year. There will be no more than six shareholders per property. It is expected that the first properties will be ready for use by May 2007.

The scheme is the brainchild of Hideaways chief executive Stephen Wise, a former management consultant. The company’s management team, which has also contributed to the initial £15m fundraising includes Patrick Henchoz, former chief executive of Esporta, the fitness chain. Balfour has been appointed chairman of Hideaways.

Eventually, the club hopes to own about 100 villas across the Continent, giving a maximum of 600 shareholders or members in the scheme.

Members will be required to stay invested for a minimum of three years.

Fredericka Johns, Secretary General of Tatoc, has died this
morning 19th Nov 2006 at 6.40am in the Furness General Hospital in Barrow, Cumbria.

She was taken ill while on holiday in Greece and was brought home, transferred to the hospital but failed to recover.

Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends ...

Some people may remember her as Langdale's Sales & Marketing Director or Vice Chairman of the Ambleside Chamber of Trade or the Lake District Tourism and Conservation Partnership, on which she served as a Director.

British Airways has agreed to sell the regional operation of its subsidiary airline BA Connect to Flybe.

BA Connect’s services from London City Airport and between Manchester and New York will not form part of the proposed sale.

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said: “Point to point regional operations are not a strategic part of our business and we believe that such activities are better undertaken by a regional low cost airline.

“Despite the best efforts of the entire team at BA Connect, we do not see any prospect of profitability in its current form.”

Once the sale of the regional business of BA Connect to Flybe is completed, there will be a transition period until the start of the summer schedule on March 25, 2007 while the handover of responsibilities is undertaken, the airline said.

“The proposed sale to Flybe provides the best opportunity to secure the long-term future for the many dedicated staff in BA Connect,” Walsh said. “British Airways will have a 15 per cent investment in Flybe on completion of the disposal.

“London City services complement our mainline business at Heathrow. For this reason they are not included in the proposed sale.”

A Thomas Cook employee has been charged with manslaughter over the deaths of two British children poisoned by carbon monoxide gas on the island of Corfu.

The Thomas cook employee who inspected the Louis Corcyra Hotel is facing the manslaughter charges alongside the hotel’s director, general manager, maintenance manager the air conditioning installation manager and a maintenance employee.

The six could face jail sentences.

Christianne Shepherd, seven, and her brother Robert, six, were on a half-term trip with their father and his partner when they were poisoned.

It’s believed a faulty boiler and air conditioning unit at the bungalow led to carbon monoxide seeping in to the property.

The hotel has had its licence revoked temporarily although it could be permanent if the management is found responsible for the deaths.

The Greek tourism ministry temporarily revoked the hotel's licence earlier this week and said the penalty would be permanent if its management proved to be responsible for the deaths.

Thomas Cook claims that Greek authorities have yet to contact it about the charges.

Holiday prices are expected to increase due to soaring fraud and moves to force credit card companies to take on greater financial protection.

The UK payment association APACS, which represents banks and building societies, has revealed Internet, telephone and mail order fraud in travel is up 45% this year compared to an overall increase of credit fraud of just 5%.

Operators and agents say the growth in fraud mirrors the increase in bookings made through these distribution channels and has been fuelled by the reduction in face-to-face fraud thanks to chip-and-pin technology.

Sunvil Holidays managing director Noel Josephides said: “The cost of fighting fraud is going to get worse. Companies selling product solely on the web will find it harder because costs will rise as they have to pay for greater security.”

Meanwhile, renewed speculation that the Civil Aviation Authority wants credit card companies to be the first port of call for customers wanting compensation has prompted criticism.

Josephides said any increased costs for credit card companies would be passed on to the trade, forcing prices up.

Olympic Holidays commercial director Photis Lambrianides said: “Credit card companies already regard the trade as a bit of a risk so the rates are already quite high.”

Lowcostbeds chief executive Paul Evans said: “Credit cards might protect your money but they won’t repatriate you if a company goes bust while you’re abroad. It is part of a bigger picture where the current regulations aren’t working.”

A CAA spokesman refused to comment.

Chancellor Gordon Brown's plans to seek a UK equivalent of the US Department for Homeland Security will cause alarm in the aviation industry.

The Chancellor told cabinet colleagues last week that the Treasury is seeking to establish an annual security budget of £2 billion.

The US government created the Department of Homeland Security after the September 11 attacks, along with a Transportation Security Committee.

