TATOC, the Timeshare Association, today announced that sponsorship for the annual conference, taking place from 9^th-11^th March at the Park Royal Hotel, Stretton, near Warrington, has gone beyond the board’s expectations.

“We have been delighted and surprised at the huge level of support shown by the industry for the annual conference,” explained Harry Taylor, executive chairman. “The conference is always well supported and attended but this year, with such difficult economic conditions, we were aware that sponsorship might be affected. We needn’t have worried.”

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Dial An Exchange becomes the first corporate sponsor of Perspective Magazine’s second annual timeshare and fractional industry networking and awards event.

Perspective Magazine, the leading independent multi-media information provider for the timeshare and fractional industry, announces that Dial An Exchange (DAE) have confirmed their participation in the Second Annual Global Networking Expo, GNEX 2012 and have increased their involvement in this second year to become a Gold Sponsor.

“The decision to increase our involvement with GNEX 2012 was an easy one,” said Francis Taylor, CEO of Dial An Exchange.

“The first GNEX conference was a breath of fresh air, with its more personal approach to networking for industry participants, and provided the ideal platform for creating and forging stronger working relationships between leading organizations within the timeshare and shared ownership industry. There was no question about wanting to be involved again,” Taylor said.

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Francis Taylor, CEO of Dial An Exchange, will examine the current state of the exchange business during Perspective Magazine’s timeshare and fractional ownership industry networking event.

Timeshare and fractional industry multi-media information leader Perspective Magazine announces that Francis Taylor, CEO of Dial An Exchange (DAE), will provide expert analysis of the timeshare exchange marketplace during the Global Networking Expo, GNEX 2011.

DAE is now the largest independent timeshare exchange provider in the world, servicing a global market from offices in the USA, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, China, Thailand and India. Mr. Taylor has steadfastly modeled the DAE business simply based on keeping its members happy while delivering on its promises. Members can access live availability online 24/7 and can search, hold, book and confirm in real time, making the exchange process simple.

Mr. Taylor’s position atop DAE allows him to see the industry from a unique, global perspective and bring an independent viewpoint to the discussion regarding timeshare exchange and how best to meet the needs of changing consumer behavior.

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Timeshare owners always seem to be looking for more information about how the industry operates and there was plenty of information to go around at the Dial An Exchange Timeshare Owners Seminar last Friday at the Florida Hotel in Orlando, Florida.

While Dial An Exchange was the host of the event, the evening centered on presentations by Fermin Cruz of DAE as well as resale advertiser Jason Tremblay of SellMyTimeshareNow and consumer advocates Ed Hastry of the National Timeshare Owners Association and Lisa Ann Schreier, author of “Timeshare Vacations For Dummies”.

The four touched on different segments of the industry and provided information that can be difficult to find according to Cruz, who is the Vice President of North American Business for DAE.

“It’s just getting information to the consumer that they can’t typically find, or is not proactively being pushed at them.  They all have additional questions, they’re looking for options, they’re looking for solutions and they don’t know where to go,” said Cruz. “Consumer advocacy is a big deal in timeshare so, I think, over the next couple of years you’ll see more and more of (these events), making it easier for the consumer to transact business and making it easier for the consumer to actually enjoy the fruits of their purchase.”

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Timeshare and fractional ownership publisher Perspective International will be a media sponsor of the Dial An Exchange Timeshare Owners Seminar, to be held later this week in Orlando, Florida.

“We love putting on these Vacation Education Seminars. They keep us well connected to the consumer. We truly appreciate the support we have received from key partners like Perspective and we are also looking forward to sponsoring their GNEX 2011 event in May as well.,” said Fermin Cruz, Vice President of North American Business, Dial An Exchange.

The Seminar is designed to provide timeshare owners with information that will enable them to become more knowledgeable about their purchase, the timeshare industry and their owner benefits. Owners will be able to ask questions of industry veterans ranging from how maintenance fees are spent to how owners can rent weeks out to the public. The event is scheduled for this Friday, January 28^th, beginning at 6:00pm at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center at the Florida Mall.

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Fermin Cruz, VP of North American Business, DAE

Dial An Exchange (DAE), internationally known for providing exceptional customer service, has identified a need within the family of timeshare owners for a program that will enable them to become more knowledgeable about their purchase, the timeshare industry and their owner benefits. They plan to share that information with Orlando area timeshare owners on January 28.

