Sharetime magazine winter 2015 from TATOC, The Timeshare Association

ISSUE 23 • WINTER 2015 

Spa 

gives resort 

a sparkle 

Video: targets 

a new generation 

Turning owners 

into salesmen 

Autumn in the New Forest Copyright Helen Hotson

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN 

GIVING SUPPORT TO TIMESHARE 

OWNERS AND RESORTS 

elcome to the final edition 

Wof 2015 - how quickly 

time goes by. Can it really be 

12 months since our last winter 

issue? 

Well, time flies when you are 

having fun so they say, and this 

year we have enjoyed some 

very successful and enjoyable 

moments. 

We welcomed several new resort 

and individual members to the 

TATOC family and increased the 

number of business affiliates. 

Applications for TATOC resort 

accreditation continue to be 

encouraging as we work to reach 

our target of 50 accredited resorts 

by 2016. 

As well as the TATOC Consumer 

Helpline we have worked hard 

to support our resort members. 

TATOC attended several resort 

annual general meetings and 

committee meetings to provide 

assistance. 

I represented the association at 

industry conferences around the 

world, spreading our message 

about the consumer and discussing 

timeshare exit plans. 

This particular topic – timeshare exit 

– continues to generate interest from 

the media. 

Recently in my blog, I wrote that the 

term is giving out the wrong signals 

to resorts, owners and the media. 

It is time to find different terminology 

that reflects what really 

needs to happen – and TATOC is 

focusing the association’s efforts 

on this important issue. 

The TATOC Consumer Helpline 

has reported a large increase in 

the number of owners looking to 

relinquish their timeshare. For a 

variety of reasons, these owners 

no longer wish to, or are able to, 

continue with their ownership. 

For the first six months of 

2015, the Helpline received 

213 consumer enquiries about 

timeshare exit or relinquishment. 

This is an increase from 141 

contacts for the same period in 

2014 and just 56 in 2013. 

While not huge in number, the 

figures show an increasing trend 

among owners, many of whom 

bought in the 1980s and 1990s 

when timeshare was sold in 

perpetuity, a real selling point at 

the time. 

The issue of timeshare relinquishment 

has been on the industry’s 

radar for some time. I am sure it 

will be discussed in detail again at 

the upcoming TATOC conference. 

Our conference is a unique event. 

It is the only time when timeshare 

committees, owners and professionals 

come together to network and 

discuss all aspects of timeshare. 

The Park Royal Hotel, Warrington, 

will host the event from March 4-6. 

This year there is no joint seminar 

with the Resort Development Organisation 

so conference registration 

will begin on Friday afternoon - with 

the TATOC annual general meeting 

beginning at 5pm. 

The agenda, speakers, delegate 

booking forms are all available from 

the TATOC website (www.tatoc. 

co.uk/tatocconference) and I look 

forward to seeing as many of you 

there are possible. 

Thank you for supporting the 

Sharetime magazine; the TATOC 

team of staff and directors wish 

you all a very happy Christmas 

and a New Year that brings health 

and happiness. 

Harry Taylor, executive chairman 

HARRY’S BLOG 

Visitors to the TATOC website 

are being encouraged to click 

through to Harry’s ‘blog’ to find 

out more from TATOC’s CEO and 

executive chairman, Harry Taylor. 

The blog can be accessed via the 

top menu on the TATOC website 

(tatoc.co.uk). 

2 | Sharetime issue 23

CONSUMER HELPLINE UPDATE: BY MARK CALDICOTT, Helpline Manager 

R 

CONSUMER HELPLINE 

TATOC Consumer 

Helpline REPORT 

Helpline manager, Mark Caldicott, looks back 

over 2015 and shares TATOC’s advice on 

management fees. 

his last issue of Sharetime in 

T2015 is a good opportunity to 

compare the activities of the TATOC 

Consumer Helpline this year with 

what we achieved in 2014.. 

Last year, owners reported a total 

amount of £977,765 lost to 

scammers. 

In response, the team issued TATOC 

Consumer Helpline guides to assist 

consumers recover £777,573, 

if the advice was taken. 

Unfortunately, we were unable 

to help consumers recover the 

outstanding £200,192. This 

had been paid by bank transfer 

or cheque, which provide no 

recourse if things go wrong. 

This year the Helpline team 

has already received reports of 

£1,096,183 lost to scammers - an 

alarming rise of over £118,000 

– and it’s set to increase when 

the final figures for 2015 are 

calculated. 

Again, the team issued guides 

that should help consumers 

recover £704,050. The remaining 

£392,123 was paid by bank 

transfer or cheque and is lost. 

At this time of year, many owners 

receive their management fee 

invoices and we see a spike in 

calls and emails from consumers. 

Each year management companies 

undertake a budgetary calculation 

to determine the cost of operating 

and maintaining the resort/club 

for the following year. 

This calculation forms the basis of 

the management fees set for that 

year. Almost always costs increase 

because of inflation, wage rises 

and so on and, as a result, management 

fees can increase on a 

yearly basis. 

TATOC believes it is best practice 

for clubs to announce fees well in 

advance and to provide owners 

with information justifying the 

level of fees set for the year. 

Although annual management 

fees are used to operate and 

maintain a resort, it sometimes 

happens that additional money 

is required to meet unexpected 

expenditure. 

It could be that some major 

refurbishment or building work 

is required; shortfalls sometimes 

result from changes in taxation 

rules or currency exchange rates 

and so on. 

When this happens a club will 

inform owners that there will be a 

special levy - explaining what it 

is for, how it has been calculated, 

and how it will be collected. 

When a special levy is raised it 

is a requirement for all owners to 

make payment in the same way 

as applies to annual management 

fees. 

Mark Caldicott 

If you have any problems with 

your ownership, or if you have 

difficulty in paying annual fees 

for any reason, make immediate 

contact with your resort and 

owners committee. 

Simply stopping the payment of 

fees is never the best course of 

action. 

Stopping payment of fees 

could have legal and financial 

consequences. For example, your 

use of on-site facilities could be 

withdrawn and penalty charges 

might be applied to your account. 

You may be referred to a debt 

collection agency and legal action 

taken against you. 

Details outlining your resort’s 

policy on management fees and 

special levies will be found in the 

latest version of your constitution. 

You can also contact 

the Helpline team: 

www.tatocconsumerhelpline.eu 

info@tatocconsumerhelpline.eu 

Tel: 0845 230 2430 

or 0345 230 2430 

LiveHelp: Live online chat 

available through the TATOC 

Consumer Helpline website 

The service is free of charge and 

open throughout the year. 

Sharetime issue 23 | 3

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TATOC NEWS 

TATOC Resort 

Accreditation 

Geoff Chapman, senior resort accreditor, 

updates Sharetime on the organisation’s 

resort recognition programme. 

esort Accreditation is TATOC’s kite-mark of quality and 

Ris the highest accolade the association can give. 

It is awarded as recognition that a resort is delivering the 

highest standards of accommodation, facilities and services 

and an excellent overall holiday experience to its owners 

and guests. 

For a resort to achieve accreditation, it must demonstrate it 

fully embraces the TATOC Code of Conduct. The timeshare 

product must be sold correctly and the resort well managed 

and maintained - with the consumer as the principle focus. 

The last 12 months have been an incredible period for the 

accreditation programme – the busiest and most successful 

since its launch in 2009. 

In the last year, 15 resorts have been visited to have their 

accreditation status renewed for a period of three years. 

Five new resorts have been recognised for the first time. 

TATOC 2016 

conference 

Date for 

your diary 

ATOC has released details of its 

T2016 conference, which will take 

place on March 4-6. 

The venue will once again be the Park 

Royal Hotel, Stretton, near Warrington. 

The association has set up a conference 

hub on its website which includes booking 

forms, sponsorship information, venue 

details and speakers. 

