Inter Milan soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic has splashed out $2.5m for a luxury New York timeshare.

The Swedish international striker bought a 781sq-ft one-bedroom hotel in the 46-storey Trump SoHo, according to U.S reports.

But Ibrahimovic will have to wait to use the swanky apartment, as it is not slated to open until 2009.

The football star cannot use his new place in the condo-hotel for more than 120 days a year, and not for more than 29 days in a row. I think a clientele that only stays in midtown and has to drive all the way down here for restaurants and places like that will have a hotel with standards they expect. So it will fill up the old-world SoHo economy, sales chief Rodrigo Nino told the New York Observer.

It has not all been plain sailing for the luxurious development. In January two workers fell form the 42nd floor while pouring concrete, killing one of them.

A US company has the solution for Americans who are often on the road or otherwise too busy to have a pet: the timeshare dog.

In exchange for a monthly fee of 50 dollars, a "Daily Doggy Time charge" of at least 25 dollars and an annual maintenance fee of 100 dollars, subscribers to FlexPetz can have the luxury of playing Frisbee with and cleaning up after a furry four-legged companion for a limited time.

At the end of the rental, they hand the lead back to FlexPetz, most of whose dogs are rescues or animals in urgent need of a new home, the service says on its website.

Would-be FlexPetz owners also have to pay a 150-dollar registration fee, which covers a mandatory one-hour introductory session with a trainer -- for the human, not the dog.

During the session, future dog renters get to know the dogs, learn how to handle them and pick up a few training tips.

Timeshare dogs can even be delivered to their temporary home, for a fee.

The canines come equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) collar, "in the event they decide to go walkies on their own."

FlexPetz is already operational in New York and Los Angeles and plans to open branches in London, San Francisco and Washington this year.

Beforehand, however, the part-time pet providers have set up shop on Second Life, the virtual social networking world.

Second Life pet owners also pay to have a FlexPetz companion, although the fees are far less than in the real world -- two dollars for seven days of dog.

Proceeds from the virtual pet rentals go to animal welfare groups, FlexPetz says.

Tahoe Vista residents continued to stress the critical need for an updated and comprehensive community plan before the Tahoe Regional Planning Agencys advisory body Wednesday at a public hearing for the Sandy Beach redevelopment project.

Residents also told the Advisory Planning Commission that paying fees to offset impacts created by the Tahoe Vista fractional-ownership development was not good enough.

Tahoe Vista Partners, LLC is proposing to build 45 tourist-accommodation-units and 10 affordable housing units on a 6.25-acre site just off of the highway in the heart of Tahoe Vista.

The property is currently the site of the Sandy Beach Campground and also houses the Spindleshanks restaurant and several smaller buildings.

The entire development would occur on the mountain side of the highway. The property owners sold their lakefront portion of the parcel to the California Tahoe Conservancy in 1992 so it would forever remain publicly accessible.

The Sandy Beach redevelopment is one on an extensive list of proposals for the small, primarily residential community of Tahoe Vista. Its joined by the proposed Tahoe Sands timeshare development, the Vista Village affordable housing development and the proposal to expand the North Tahoe Marina, among other proposed projects.

I think the concerns on cumulative impact in that area are quite valid, said Commissioner Lee Plemel. Unless theres some sort of community plan for that area, I think approving one project at a time is just not the way to go.

The existing 1996 Tahoe Vista community plan strives to promote the community as a tourism destination. To meet this goal, the plan encourages diversification of recreational and commercial attractions to create the high quality development expected in a destination resort community.

Commissioner Allen Breuch reiterated the community plans vision about trending Tahoe Vista towards a tourist destination.

But residents said they want to update the plan so it addresses the intense development facing the area.

We dont want to look like South Shore, said Tahoe Vista Resident Ellie Waller. In fact, we dont want to look like the proposed Kings Beach area.

The draft environmental document delves into the cumulative impacts of the project within the context of everything else proposed for Tahoe Vista.

But in many cases, the project offsets impacts through mitigation fees, which frankly, wont solve the problem, said Tahoe Vista Resident Dave McClure.

So both the TRPA and Placer County are getting their fees, McClure said about the proposed traffic mitigation fees. That physical vehicle is somehow supposed to be reduced in impact by paying money to these agencies. Im sorry, but it doesnt work that way.

McClure also critiqued the size of each individual tourist-accommodation-unit, stating the size of the proposed units far exceeds the original parameters.

This project is probably one of the best examples of how the TAU policy has changed in reality over the last 20 years since the Community Plan was formed, McClure said, noting that a motel or hotel room originally defined a tourist-accommodation-unit. This is not a hotel unit. This is a complete distortion of what TAUs were meant to be.

Gabby Barrett, the agencys chief of long-range planning, said the magnitude and definition of a tourist-accommodation-unit will be analyzed in the 20-year regional plan update that is already underway.

Its an issue thats coming up that were trying to address, Barrett said.

The Middle East is ripe for timeshare, according to David Clifton, Managing Director, Interval International, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Clifton makes the call in advance of (next months) Vacation Ownership conference, VOIC 2008, and as international industry experts too continue to voice the regions potential as the next timeshare hot spot.

Click Here!
He said that regional developers and investors are following suit and are gearing to add the timeshare product to their hospitality portfolio.

Interval, a leading provider of vacation services, is further readying for the regional boom by bringing in hospitality expert, Jose {banned word/phrase} as its Executive Director, Resort Sales & Services for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

{banned word/phrase} (photo attached) will be based in Intervals Dubai office and will help drive Intervals expansion strategy.

According to Clifton, in his new role, {banned word/phrase} will oversee Interval's presence in the UAE and direct the day-to-day sales and service activities : He will also assist in servicing Interval's existing affiliated resorts, facilitating sales and marketing support, as well as building Interval's developer client base in the region.

"Jose is already a great asset to Interval as we continue to grow our business in this exciting sector which is set to be one of the regions most dynamic vacation ownership destinations.

{banned word/phrase} has extensive experience within the leisure and real estate industries. He has worked for some of the most prestigious names in hospitality including Hyatt, Ian Schrager International, Marriott, Ritz Carlton and Le Meridien.

Prior to joining Interval, {banned word/phrase} was managing director for Pam Golding Vacation in Property, a division of Pam Golding Property, South Africas largest independent real estate companies.

VOIC 2008
Meanwhile, more than 150 industry chiefs representing the main players in the regions burgeoning timeshare and fractional ownership sector are set to meet at the industrys foremost networking event, Vacation Ownership Investment Conference - VOIC 2008 (Tuesday March 11 & Wednesday March 12, 2008).

VOIC 2008 is supported by Interval International, a leading provider of exchange, travel, and leisure services to resort developers and vacationers worldwide, and will be held at the Arabian Court, One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem says 53 North Dakotans will share $28,000 in refunds after an investigation of time-share marketing in the state.

Stenehjem says the investigation started with complaints about a vendor at the Fargo RibFest last year.

He says the complaints involved hidden costs and fees in a contest for a "free" vacation, and a requirement that people sit through a sales presentation.

Stenehjem says his office also took action against time-share marketers who came to North Dakota without proper licenses or who failed to give enough notice of canceled flights, and against telemarketers who violated North Dakota's do-not-call law.