Two years ago, DAE hosted their first Vacation Education Seminars for timeshare owners in Arizona with each program attended by about 150 owners. “The owners loved them,” said Fermin Cruz, VP of North American Business for DAE. “They asked tons of questions ranging from how their maintenance fees are spent to how they can rent their week out to the public.”

The event was so successful, that the DAE executive team decided to continue the series in other U.S. regions. To be credible, they felt the seminars should be given by a company not attempting to sell any product. DAE’s third Vacation Ownership Seminar is scheduled for January 28 at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center at the Florida Mall near downtown Orlando. More than one hundred timeshare owners who live and own in the Orlando metropolitan area are expected to be in attendance. The seminar will be about two hours in length and will feature a lengthy Q&A session for attendees to obtain the most benefits from each session. Each guest will receive a free gift for attending.  No sales presentations will be given. For information on the seminar, call 800-468-1799.

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Perspective Magazine and the Atlantis Resort have negotiated additional rooms to keep up with demand for the timeshare and fractional networking and awards event.

Exceptional rates are still available for delegates planning to attend the GNEX 2011 timeshare and fractional industry expo following successful negotiations between Perspective Magazine and the world famous Atlantis Resort.

Demand for the inaugural event has been so brisk that the GNEX 2011 venue has agreed to make more rooms available, but at the same 60% discounted rates as before. Registered attendees can book their accommodation either online or by phone and receive room rates as low as $159 per night, a huge saving over the rack rate, and for up to 8 nights should delegates want to extend their stay and enjoy all that the Atlantis Resort and the Bahamas have to offer.

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Dial An Exchange (DAE), one of the world’s largest independent timeshare exchange organizations has recently launched a new expansion of benefits for DAE’s Gold Advantage members. Gold Advantage is the premium membership offered by Dial An Exchange, (www.daelive.com) a free membership is also available.

Gold Advantage memberships can be purchased for $89 for a full year, with a renewal price of $59. Current Gold Advantage benefits include advance booking capability of newly available inventory, priority requests, discounts on the purchase of all DAE exchanges and bonus weeks, and a slew of lifestyle benefits that encompass travel, hotel, golf, recreation and even grocery discounts.

The additional features added to the Gold Advantage membership include a 365/24/7 concierge program that members can access both on vacation and at home. Concierge benefits include roadside assistance, currency exchange, medical assistance, and more. Another additional benefit is discounts on vacation, tour, and cruise packages, and an elite member buying service that gives Gold Advantage members discounts on thousands of brand name products from hundreds of manufacturers and distributors.

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Women in the Industry (WIN), an organization professionally supporting and cultivating women leaders of tomorrow in the vacation industry, has announced the results from its first online auction to support its philanthropic initiatives.

Co-President Cathy Backus says “the auction garnered over $10,000 to fund our 2010 philanthropy projects.  The funds will be used in part to support Girls Inc. ‘Collegeship’ fund and will send four girls and two counselors to visit out-of-state colleges this spring.  Our second major philanthropic efforts are directed toward Gal to Gal Foundation which supports those battling Fourth Stage Breast Cancer.  Because of the generous contributions of our sponsors and those who bid on vacation weeks, three women and their families will have the opportunity to enjoy quality time by going on vacation!”

Organizations which donated to the online philanthropic endeavor included Bluegreen Vacations, Dial-an-Exchange, Festiva Resorts, Great Eastern Resorts, Hotel Playa Mar,  ILX Resorts, ICE, Interval International, Island One Resorts, Leisure Link Universe, ResorTime.com, RCI, SFX Preferred Resorts, Shell Vacations, Tartan Management, Travel Advantage Network, Quarter House Resort, and Vacation Exchanges.

Bidding on top vacation locales was not limited to WIN Members alone.  Members of WIN come from all backgrounds. They include individuals, resorts, recreational real estate developers, vacation clubs and funding/lending institutions.  WIN also has members among the legal community as well as architects and other suppliers to the vacation industry.

While membership is not solely for women, the non profit organization is committed to fostering the growth of women in the shared ownership industry by connecting and mentoring them through charity, business, educational and networking events.  Additionally the new group facilitates research in the vacation industry, organizes and implements community and philanthropic activities and promotes and recognizes women’s achievements in the vacation industry.