It has spent more than $20 billion on airport security in the five years since, promising increased staff and state-of-the-art screening equipment.

Yet by this September just 70 high-tech scanners were in place at the country’s 440 commercial airports, and the number of airport security staff was down from 60,000 in 2003 to 43,000.

US congressman John Mica, who chairs the House Aviation Committee said: “The vast majority of airports are in a state of disarray.”

At the same time the European Union has been locked in a row with the US about privacy issues surrounding advanced air passenger data required by Washington. Now a data security company has warned business travellers to encrypt sensitive data on laptops or blackberries when travelling to the US.

Ultimaco Software managing director Jackie Groves said: “A traveller’s privacy is significantly compromised when arriving in the US.”

Whatever happens, a Department for Transport spokesman said: “The industry will continue to pay for security at airports.”

Following an £800 million refurbishment, Eurostar’s new home at St Pancras International in London will open for business on November 14 next year.

The station will replace Waterloo for all Eurostar trip departures and arrivals thanks to the refurbishment, which began in October 2001, and is projected to handle 44 million people annually.

Project director Mike Luddy said: “The restoration of St Pancras is a truly historic project. We are redefining how a station operates.”

Meanwhile, it has been announced that the new high speed railway which will link the station with the Channel Tunnel will be known as High Speed 1.

The building of the line has cost £5.8 billion, during which time the line has tunnelled under the Thames and avoided 18km of tunnels beneath London.

Emirates has announced it will be the world’s first airline to allow passengers to use mobile phones on flights.

The Dubai-based carrier will have a Boeing 777 ready to offer the service as soon as there is regulatory approval next year and plans to extend usage throughout its fleet.

Air France had expected to be the first carrier to offer mobile use in a trial early in 2007, and Ryanair plans to convert one-quarter of its fleet for mobile use in the second half of the year.

But British Airways made plain it has no immediate plans to follow suit. Chief executive Willie Walsh said: “Our research shows some customer interest in text connections, but some vocal opposition to mobile phone calls.

“We don’t see any demand. The technology exists to allow texts but prohibit calls and that is the way we are likely to go.”

He said texting could be available on BA within 18 months.

EasyJet has also said it has no plans to allow mobile use.

Airtours Holidays will cut fuel surcharges by as much as two-thirds for winter 2007/08.

Short-haul surcharges will fall from £30 to £10, medium haul from £40 to £15 and long haul from £65 to £25.

A spokesman said the decision had been made following the fall in oil prices to $58 a barrel, as opposed to the record high of $79 over the summer.

Having hedged a greater percentage of its fuel from the start of this year, the MyTravel Group also has greater control of costs in a volatile fuel market.

A letter to agents said: “We have always been committed to reviewing our fuel supplements regularly in line with the movement and stability, or instability, of fuel prices.”

None of the other big operators are cutting surcharges, with Thomas Cook and First Choice staying at £30 for short haul, £40 for medium haul and £65 long haul, while Thomson remains at £25, £40 and £65 respectively.

Libra Holidays Group will build an $800 million resort in Egypt after signing a deal with the Egyptian minister of tourism Mohammed Zohier Garana.

The deal, struck at World Travel Market, will see the development of five million square metres of land near the Red Sea resort of Marsa Alam and is part of a larger Egyptian scheme to develop the area for tourism.

Set to be completed by 2014, Libra will own the majority of the staged development, with the rest shared between unnamed investors.

Libra Europe managing director Chris Amastassiou said: “We’re keen to get started on the project and now we have been given the allocation of the land, we will choose the site within the next two weeks.

“Egypt is keen to further develop its tourism and the development of Marsa Alam by the government will be undertaken in a planned way. Despite the past bombings, we believe Egypt is very resilient and will continue to be popular.”

The site will feature hotels, with overall capacity to be in the thousands, as well as a marina, golf, spa and sporting activities, markets and a water park among other elements. Amastassiou said the site’s architecture will reflect that of its surroundings.

Libra Holidays Group chief executive Andreas Drakou added: “The different elements within this project can operate independently of each other as a single service or combine to develop new products, targeting a wider market segment.

Amastassiou added the development’s facilities would be available for other tour operators to package up and sell, while travel agents can create dynamic packages, and he expects the majority of the resort’s guests to be from the UK.

He added: “Libra is already vertically integrated, but this will add another dimension.”

British Airways believes a new Club World cabin, with a flat bed 25% wider than before, will fight off increasing competition for business traffic in what is the most profitable part of its business.