The latest overseas property related research to be published by global business analysts shows that excluding timeshare style real estate, just fewer than 4 million Brits own property abroad.

Its expected that by 2012 the overall annual growth of British ownership of foreign property could rise by as much as 13% and that over the coming five or six years the overseas property market could increase by as much as 100%. MD David Stanley Redfern, a specialist in property investment outlined some of the reasons behind the ever escalating trend.

Its no secret that more and more Brits are buying abroad and for most its for either of the two very same reasons any investor buys overseas property: financial or recreational advantage. With the UK property ladder proving to be increasingly elusive for first time buyers, the extra revenue from a second property can easily prove invaluable in taking that first step into UK ownership. For current UK property owners, affordable holidays and rental yields outside the holiday season are perhaps the more attractive elements. Emerging markets like Panama, Morocco, Albania and many others have increased investment activity with their undeniable and often unbeatable rewards.

Its true of course that extra income can improve the lifestyle of any investor and just over a quarter of investors buy for reasons other than the everyday benefits of financial return, instead simply searching for Sun Sea and sand. In light of the now established field of foreign real estate and its proven success, investors are becoming more ambitious and are less hesitant to look further afield. Emerging markets prove to be far more affordable and beneficial than most longstanding and perhaps more local European investment heavyweights such as France or Spain. Its perhaps no wonder then that more and more Brits fly to buy and say goodbye to the UK and both its somewhat dismal property and weather climates.

For a non-obligatory chat about any aspect of overseas property investment, contact David Stanley Redfern Ltd today.

Resorts operator and property developer Tanco Holdings Bhd will, for the first time in 10 years, be launching this year three phases of a previously stalled major project, Palm Springs Resort, in Port Dickson.

The company had been launching several small phases of its Bandar Country Homes development in Rawang in the past few years, but these had been slow, business development director Andrew Tan told StarBiz.

For Palm Springs Resort which comprises 15 phases, Tanco aims to launch Duta Grande comprising 800 units of 410 to 830 sq ft resort suites with a gross development value (GDV) of about RM260mil ; SPA Village with 70 chalets ranging from 1,200 to 1,400 sq ft worth RM70mil in GDV; and Palm Springs Boulevard consisting of 24 shop lots with built-up areas of 1,200 sq ft with a GDV of RM15mil.

The company, which came out of PN17 classification on Jan 17 after debt restructuring and the emergence of a new lead banker in Lehman Brothers Commercial Corp Ltd, also plans for more launches at its Rawang development.

Andrew said the Rawang development was mature, with about 10,000 homes and 45,000 residents.

The company plans to launch in Rawang phase 2 of its Greenwood Park district consisting of 155 terrace houses of about 1,700 sq ft priced from RM240,000. The total GDV for this phase is RM70mil.

It will also launch Ivory Heights, comprising 52 bungalows with built-up areas of 3,200 sq ft, with prices starting from RM600,000.

In the companys debt restructuring, Lehman provided a two-year loan facility of about RM239.6mil in November last year to repay Tancos existing debt obligations, to mainly local banks.

Tanco director Datuk Lynne Tan said with only one lender now, the company would be able to work on our assets and re-launch its projects as well as the timeshare sales that it had been so successful with in the past.

Tanco was also looking to build up its landbank, she added.

Lynne said the focus in the near term would be on Palm Springs Resort, with another 400 acres of undeveloped prime seafront land with condominiums, a hotel, a waterpark and marina in the works.

Tanco would be banking on selling most of these projects en bloc to foreign investors, Andrew said.

He said as many international portfolio funds were mandated to invest in the Klang Valley or in resorts, given that property prices in the Golden Triangle had doubled in the past 12 months, the countrys resorts could attract such funds.

A BOGUS timeshare firm which conned holiday home owners out of 500,000 has been shut down.

Yacht Trading UK, which operated out of Cariocca Business Park, in Miles Platting, Manchester, has been wound down in the High Court after a government investigation exposed its dodgy practices.The company could now face a criminal investigation.

Timeshare owners would be called by the firm which claimed to have a buyer interested in their home.

If they were interested in selling, Yacht Trading would ask for a `refundable' fee of between 400 and 1,000 as a 'guarantee'. Once the fee had been collected the firm would reveal it was only refundable after 12 months.

The investigation, carried out by the Companies Investigation Branch of the Insolvency Service, found bosses had netted 500,000.

But there was no evidence any timeshares had been sold and no evidence any deposits had been paid back.

Instead, the money was used to fund the lavish lifestyles of the people behind the company, which was then abandoned.

Postbox

The Manchester trading address was no more than a postbox used to forward mail to Spain where the company bosses lived.

Winding up the firm, the court described it as 'a fraudulent enterprise'.

Yacht Trading UK conducted a similar business to three associated companies - T-One, Mediterranean Leisure and Kingwood Property - which were all wound up on public interest grounds last December following a Companies Investigation Branch investigation.

Together with Yacht Trading, these companies have received funds of more than 2.5m from timeshare owners without apparently selling any timeshares.

The Insolvency Service will now pass its file on the company to police.

The time has come for action on Dubai's timeshare laws, industry experts say, with developers and hoteliers queuing up for timeshare developments and fractional ownership products.

And with the dark clouds of recession looming on the horizon, the timing couldn't be better to introduce "recession proof" hospitality products, according to RCI Middle East managing director Nick Turner.

Speaking to Hotelier Investor at the Tourism Development Projects and Investment Market last month Turner said his company had "several highly respected developers and hoteliers who are looking to launch projects in the region in the first quarter".

"It's important that all the appropriate legislation is in place before these developers start to sell," he said.

"We had the luxury of time in 2006 and 2007, but now there are real tangible projects that are coming out of the ground in tourism destinations like The Palm, Dubai Marina and Dubailand, where we believe it is necessary now for the government to publish the legislation, and obviously to provide licenses to developers."

With the possibility of a US-lead global recession on the horizon, timeshare and fractional ownership products had a proven performance during previous economic downturns, Turner added.

"It's recession proof: if people hand over their cheque today and there is a recession tomorrow they have pretty much guaranteed they will come to Dubai regardless of what happens in terms of conflicts or economic issues," he explained.

"We think there are going to be tough times in the next five years, the industry is worth about US $10 billion in timeshare, and US $2 billion in fractionals, and it has seen uninterrupted growth for the last decade through conflicts, unrest, and global incidents."

Timeshare and fractional ownership could also generate cash flow during construction and soft-opening periods, Turner added.

"We believe in this part of the world, with the right location a hotel could go on sale 18 months before it opens its doors if the property has a strong location and a strong brand behind it, like a Hilton," he said.

"You can understand why hoteliers are so keen on it, because it generates cash flow today and stimulates occupancy for the next 10 to 20 years."

RCI has been one of a number of companies spearheading a working group into the proposed legislation on behalf of the Dubai government.

Turner said the resulting document "not only protects the consumer but also the developer, and ultimately the brand and destination of Dubai to ensure that what is sold and marketed is delivered, and the products are approved and backed by the Dubai government".

US TYCOON Donald Trump has announced new plans to extend his golf business with a 410m complex in Puerto Rico.
The Trump International Golf Club is due to be built on the northern coast of the island, on the 1,000-acre site of the former Coco Beach Golf and Country Club.