The hub can be found at: 

www.tatoc.co.uk/tatocconference 

Based on feedback from the recent conference 

survey, the all-inclusive package, 

which comprises all conference sessions, 

meals and accommodation, has been 

designed to provide the best value-formoney 

for those attending. 

There are now 44 accredited resorts; four more have 

applied and are awaiting inspection. 

An ambitious target was set at the 2015 TATOC conference 

to have 50 accredited resorts by conference 2016 and this 

target has almost been achieved. 

TATOC Re-Sale Accreditation 

TATOC also operates an accreditation programme for 

timeshare re-sale companies. 

This is currently on hold pending the European 

Commission’s review of the Timeshare Directive, which 

may provide additional clarity in this area. 

Once procedures have been revised all re-sale companies 

recognised by the association will be invited to undertake 

the accreditation process. 

TATOC chairman, Harry Taylor 

addresses delegates in 2015 

Delegate rates start from just £430 for 

TATOC members and affiliates, rising to 

£480 for non-members. 

“We always try to keep the costs of the 

TATOC conference to a minimum to ensure 

that our delegates enjoy the very best value 

conference with some great speakers. The 

Park Royal has been an excellent venue in 

the past and we look forward to working 

with them again in March,” said Harry 

Taylor, TATOC chief executive. 


RESORT NEWS 

Resort Case Study: 

Addressing the needs 

of modern holidaymakerS 

The Brockwood Hall team outlines their 

approach to appealing to a new type of 

holidaymaker with spa experiences. 

ith the ever-increasing 

Wdemands of modern holidaymakers, 

self-catering resorts are 

constantly challenged to find 

ways to make their resorts more 

attractive to the market. 

So how do timeshare properties 

set themselves apart? By offering 

a new dimension in guest experiences. 

A fail-safe way to create superior 

and memorable guest experiences 

is the introduction of a new 

dimension in guest treatment 

intended to indulge the senses. 

With this in mind, South African 

Club Leisure Group (CLG), which 

recently acquired Brockwood 

Hall, a luxury resort in the U.K. 

Lake District and recent winner 

of TATOC accreditation, put 

‘engaging the senses’ to the test. 

Having commissioned spa 

partner, La Vita Spas, to open its 

first U.K. facility at Brockwood 

Hall, CLG chairman Stuart 

Lamont explained: 

“Although the current spa site 

is temporary, we have been 

overwhelmed at the resounding 

success achieved since the 

opening of the spa. 

“In South Africa, most of our 60 

properties boast great spas which 


stimulate demand 

and also provide great 

package opportunities 

where we combine 

wellness with accommodation, 

which 

increases loyalty to 

particular properties. 

“We are committed 

to developing further resorts in 

Europe and believe that spas will 

form an integral part of the unique 

experience.” 

Rioma Cominelli, owner of the La 

Vita and Cellu-Beauty Spa brands, 

added: 

“We had no idea how responsive 

the U.K. market would 

be and the results have been 

astounding. Guests love the 

extended hours, wide range 

of treatments and the shared 

time with family. U.K. usage 

appears to exceed the South 

African figure of 2.5 average 

treatments per guest, per 

week. 

Rioma went on to say: “Our model 

is based on customer centricity 

focused on enhancing how guests 

feel, from check in to check out. 

Our formula is inclusive of free, 

comprehensive assessments of 

resort properties – delivering input 

on design aesthetic and infrastructure 

capabilities. From express 

spas to luxury day systems, to 

staffing, training and the overall 

management of the spa - we 

provide the full service.” 

A wide spectrum of ‘wellness’ 

is encouraged, including Nordic 

walking, land and aqua aerobics, 

swimming and even wellness 

education. 

Rioma and her executive team are 

excited about wellness opportunities 

in the U.K. and Europe and are 

finalising either turnkey spa facilities 

or joint venture spa arrangements 

with a number of resorts. 

The first test case has revealed 

that Europeans and the British 

are well informed and becoming 

increasingly passionate about 

health and wellness. 

They are including such elements 

into their breaks – and more than 

ready to opt for properties offering 

the healthy, ‘feel good’ experiences 

that comprehensive spas can 

offer - whether for a weekend or a 

fortnight break.

RESORT NEWS 

2015 

Awards for 

Pant Glas Hall 

ant Glas Hall in Carm- 

Wales, has Parthenshire, 

been awarded TripAdvisor’s 

2015 Certificate of Excellence 

presented to accommodation, 

attractions and restaurants 

that consistently earn great 

reviews from visitors. 

The coffee shop and restaurant 

has also been award five stars, 

the highest possible rating, in 

the latest hygiene inspection. 

The restaurant offers freshly 

cooked meals with a different 

menu every evening. 

The resort has recently teamed 

up with Hoseasons to offer 

rentals throughout the year. 

There are a number of special 

offers available over the winter 

months - the resort website 

has further details. 

All change 

at Belton Woods 

ulia Newton has been 

Jappointed lodge manager at 

Belton Woods, near Grantham, 

Lincolnshire. 

Julia, who was previously assistant 

manager at the resort, said: “I’m 

really enjoying the new role. It’s 

exciting to be in charge of all the 

changes that are happening. My 

aim is to get Belton Woods back 

where we need to be, and that 

begins with the refurbishments 

Burnside wins 

gardening award 

that are taking place.” 

Significant refurbishment work 

has begun on lodges 11 through 

to 19. This includes improvements 

to the bedrooms as well as 

the master and twin bathrooms - 

giving each lodge a more modern 

and high-quality character. 

Further refurbishment plans are 

in place for the next seven years, 

beginning in 2016. 

ongratulations to Hapimag Burnside Park, in the U.K. Lake 

CDistrict, which won the best commercial property title in this 

year’s Windermere in Bloom competition. 

Resort gardener Joan Gunn has worked at the resort since 2004 

and this is the second year she has been recognised for her work. 

She is already planning next year’s garden, which she hopes will be 

award-winning again. 

In 2014, Burnside received a gold award for commercial property. 

Hillside Apartment 

Lounge 

Hillside Apartment 

Master Suite 

Work continues 

at Four Seasons Fairways 

Last year Four Seasons 

Fairways, on the Portuguese 

Algarve, embarked on a villa 

renovation programme and the 

first seven properties have been 

completed. 

The resort is now preparing for the 

second stage with work starting 

this winter on another 12 villas. 

The new look is by the internationally 

acclaimed Quinta Style 

Boutique Design, in Almancil, 

who have combined a traditional 

Portuguese feel with the latest in 

contemporary comfort. 

A dove grey fabric is used for 

sofas and armchairs. Blue and 

white accent cushions and 

decorative panels add traditional 

Portuguese touches. 

The bedroom furnishings use 

soft greys, greens, yellows and 

aquamarine blues. 

Quality fixtures and fittings 

throughout and modern lighting 

complete the look. 


in my view 

IN MY VIEW 

Rachel Littleworth, resort manager at Club Las 

Calas, in Lanzarote, shares her views on operating 

a successful mature resort in a competitive 

holiday environment. 

While we continually search for 

ways to attract new owners, 

we must never lose sight of the 

importance of keeping existing 

owners happy. 

I have an excellent team at Las 

Calas, many of whom have been 

with the company for over 20 years. 

We also have the support of 

management company Resort 

Solutions who take care of the back 

office demands while we focus on 

the clients. 

We are constantly looking at ways 

to improve the resort, as it is 

important owners notice something 

different every time they return. 

Sometimes these are small 

improvements such as new 

sunbeds, but recently the changes 

have been bigger as we progress 

with the upgrade programme. 

The programme includes fitting new 

kitchens with state-of-the-art white 

goods and new bathrooms. This 

gives owners confidence and peace 

of mind that their maintenance fees 

are financially well managed. 

Having a financially healthy 

long-term fund gives us the 

opportunity to complete large 

projects without asking for 

supplements. 

As we want to cater for all owners 

and guests, we have recently 

installed a lift and made the whole 

resort accessible to those less 

mobile. 

