1. Timeshares are not a good financial investment, regardless of what a timeshare sales rep tells you. If you buy from a developer, you are paying all their marketing expenses and the resale value of most timeshares is less than half of what they are sold for by most developers. Disney is virtually the only company that has a right of first refusal clause for resales, so for any other company I recommend buying resales only. For Disney Vacation Club, it’s a toss up. Do some comparison shopping and make sure you know what DVC is offering as incentives and what all the admin costs are on any resale purchases.

2. Timeshares are a good investment in your lifestyle if you want to raise the level of travel extravagance. Often when people talk about timeshares being a rip-off they are comparing their cost to what it costs to stay in moderate-budget hotels. But that’s an unfair comparison. The real comparison is between deluxe hotels and timeshares. Also, most timeshares are condos. What do you think it would cost you to rent a 2-bedroom condo with a full kitchen each night?

3. You won’t save money on your vacation travel, but you will increase your enjoyment and comfort. If you are strictly a budget traveler and money is more important to you than where you stay, then timeshares are probably not something worth spending your money on, but if you like to relax in the room and you feel cramped in hotel rooms, then timesharing is great.

4. Timeshares are self-serve. Let’s say you do like to have a nice luxurious accommodation, but you also like 24 hour room service, having your bed turned down each night, towels changed out and the bed made daily. Sorry, you won’t get that at timeshare.

There’s usually no room service because you have a kitchen and laundry and sheets are generally only changed mid-week for a 7 day stay and also when you leave so the next guest has clean sheets and towels. On the other hand, many timeshare resorts hold community events like barbecues and parties and cocktail parties so you can get to know other owners. Hotels don’t offer that kind of community experience.

Ultimately, whether you decide a timeshare is the right decision for you or not, it’s important to keep one thing in mind: Have a great vacation!

Posted on October 13th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Timeshare, Vacation Tips | No Comments »

If you’re a vacation ownership or timeshare salesperson, let Fred be your example of a perfect client you encourage to become an owner as soon as possible to enoy life. If belief and mindset can influence the body and mind and keep people alive longer than medical experts would predict, then vacation ownership and timeshare are even more positive, powerful, influences, and opportunities.

You have heard stories of people who defy the odds and have a will to live, well vacation ownership and timeshare can give added hope to those who need it most. If you communicate well with your guests you might hear more details about people’s illnesses than you might imagine.

How great does it feel to help people to get together with love ones in quality environments as vacation owners to create these long-lasting memories! It’s also rewarding to know that those who have strong family bonds want to look after their needs for continuing vacations even after the death of a loved one.

Vacation ownership helps the current and future generations to enjoy high-quality vacations without throwing away all their money in hotel rooms.

I have to thank Fred for sharing how strongly he felt about having more opportunities to be with his family instead of go home to hang out on his couch. It took a little longer to explain the program to Fred since it was so different than the traditional timeshare programs he had checked out over the years.

Fred just loved the flexibility of not having to buy a specific week. His wife felt comforted knowing that her needs would be cared for in the future so that she could take the grandchildren on vacation.

Get paid to take a vacation.

Posted on October 12th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Timeshare, Vacation Tips | No Comments »

Kenya can be an expensive destination for travelers - a home stay is an inexpensive way to visit the Kenya - ideal for travelers with an aim of understanding the local community and the culture of the Africans well. It is also great for single visitors, providing a safe and friendly environment in which to meet people easily.

Staying with a family in their home will allow you a unique insight into the lifestyles and culture of Kenyan people. It is a safe way to meet people and make friends easily. Staying with your hosts will be in a sense like having personal guides and through them you will get to see parts of Kenya and be involved with traditional (and new) activities you might not get to see otherwise on a typical vacation as a tourist. Kenya is a community-oriented place where ‘everyone knows everyone’ and you will see family life at first hand. Expect to be treated like a member of the family and be included in the day-to-day life of the people in the home and the community.

The aim of home stay programs is to bring people together to learn from one another and share their experiences to mutual benefit. They provide opportunities for learning in specific areas such as traditional arts and crafts, cooking, dance and the environment.