It will consist of a 36-hole course and around 500 holiday homes. The homes are expected to cost at least 950,000 and will have access to private jet, yachting and limousine services.

Puerto Rico, a US territory in the northeast Caribbean, is seeking a major boost to its economy and the Trump Organisation investment is expected to bring a large increase in tourism.

Trump's plans to
build "the world's greatest golf club" on the Menie Estate, on the coast north of Aberdeen, are awaiting a decision by finance secretary John Swinney after the local council rejected the application.

The proposed resort, which includes plans to build a five-star hotel, 500 luxury homes and 950 timeshare apartments, was lauded by business leaders as a vital economic boost to the region.

But council planners rejected the plans, saying they would cause irrevocable damage to an important ecological habitat and area of natural beauty.

Trump's Scottish woes continued last week after it emerged the coat of arms used to promote his Aberdeenshire resort has not been registered and, therefore, is illegal under Scots law.

Scotland's heraldic authority has the power, under the 300-year-old law, to fine Trump or destroy the emblem unless he pays the 1,200 registration fee.

Identity theft again accounted for the largest number of consumer fraud complaints made to the Federal Trade Commission in 2007.

And Internet solicitations are the fastest-growing way fraudsters stick it to unsuspecting consumers. That suggests many online users remain all too gullible or trusting.

In total, consumers reported more than $1.2 billion in losses from fraud to the FTC last year.

Identity theft accounted for 32 percent of the 813,899 complaints to the FTC, which works with law enforcement to root out unscrupulous businesses.

Rounding out the top 10 frauds: shop-at-home scams, Internet services, foreign money offers, sweepstakes and lotteries, computer equipment and software sales, Internet auctions, health-care claims, travel and timeshare services, and advance fee and credit-repair programs.

Trends in Missouri and Kansas reflected the national numbers.

Missouri consumers filed 12,912 complaints totaling $20,758,278, or about $1,733 per complaint. Kansas consumers filed 3,875 complaints totaling $16,518,673, or about $4,720 per complaint. The numbers are somewhat skewed because three consumers in Kansas reported losing $1 million or more.

While the FTC report which relies on reports voluntarily filed by consumers suggests identity theft remains a top concern, other research suggests incidents of identity theft are declining.

The 2008 Identity Fraud Survey Report released this month by Javelin Strategy & Research found identity theft snagged 8.1 million Americans in 2007, down about 300,000 from 2006. The survey of 5,000 consumers also found the total cost to victims was $45 billion, down from $51 billion in 2006.

Officials said the survey suggested greater public awareness, more law enforcement crackdowns and better efforts by businesses to safeguard customer information.

Even so, the report presented a caution that identity theft victims are paying more. The cost per consumer in 2007 averaged $691, a 25 percent increase from the $554 the company reported in 2006.

Digging deeper into the FTC report reveals savvy fraudsters are increasingly using the Internet to nab victims. Use of the Internet allows foreign fraudsters to cloak their deeds and often escape detection, taking advantage of limitations of law enforcement to investigate fraud across borders.

The FTC report found that 64 percent of fraud complaints involved unscrupulous companies initially contacting consumers over the Internet. And most often the first contact was by e-mail.

In a comparison of specific methods used to fleece victims, the FTC said consumers were contacted 49 percent of the time by e-mail. The telephone accounted for just 11 percent of initial contacts.

One conclusion is that the success of the national no-call law has pushed more fraudsters to go online.

It is still surprising, though, how many people are being duped by e-mail frauds.

Recently the Internal Revenue Service warned of fraudulent e-mails that purportedly alerted consumers to problems with their tax returns. The IRS does not contact consumers that way.

When the FTC broke down all the types of identity theft complaints, it found that most involved credit card fraud. That was especially true online, where 38 percent of Internet-related complaints involved use of credit cards. Next in line were wire transfers, which accounted for 28 percent of losses.

Credit cards remain the safest way to buy items on the Internet because they carry protections against fraud. Wire transfers carry no protections.

To read the entire FTC report and to get more information about identity theft, go to www.consumer.gov/sentinel.

Rakeen, one of the region's most dynamic property developers and master planners, today announced that construction of its international standard apartment units within Bab Al Bahr (Your gateway to island living), the idyllic resort development on Al Marjan Island, is on schedule.

Piling is already underway on the AED 1.2 billion development, while the apartment buildings are on course to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2009. Confirmation that construction is proceeding exactly as planned represents an important step in the development of the Bab Al Bahr project that will ultimately encompass the residential buildings, a timeshare building, a hotel, an office tower and a shopping mall, providing an exclusive lifestyle.

Dr. Imad Haffar, Chief Operating Officer of Rakeen, the owner and master developer of Bab Al Bahr, commented: "We are delighted that the construction targets we have set for the stunning apartment buildings on Bab Al Bahr are being met. Bab Al Bahr is a development that is designed to offer the finest standards of living; the very embodiment of the fresh approach that Rakeen is taking to development. By the end of next year, residents will be able to enjoy the ocean, nature, exquisite landscaping, fine architecture and enviable facilities in one place.

Available directly from Rakeen with 100 percent freehold ownership, the apartments on Bab Al Bahr exist in 6 stunning buildings featuring dramatic architecture that complements the natural beauty of the island. Open private beachfronts, 360-degree sea views and sensitively-landscaped surroundings add to the feeling of openness and freedom that Bab Al Bahr aims to bring to everyday life, indicated Mr. Wahid Attalla, CEO of Spectrum Consultants, the client representative and project manager.

There are 710 apartments in 5 buildings (Fayrouz, Marmar, Yakout, Kahraman and Amwaj) and all are available for freehold purchase, with an additional 120 apartments in Zumourud available for timeshare ownership. Purchasers will find further reassurance in the carefully selected partners working with Rakeen on Bab Al Bahr: Spectrum Consultants will bring to the project their broad experience of providing consulting services for multi-disciplined projects in the region; B&G Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel and resort management company, will operate and manage Bab Al Bahr hotel and timeshare apartments; Asteco, a leading property management and real estate company, will exclusively sell the units; and Union National Bank, one of the UAEs most renowned mortgage providers, is offering 90% mortgages to Bab Al Bahr apartment buyers.

Dr. Haffar added, Above all, we have endeavoured to make Bab Al Bahr sustainable. Through intelligent planning, high construction standards and respectful treatment of natural resources, we are fully confident that Bab Al Bahr will be a wonderful place to be at work, at leisure, for many years to come.

Bab Al Bahr offers 3, 2 and 1 bedroom apartments, together with studio apartments. Those available for freehold purchase will benefit from a range of first-class amenities, including:

Private beach
Gym / fitness centre
24-hour security
Themed swimming pools with bar and snack counter
Childrens play area and games centre
Hotel and Club privilege access
Parking for 800 cars

Bab Al Bahr is located where Al Marjan Island meets the mainland, meaning that its residents can enjoy the best of both worlds: working, resting and playing on a haven, with the convenience of being in close proximity to all the amenities and natural splendour of Ras Al Khaimah and the rest of the UAE.

Marriott Ownership Resorts has bought the Rutledge Inn on Singer Island for $15.4 million on Jan. 23, Palm Beach County court records show.