Las Calas has stepped up the 

fun activities on-site with a new 

animation team offering fitness 

options, sangria and cocktail 

demonstrations and the everpopular 

quiz. 

As well as four swimming pools, 

Las Calas has a leisure centre with 

mini shop, gym, sauna, children’s 

ballpark and the much-loved 

Charlie Bears Kids Club. 

The owners are our best 

ambassadors and we want them 

to rave about the resort to friends, 

family and other guests. 

Many of them love meeting up with 

their holiday friends so we have 

improved the facilities to encourage 

the social side. This includes 

happy hour and special meal deals 

persuading owners to stay on-site 

for the whole evening enjoying the 

fabulous entertainment. 

Encouraging owners and guests to 

integrate and become friends often 

leads to a new owner, as people 

want to be part of the Las Calas 

experience. 

Owners want to be kept informed 

and Las Calas communicates with 

owners through the club’s website, 

Facebook page and resort bulletin 

handed out on arrival. 

BACKGROUND 

Rachel has lived in Lanzarote 

since 1987 and has worked 

for the Diamond Group for 27 

years. 

She began working at 

Diamond Club Las Calas 

in reception and was later 

promoted to head of reservations 

and reception for the 

whole group. 

Rachel was appointed resort 

manager at Las Calas over 20 

years ago and has overseen 

the on-going success of the 

resort which was the first to 

achieve TATOC accreditation 

in 2009. 

The most popular form of 

communication is the weekly 

owners’ meeting, which not only 

keeps them up-to-date but also 

gives them the chance to discuss 

ideas, raise concerns and allows 

the resort management team to give 

accurate information. 

When it comes to managing a 

mature resort it is about offering 

the whole package. Our mission 

statement is: creating a lifetime of 

holiday memories year after year. 

The team is highly motivated to 

meet this and strives to make 

owners feel special by providing 

the best possible service. We want 

them to be excited about returning 

for their next holiday. 


AFFILIATE NEWS 

Timeshare RE-Sale 

FIRM affiliates 

with TATOC 

T imeshareForSaleOnline.com 

has been successfully affiliated 

into TATOC. 

Headed up by Anthony (Tony) 

Bugg, the website has been in 

operation for some time providing 

private timeshare re-sales. 

The team works with other re-sale 

businesses in Europe, the Middle 

East, Asia, Africa and the U.S. to 

re-sell other vacation-style products. 

Currently in development, and set 

to launch later this year, is a new 

auction website, OwnersTimeshareAuctions.com. 

Weholi attends 

Welsh expo 

weholi’s Kevin Wash 

with the expo team 

weholi.com, a global ‘marketplace’ 

to rent or sell your holiday 

ownership, recently exhibited at 

the largest business expo in Wales. 

This will run alongside the main 

re-sale business and will assist 

private owners at resorts that will 

not work with third party re-sale 

businesses. 

With over 30 years’ experience in 

the timeshare industry, Mr Bugg 

explained his decision to affiliate 

his business with TATOC: “We appreciate 

the work TATOC does for 

the industry - we sincerely wish to 

be part of its future.” 

Harry Taylor, TATOC’s executive 

chairman commented: “I was 

delighted when Tony asked if 

his business could affiliate with 

TATOC. It shows his commitment 

to timeshare consumers 

and provides them with the very 

best service. Tony and his team 

will comply with the Association’s 

Code of Conduct and Code 

of Practice so owners can be 

reassured when they are using 

their services.” 

Held at the Cardiff City House 

of Sport from November 4-5, 

2015, the exhibition hosted some 

1,000 exhibitors and over 4,000 

delegates over two days. 

Kevin Wash, weholi vice president 

for sales and marketing, joined 

marketing consultant Vivienne 

Sharman-Lewis and her team 

to promote weholi to a wider 

audience of travellers and private 

holiday property owners. 

Safety 

first with 

satellite 

phones 

s part of a wide-ranging 

Aeffort to improve the 

safety of members, owners 

and guests at its European 

properties, Diamond Resorts 

has introduced the use of 

satellite phones in staff 

emergency response kits. 

Satellite phones will ensure 

that all Diamond Resorts 

guests have a reliable means 

of communication in the event 

of a network outage during 

a widespread emergency or 

natural disaster. 

Diamond Resorts’ 

satellite phones operate 

independently of ground 

mobile networks by using 

the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) 

satellite technology of 

Globalstar, the largest 

provider in the world. 

The phones are state-of-theart 

Qualcomm GSP-1700, 

sturdy devices with long-life 

batteries that allow team 

members to manage any 

emergency without the risk of 

losing communications with 

external responders. 

Said a spokesman: “Guest 

safety is of the utmost 

importance and Diamond 

will continually seek 

opportunities to improve 

the guest experience 

by incorporating latest 

technology and safety 

procedures at its resorts 

worldwide.” 



Celebrity chef’s 

recipe for 

relaxing: 

a CLC World 

resort 

ans of TV and radio cookery 

Fshows will recognise celebrity 

chef Cyrus Todiwala, who recently 

took time out from the kitchen to 

enjoy a holiday at CLC Club La 

Costa World resort, on the Costa 

del Sol. 

A regular contributor to BBC’s 

Saturday Kitchen, he is author 

of several renowned cookery 

books such as The Incredible 

Spice Men, linked to a prime 

time BBC TV series of the same 

name, which saw he and Scottish 

chef Tony Singh spice up some 

favourite British dishes. 

Members of CLC World for the 

past 15 years, Cyrus and wife 

Pervin Todiwalas arrived with 

friends keen to seek out restaurants 

serving typical Spanish food. 

As well as running the family 

restaurant empire, Cyrus’s 

commitments include charity 

fundraising with involvement in 

a forthcoming dinner in aid of 

breast cancer; education and 

training initiatives for young 

people; and a deep interest in the 

environment and sustainability. 

Awarded an MBE for services to 

skills development and training 

and an OBE for his contribution to 

the hospitality industry, this super 

busy chef also cooked for the 

Queen and Duke of Edinburgh for 

the Diamond Jubilee celebrations! 

The Todawalas trip to the Costa 

del Sol was followed by another 

visit to a CLC World resort, this 

time CLC Duchally, in Scotland, 

to coincide with Cyrus attending 

the Master Chefs of Great Britain 

annual lunch and AGM in 

Edinburgh. 

New locations for 

Club Paradiso Platinum 

ilverpoint has re-located two 

Sof its Club Paradiso Sunseeker 

super cruisers from Tenerife to the 

Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. 

The first to be moved is Miss Moneypenny, 

a Portafino 46 craft. 

This luxury vessel headed for Malta 

in May this year to service Club 

Paradiso Platinum members and is 

currently berthed in the Three Cities 

Marina. 

The second Sunseeker – Diamonds 

Are Forever – is also a Portafino 46 

and is currently being prepared for 

transport to Dubai, in the Persian Gulf. 

These spectacular 

boats give members 

a taste of the highlife, 

said a spokesman. 

Members are offered the opportunity 

to take their day skipper licences 

so they can captain the boats 

themselves. Alternatively, they can 

arrange for a fully qualified local 

skipper. 

Known for its manoeuvrability and 

high performance, the Sunseeker 

Portofino 46 can accommodate 

up to ten adults on its decks with 

space to sleep up to six adults 

below. 

Club Paradiso 

Sunseeker supercruiser 

Club Paradiso co-ordinator Nancy 

Claphouwers said: “We’ve re-located 

these two boats in response 

to feedback from Club Paradiso 

Platinum members who were 

looking for more flexibility. 

“Now they will be able enjoy the 

Sunseeker experience at three 

Club Paradiso locations around the 

world. We’re currently negotiating a 

fourth location, which will probably 

be either Salcombe or Dartmouth, 

in Devon.” 


ASK YOURSELF 

COULD YOUR RESORT 

BE MORE SUCCESSFUL? 