WIN’s cause is supported in part by individual memberships, corporate benefactors and friends among which are Bluegreen Corporation, C.A.R.E., Chicago Title, CSA Travel Protection, Group RCI, I.C.E., Marriott Vacation Club International, ResorTime.com, Resort Trades, Shell Vacations, Spirit Incentives, Ticor Title, Vacation Grand Getaways, and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

The organization is holding its first regional meeting in Orlando, Florida from January 29-30, 2010.  A national networking event will be held at the ARDA Spring Convention on March 16, 2010.  Additional information is available on the web site http://www.womenintheindustry.org.  More membership information is available by calling 760-755-0356.

European Seminar Included Timeshare Professionals and Owners for Frank Discussions

Late September 2009 saw Dial An Exchange host a controversial seminar titled Timeshare Stripped Bare. The venue was the picturesque Barnsdale Hotel & Country Club timeshare resort, located in the middle of England’s smallest county and nestled on the banks of Rutland Water – and arguably one of the most popular resorts in the UK.

The seminar saw a unique combination, with timeshare industry professionals and timeshare owners invited to attend. Some industry insiders even expressed nervousness at involving owners in sensitive discussions on some of the industry’s biggest challenges and most controversial subjects.

As the conference proceedings unfolded though, it became clear that there were no grounds for such concerns. The event attracted an intimate but engaged group, consisting of some of the major players within the timeshare industry, resort committee members and individual timeshare owners who were keen to hear what the experts predicted for the future of timeshare.

The seminar was organized and moderated by David Lilley of Dial An Exchange and supported by parent DAE Live, representatives of which had journeyed from Australia to support the event.

Given the provocative title to the seminar, independent observers could have been forgiven for thinking the event was being staged to attack and undermine the timeshare industry. This was definitely not the case.

Lilley made a point of drawing out the many positive experiences that timeshare extends to its customers, and despite the fact that there were many disgruntled owners in the audience, when Lilley asked his ritual question about the levels of satisfaction that owners get from the product, many hands were raised in acceptance of the undisputed fact – that when timeshare is sold and serviced correctly, it is a wonderful product.

Lilley kicked off the seminar with a typically forthright appraisal of the challenges the timeshare industry in Europe faces. The concerns raised in Lilley’s opening address were emphasized and quickly justified by the opinions expressed by three of the business delegates in attendance.

When Lilley asked the question What percentage of timeshare owners in Europe wish to exit?, however, the weighted answer from the three knowledgeable people in their opinion was a remarkable 50%.

Legislative Issues
Following on from the opening introduction, Geoff Chapman, a director of TATOC, delivered an interesting and precise summary of TATOC’s work to support timeshare owners. Chapman presented a variety of statistics sourced from the existence of the TATOC help line. The most pertinent parts of Chapman’s presentation centered on where consumer issues originate from, with bogus resale companies and holiday clubs being the biggest issues.

Simon Jackson, managing director of Macdonald Resorts, shared his views on the subject of product repositioning and new product development. Jackson has already developed a reputation as an executive who would happily engage in a united alliance to tackle the industry’s biggest challenges, but with the seeming absence of such initiatives, he is clearly prepared to pioneer new activities. This was evidenced by the Macdonald 5 Year Holiday Product, which was very well received, commended by all members of the audience and described as the product of the future.

One of the most memorable presentations of the seminar came from Ramy Filo, chairman of DAE Live and CEO of Classic Holidays. Filo revealed that the Australian timeshare market is somewhat ahead of Europe in many areas.

Australia already has a sales certification platform and a clear appetite to create products that have appeal to the customer. One of the most poignant messages that emerged from all the speakers on display was Filo’s simple but powerful statement: “The way I see it, we have products and we have customers. If the products are not appealing, we need to change the products because we cannot keep changing the customers.”

Phil Watson, managing director of Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket, gave a lively and frank discourse on the subject of resales. Watson encouraged owners to be less clumsy in handing over money to companies that make unsolicited cold calls and stated that members wishing to relinquish their ownership needed to be realistic about the value of their timeshare.

Watson shared some examples of his company’s media work and his personal attempts to change the perception of timeshare by embracing some of the more expensive but higher impact advertising vehicles, such as television.

New timeshare legislation is set to have a profound impact on the timeshare industry in Europe. Alex Radford, a solicitor from leading law firm Irwin Mitchell, gave a condensed and layman’s term summary of the EU legislation that becomes active in 2010.