The Orlando-based timeshare operator bought the land from TW Beach Residences Singer Island LLC. The purchase adds to its Riviera Beach oceanfront holdings. In 2006, the company bought the 193-room Crowne Plaza Hotel, at 3200 N. Ocean Drive, for $32 million.

According to property records, the Rutledge Inn property was last sold in 2005 for $17 million.

RCI, the world leader in vacation exchange, has announced an agreement with Dubai-based Ivory Grand LLC, the property enterprise owned by Mr Mohammed Ali Abdullah Al Shafar and Humaid Al Suwaidi Real Estate LLC, to affiliate their new timeshare project.

The Ivory Grand development is located in Dubais fast growing Al Barsha district in close proximity to one of the citys largest shopping and leisure complexes, Mall of the Emirates. The development consists of 70 units destined for the timeshare market with a further 150 one and two bed apartments marketed for short term rentals.

Research conducted earlier this year by RCIs sister company, Northcourse Leisure Real Estate Solutions, indicated that GCC nationals will be spending US$1.2Bn per annum on shared ownership leisure real estate by 2020. Also, for the vast majority of Gulf Arabs, especially Saudis, the draw of easy access to major shopping and leisure facilities was their main consideration when deciding upon a holiday destination. Both of these factors provide a compelling business case for the success of the Ivory Grand and Group RCI affiliation.

The development is inspired by a blend of oriental and modern architecture. Each apartment will be luxuriously appointed with a full range of appliances and modern amenities. Set for completion in late 2009, its well placed to cater to the preferences of the broader GCC communities, as well as European and Asian tourists. Offering easy access to the Dubai airport, only a 45 minute drive away, guests will enjoy a luxurious, hotel type experience with the benefit of much more space and flexibility for family members.

The Ivory Grand affiliation is an excellent example of how Group RCI has the potential to add value to a developers project, said Nick Turner, Managing Director of Group RCI in the Middle East. With our regional network of customer service centers we offer the opportunity of distribution through a global network. We recognize the potential of the shared ownership market and have extensively researched the formula for success amongst the developing tourist market.

For additional information on the services offered to developers by Group RCI and how they can add potential value to leisure real estate projects, visit www.GroupRCI.com.

Disney has announced that they have begun construction on the second phase of Animal Kingdom Villas at Walt Disney World Resort. This second phase will include 340 units named "Kidani Village" and will house a 120 seat restaurant and recreation facilities.

The first phase consisted of converting 109 hotel units into time shares. This is the eighth timeshare resort for the Disney Company, and the sixth Disney Vacation Club property at the Walt Disney World Resort. Completion of phase two of the Animal Kingdom Villas is expected to be in the spring of 2009.

ILX Resorts Incorporated (AMEX: ILX) a leading developer, operator and marketer of upscale flexible-stay vacation ownership resorts in the western United States, announced net income for the fourth quarter of 2007 of $104,255 or $0.03 per share both basic and diluted. This compares with net income of $170,114 or $0.05 per share in the fourth quarter 2006.

Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2007 was $12.7 million as compared to $13.3 million for the comparable period in 2006. The decrease in revenue is due to the June 2007 closure of the Rancho Maana Sales Office.

During the fourth quarter, we began to achieve higher sales volume per tour guest from the Sedona Sales Office, as a result of changes implemented in the prior quarter, said Joe Martori, Chairman and CEO. He continued, We are pleased to have addressed the performance issues that had impacted this significant office and look forward to the positive effects of further changes put in place in early 2008 designed to enhance profitability.

ILX Resorts acquires, develops, and operates premier timeshare resorts primarily in the western United States that provide its owners with extraordinary vacation experiences. ILX's portfolio of world-class properties includes eight resorts in Arizona, one in Indiana, one in Colorado, one in San Carlos, Mexico and land in Puerto Peasco (Rocky Point), Mexico and Sedona, Arizona, both of which are in the final planning stages. It also, through Premiere Vacation Club, has acquired, and continues to acquire, inventory at the Carriage House in Las Vegas and in addition has acquired inventory at the Scottsdale Camelback Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, visit: www.ilxresorts.com.

For more information, contact Joseph P. Martori, Chairman, or Margaret Eardley, Chief Financial Officer, at 602-957-2777.

All along, Ken Leavitt, owner of the bankrupt Powder Ridge ski area, has been saying, "It's not going to end the way everyone thinks it will."

Tuesday afternoon provided some evidence that Leavitt's contention might indeed be so.

At 2:30 p.m., Judge Lorraine Murphy Weil approved the order allowing the town and Robert Switzgable of Middlefield Ski Inc. to buy the 146-acre ski area for $3.45 million.

Shortly after the gavel fell, Nancy Bohan Kinsella, acting attorney for the unsecured creditors' committee in the bankruptcy case, received a telephone call from Nicholas Lenge of West Hartford, ready to put in a $5.2 million bid.

Since the deadline for competing bids had passed at 9 a.m. Friday, Selectman Dave Lowry, who was instrumental in forging the deal that had been approved moments before, wondered aloud how anyone could entertain the notion of another bid.

Kinsella and attorneys Bob White, representing the town, and Michael Enright, representing Switzgable, explained that since the order was submitted and signed, reopening it was unlikely but not impossible.

However, because the appeal of the Green Forty portion of the property is on the docket for today, with another trustee and another judge (Albert S. Dabrowski) and since the town's offer for the entire 176 acres was contingent on the Green Forty parcel being part of the package, the judge might allow time to explore the offer.

The acting attorney for Middlefield Holdings, the chief secured creditor and holder of the mortgage on the main piece of property, asked Kinsella to tell "Lenge to bring a million dollars tomorrow (to the court hearing on the Green Forty parcel) if he wants to be considered."

"The main concern of the bankruptcy court is that the maximum amount of money is realized to pay the maximum number of debts," explained U.S. bankruptcy trustee, attorney Holley Claiborn, mentioning that Judge Dabrowski in the past had been looser about deadlines if it looked like a better offer could be obtained.

"Well just go to Plan B," said Lowry, explaining that, at a special meeting Friday, the Board of Selectmen approved a land swap with adjoining landowner Angelo Micciolla as "an insurance policy" to guarantee access to Lake Beseck water for snowmaking if the town and Switzgable were not able to secure Green Forty's 32 acres as part of the foreclosure sale.

That swap eventually would require town meeting approval, but no one sees that as an obstacle since townspeople are eager to save the ski area.

Meanwhile, Leavitt, the ski area's owner, acknowledged knowing Lenge and said the two men "have similar interests." He refused to answer any additional questions about Lenge, and reiterated his distaste at having the town involved "in my business reorganization."

Lenge represents Budding Rose Realty LLC, which has an address at 801 Maple Ave. in Hartford, according to the Secretary of the State's Office. Attempts to contact Lenge at his home were unsuccessful.

Chris Walker, who had partnered with Leavitt in producing a plan for a timeshare resort development on the property, said that "this is really a sad day for the town."

"They had an opportunity to bring in something new and creative with tons of money in taxes and tons of revenue from tourists coming to the area, but investors won't invest if they think they'll have to be fighting city hall every step of the way," Walker said.

Today's hearing in the bankruptcy court in New Haven begins at 10 a.m., and may provide some answers to questions surrounding Lenge's bid.