The beds, unveiled this week, will be installed on 100 long-haul Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft within 18 months. Chief executive Willie Walsh said: “Customers will be able to turn more easily in bed, the key to a good night.

The £100 million investment comes after BA finished refitting its Boeing 767 fleet with the first flat beds, launched in 2000, just four months ago.

The relaunch offers flexible eating arrangements, new menus, enhanced entertainment and a new cabin design with toned-down lighting.

But the centre-piece is the seat, considerably wider at the shoulder than the knee, and configured in facing pairs with a sliding partition.

Head of in-flight development Jamie Cassidy said: “The whole package beats our rivals, but the key is the privacy, comfort, width and stowage.”

The seat can be configured in a Z shape. “It’s a great way to lounge when you don’t want to lie flat,” said Cassidy. Expect to see a major advertising campaign next spring.

Walsh said: “It’s a fiercely competitive market and we felt we had to take a lead. We carry more premium-class passengers than anyone. Customers have told us they want more privacy, more personal space and more flexibility on the ground.

He added: “I’m surprised how few of our rivals have a flat bed. It has taken them a long time to get up to our level and it will be a long time before anyone can get back up to us now.”

Walsh insisted the fare structure would not change. The Club World cabins on some B747s will be enlarged from 38 to 52 seats.

Business class beds: who does what?
Flat-bed seats
Recline to fully horizontal. Offered by BA, Virgin Atlantic, South African Airways, Air New Zealand, ANA.

Lie-flat seats
Fully recline, but at an angle. Offered by carriers including Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Eos Airlines, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership's subsidiary, Trendwest Resorts, today unveiled TravelShare, an exclusive membership program now available to all current and new North American WorldMark, The Club owners. Designed to enhance flexibility and expand vacation options, TravelShare offers owners who elect to join the program access to select Wyndham hotels and resorts as well as a myriad of other vacation benefits made available through the program.
TravelShare members may use their credits to stay at five select Wyndham hotels, which include the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa in St. Thomas, Wyndham Orange County in Costa Mesa, Calif., Wyndham Midtown and Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Atlanta and Bourbon Orleans in New Orleans.

"We're excited to offer this exclusive program to our WorldMark owners," said Dave Pontius, Wyndham Vacation Ownership executive vice president Hospitality Services/Strategic Planning and chief customer officer. "Incorporating Wyndham hotel stays via TravelShare significantly broadens the WorldMark ownership experience."

"Offering WorldMark's TravelShare members convenient access to these select Wyndham hotels is an enormous opportunity for us to showcase a variety of Wyndham products to these loyal timeshare owners looking for additional ways to enhance their vacation lifestyles," said Peter Strebel, president, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

TravelShare also offers a variety of other benefits to members including enhanced access to the following programs:

? RCI membership - provides access to the world's largest vacation exchange network via a toll-free number exclusively for TravelShare members to utilize and last minute vacation reservations at preferred low prices.

? Connections - enables owners to use their WorldMark Credits that are TravelShare qualified to choose from a variety of tailored itineraries that may include cruises to locations such as Mexico, Alaska or the Caribbean or personalized tours through Rome, Paris London or the vineyards of California.

? Fun Time - gives owners an expanded booking window to reserve WorldMark units at a low price without using their credits.

? Quarterly Collection - presents an ever changing array of exciting vacation options which may include Harley-Davidson motorcycle rentals, European river cruises and cottages, houseboat rentals and all-inclusive vacation packages.

Not all Muslims in Saudi Arabia are happy with a new $390 million luxury timeshare facility looming over Mecca, where Prophet Mohammed was born 1,400 years ago.

The ZamZam tower offers a week's lease on a studio-size unit with city views for about $6,800 in the slow season but the same size unit with views of the House of Allah, the Kaaba, costs about $175,000 to lease during the month of Hajj, a correspondent for The Guardian reported.

Hajj is when Muslim pilgrims from around the world travel to Mecca.

But the new timeshare angers historian Irfan Ahmed Al Alawi, also co-chairman of the Islamic Heritage Foundation, set up to protect sites of cultural and historical interest in Mecca.

"This timeshare is the exploitation and commercialization of a holy city," he said. "Marble flooring and five-star accommodation will not enhance your pilgrimage or make you a better Muslim."

The ZamZam was built by the Binladin Group, the construction firm founded by Mohammed Bin Laden, the father of terror leader Osama Bin Laden, the report said.