Homestay encourage the villagers to support responsible ecotourism as a viable alternative to sustainability rather than focusing on the unsustainable practices of commercial farming. The stay provides an important income which will reinforce and promote the long term conservation of their cultural identity and their nurturing environment. The bona fide community receive proper economic benefits from the tourism operation and are remunerated for their work in the operation. In addition they are trained in all the different areas related to socially and ecologically responsible tourism. Home stays provide a more sustainable form of livelihood for local communities alongside their established means for earning potential. It also fosters the sustainable use and collective responsibility over land and resources. Communities members are therefore more directly involved in conservation of their local environment. Home stays also help in generation of income acquired from hosting, translation, and transportation services for the visitors. When people are satisfied, there is understanding and goodwill towards other conservation measures such as protected areas, indigenous forests and natural habitats.

Posted on October 11th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Vacation Tips | No Comments »

If you want to travel to the Caribbean, you certainly have no shortage of wonderful destinations from which to choose. One of

the most popular places for tourists in the Caribbean, however, is Jamaica. The country of Jamaica is about 150 miles long

and 50 miles wide. So it isn’t huge, but it is mighty in the world of tourism, and is actually the third largest island in

the Caribbean. It is found less than 100 miles south of Cuba and a little over 100 miles from Hispaniola, the island on which

Haiti and the Dominican Republic is found. It was formally a possession of Spain, and late of the United Kingdom, but is now

its own nation.

Although Jamaica is small, it has had a large cultural influence on the world. Reggae, ska, dancehall, and ragga are just a

few of the many musical genres that originated in Jamaica. Jungle music in the United Kingdom and hip-hop in the United

States are also largely accredited to the Jamaican immigrant population. The Rastafari movement also began in Jamaica.

When you are visiting Jamaica, there are a number of fun activities for you to do. Of course, like most other Caribbean

islands, Jamaica is home to a number of beautiful beaches, so it is a real island paradise. While there, you can try diving,

parasailing, boating, swimming, snorkeling, jet and water skiing, and surfing. Fishing is also very popular in Jamaica,

and you can see a variety of great plants and animals when you are visiting this island.

For those who are not interested in fun in the sun, the nightlife in Jamaica is also great. You can dance the night away in a

number of clubs and visit bars to try some of the local drinks. The restaurants there serve both foreign and cultural cuisine, and shopping is great for tourists who want to pick up lots of gifts to take home.

If you plan to go to Jamaica on your next vacation, you can fly directly there or you can take a cruise through the Caribbean

Islands. Make sure that you check with your airport to see what kinds of travel paperwork are required to visit Jamaica from

your country and be prepared to experience this fun island culture by reading up on the many things you can see and do while

there. Jamaica can be your own island paradise when you visit. So the vacation is definitely worth the trouble of making travel plans.

Posted on October 11th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Caribbean vacations, Vacation Tips | No Comments »

Many people buy a timeshare and realize it was a big mistake. Unfortunately selling a timeshare for cash is a lot harder than buying one. Follow these tips to improve your chances of selling your timeshare.

Consider your price – Don’t expect to sell your timeshare for the same price you paid for it. The fact is that most timeshares are sold to people who have been pressured into buying. Unless you are going to use the same tactics that chances of selling the property for what you bought it for are slim. I have seen statistics that indicate that most property owners only receive fifty percent of what they paid for the property. So if you bought the property for $10,000, you can expect to get around $5,000 for it. Of course there are different factors that play into the price. If the units are still popular and are well maintained you might have a chance of breaking even. There are many companies that specialize in buying timeshares. These companies will offer between 25% and %50 of what you paid for it. Be careful and decide if you really want to sell the property that bad and take that kind of loss. So the lesson is make sure you price your timeshare properly before trying to sell it.

Advertise on the internet – There are many free advertising sources on the internet so look around and post your timeshare for sale everywhere you can. You might want to create a website so that you can have some basic information available for prospective buyers. Search the internet for timeshares like yours and see how other people are selling their property. You might want to try to sell on eBay. The fees are pretty low and there are a lot of people looking to buy timeshares on eBay.