Then again, Lowry said he won't rest well until the deed is in hand, which could be as soon as March 4 if Judge Weil's order issued today stands.

Would you pay $69,300 for a two-bedroom home in Vista? Or $116,300 for a three-unit apartment building in the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego? How about $600 for a timeshare in Ramona?

Those are the starting bids for a few of the tax-delinquent properties the county plans to auction Friday in its annual effort to recoup unpaid property taxes.

Owners of about 100 properties have failed to pay taxes for five years or more, leaving the county with the legal right to sell to the highest bidder.

Hundreds of investors, real estate experts and bargain shoppers are expected to attend the auction looking to spot a deal in the mass of neglected properties.

Lyle Davis, 69, of Escondido bought timeshares in Del Mar and Solana Beach at last year's auction for less than $3,000 combined.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to buy a timeshare for $1,200 to $1,500 in a desirable beach location and know that that's a pretty good buy, said Davis, the publisher of a weekly newspaper in North County.

County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister said the opening bids for every property are so low because the county's only goal is to collect back taxes, penalties and sale costs.

What they will pay here as a bidder is far and away below . . . what they would pay if they were buying something on the open market today, he said.

Not every deal is as good as it looks. Some properties have tax or bank liens that may exceed the auction sale price and lead to post-purchase headaches for buyers.

McAllister cautioned potential bidders to do their research before making an offer. A title search can help determine if such liens exist.

Still, it's hard not to be amazed at the rock-bottom opening bids, which range from $600 to $116,300, including about 80 starting at $3,000 or less.

The two-bedroom home in Vista with an opening bid of $69,300 has a market value of about $335,000, according to Zillow.com, an Internet real estate site.

The three-unit apartment building in Barrio Logan starts at $116,300, but similar-sized buildings have sold in recent years for $400,000 to $575,000. Zillow estimates its value at $526,000.

Many of the lower-priced properties are timeshares in coastal cities such as Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Oceanside and Solana Beach.

In all, the county is owed more than $500,000 in taxes and penalties. McAllister said he expects the auction to bring in $750,000 to $1 million. Former property owners can file a claim with the county to collect any sale proceeds beyond what they owed. If no one files a claim, the county can keep the extra money.

As of last night, 102 properties were available about the average for the past few years but McAllister said that number is likely to inch lower over the next few days. Property owners have until 5 p.m. tomorrow to pay what they owe and avoid the public auction.

The auction begins at 9 a.m. Friday, and same-day registration costs $60. To register early for $30, go to the Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office County Administration Center, Room 162, 1600 Pacific Highway before Friday.

Accor announced the appointment of Michael Issenberg as Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Accor Asia Pacific and as a member of Accor Executive Committee effective 4 February 2008. Mr Issenberg will take over from David Baffsky, who has served as Chairman of Accor Asia Pacific since 1992. "Since joining Accor in 1994, Michael Issenberg has played a pivotal role in the success of Accor's hotel and tourism network across the Asia Pacific region, and is tasked with increasing operational results and growth of the company's network, especially in China and India," said Gilles Plisson, Chief Executive Officer of the Accor Group.

"He is a highly experienced leader who understands the strategic and operational business needs of Accor in the Asia Pacific region. With the recent move of our Asia Pacific headquarters to Singapore, Michael will provide the leadership necessary to manage an effective and flexible organisation designed to spearhead Accor's operations and continued growth in the region." Michael Issenberg graduated from Cornell University, NY and has worked for Westin Hotels & Resorts, Laventhol and Horwath & Horwath Services Pty Limited in San Francisco, CA and Sydney then for Merlin Properties.

After five years experience as CEO of the Hotels division for Mirvac Pty Limited, Mr Issenberg joined Accor Asia Pacific in 1994 as a Regional General Manager before being promoted to CEO of Accor's hotels and tourism operations in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific in 1995. In 1998, he was appointed Managing Director for the Pacific region, which later included Japan. He played a key role in the development and establishment of Accor Premiere Vacation Club, a point based timeshare business, which is now a 100% subsidiary of Accor. He was then appointed Managing Director for the entire Asia Pacific region in 2003, a region stretching from French Polynesia in the Pacific to India, in the west Asia. After more than 15 years with Accor, David Baffsky is stepping down from an active executive chairman role and will now act as Honorary Chairman of Accor Asia Pacific.

Mr Baffsky was instrumental in establishing Accor Asia Pacific as the leading hospitality group in the region, building the network to its current level of 325 hotels in just 15 years. In Australia, he was the pioneer of the development of both Darling Harbour and Sydney Olympic Park, two of Sydney's most visionary and dynamic tourism and convention precincts. Under his stewardship, Accor was awarded 'Hotel Group of the Year' in the Australian National Travel Industry Awards in 1996, and in 2003 he was named Jones Lang and LaSalle's "Asia Pacific Hotelier of the Year".

Mr Baffsky was also the founder of Tourism Asset Holdings Limited (TAHL), which is today the largest owner of hotels in Australia and New Zealand, with an inventory of hotels valued at over AUD$1.5 billion. Mr Baffsky has served on the Singapore Tourism Board and other major government and industry bodies in the Asia Pacific region.

In 2001, Mr Baffky was made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for his "service to tourism, particularly in relation to industry development, service provision and employment generation, and to the community through medical research, humanitarian relief and social welfare organisations". In 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for "Service to Australian Society through Business Indigenous Affairs and the Arts".

In his new capacity as Honorary Chairman, Mr Baffsky will continue to assist Michael with key investor and government relationships, as well as being involved in many of the company's major initiatives, including indigenous and environmental sustainability issues areas in which he has been a pioneering influence. Gilles Pelisson expressed his deep appreciation and thanks to Mr Baffsky for his leadership and contribution and said that he had built a very positive position for incoming Chairman, Michael Issenberg, to build upon.

The woman who sued Central Florida billionaire David Siegel for sexual-harassment was awarded $5.4 million by a federal jury this afternoon.

The jury awarded her more than $5 million in damages, saying Dawn Georgette Myers worked in a hostile environment when she worked for the timeshare mogul. The damages were granted, at least in part, for an alleged battery Siegel subjected Myers to in which he pressed her up against a wall and touched her. Myers also claimed that Siegel he offered her $1 million for sex.

After the verdict, Siegel said he was surprised by the verdict and thought he was being singled out because of his wealth. His attorney said they would file motions to have the verdict set aside, and if necessary, appeal. U.S. District Judge John Antoon II had previously thrown out the case, but an appeals court ruled last year that he had to re-hear a part of the case alleging a hostile work environment created by Siegel against the woman.

A woman who sued a Central Florida timeshare mogul for sexual harassment has been awarded $5.2 million.

Dawn Georgette Myers alleges David Siegel pressed her up against a wall and touched her inappropriately.

The jury awarded Myers the settlement, saying she was subjected to a hostile environment during the time she worked with the Central Florida billionaire.

Siegel maintains he was singled out because of his wealth.

Siegel's lawyer said they will file motions to have the verdict set aside, and if necessary, appeal.

A KENT couple who were pressed into a buying a foreign timeshare flat despite not having passports or the money to pay for it have won a court battle.

The County Court at Canterbury heard that Ian Bartlett, who suffers from dyslexia, and Rosemary Collier were placed under undue influence to enter a loan agreement for the property operated by holiday firm The Former Company.