Would it be better if it had: 

more owners/members? 

more rental guests? 

higher standards? 

a refurbishment? 

detailed accounts? 

professional management 

If you think your resort would benefit from a professional review contact: 

U.K. 07939-903157 / 07816-303917 

Spain & Canary Islands +34-620729925 / +34-619126203 

USA & Caribbean +1-408-221-1926 / +1-434-325-1167 

stuart@leisuremanagementplus.com 

www.leisuremanagementplus.com 

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FEATURE 

VIDEO: 

HOW TO REACH 

A NEW GENERATION 

2015 has been named the Year of Video Marketing. So what, you may ask? 

Video is not relevant to my resort and we certainly don’t have the budget for it. 

ut it’s time to think again, 

Bsays Emily Collins, from EVC 

Marketing Communications, who 

looks at the growing importance 

of video and how it’s an ideal tool 

for timeshare resorts. 

At every TATOC conference 

delegates ask the same question: 

how do we encourage the younger 

generation to visit our resort? 

Well, here’s one answer – video 

marketing. And before you ask, it 

doesn’t need to cost a fortune and 

yes, anyone can do it. 

First some 

startling statistics. 

• 78 per cent of people watch 

videos online every week; 

• People stay two minutes longer 

on websites with video; 

• By 2017 video will account for 

69 per cent of all Internet traffic. 

If a picture paints a thousand 

words, then one minute of video 

is worth 1.8 million words - the 

equivalent of 3,600 web pages - 

according to Dr. James McQuivey, 

of Forrester Research. 

Such statistics confirm that, when 

you use video on a website, you 

have a powerful tool that attracts 

visitors to your site and keeps 

them there. 

It satisfies their information and 

entertainment needs and resorts 

that fail to include it in their strategies 

do so at their peril. 

We often hear the importance 

of content marketing as a tool to 

increase Google rankings. Well, 

video is the future of content 

marketing. 

This is especially so for a younger 

target market that uses video to 

determine whether the resort will 

provide the holiday experiences 

they want. 

They trust video. They can see 

other like-minded people enjoying 

the resort and know that it will 

give them the holiday they want. 

Video is the perfect format for 

quickly grabbing the attention 

of a busy audience. It enables 

strong storytelling in a short, but 

memorable, format that viewers 

can enjoy. 

Engage viewers and they will 

share the video with others, spend 

longer on your website and more 

time interacting with your brand. 

For any social media campaign 

and SEO (search engine optimisation) 

exercise, video is without 

doubt one of the best tools in your 

marketing kit. 

But is video suitable for resorts 

today – even mature, legacy 

resorts? 

Yes, because production costs 

have fallen significantly and you 

no longer need to be a technical 

whiz to use it. 

So how can video 

be used? 

1 Drive traffic to your website 

Search engines like Google love 

video and, if properly optimised, 

you can use video to increase 

visitors to your website. 

2 Turn a static website into an 

interactive destination. 

A simple promotional video that 

explains who you are lets visitors 

see what your physical location 

is like – and is better than any 

photograph. 

3 Engage with customers 

Start a video contest, ask users to 

upload videos of themselves when 

they are at your resort, invite them 

to embed videos on their own 

social media. 

For further information on how video can 

help your resort, contact EVC Marketing 

Communications on: +44 (0) 203 123 

9273 or emilyc@evcmarketing.com 


FEATURE 

Alex Radford 

Timeshare committees: 

INVEST IN THE FUTURE 

OF YOUR RESORT 

Alex Radford, a U.K. solicitor and Spanish abogado, 

has worked with a number of timeshare 

committees implementing changes to their resorts. 

Here he provides some top tips to ensure 

the future survival of a property. 

e all have a pretty good 

Widea of what makes a great 

holiday whether it is sunning 

yourself in Spain, walking in the 

Lake District or visiting Disney 

World with the grandchildren. 

What helps to make that great 

holiday is first class self-catering 

accommodation with excellent facilities 

and plenty of activities within 

the area to keep the family busy. 

Whether you stay in a timeshare 

resort or an hotel, we all have high 

expectations for our accommodation, 

which is usually selected 

after the family has agreed the 

destination. 

As timeshare resort budgets 

decrease and tighten, the hotel 

industry, a major competitor for 

the timeshare industry, continues 

to improve and invest in their 

accommodation and facilities. 

Therefore, as committees running 

timeshare resorts, it is crucially 

important for the facilities and 

accommodation at your resort to be 

improved, kept up-to-date and local 

activities added. Remember you are 

in the hospitality industry and the 

holiday memory-making game! 

How can we do this, you 

might ask, as we have 

fewer timeshare owners, 

fewer people paying 

maintenance fees and 

no active sales? 

Although you may feel this is a 

resort-specific issue, you should 

be aware that many timeshare 

developers have been facing the 

same challenges that you are 

currently facing and have successfully 

overcome them. 

The reality of the challenge is 

that, as the number of timeshare 

owners decreases, the rental of 

the timeshare accommodation has 

increased and replaced the income 

of those former timeshare owners 

who paid maintenance fees. 

If you are not doing so already, 

you should be actively increasing, 

marketing and promoting 

your rental offering and ensuring 

that when those renters come 

to visit your resort, they have 

a memorable holiday and may 

consider coming back and buying 

a timeshare at your resort. 

However, before those renters 

start arriving, it is important to 

analyse the strengths and weaknesses 

of your resort, the state 

of the accommodation and its 

facilities along with the financial 

state of the property. 

Consider what first attracted you 

to your resort? What will attract 

future generations and what 

would they expect to see in the 

accommodation and facilities? 

What unique selling point does 

your resort have compared to the 

local competition? What changes 

can you easily make to the 

resort and which require greater 

investment? Price the changes 

by obtaining quotes from local 

suppliers and then establish a 

priority list of the changes to be 

made. 

Once you have considered the 

above points, it is important to put 

a strategic plan together outlining 

the changes you will make to the 

resort over a set period of time. 

These do not have to be major 

changes - incremental changes 

and improvements on a tight 

budget are fine so long as you and 

the committee agree on where 

you all want to be in three, five 

and ten years’ time. 

Only when the committee has 

agreed to the plan should it be 

submitted to the members to 

agree and vote on. 

Contact Alex Radford on 

aradford@mylawyerinspain.com 

or call on 0845 508 2395. 


RESORT IN FOCUS: Rhinefield apartments 

The hotel and 

apartments at Rhinefield 

Keeping 

high standards 

is key to 

success 

Sharetime magazine spoke with committee chairman 

Derick Manning from Rhinefield Apartments, a mature 

resort in the heart of the New Forest. 

BACKGROUND 

he 14 apartments that make up the 

TRhinefield resort, in the U.K.’s New 

Forest, are based in the east wing of 

Rhinefield House. 

The resort comprises 11 two-bed, one 

three-bed and two one-bed apartments – 

all unique in layout, design and size. 

There are over 550 weeks in ownership 

with the balance held by the club and 

available for rent and re-sale. The resort 

sells fixed week ownership. 

Each year, owners use 65 per cent of the 

weeks, exchange guests use ten per cent 

and 15 per cent are rented commercially. 

Apartments have a fully-equipped kitchen, 

TV, DVD player and free Wi-Fi. On-site 

there is an indoor spa with pool, sauna, 

steam room, gym and spa treatment 

rooms, an outdoor pool, gardens, tennis 

courts, and two hotel restaurants, lounge 

and bar. 


What is the history of 

Rhinefield? 

The club began in 1987 

when the developed 

apartments were first sold as 

timeshare interests. 

However, the history of the 

site dates back to the time of 

William the Conqueror, who 

used it as his New Forest 

hunting lodge around 1097. 

In 1877, Rhinefield was 

given to Mabel Walker-Munro 

by her father and 

it remained in the family 

until 1950, when they were 

forced to sell to pay death 

duties. 

There followed a period of 

uncertainty for Rhinefield. 