Sundance Vacations and some of their employees were named as Finalists in various categories in The 2006 Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards to be presented on December 4, 2006 in Las Vegas.

Wilkes-Barre, PA (PRWEB) November 16, 2006 -- Sundance Vacations and some of their employees were named as Finalists in various categories in The 2006 Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards.

The new awards are jointly presented by Selling Power magazine, the leading sales management publication with 145,000 subscribers in 67 countries, and The Stevie® Awards, which have been hailed as "the business world's own Oscars" by the New York Post (April 27, 2005).

Winners will be announced during a gala banquet on Monday, December 4 at the Westin Casuarina Hotel, Spa & Casino in Las Vegas. Nominated sales executives from around the world are expected to attend.

More than 300 entries from companies of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories. Sundance Vacations is a Finalist in the Timeshare Sales Organization of the year category while the King of Prussia office's Roger Johnson is a Finalist as Sales Representative of the Year. In addition, the Chicago Sales Team received Finalist recognition for Sales Team of the Year and manager Steve Decker is a Finalist in the Sales Director of the Year category.

Members of the Awards' Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors and their staffs will select Stevie Award winners this week from among the Finalists. Business professionals worldwide chose the finalists during preliminary judging.

The elegant Stevie trophy was designed by R. S. Owens, the same company that makes the Oscar and the Emmy.

"Being named a Finalist in The Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards is an important achievement," said Gerhard Gschwandtner, founder and publisher of Selling Power. "It means that independent business executives have agreed that the nominee is worthy of international recognition. We congratulate all of the Finalists on their achievement and wish them well in the competition."

"We strive to maintain high standards in every division of our company. In addition to the 2006 Stevie Award nominations, we were honored to be the recipient of the 2005 Northeast Pennsylvania Better Business Bureau Torch Award for our business practices and marketplace ethics. To be publicly recognized two years in a row for our commitment to excellence is especially gratifying," adds John Dowd, President of Sundance Vacations.

Details about The Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at www.stevieawards.com/sales.

Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world's largest vacation ownership company, today announced that owners of FairShare Plus, its points-based timeshare exchange program, may now use their points to stay at five select Wyndham hotels and resorts. Designed to further enhance the overall flexibility and vacation options for FairShare Plus owners, this new option is among the first vacation benefits that are being offered to leverage Wyndham's family of industry-leading products and services.

FairShare Plus owners may use their points at five select Wyndham hotels, which include the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa in St. Thomas, Wyndham Orange County in Costa Mesa, California, Wyndham Midtown and Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Atlanta and Bourbon Orleans in New Orleans.

"We're excited to offer this exclusive program to our FairShare Plus owners," said Dave Pontius, Wyndham Vacation Ownership executive vice president Hospitality Services/Strategic Planning and chief customer officer. "Incorporating Wyndham hotel stays significantly broadens the FairShare Plus ownership experience."

"Offering FairShare Plus owners convenient access to these select Wyndham hotels is an enormous opportunity for us to showcase a variety of Wyndham products to these loyal timeshare owners looking for additional ways to enhance their vacation lifestyles," said Peter Strebel, President, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.

The number of points required to stay at the respective hotels vary according to the time of year and other usage guidelines. FairShare Plus owners may make reservations for travel beginning the first of next year.

DEVELOPERS have expressed their frustration after plans to build a £4 million luxury holiday complex in Linton were unanimously refused.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's planning committee voted against the scheme on Tuesday, claiming it represented a "creeping theme park approach to the Dales".

Applicants Linton Regeneration Ltd wanted to turn the former wartime camp into a four-star luxury complex of timeshare cottages and holiday apartments.

continued...
Paul Tunstall, of planning consultants JWPC, which represents Linton Regeneration Ltd, said the company was "clearly disappointed".

"What was particularly frustrating was that there was little acceptance of the benefits the scheme offered in removing an unrestricted and potentially harmful use on a prominent eyesore site," he said.

Tuesday's meeting was told that the development equated to a "new village" on a site just half-a-kilometre east of the centre of Linton and 1.2 kilometres south of Grassington.

Mr Tunstall added: "Linton Regeneration Company is currently considering all options for the future, including appealing against the decision and securing alternative residential institution' uses on the site."