Debt recovery firm Asset Link Capital tried to pursue the couple through the civil courts for more than 14,000.

But Judge Gordon Murdoch, QC, ruled that the couple, who live in Whitstable, will not have to pay any money or legal costs arising from the case.

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR: 34.60, -0.90, -2.53%) ranked among the top 10 today on Computerworld magazine's first- ever "Top 12 Green IT Companies" list. Marriott, the only hospitality company named, was recognized for IT energy conservation, IT recycling and reduction of carbon emissions.

Marriott's IT environmental achievements include:
-- Establishing ENERGY STAR compliance standards for all IT assets
-- Eliminating 25.6 tons of CO2 output annually by replacing (NUMBER)
printers
-- Reducing IT energy consumption by:
-- utilizing server virtualization, resulting in the elimination of 300
servers;
-- replacing 5,000 desktop PCs with thin client computers, reducing
energy consumption by 50 percent per device; and
-- archiving data, resulting in 65 percent reduction in power usage.

"We are implementing innovative ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle; as well as ensuring we implement technology in the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly ways," said Carl Wilson, executive vice president and chief information officer, Marriott International.

Working with Secure the Call, a not-for-profit organization, Marriott's IT department actively recycles cell phones and PDAs, which are then repurposed for 911/emergency-only use by the community. Marriott is also an active member of Electronic Product Environment Assessment Tool (EPEAT) which is developing a system to help purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes.

Marriott's commitment to the environment spans more than 20 years. Focus areas include: water and energy conservation, clean air initiatives, reduce- reuse-recycle waste management, clean-up campaigns, and wildlife preservation. Marriott leads the industry with more than 250 ENERGY STAR hotels and received the Sustained Excellence Award for excellence in energy management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, visit www.marriott.com/environment.

Marriott International to Provide Live Webcast of Company's Timeshare Security Analyst Meeting February 26

Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR: 34.63, -0.87, -2.45%) said it will provide a live webcast of a security analyst conference focused on its timeshare business that the company is holding on February 26, 2008. The meeting will be webcast in two parts: presentations by senior company executives from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by luncheon remarks by Marriott's Chief Financial Officer, Arne Sorenson, at approximately 2:00 p.m.

Marriott has been a leader in the timeshare industry and in recognizing the significant marketing and operating advantages derived from combining the hotel and timeshare businesses. Today, Marriott continues to expand its timeshare business with multiple brands and products, including Ritz-Carlton Club. Marriott offers a broad portfolio of exciting resort destinations and vacation alternatives. At year-end 2007, Marriott's timeshare business included over 370,000 owners and 61 resorts in 38 destinations.

At this, the company's first timeshare analyst conference, Marriott management will discuss its timeshare segment's growth opportunities, development pipeline, new product initiatives, competitive advantages and business prospects.

The webcast of the meeting will include slides and live audio via Marriott's investor relations web site.

Those wishing to access the website should log onto http://www.marriott.com/investor, click the "Recent Investor News" tab and click on the "Timeshare Analyst Meeting" link. Presentation materials from the meeting and an audio replay will be available online after the meeting as well. Investor or analyst questions concerning the analyst conference should be addressed to Marriott Investor Relations at (301) 380-1379.

More than 300 people gathered Thursday afternoon in the cavernous space that will soon be Harney Sushi to celebrate the opening of Oceanside Terraces, a mix of shops, restaurants, office space and condominiums that marks a turning point for downtown Oceanside.

The six-story building, with its spacious sidewalks and German stone facade, is downtown's first so-called mixed-use project to include office space. Many say it sets the stage for a pedestrian-friendly environment that will encourage the use of buses and trains at the nearby Oceanside Transit Center.

"It's the first part of the puzzle," Mayor Jim Wood said before addressing the crowd. "You'll see it building and building," he said of the city's downtown.

Nearby is the newly opened Wyndham Timeshare Resort and sites of developments such as the CityMark mixed-use project and a Westin hotel that will overlook the ocean. CityMark will be built on five blocks immediately west and north of Oceanside Terraces, and the Westin will be built on two blocks bounded by Seagaze Drive to the south and Pier View Way to the north.

But while speeches by city leaders, tours and historical plaques marked Thursday's event, the biggest testament to change came from some who are buying space in the building and relocating.

One of those people is Helen Perry, who said she has been looking for nearly five years for a smaller place than her home in Carlsbad.

"All of a sudden, I found this in the North County Times," she said of the condominium she's purchasing on the south side of Oceanside Terraces. "You can walk anywhere, you can get on a train to downtown without getting in your car. It's unbelievable."

Another Carlsbad transplant is David Mickelson, who is moving his business, Mickelson Capital Consulting, to Oceanside Terraces' Suite 209 on April 1.

Standing in the empty space Thursday, Mickelson said he has an office in Carlsbad but would rather be in the city where he lives.

"This is a great building," he said. "It represents me and the city well."

Built by San Diego-based Janez Group in the city's nine-block downtown redevelopment district, Oceanside Terraces is a stone's throw west of the Regal Cinemas at Mission Avenue and Cleveland Street. The ground floor includes 10,061 square feet of retail space, more than half of which is leased to Harney Sushi, Ensemble clothing boutique and Maui Wowi, which sells Hawaiian coffee and smoothies.

The second floor has 13 office condos and more than 50 percent of them are in escrow, according to information provided by the developer. Floors three through six consist of 38 two- and three-bedroom condominiums ranging in price from $700,000 to $1.5 million.

Janez President John Kocmur said that office space is selling well, which he said was "a real surprise."

He said five condos have sold and two or three are in the negotiation process. He estimates that five sales have been lost because of the slumping economy.

But on Thursday night there was more talk about landmark change than sales.

Kim Heim, executive director of the nonprofit group MainStreet Oceanside, said the opening of Oceanside Terraces is "huge" because it combines office and residential space.

"There is no better elixir than mixed use," Heim said, adding that the building's underground parking that will be shared by residents, offices workers and shoppers will be a good test for other projects, such as CityMark and the Westin.

One member of the audience, Shelley Hayes Caron, was there for the history as well as the celebration.

Her grandfather, John Chauncey Hayes, who founded Oceanside and originally owned the land on which Oceanside Terraces is built, was honored with the installation of a commemorative stone.

Hayes Caron distributed pictures showing the site as it was 100 years ago, home of a small brick building with "The Hayes Land Co." painted on the side. She said being at the opening was an honor.

"It's a beautifully designed building and I'm very pleased to see progress when it's a well-done job," said Hayes Caron.

MGM Mirage Inc. has turned to a veteran Las Vegas gaming executive to oversee its next big project, an estimated $5 billion megaresort that will redefine the Atlantic City casino market.

Bill Hornbuckle, 50, currently the president and chief operating officer of Mandalay Bay Resort, will assume the same title at the proposed MGM Grand Atlantic City when it opens in 2012.

In his 27-year casino career, Hornbuckle has also served as president and chief operating officer of MGM Grand and of Caesars Palace, both on the Las Vegas Strip. Yet he humbly began his Las Vegas career in 1978, working as a room service bus boy at the Jockey Club timeshare development.