In the audience debate that followed Radford’s speech, it became clear that whilst there are some commendable elements to the new legislation, other parts of it could be described only as a suppressant to reasonable and honest business. The total ban on any form of deposit, for example, is a restriction that is not placed on too many other industries around Europe.

Maintenance-Fee Defaults
The subject of increasing maintenance fees and the growing trend toward court action for defaulting owners was expected to create fierce debate. The reality, however, was that there was quite a degree of empathy and understanding toward those developers who now see it as necessary to take defaulters to court.

Martin Beesley is one of the few respected timeshare resort developers in Europe. He boldly took to the floor to explain why his two resorts (Fairways Club in Tenerife and Pueblo Evita on the Costa del Sol) had this year started to take court action against defaulters. Beesley explained that those owners who were choosing to default were simply placing an increased liability on the remaining members of the club, and this served only to compound the challenge of suppressing maintenance fee increases.

Beesley also pointed out that the bogus holiday pack companies seem to regard the owners at resorts where court action was not being taken as easy prey for their fraudulent products.

In summarizing the maintenance fee session, Lilley drew out a diagram to explain the consequences of taking court action versus those of doing nothing.

Whilst Lilley made the point that he personally had very mixed views on the subject of taking owners to court, the audience offered little resistance to the suggestion that court action, when thoroughly considered from a holistic viewpoint, was not necessarily as negative as some owners would suggest.

Other Noteworthy Presentations
One of the more eagerly anticipated speeches was delivered by Matthew Moody, former head of Revenue Management at RCI Europe. Moody covered the subject of trading power and had the business delegates transfixed at the complexity of the subject.

Paul Mattimoe of Perspective International took the delegates through a chronological summary of his company’s evolution, his survey on timeshare owners and general attitudes toward timeshare. He also shared the objectives of their two magazines. Mattimoe has broken many perception barriers with his new consumer magazine, Owners Perspective, arranging distribution deals that include the likes of British Airways’ First Class Lounges worldwide, more than a dozen similar airline, hotel and resort agreements, and respected UK supermarket chains such as Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s.

Consistently growing at a rapid rate and currently reaching more than 50,000 consumers a month, the magazine is attracting advertising support from many major hospitality brands and leading developers around the world.

TATOC Chief Executive Harry Taylor concluded his short interview with David Lilley to publicly recognize the work that David had done to support TATOC over the past few years with the award of six bottles of fine wine.

Veteran Sutton Hall resort chairman Neville Greenwood, with 18 years on his resort’s committee behind him, shared some insight into the trends that he has observed over the years, particularly in relation to  repossessed weeks and the methods his resort use to get them back into ownership.

The concluding session of the seminar was on the subject of sales certification.

The panel of the speakers and other business delegates all agreed that a sales certification platform would benefit European timeshare but this really needed to be backed by the authorities and enforced, for it to have any major impact and sustained value.

Under the spotlight of scrutiny and some heavy criticism for daring to cover such sensitive subjects in such a public way, Dial An Exchange emerged with strong credibility after tackling such thorny subjects. The comments made on timeshare owner forums has already justified and confirmed the value in such events. Timeshare owners want to see their issues discussed and debated with a solution-focused attitude.

With such a positive response and some useful networking sessions for the business delegates, you can expect that the next event will have at least a few more attendees – and draw even more attention.

David Lilley chooses to leave Dial An Exchange
While no announcement was made at the event, it transpires that the Timeshare Stripped Bare event was Lilley’s last public performance as Managing Director of Dial An Exchange Europe.

While working for DAE, Lilley had continued to operate his own marketing company (www.marketinginnovations. co.uk) since 2007.

When asked about his reasons for leaving DAE he commented: “Philip Green (the owner of DAE) and I decided we did not want to make an announcement about my departure at the seminar because we did not want to take the focus away from the objectives of the seminar.

I’ve had an enjoyable two years at DAE. I think they are a terrific, customer-focused company and Philip and I part as friends. Indeed, I will still be doing some work for DAE in 2010 at two of their members Roadshows, as well as organizing and moderating another business seminar. I will also continue to be editor of their
Holiday Access Magazine.

My decision to leave DAE was purely that I wanted to explore other business opportunities and dedicate more time to some of my personal business projects. These projects include a specific rental service for owners at independent resorts called Rent Your Week and a rescue package called Resort Rescue for resorts that find themselves in financial difficulties.”

David Lilley can be reached at +44 (0)7872 13 13 14 or visit www.marketinginnovations.co.uk