The fact is you need to be realistic about selling your timeshare. Price the property accordingly and advertise as much as you can. Good luck.

Posted on October 11th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Timeshare | No Comments »

Kiwi’s Korean Sojourn This kiwi had a tough time coming to grips with South Korea because it is so different from New Zealand. The language, the food and the sheer number of people crowded into the cities was all a little overwhelming. My article will look at these areas in a little more depth to gain insight into what is a fascinating land of extremes.

Never having been exposed to Asian languages I felt thoroughly confused by Korean writing when first encountering it. It helped having an English translation under the Hangeul words everywhere I looked so it was not long before I had some Korean place names committed to memory. I then began to learn the Korean alphabet and how to pronounce the letters. As I walked to the subway and down the street I often read Korean words aloud and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered English words written in Korean. I could understand these but Chinese characters used in Korean (Hanja) were a different story. I eagerly bought books on the subject though and began devouring the meanings of Chinese characters.

Korean food is very spicy. Koreans use a lot of red pepper paste and hot sauce. Koreans love spicy food so much they will eat powdered sauce on its own. Noodles are a popular snack food and each packet has a sachet of powdered sauce inside which you flavor the noodles with. I saw Koreans eating just this sauce and then gasp for water because they had burnt their mouths. Seafood, rice and seaweed are main staples in the Korean diet. Rice and meat wrapped in seaweed is an appetizing meal and very cheap. I was not game enough to eat live octopus which were kept in tanks outside fish restaurants. You just walk in, choose your fish and the establishment cooks it (or not) for you. If this is not your thing there is lots of western food available such as pizza which Koreans absolutely love. There are literally dozens of pizza stores around including international chain stores like Dominos and Pizza Hut offering tremendous variety in the way of pizza toppings. The prices vary so it pays to shop around. I think my favorite Korean food has to be pizza (‘It’s Yammy’ was one sign that I saw) and my least favorite would have to be silkworms.

In Korea there are so many people and such a lack of space that the vast majority live in eighteen storey buildings. There is no such thing as individual sections over there. You have flower and vegetable gardens outside the apartment blocks and play areas for the children. These things are communal and are for the use of all, not just one particular family. I remember buses and trains sometimes being so full of people I had to stand for most of the journey. I was glad when the vehicle stopped, the doors opened and everyone poured out onto the street or platform. There was finally some room to move.

In this article I have offered you a brief glimpse of my life in South Korea. On the map Korea as a whole looks tiny but in reality it is a big country in terms of population and economic power. The country is a melting pot of ideas and languages, a mix of eastern and western food, roads are clogged with vehicles and it seems there are skyscrapers everywhere you look. In Korea civilization is never far away from you. How different that is to New Zealand and how long it took for this kiwi to come to grips with one of Asia’s tigers.

Hedley Benge

Hedley Benge has taught English in South Korea for two years and also has a background in information management. He has recently begun a career as a freelance journalist. Hedley’s webpage is http://hedleybenge.biz/ and he offers ghostwriting services.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hedley_Benge

Want to visit Korea? Do so via Club Freedom.

Posted on October 10th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Holiday stories, Vacation Tips | No Comments »

Buy these wisely and you won’t be disappointed. With thorough research and clearly identifying your current and future needs you will be able to avoid disappointment.

Many of us like to have luxurious yet affordable vacations. Timesharing becomes the solution to this when beautiful resorts around the world offer timeshare packages that will allow them to have the best of both worlds. Luxury and affordability are often emphasized when timeshare companies are advertising their vacation properties.

Timeshares are offered in fixed, floating and flex weeks:

• With a fixed week deed or agreement you can only stay at the resort during your assigned week every year.
• With floating weeks you are required to contact the resort to designate your desired week. You can make a reservation for any time during the calendar year (or as for the months determined in your agreement) based on the resorts availability.
• Flex weeks require you to make a reservation to an assigned season. Resorts have high and low demand seasons. In general red is peak or high season, white is mid season and blue is off-peak season. Of course demand affects the purchase price.