MGM Grand Atlantic City, scheduled to break ground in late 2008 or early 2009 and open in the first quarter of 2012, will be the largest casino in town. Proposed on a 72-acre site next door to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, it will feature three hotel towers totaling 3,000 rooms.

Amenities will include a posh spa suspended 50 stories high, a 7,500-seat concert arena and more than 500,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment attractions to complement the casino operations.

"We can be the catalyst of change for Atlantic City, to bring it to the next step and to emulate Las Vegas, to make it more of a resort destination," Hornbuckle said in an interview Thursday, the day his appointment was announced.

Terry Lanni, MGM's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a conference call Thursday with gaming analysts that the company is working on designs and is in the process of obtaining a key New Jersey environmental permit before starting construction in Atlantic City. Once designs are finished, MGM will determine the project's cost, now estimated between $4.5 billion and $5 billion.

"I would suspect ... everything would be finished by the end of the year in that regard, which would give us the ability to go into the ground by early '09," Lanni said of preliminary plans leading up to construction.

MGM has flirted with the idea of building its own Atlantic City casino for years. It currently is co-owner of Borgata, the upscale casino developed and operated by MGM's partner, Boyd Gaming Corp.

Hornbuckle explained that MGM and Boyd will continue to cooperate even after the new casino is built. MGM Grand Atlantic City and Borgata will be connected by an enclosed walkway to allow guests to shuttle between both Marina District properties, he said.

According to Hornbuckle, MGM will also look to cooperate with its competitors in the Marina and across town on the Boardwalk. He maintained the entire gaming industry must work together to draw more conventions, more airline service and to continue Atlantic City's evolution into more of a Las Vegas-style overnight tourist destination

"We're going to be very open with the community and our competitors about how do we make it better for all of us," he said.

Ever had your holiday ruined by a con artist? Been ripped off by a faker posing as a travel agent? Tell us your tales of the holiday scammers - and whether they got away with it. Use the comment form below

Let’s start on the sunny side of the street. Travelling is a boundless pleasure, a wonderful privilege, a blessing, a boon – and don’t let anything that you’re about to read convince you otherwise.

Because you have to keep loving the open road, searching for the thrill of the new and the joy of adventure, otherwise you’ve let them get to you.

They being the sharks, the cheats and the rip-off merchants who want to make wonga from your wanderlust by the most devious means possible; the innumerable slimy, scummy little spivs whose holiday scams and fiddles, stunts and diddles could dishearten the most dedicated traveller, making them timidly give up and stay home.

But are you going to let these ratbags spoil your holiday? Hell, no. You’re going to be prepared, informed and able to spot their scams a mile off. Here are some of the most common swindles out there today, at home and abroad – don’t let them get you down.

HOME

THE HOLIDAY CLUB BAIT ’N’ SWITCH

Fancy a free lunch? Typically, bogus holiday clubs invite potential customers to a posh hotel to endure several hours of sales presentations in return for a meal and a gift. The pitch is this: for a lump sum of £3,000-£10,000, you’ll get guaranteed dirt-cheap holidays every year, paying only a nominal annual fee.

It’s always a “buy now or never” deal, but as soon as you get home and try to book your first holiday, it all goes wrong. The bargains disappear, most resorts aren’t available, there are huge high-season supplements and destinations have been oversold – and, of course, you’ve got next to no chance of getting your money back.

According to 2007 figures from the Office of Fair Trading, up to 400,000 Britons a year hand over £1 billion to bogus “holiday clubs” that don’t deliver on their high-pressure sales patter.

Steering clear: the OFT has three rules to help you to discern between scammers and legitimate holiday clubs – every verbal sales promise must be put in writing, your cancellation rights must be clear and in print, and, most important, you must be allowed to take the contract away before signing up. But we recommend just getting online and finding your own darn bargains.

THE PHONEY FREE TRIP TO FLORIDA

The phone rings and an electronic voice tells you to hit the number 9 to claim your prize, a holiday to the Sunshine State – at which point a salesperson comes on the line and explains that you have, in fact, won only most of a holiday. To seal the deal, you are typically told, it will cost between £500 and £700 for a supposed £2,000 luxury trip, usually to Orlando and the Bahamas.

You’re then asked for your credit-card details, “strictly for verification”, but the full fee is promptly removed from your card without your consent. If you try to get the money back, the delays begin, with calls going unanswered, packages not arriving, and staff often verbally abusing customers. And your credit-card company doesn’t have to refund you – because you read out those numbers.

The Sunday Times knows of dozens of victims of this scam, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been trying to shut down the perpetrators for years – but they’re still at work.

Steering clear: if you’re told you’ve won a competition you never entered, it’s a scam. If you’ve been caught by the Florida fraudsters, go to www.800helpfla.com.

THE CARD MILL

“Become a travel agent! Save 50%-75% on flights and hotels using special travel-agent-only rates. Getting a travel-agent card takes only 15 minutes!”

This internet scam, known as “card milling”, is on the increase. Greedy travellers are told that by spending up to £260 on a travel-agent ID card, they will become eligible for industry-insider rates, meaning huge discounts on flights, hotels and, most commonly, cruises.

You cough up the credit-card details, your ID card arrives – and the first time you slap it down on a reception desk, you’re laughed out of the lobby.

The problem is becoming so widespread that Royal Caribbean Cruises has just announced a crackdown on card-mill chumps – if you flash one of these cards, not only will you not get a discount, you won’t be allowed to book at full rate.

Steering clear: if you really want a career as a travel agent, there’s a jobs page at www.abta.com.

THE FLY-BY-NIGHT

Comfortably the most costly scam in the UK is the oldest one in the book – companies taking travellers’ cash, then shutting down their businesses without delivering what they promised.

Many closures are just business failures – about 25 legitimate travel firms a year go belly up, leaving, on average, 20,000 Britons with trashed holiday plans – but many are dodgy deals. In 2006, an Oxfordshire company called MAS Travel collected more than £1m of British travellers’ cash for heavily discounted flights. But the firm never purchased the tickets from the airlines, and hastily shut up shop – some travellers found out they’d been scammed only at the check-in desk.

Steering clear: ideally, you should purchase holidays only from Atol-bonded operators, whose collapse wouldn’t cost you a penny. But in these independent-minded times, when more of us put together our own holidays, the safety net is to check that your travel insurance covers airline and operator closure – many policies do.

THE HOLLOW INSURANCE

This scam has, with luck, only one year left to run – but, as a 2007 House of Commons report suggested, because it affects 10m UK travellers a year, it’s still a worry. Basically, most travel agents are on commission to sell you insurance alongside your holiday, and for far too many of them, mis-selling is too hard to resist.

A Consumer Association survey in 2006 reported that 81% of customers didn’t have their coverage properly explained to them by their travel agent, 55% weren’t told about their excess payment and 65% weren’t asked about any existing medical complaints that might have left them uncovered.

According to another 2007 survey, by Sainsbury’s Bank, 7% of customers were told a big fat lie by their travel agent – that they had to buy the insurance to get the holiday. The government is so concerned that, from January 2009, travel agents will be regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Steering clear: make it your responsibility – because, legally, the obligation lies with you – to ensure that the agent knows about any medical conditions and precisely what your trip will entail. And remember that it is your right to shop around.