The house became a private 

school and, in 1972, Oliver 

Cutts purchased the freehold 

and carried out considerable 

refurbishment. 

In 1982, Nicholas Hotels 

bought the house and 

developed Rhinefield into a 

hotel and luxury apartments 

to be leased on a timeshare 

basis. 

The hotel accommodation 

and conference facilities 

occupy a new wing to the 

west of the house, while 

parts of the original cellars 

were incorporated into the 

leisure complex. 

Rhinefield is now owned 

by Hand Picked Hotels, 

who have achieved 4-star 

status for the hotel, as well 

as two Red Rosettes for the 

restaurant. 

How has timeshare fared 

over the past five years? 

In spite of the ageing 

membership, over the past 

five years the proportion of

RESORT IN FOCUS 

the inventory held by owners has 

remained at around 77 per cent 

due to a steady, but limited, replacement 

of older owners through 

low-key, in-house marketing. 

Major refurbishment has been undertaken 

during this period with the 

final phases of kitchen refurbishment 

currently under way. 

How do you keep your product 

attractive while still making 

ownership financially viable? 

Refurbishment has returned the 

luxury apartments to the high 

standards maintained by the hotel 

throughout the property. 

Keeping the standard of luxury high 

through continuous replacement 

and renewal makes the cost of 

ownership financially viable for 

owners looking for such standards 

in a unique property in the centre of 

the New Forest. 

Have the holiday patterns of your 

owners changed over recent years 

and what is the impact on your 

resort? 

Some of the ageing members no 

longer wish or are able to make 

use of their weeks resulting in 

increasing rentals of both owned 

and weeks currently held by the 

club for resale. 

What are the key reasons why you 

think you have succeeded? 

A determined and active committee, 

strong financial controls and the full 

support from Hand Picked Hotels 

who run all the day to day activities 

through Rhinefield Timeshare 

Management Limited, a company 

within the hotel group. 

How has the marketing and sales 

approach changed over the years? 

Both our website and other third 

party sites drive traffic to the resort, 

provide information to potential 

visitors and give the club opportunities 

for rental and/or re-sales. 

Our rentals are also promoted 

through Booking.com and feeds 

from other websites promoting 

The New Forest. We are not on 

Facebook or TripAdvisor. 

There have not been any concerted 

aggressive sales or re-sales 

campaigns in recent years. There 

is low-key, in-house re-sale activity 

to leads such as exchange or rental 

guests, hotel visitors and website 

enquiries. 

Do you offer a re-sale and rental 

programme to your owners – 

how does this work and is it 

successful? 

Owners can make their weeks 

available for rental. These are then 

added to the available inventory 

visible on Booking.com. The 

committee sets market rents on 

Booking.com. 

Owners wishing to sell can add 

their weeks to the re-sale availability 

list. 

How do you fund and manage 

refurbishment at the resort? 

Refurbishment has been planned 

in phases, funded from the 

management fees, and procured 

and managed at a practical level by 

the property team at Hand Picked 

Hotels. 

How is the resort managed? 

Do you use the services of a 

management company or does 

the manager report directly to the 

committee? 

Rhinefield Timeshare Management 

Limited is the management 

company and part of the Hand 

Picked Hotels group. All staff are 

employed by the hotel. 

The entrance to the hotel 

and apartments 

The club has a contract with 

the management company. The 

timeshare administrator reports 

to a committee made up of three 

owners and two appointed by the 

hotel. 

As a resort what are you most 

proud of? 

Completing the refurbishment 

without having to raise a special 

levy. 

Why did you decide to join 

TATOC? 

To listen to the market place, learn 

and exchange views with our 

contempories. 

Rhinefield Apartments 

Rhinefield House, Rhinefield Road, 

Brockenhurst, Hampshire SO42 7QB 

E: enquiries@rhinefieldapartments.com 

T: +44 (0) 1590 625619 


RESORT NEWS 

Quality counts at RCI 

The quality of a resort can make or break a holiday. This is why RCI’s locallybased 

resort operations teams work closely with resort managers to ensure 

that resort and accommodation quality is of the high standard timeshare 

owners deserve. 

CI also claims to be the only 

Rexchange company to pro-actively 

operate a health and safety 

compliance programme, working 

with resorts to drive adherence to 

national health and safety regulations, 

and legal requirements. 

RCI’s policy requires resorts to 

complete a health and safety 

checklist every three years and 

says it is “not afraid of disaffiliating 

resorts that let their quality 

standards slip”. 

Quality is a priority at these two 

RCI-affiliated resorts, which have 

just completed major makeovers: 

Brockwood Hall is situated in 

the picturesque Lake District, in 

the naturally beautiful Blackcombe 

and Whitecombe Hills. 

The resort is now under new 

management and all 32 of the 

The refurbished lounge 

at Brockwood Hall 

The refurbished kitchen diner 

at Brockwood Hall 


Scandinavian-style lodges have 

recently been refitted. 

The £1.5 million refurbishment 

programme has been funded by 

First Resorts and has resulted 

in larger bedrooms, plush 

carpets, new furnishings and 

fittings, including hot tubs on the 

balconies. 

The resort has a new spa, 

Cellubeauty, and guests 

can also pick up groceries 

from the on-resort shop, 

or enjoy meals in Clara’s 

restaurant or the Pesto 

Bistro. 

Venturing further afield, 

Holiday Club Vista 

Amadores, in Gran 

Canaria, has recently 

unveiled its new resort 

makeover. 

The refurbished pool at 

Holdiay Club Vista Amadores 

A refurbished bedroom at 

Holdiay Club Vista Amadores 

Apartments have been 

re-designed with light and 

airy interiors, state-ofthe-art 

bathrooms and glassfronted 

balconies giving optimum 

views of Amadores Beach. 

Guests can also enjoy the new 

pool and spectacular views over 

the coastline. 

The €1.7 million project follows 

a similar refurbishment at sister 

resort, Holiday Club Puerto 

Calma, also in Gran Canaria. 

Resort developer, Holiday Club 

Resorts, is investing €25 million 

in refurbishing many of its 

properties, including two Finnish 

flagship timeshare resorts, with a 

€5.2 million spend on apartments 

at Holiday Club Tampereen 

Kylpylä and €6.7 million on 

Holiday Club Katinkulta.

RESORT NEWS 

Diamond Resorts 

receives 2015 Orbitz 

Best in Stay awards 

iamond Resorts Inter- 

Royal Oasis Dnational’s 

Club, at Pueblo Quinta 

in Malaga, Spain, has 

received the Orbitz Best 

in Stay award and Santa 

Barbara Golf and Ocean 

Club, in Tenerife, has 

been awarded the Orbitz 

Best in Stay Elite Award for 

2015. 

Every year Orbitz recognises 

up to three properties in 

more than 120 destinations 

around the world; the Elite 

designation is reserved for 

the resort with the highest 

rating in each market. 

The awards are based on 

the overall numeric score of 

arnsdale Resort in 

BRutland has installed an 

automated external defibrillator 

(AED) and trained staff 

to minimise the time taken 

to treat a casualty. 

The majority of cardiac 

arrests are due, at least 

initially, to an abnormal, 

fast, irregular heartbeat 

known as ventricular 

fibrillation (VF). Electrical 

defibrillation is well 

established as the only 

effective treatment. AEDs 

are devices that deliver the 

necessary controlled electric 

shocks to terminate VF. 

hotel reviews and customer 

ratings covering: amenities, 

maintenance, hotel staff, 

room comfort, location and 

value. 

According to David F. 

Palmer, Diamond president 

and chief executive: “We 

are proud to be recognised 

by one of the world’s largest 

travel sites for our high 

quality resorts and unparalleled 

hospitality.” 

Barnsdale acquires 

defibrillator 

The chance of successful 

defibrillation declines at a 

rate of more than ten per 

cent with each minute of 

delay before a defibrillator 

is used. The delay from 

collapse to delivery of the 

first shock is the single 

most important determinant 

of survival. 