The purchase price of timeshares varies depending on the following factors: time of the year, location, resort amenities, size of the unit and market demand for the units on offer. Other timeshare companies use a point system as units of measurement to establish the value of the timeshare, which enables the timeshare owner to choose from a variety of resorts listed with the company.There are also timeshare exchange companies that give their members the option to exchange with a comparable resort elsewhere around the globe. The two largest exchange companies are:

• Resort Condominiums International (RCI)
• Interval International (II).

Be aware that your needs may change over time. So it may be wise to keep all your options open and make sure you are not tight down to the same resort for years on end. If you are looking to be able to exchange then here are some pointers to buy wisely:

• Buy high season timeshares. You are entitled to book any time during the year and won’t be restricted.
• Buy in high demand areas. This will be of benefit to you of what you get offered in exchange for your timeshare by timeshare exchange companies.
• Compare the prices expensive is not always better.
• Check the maintenance fee before you commit yourself.

You can buy timeshares for a lot less money than what resorts are charging. Many previous owners sell timeshares at a discounted price allowing you to buy for far less than what you would pay a resort. Go to internet and look up “Timeshare Resales” or “Timeshare Auctions”.And you can always try before you buy. Rent a timeshare for your next holiday to see if you really want to buy timeshares.

Get paid to take a vacation.

Posted on October 9th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Timeshare | No Comments »

The Caribbean holds many great treasures when it comes to island destinations. Barbados is just one of these great places.

According to the United Nations, Barbados is the fourth most developed of all the developing countries in the entire world. It may be small, but almost every resident of this island nation enjoys a very high standard of living, and this extends to the tourists who visit the country every year, and so you can expect your travel in Barbados to be nothing short of fantastic.

This single island is its own independent country and is located close to South America, a bit over 250 miles from the coast of Venezuela. It is east of Saint Lucia and north of Trinidad and Tobago. The island itself is only about 165 square miles of low-lying land, but the tropical trade winds, beautiful rainforests, and, of course, lovely sandy beaches make it popular for tourist travel. You too can enjoy a vacation in Barbados.

If you plan to travel to the sunny beaches of Barbados, you will probably fly into the single major airport on the island, Sir Grantley Adams International Airport. Many major airlines fly into this airport from almost everywhere in the world, and it is actually a major hub for the Caribbean. So no matter where you are traveling in this region of the world, you may fly into Barbados to catch a flight or cruise to another island.

Some of the best things to do while you are in Barbados are centered on the beach. Surfing is very popular because the waters here are perfect for it. The Soup Bowl,located near the town of Bathsheba is a popular surfing destination. The western and southern coasts are most popular, and you’re sure to be able to enjoy a number of sunny days lying on the pink sand if you like to sunbathe.

However, if the beach isn’t your thing, you can also enjoy the shopping in the duty-free tourist centers. You can also check out the fun and exciting night life, the wildlife reserves, and the festivals that take part all over the island in July and August. Popular tourist destinations include Farley Hill National Park, Animal Flower Cave, Hackleton’s Cliff, Sharon Moravian Church, Orchid World, Gun Hill Signal Station, Garrison Savannah, and Barbados Historical Museum. Large towns that in Barbados in which you can stay include Bridgetown, Speightstown, Holetown, and Oistins. You can also stay in any one of the small local towns dotting the island while visiting this beautiful country.

Posted on October 9th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Vacation Tips | 2 Comments »

Timesharing saves consumers money. That is a given for anyone who knows and understands the timeshare value proposition. Why this happens is the next step in understanding how the basic mechanics of timesharing can be used in other parts of the travel arena.

Basically timesharing is a cash flow exercise. First a hotel predicts how much money they will make from renting a certain room over the next twenty years. They then pose the question, ” How many dollars do I have to put in the bank today to get the same profit over twenty years assuming I am getting a 5% return on my money”. If the amount I am going to get from selling the room today exceeds the amount I need to put in the bank to make that same return, then I sell.

Most people are confused by the scenario and find it somewhat threatening. So an easier explanation is the savings bond you got when you graduated eighth grade. That $100 savings bond was bought for $50. The longer you hold it the closer it gets to its face value. Your timeshare was worth 60,000 when you bought it for 30,000. In twenty years it will be worth 60,000.