AWAY

THE FAKE RECEPTIONIST

If you’re a scam artist, the modern-day jackpot is spending some time alone with a traveller’s credit-card details before they realise anything is up. Common, and almost unstoppable, tricks include capturing all the details when you hand the card over for a meal or some petrol – but one ingenious new tactic, first reported in Shanghai, has been to call hotel rooms late at night, pretending to be from reception.

“We’re trying to process your bill, sir, but the card details seem to be wrong. Could you just bring the card down to the desk?” “But it’s two in the morning!” “Okay, just read the numbers out down the phone...”

Steering clear: take great care who gets your numbers and handles your card out of your sight. Realistically, your best defence is last-ditch – checking your credit-card statement carefully after every foreign trip. You should be refunded any money that has been taken illegally.

THE SECRET CONVERSION

There’s a more minor, but also more irritating, way you can be diddled when you hand over your card overseas. Whenever you pay by card, you should be given the choice of stumping up in sterling or in the local currency – and the sensible choice is the latter, allowing your bank to convert the sum to sterling later on.

But many shops, hotels and restaurants have other ideas, and convert your bill into sterling without asking you, using their own brazenly uncompetitive conversion rates. To add insult to injury, they stick on an exchange commission of up to 4%. Cheeky.

Steering clear: it’s a good golden rule to use the credit card only for larger purchases from established vendors, then remember to tell them you want to pay in their home currency.

THE PRETEND POLICEMEN

It’s a classic scam, because it works. The well-spoken young backpacker who told me this cautionary tale has, perhaps wisely, opted for anonymity: “I was hanging out in Cuzco, Peru, when I met a local guy, and we became friends. He showed me some of the ruins, we had a few beers, then, one night, he said, ‘You are my friend, you are kind to me. I want to give you a present.’ And he gives me a fistful of marijuana.

About an hour later, I was walking back to my hostel. Two men were waiting outside the front gate. They told me they were policemen and asked me to empty my pockets. When they found the dope, they told me I’d spend four years in prison for dealing drugs... unless I paid them $200 to forget everything. Panicking in a dark street, I paid up there and then – and never saw my ‘friend’ again.”

Steering clear: don’t do drugs. In general terms, if you get yourself into a similarly sticky situation, remember that your safety is the priority. Try calmly to make the issue public, getting other people involved, preferably the real police – although if you’ve got a pocketful of hash, that’s going to be tricky. If you’re alone, consider coughing up.

THE SHONKY EXCHANGE BOOTH

There are so many scams involving exchange booths, it’s, fittingly, hard to keep count. There will always be occasions when you need to change cash but there’s no bank about, so more informal converters come into play. Most are perfectly legitimate, but signs that all is not well include: the teller shuffling and counting out bills in absurdly small denominations, which makes keeping score a chore; a disturbance or argument that conveniently flares up just as you’re trying to count your cash; and anything involving opaque envelopes, which will probably turn out to contain newspaper clippings.

Steering clear: always change money in a pair, so one of you can concentrate while the other fends off any distractions. Get a receipt, and choose fixed premises, not a bunco booth or a bloke with a briefcase, so you’ll have somewhere to take the police if you do get short-changed.

THE DODGY DRINKING BUDDY

Many of us have been caught in the “nice” version of this scam – a friendly stranger takes you drinking in a foreign land, pays a fraction of what it’s costing you for the same round of drinks, then takes a backhander from the bar-owner at closing time for hauling your well-fleeced backsides into the establishment. No big deal.

But a nasty version has, travellers’ websites suggest, taken root in the newly fashionable slacker beach resorts of Venezuela. This time, your pretend buddy slips you a jungle version of Rohypnol, known as burundanga. This generates about three hours of stumbling incapacity, during which time you are roundly robbed.

The Foreign Office reports that burundanga is also being used in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, to sedate travellers by touch, using laced pamphlets and flyers. But booze is the most common delivery system – because who spots a drooling backpacker? Unsurprisingly, Thailand is also becoming a drink-doping hot spot.

Steering clear: with the “nice” scam, it’s probably best to relax – frankly, if everyone knows what’s happening, what’s the harm? To avoid getting burundangaed, watch your own drink in a bar, favour bottled products and always think carefully about going clubbing before you fly solo.

THE UNLICENSED TAXI

You’re tired, there’s a queue at the taxi rank, so you accept the cheery offer of an unofficial taxi. From this point on, a good outcome is that you’ll be overcharged, or forced to stop off at the driver’s brother’s souvenir shop on the way to your hotel.

The bad outcome is unthinkably bad. In 2006, an Austrian couple on a round-the-world trip got into a fake taxi at the bus terminal in La Paz, Bolivia – and were kidnapped. Their bank cards and Pin numbers were taken and they were held captive for five days, while their bank accounts were emptied. They were then killed.

Steering clear: never get in unofficial taxis – full stop. And, sadly, it seems the old traveller’s tradition of sharing taxis to save money is no longer safe – the poor Austrian couple, and the others who have escaped similar ordeals (chiefly in South America), were partly undone by gang members posing as travellers and getting into their taxi. Only share rides with those you trust, and never permit the driver to pick up another passenger.

THE SHOESHINERS OF ISTANBUL

Some scams are much more harmless. The many young men who scratch a living shoeshining in Istanbul have an elegant moneymaking trick. They’ve developed the art of inadvertently dropping their brush behind them in the street, in a holidaymaker’s path.

You pick it up and take it to them, and they thank you effusively for saving the vital tool of their trade – it’ll probably turn out to be their grandfather’s shoe brush. To say thanks, they offer you a free shine, and, as your toes are buffed, you’ll hear a long hard-luck story, designed to loosen the stiffest wallet.

Steering clear: Why steer clear? If your shoes need polishing, accept the offer, enjoy the story and pay the man. Once your leather’s nice and shiny, you’ll be left well alone.

THE METAL-DETECTOR SHUFFLE

A clever one, this – you put your belongings on the conveyor belt, but a man bustles past you in a desperate hurry. He then gets himself held up at the detector, emptying his pockets of innumerable coins, keys and collectables. While you wait patiently, the guy who was in the queue in front of you – Mr Metal’s accomplice – waits for your bag, then nicks it.

US airports, where security chaos and wealthy travellers collide, seem most blighted by this – in 1997, a Texan oil baroness passing through Newark airport was diddled out of her handbag, which contained jewellery worth more than £300,000.

Steering clear: watch your stuff, stand your ground – and, in general, think twice about using your luggage to advertise your wealth.

AND FINALLY

THE BUS SCAM SCAM

Finally, an answer to the question: “How stupid can people be?” According to insurance-industry reports, this stunt has reeled in gullible travellers across the USA and Canada. It goes like this – you are approached by someone in a bar who guarantees you thousands of dollars if you join in a scam by getting on a bus that they will rear-end somewhere along its route.

Most of the passengers, you are promised, will be in on the fraud, and will all protest that it was the driver’s fault, while rubbing their hips and necks. And the bus company will start handing out cash and liability-waiver forms immediately. To get a piece of the action, all you have to do is pay your new friend a $250 fixer’s fee and get on the assigned bus.

Next day, you get on the bus, winking at all your fellow passengers, and, as the journey passes without incident, you slowly realise that you are an incurable chump.