Barnsdale, an RCI gold 

crown resort, has also 

launched a refer-a-friend 

programme with £250 

awarded to members 

whose families or friends 

complete the purchase of a 

single week of ownership. 

Crown Resorts 

AGM: Timeshare 

at its best 

ATOC was represented at the Crown 

TResorts annual general meeting in Leeds 

in early autumn. 

Crown is a group of five resorts, located 

in the heart of the Costa del Sol. All have 

achieved TATOC Resort Accreditation. 

In addition to the six committee members 

present were representatives from Shakespeare 

Martineau (the clubs’ legal advisers), 

FNTC (trustees), Vacation Care (management 

company) and Tim Cubley, the resorts’ 

manager. 

On the day, 42 members attended, representing 

all but one of the resorts. Many 

others had cast by proxy their votes on 

committee elections and resolutions. 

Annual general meetings provide an ideal 

opportunity for members to have direct 

discussion with their elected committee and 

with fellow members. 

Geoff Chapman, senior resort accreditor, 

writes: “Visiting the annual general meeting 

was an enjoyable opportunity to engage 

again with Crown Resorts and their 

members. 

“The Crown Resorts meeting was a 

superb example of a club working 

closely with members to ensure 

their continued high quality holiday 

experience at competitive prices.” 

Harry Taylor, TATOC CEO, said “Many 

thanks again to Crown Resorts for the 

invitation. TATOC is keen to engage with 

owners and their resort committees at 

every opportunity and we will be delighted 

to attend AGMs and other resort meetings 

whenever possible.” 


THE NEW 

IS HERE 

Offering even more value than before… 

RCI’s enhanced Platinum programme gives members some 

great new ways to get the most out of membership including: 

Member Rewards on selected 

RCI transactions 

Priority Access to highly demanded 

destinations 

Additional discounts with RCI Travel 

- £50 off a car hire or hotel booking 

NEW! Unit upgrades and resort changes 

NEW! FREE Deposit Restore ** 

NEW! Longer Points Extension * 

NEW! FREE Points Transfers * 

Plus so much more! 


For just a £49 RCI Membership upgrade fee 

receive over £500 of value from RCI Platinum 

There’s never been a better time to be an RCI Platinum member 

To learn more visit RCI.com or call 0845 60 86 380 

Terms & conditions: RCI reserves the right to vary or amend benefits available. Some benefits may be subject to availability. 

Please visit www.aboutrci.co.uk/platinum/terms. RCI Platinum is not available to RCI Lite members. £49 Platinum fee is for 1 year’s membership. 

*Points members only. **Weeks members only. 


FEATURE 

Uncovering 

secrets of 

the Costa del Sol 

Worldwide Timeshare Hypermarket discovers 

‘little gems’ away from tourist hot spots. 

he Costa del Sol is a 

Tfamiliar area for many 

readers who return every year 

to enjoy their timeshare resort. 

The team at Worldwide 

Timeshare Hypermarket 

stepped away from the 

popular coastline to find some 

little gems hidden in the rural 

hillside villages, which even the 

most frequent visitor to Spain may 

have missed. 

El Caminto del Rey 

El Caminito del Rey 

This exhilarating collection of cliff 

walks is carved into the hillside at 

El Chorro, to the north of Fuengirola, 

and was awarded TripAdvisor’s 

Certificate of Excellence (2015) 

Opened by King Alfonso XIII in 

1921, this series of hiking trails 

offers a tranquil experience away 

from the bustling beaches of the 

Costa del Sol. 

Castillo 

Monumento 

Calomares 

Affectionately 

known as 

Calomares Castle 

(Columbus Castle), 

Castillo 

the Castillo 

Monumento 

Colomares Monumento 

Calomares, in 

Benalmadena, is the largest 

monument dedicated to the great 

explorer Christopher Columbus. 

The intriguing display takes 

visitors on a journey through the 

pioneer’s life; however, the unique 

architecture and floral gardens 

that greet you on arrival are 

equally captivating. 

La Cueva del Tesoro 

Legend surrounds these fascinating 

sea caves in Malaga, which 

date back to the Neolithic period 

(around 2,000 - 10,000BC). 

Carved by the consistent tide 

lapping against the shoreline, 

the caves are said to contain a 

hidden treasure from the past 

Arabian era in the 12th century. 

Flamenco in Sevilla 

Kelipé Centro de Arte 

Flamenco 

A visit to Andalucia wouldn’t be 

complete without experiencing 

the passion of flamenco: we 

recommend the truly authentic 

version at the Kelipé Centro de Arte. 

Located in the historic city centre 

of Malaga, the Kelipe portrays the 

emotion involved in the flamenco 

with an intimate display right before 

your eyes. 

Old town Estepona 

Step back in time to the old town 

of Estepona, where narrow streets 

and traditional villas give a real 

sense of traditional Andalucía. 

Wander through the rich pink of 

the Hibiscus flowers filling the 

Plaza de las Flores; admire the 

clock tower, completed in 1473; 

and the Castillo de San Luis 

dating back to the same era. 


FEATURE: RESORT REVIEW 

Lehigh resort 

Florida 

Steve Burton by the 

Lehigh resort swimming pool 

The apartments are typically 

one-bedroom in size, sleeping up to 

four or five people. There are also a 

number of studios and a handful of 

two-bedroom and lock out units. 

There is never a shortage of things 

to do with a fantastic activities 

programme during both day and 

evening. 

The swimming pool is large and 

the temperature of the water just 

perfect. There are plenty of sun 

loungers so no need to be up at 

8am to stake out your reservation. 

Steve Burton, Sharetime resort reviewer and regular 

exchanger, reviews Lehigh Resort Club in Florida. 

He admits it’s one of his favourite destinations. 

have owned timeshare since 1980 

I and since then have made over 

550 exchanges with RCI to around 

100 different resorts. 

The resort has its own pleasant 

nine-hole golf course with very reasonable 

green fees, which include 

cart hire. Other golf courses are 

located within a five-mile radius. 

One of my biggest turn-offs when 

staying at a timeshare resort is to 

receive regular phone calls from 

customer services trying to sell you 

more timeshare. 

My preference when choosing a 

resort is for a quiet, scenic location, 

preferably near the sea or a golf 

course. 

It is not my scene to stay at large 

impersonal resorts with hundreds 

of guests and numerous sales 

staff ringing you to arrange a sales 

presentation. 

You can tell from the RCI resort 

number that Lehigh Resort Club 

is a mature resort dating back to 

the late 1970s. The timeshare 

accommodation doesn’t have the 

wow factor of some, but the units 

are comfortable. 

The resort is not located in an 

up-market area and is 30 miles 

from the nearest beach, which is a 

draw back for some people. 

The resort’s picnic and BBQ area 

So why do I enjoy 

it so much? 

Lehigh is a special holiday place 

for those in the know. I first visited 

back in March 1994 and have 

since spent over 100 weeks at the 

resort. 

I could have vacationed at any 

of RCI’s 4,000-plus resorts, but 

choose Lehigh for the welcoming 

feel and warmth of the staff, 

owners and guests. Everybody is 

friendly - even if new to the resort. 

The property is located in a 

peaceful location with the majority 

of units located either on a golf 

course or by a small lake. 

This will never happen at Lehigh 

Resort Club. At the Sunday 

welcome meeting there is a 

two-minute sales pitch from the real 

estate guy and then you’re left to 

enjoy your vacation. 

If you are interested in becoming an 

owner, you will have to make the 

first contact. 

Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets 

is that, apart from the period 

between Christmas and Easter, RCI 

nearly always has availability. 

For me, the best time to visit is 

between October and mid-December 

when the weather is great and 

the resort and surrounding area are 

quiet. I hope to see you there one 

day in the future. 


R 

WHO ARE WE? 

WHAT DO WE DO? 