But now that you have your timeshare you have to get to it. You have created another opportunity for yourself. Every year you will have to purchase a ticket. Assuming that ticket prices will rise 5% a year you can predict how much you will spend on those tickets over the next 20 years. Wouldn’t it be great if you could convince an airline to timeshare out a plane so you could save money and fix your cost. It would save the airline money also since they spend money in marketting every year to get you to fly with them.

I had that idea and actually developed a product called Intellifares that does exactly that. You can read about it at Intellifares.com. Mexicana Airlines has just teamed up with Intellifares to bring just these types of savings to Timeshare owners in Mexico flying from California.

Now I am a product designer. What I want is opinions on the product. Does it make sense? Can it be improved? Can you think of other ways to make timeshares work better? Write back and let me know.

Posted on October 9th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Vacation Tips | No Comments »

I had decided that this year my birthday was going to be all about me. I know that it sounds selfish, but for the last three years my birthdays have been total disasters and I was determined that it would not be repeated this year. So I booked into the Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa for four days of luxury and absolute bliss the African way.

Arabella my love…
This was going to be four days like no other I’ve ever had. I’ve decided that I wasn’t going to plan anything ahead, that I would be spontaneous. And the Arabella was the perfect place to be able to do this. They are well known for their Wellness Centre. The place I wanted to explore from top to bottom. My excitement was like that of a child in a candy store, totally insatiable.

The atmosphere alone was infectious. I was standing in the hallway and I didn’t have a clue as to what I wanted to do first. So I decided to start with some pampering and was quickly on my way to the Spa.

Three cheers to good health
While waiting for my session, I was sipping on a glass of bubbly and enjoying the beautiful view of the Botriver lagoon. This was going to be my first hydro-massage experience. The therapist explained to me that it had something to do with water, and in all honesty what he was saying went in one ear and out through the other. I’ve never been one for the how’s but more the why’s, and right now why I needed this therapy was because I needed to reduce my stress levels.

I think I fell asleep during my session. The last thing I remember was extreme relaxation and then what felt like dreaming. After my two hour treatment I woke up totally rejuvenated and ready for some adventure.

A day in the sun
The following day my friends joined me at the hotel and after a quick breakfast we all set off on a hike. It was a day hike through the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. I didn’t quite expect that the terrain was going to be so rocky, but the challenge was nothing we couldn’t handle. This to me was like an African safari. On foot you enter a world shaped and coloured by Africa’s wildlife, while enjoying the fresh air (something unheard of in most of our cities today).

During our hike we saw quite a few antelope, but the highlight of the day was when we came across a herd of wild horses. When we later asked the Reserve’s game rangers they informed us that the herd was abandoned by the British garrison after the Anglo-Boer War. The sight is not one you see everyday, especially in Africa, I think.

At lunch we had a picnic which of course included a good bottle of wine and cheese. After our luncheon, we continued on our merry way back to the hotel. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, especially when Bridget tripped for the umpteenth time not looking where she was walking and generally joking around.

Back at the hotel
After everybody had refreshed themselves we were ready for my big birthday dinner. The night followed with good food, some more wine and a lot of laughing. Life couldn’t get better than this.

After a good night’s rest we decided that a game of golf would be entertaining, especially because there were bets made on whether the girls would be able to play all eighteen holes.

I’ve played golf before, but only once, so this was a game played more with luck than skill for me at least. And luck it seems was not on my side. Not only did I lose most of my balls but I managed to hit the bunkers twice. Yes, not my most successful venture ever, but fun none the less. Of course we lost the bet, because by the tenth hole my two girlfriends and I had had enough, so we decided to rather enjoy the nineteenth hole. When the boys finished their game we had to make sure that their ice cold beers were waiting. I hate losing bets and it pained me to see the guys revel in their glory, but what can a girl do.

After the day’s torture, we all booked in for some more quality time at the spa. An hour of massage later and some time in the sauna was all I needed. This really was everything I could’ve asked for and more for my birthday!

Posted on October 8th, 2007 by John
Filed under: Vacation Tips | 2 Comments »