The developers have the option of refurbishing the existing buildings for class C2 use without needing planning permission. Such uses include an asylum, religious training centre, criminally insane person's institute, drug addiction and rehabilitation centre, ex-offenders rehabilitation centre or psychiatric hospital.

Linton Camp was established in 1939 as a result of the 1939 War Camps Act to house evacuees during the Second World War.

It was initially for children whose fathers were fighting in the forces and whose mothers were often doing shift work in Bradford mills or munitions factories.

The current plans for the site were submitted in August 2005 and shortly afterwards the national park asked Linton Regeneration Ltd for a detailed environmental impact statement.

That took more than a year to compile and the finished 279-page document was put before the planning committee this week.

But the proposal was met with total opposition.

John Bennett, speaking on behalf of Linton Parish Council, said the development would have a significant impact on the character and appearance of the area. He added that the economic value to the people in the national park was minimal.

"There is more than adequate existing accommodation already available," he said. "We see this project as being a kind of urban intrusion."

Local resident Merrill Boothman said the development could not be considered in isolation, as Linton already received a long list of visitors, including walking groups, disabled parties and Duke of Edinburgh groups.

She said the increased traffic and other factors would only "spoil our special Dales village".

"We believe that the proposed development would be on an unprecedented scale and could only have a detrimental effect," added Mrs Boothman.

Planning member Jerry Pearlman implored the committee to vote against the development, although he admitted the existing buildings were "about the worst eyesore in the whole of the Dales".

"In my opinion the only thing to be done is to clear the whole site," he declared.

Committee member Stephen Butcher added: "Linton Parish Council is totally opposed to this and so is everyone else."

The fate of a proposed condominium timeshare development in Homewood was again undecided after questions arose during a Tahoe Regional Planning Agency governing board meeting Wednesday.

Randall Faccinto, attorney for Nate Topol, who is proposing the Villas at Harborside project, requested a continuance after a three-hour discussion on the project.

Topol wants to build nine three-bedroom homes on three adjoining lakefront lots across the street from Homewood Mountain Resort. Two lots on either side of the proposed project already have homes on them. The proposed, fractional ownership, 1,800-square-foot homes would have four people sharing ownership of the house. Each owner would have use of the unit for 13 weeks annually.

Was change noticed?
The board was to vote on transferring development rights of tourist accommodation units — essentially rooms for rent — from Topol’s Marina Lodge to the Villas project site. But questions arose over a 1995 settlement agreement between Topol and TRPA, which states the Villas property would remain residential and not offer tourist accommodations. TRPA board member Jerry Waldie said TRPA’s attorney in 2003 changed the agreement to allow tourist rentals, but that Homewood residents were not notified of the change.

“Somehow, we should have given public notice that this document was being amended in someway,” Waldie said. “I can understand why folks would have a problem with the project.”

In the middle of the public comment period, Faccinto offered the continuance.
“What we’re hearing is there is a real confusion of how we got here today,” Faccinto said. “We would like an opportunity to develop evidence to show noticing.”

For and against
Nearly 100 people were at the meeting, with 13 neighbors voicing opposition to the project and eight business owners, residents and Topol’s employees speaking in favor of the proposed development.

Those opposed to the project cited concerns over parking, traffic, public access to the lake, and view corridors. Some members of the public and the board also questioned Topol’s history of compliance with TRPA standards, including illegal buoys.

“We never heard timeshares would be allowed,” one Homewood resident told the board. “This developer has not been compliant in the past and we don’t know if he will be in the future.”

Business owners said they believed the project would be better than Topol’s original plan of building three residential homes, because timeshare units would bring in a number of families year-round to the West Shore, which would help the economy, they said.

“As a small business owner, I know how difficult it is to survive on the West Shore,” Kay Williams said. “How do we keep a viable economic base? I think we all have to come together.”

Board member Bruce Kranz, who is also the District 5 Placer County Board Supervisor, said he would like a letter from the North Tahoe Fire Protection District attesting the Villas parking lot is big enough for emergency vehicles. He also wanted to know if the lot was accessible to the disabled. A number of board members said they wanted time to review the 1995 agreement.

Not over ‘til it’s over
The TRPA governing board approved 11 to 3 the continuance until their January 24 North Shore meeting.

The project was approved by the Placer County Planning Commission last year, but that decision was appealed by Homewood resident Jan Echlin. Last December, the Board of Supervisors heard the appeal and ordered the project back to the North Tahoe Regional Planning Advisory Council meeting so the public would have another chance to comment on the project.