TRAVEL & LEISURE GROUP 

23 YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL RESALES 

THE RESALE SOLUTION TO OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS... 

Celebrating 23 years of successful resales, Travel & Leisure Group, established 

in 1992, are the longest running Timeshare Estate Agent in Europe, assisting 

clients from all over the world in buying and selling Timeshare properties, with 

monies safe in solicitors hands. 

A family owned company with a first class reputation within the industry. 

Travel & Leisure Group are trusted by both consumers and developers alike, 

with over 20 experienced staff covering major European languages. 

So if you are looking to sell, add to your ownership or rent we are here to help. 

• In house conveyancing - unrivalled knowledge of timeshare transfers, 

we also handle transfers for people buying or selling privately 

• Experienced staff speaking major European languages 

• Websites in nine languages - over two million visitors per month 

• Renowned for a high level of customer care and our friendly 

relationship with resorts 

Head Office 

SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR SALES ADVISORS NOW... 

OR COME TO OUR HEAD OFFICE IN SUDBURY, SUFFOLK 

0800 988 7157 or +44(0)1787 881111 

www.travelandleisure.co.uk 

TIMESHARE ASSOCIATION 

RCI 

interval 

INTERNATIONAL 

TV 

AS SEEN ON

FEATURE: AFFILIATE FOCUS 

What service do you offer 

timeshare resorts? 

Resort Recoveries provides a 

third-party management fee and 

finance collection service for 

timeshare resorts. 

This is a major activity for resorts 

as the implications of late or 

non-payments can be huge. 

Financial constraints may be 

placed on the development and 

maintenance of the resort and may 

even lead to additional increases 

in annual fees to the detriment of 

owners who pay promptly, in order 

that high quality standards at the 

resort can be continued. 

What is the history of Resort 

Recoveries? 

My company CBC International 

launched Resort Recoveries in 

2011 after an increase in the 

number of instructions we were 

receiving for assistance in the 

collection of outstanding management 

fees. 

The Resort Recoveries brand was 

developed to allow us to work 

closer with resorts, management 

companies and developers to 

ensure payments are made on 

time. 

When did you first get involved 

in timeshare? 

AFFILIATE FOCUS 

TAKING THE PAIN 

OUT OF COLLECTIONS 

Sharetime speaks with managing director Roy Caligari, 

from TATOC Affiliate Resort Recoveries, to find out how 

their collection service can assist resorts. 

In 2007, we were approached 

by a large resort from the Canary 

Islands and asked to assist with 

the collection of outstanding 

maintenance fees. 

This was our first involvement 

within the timeshare industry 

and we learnt first hand about 

the complex relationship between 

owners and resorts, which 

provided us with knowledge and 

understanding of the industry. 

We were able to demonstrate to 

other operators/developers our 

abilities to assist in improving 

their working capital position. 

Instructions followed from other 

resorts in Gran Canaria as well 

as Malaga, Tenerife, Cyprus and 

even as far afield as Thailand. 

What sets you apart from other 

collection services? 

We have worked within the timeshare 

sector for several years, handling the 

collection of annual maintenance fees 

and finance charges. 

Key to our success is our recognition 

that the client values the owner 

and wants to enjoy a long-standing 

relationship. So tact and diplomacy 

are important skills. Empathy, 

understanding and the wish to find 

a resolution suitable for all parties 

are crucial to their operation. 

The Resort Recoveries team works 

FACTS 

Managing director Roy 

Caligari is a member of 

the Chartered Institute of 

Credit Management and 

an accredited mediator. 

CBC International and 

Resort Recoveries are: 

• Regulated by the Financial 

Conduct Authority; 

• Registered under the 

Data Protection Act; 

• Members of the Credit 

Services Association; and 

• Holders of the Quality 

Assurance Accreditation 

ISO 9001:2008 

closely with resorts, management 

companies and developers to 

ensure payments are made on 

time so that quality standards at 

the resort can be maintained. 

What can you offer resorts today? 

We have established ourselves 

firmly in the marketplace, not only 

helping resorts to receive prompt 

payment of management fees, 

but also offering suggestions as to 

how to deal with unhappy owners 

even if they are in arrears with 

their fees. 

We have learnt how to advise owners 

who wish to sell their timeshare how 

to go about it properly and avoid the 

many ‘scam’ situations we so often 

hear about. Anything untoward we 

report to TATOC. 

We have produced our own 

code of practice for handling 

difficult situations when owners 

in arrears are in a position to pay 

financially but have other reasons 

to withhold settlement. 



EXCHANGE NEWS 

DAE opens up 

Northern Territory 

ial An Exchange (DAE) is 

Dopening up the gateway to 

Australia’s Northern Territory with 

two daeOptions properties now 

part of the company’s Australian 

inventory. 

daeOptions resorts are non-timeshare 

properties located in high-demand 

destinations including capital 

cities and emerging markets, and 

are available to DAE Members for 

exchange or rental. 

The area’s newest resort, Zen 

Making 

HOLIDAY 

CHOICE easy 

lanning a holiday can be 

Pstressful so RCI is trying 

to make members’ lives a 

little easier by providing a 

range of ways to plan and 

book their next holiday. 

RCI has enhanced the 

search filters and planning 

tools on its website, 

RCI.com, to make sure members 

can find the holiday they want 

as quickly as possible, as well as 

being inspired to try an exciting 

new destination by the site’s 

Holiday Ideas pages. 

The exchange company has 

also introduced another way 

its members can get additional 

support with the launch of 

Quarter, joins existing daeOptions 

resort, Mantra on the Esplanade. 

Both are located in Darwin, perfectly 

positioned for exploration of the 

Northern Territory tourism landscape. 

“Incredible natural attractions, 

stunning landscape, plus a unique 

history and culture make the 

Northern Territory one of the most 

sought after destinations around 

Australia and the world,” said 

Gary Fog, regional manager DAE – 

Australia & New Zealand. 

the RCI Chat service, which 

connects members online to an 

RCI Guide, who will give them 

the assistance they request. 

If you have been thinking about 

a two-centre stay or perhaps 

some holiday extras, but dread 

the planning, RCI Travel* can 

assist in booking things such as 

airport hotels, parking, cruises 

and everything in between. 

*RCI Travel is owned and operated by ICE Europe, trading as Our Holiday Centre, and uses the 

RCI Travel brand under licence from RCI Europe. 

New resort 

choices for RCI 

members 

CI provides its members with 

Rthe widest holiday choices, 

having almost 4,500 resorts in 100 

countries affiliated to its holiday 

exchange programme. Among 

resorts which joined in 2015 are: 

Country Club Ibipozo 

County Club Ibipozo in Jaen, 

Andalucia, Spain, provides a 

countryside retreat just a five-minute 

drive from the small town of 

Pozo Alcon. The complex features 

two-bedroom apartments in a traditional 

Spanish setting, with lush 

gardens of fruit and olive trees. 

The Aklandia Resort in Bodrum, 

Turkey, offers modern two- and 

three-bedroom apartments with 

full kitchen facilities. Guests can 

relax poolside, use the tennis 

court and gym or, unwind in the 

new spa. The coastline is also just 

a short walk away. 

The Grand Palladium Bavaro 

Resort & Spa in Punta Cana, 

Dominican Republic, has the full 

range of entertainment and activities 

– with live shows, theatre, 

spa, casino and sports. It is a 

mandatory all-inclusive resort. 

Aklandia Bodrum night view 


FEATURE 

PartnerinG with 

C.A.R.E. in 2016 

As C.A.R.E. celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, president 

Linda Mayhugh looks back to when it all began – and 

urges resorts in Europe to consider supporting the organisation. 

The Co-operative Association of 

Resort Exchangers, known widely 

as C.A.R.E., was established 

in 1985 and is the vacation 

industry’s premier trade group. 

Thirty years ago, two reservation 

agents at different resorts were 

talking about unhappy owners 

who were unable to exchange 

their weeks. The agents realised 

they each had what the other 

owner wanted and agreed to an 

even exchange of inventory. 

The result was two happy owners 

and thirty years of C.A.R.E. 

member companies contributing 

to positive vacation fulfilment 

throughout the industry. 

Over the years this business-tobusiness 

platform has changed 

and, while some C.A.R.E. 

member companies still do 

inventory exchanges, many 

have converted to utilising their 

membership to move inventory on 

a wholesale basis or both. 

When asked who should join 

C.A.R.E., my reply is always: 

“Those companies who want 

better yield management from 

their inventory or those companies 

that have a need to purchase or 

acquire weekly or bulk inventory 

for fulfilment.” 

Today, C.A.R.E.’s membership 

comprises resort developers, 


management and exchange 

companies, homeowner 

associations, travel clubs and 

wholesalers who work together to 

provide opportunities for vacation 

fulfilment, exchanges and revenue 

enhancement. 

All C.A.R.E. members comply 

with a strict Code of Standards 

and Ethics and benefit from 

outstanding professional 

and personal development 

opportunities at the association’s 

semi-annual conferences. 

TATOC and C.A.R.E. 

have shared a reciprocal 

membership agreement 

for years and are looking 

for ways to increase 

synergy between the 

two organisations. 

We’ve made progress over the 

last few years, but both TATOC 

executive chairman Harry Taylor 

and I feel we can do more - not 

only for the betterment of our 

specific organisations, but for the 

industry as a whole. 

As the newly elected president 

of C.A.R.E., it is my goal to work 

not only with TATOC, but all 

timeshare industry associations 

to further our reach in this global 

industry that spans the world. 

This type of collective synergy 

will bring more value to members 

of TATOC as well as C.A.R.E. 

(and the industry as a whole), 

so whether you are an individual 

timeshare owner or a resort 

member of TATOC – our efforts 

could benefit any one of you 

personally and/or professionally. 

I encourage all TATOC resort 

members to take a look at the 

benefits of C.A.R.E and contact 

us if membership is of interest. 

We already have members in the 

United States, Canada, Mexico, 

Europe and Australia. 

I’ll be sharing information on 

TATOC with all of our members 

as well. 

The more information we share 

on more platforms, the greater 

awareness and probability of 

upstanding and ethical business 

practices. 

Times are changing and we 

must change with the times. As 

C.A.R.E.’s president, I’m proud to 

work with Harry Taylor and TATOC 

and look forward to sharing ideas 

and business opportunities for 

many years to come. 

Please feel free to contact me directly 

should you seek any additional 

information regarding membership. 

Tel: +1 863-412-4904 

Email: lmayhugh@care-online.org 

Skype: linda.mayhugh84

TIMESHARE NEWS 

TESTIMONIALS UNDER FIRE 

KwikChex - acting on behalf of the Timeshare Task Force 

and the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) - is 

preparing a report that will include identifying cold callers 

who plague the timeshare sector. 

UPDATE 

The intention is to examine 

potential breaches of the Data 

Protection Act and also criminal 

activities involving data theft. 

The ICO has the power to fine 

businesses up to £500,000, 

and bring criminal prosecutions 

against businesses and individuals 

where appropriate. 

Websites closed 

A total of 56 websites have been 

closed following actions which 

include complaints to authorities 

and publication on the Timeshare 

Business Check website. 

Update on Timeshare 

Solutions Ltd. 

KwikChex challenged two 

testimonials on the Timeshare 

Solutions website, questioning 

whether they were genuine as 

they also appeared on a website 

for a different claims company 

(although under different 

customer names). 

Although Timeshare Solutions 

initially said the similarities were 

because the companies operated 

in the same timeshare relinquishment 

industry, they later stated 

they were not sure if they still 

held the testimonials because 

they were provided in 2014. 

The ASA acknowledged the 

company still held contact 

details, but as its code requires 

advertisers to hold documentary 

evidence that testimonials are 

genuine, it concluded their use 

was misleading. 

As a result, the testimonials 

must not appear again and the 

company was warned to ensure 

it held evidence to demonstrate 

that testimonials are genuine and 

relate to its service. 

Charity asks resorts 

to support troops 

A charity - Give Us Time 

- is appealing to owners 

and managers of timeshare 

resorts to donate 

accommodation to British 

military personnel and 

their families. 

ince 2001, more than 458 

SBritish forces personnel have 

lost their lives in Afghanistan, 

more than 2,000 have experienced 

physical or psychological 

damage, and families across the 

country have seen their lives 

profoundly changed. 

Sergeant Simon Hannaford has 

enjoyed a holiday through the charity 

Recognising the impact an operational 

tour can have, Give Us 

Time – launched by MP Dr. Liam 

Fox - takes one-week holidays 

donated by hosts and matches 

them with British soldiers in need 

of rest, rehabilitation and reconnection 

with their families. 

In 2015, CLC World and Centre 

Parcs donated 40 and 25 

holidays respectively to military 

personnel. The charity is hoping 

to increase its number of partners 

in the hospitality sector this year. 

Karen Hay, chief executive of Give 

Us Time, said: “A simple holiday 

in a neutral environment, away 

from the responsibilities of day-today 

life, can have a transformative 

effect. The hosts that we currently 

work with can clearly see that 

they are making a real contribution 

to military personnel and their 

families, and it ties in with their 

corporate social responsibility.” 

To find out more, please visit 

giveustime.org.uk/welcome-timedonor 

or facebook.com/GiveUsTime 


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ASK AUNTY BETTY 

It’s true! Not a rumour. 

Aunty Betty is back. 

ave you missed me? Don’t all 

Hshout at once. 

There’s been a lot going on 

and much to tell since my last 

column where my friend Beryl 

was moaning about her old 

man becoming resort committee 

chairman - remember? 

Our conversation got me thinking 

and, at my resort’s AGM, I 

put my name up for election 

to the committee and, to my 

amazement, I got voted in. 

Admittedly, there was not much 

competition and, as you can 

only serve for a year at a time, I 

thought it wasn’t too much of a 

commitment. 

So the real reason I have been so 

quiet is because it has taken far 

more work than I ever thought it 

would. 

The first thing I had to do was 

read the constitution. Well, if you 

ever have problems sleeping I can 

recommend it as bedtime reading. 

I realised that the constitution 

and, in fact, all the documents we 

were still using were old – dating 

back to the 1980s. Some were 

nearly 30 years old! 

Now you wouldn’t buy a car that 

was over 20 years old where the 

oil hadn’t been changed, there 

was no service history and the 

tyres were bald. And yet many 

resorts like ours have the same 

documentation and structure they 

had at the beginning. 

Yes, some clauses may have been 

changed here and there, but fundamentally 

they were the same! 

TATOC offers a resort health 

check, but I wonder how many 

committees have considered it 

and asked how they can make 

changes to their structure? 

The most worrying part 

for me was the realisation 

that, as a committee member, 

if I signed anything on 

behalf of the members, 

committee or ‘club’ I would 

be personally liable! 

It’s OK saying we can get 

insurance to protect ourselves, 

but in this aggressive world we 

could still end up in court or 

writing legal letters at a drop of 

a hat. Just imagine Bert’s face if 

someone tried to sue me because 

of something I had signed. 

We don’t have a developer any 

more and are responsible for 

everything - so I suggested we 

had an overhaul of our structure. 

We sought advice from professionals, 

asked the trustees and 

our management company and 

contacted TATOC. 

We soon learnt there are simple 

things that we can do to protect 

the club. 

Voting is important; how long 

committee members can serve 

and how this is managed. 

We looked at the contracts 

between the club and the 

committee - and also with the 

trustee when the developer or 

founder members no longer exist. 

The more we dug, the murkier it 

got and we realised everything 

needed a spring clean. 

So a word to the wise (and not 

so wise): have a look at what 

your club is based on and if, and 

when, your documentation has 

been changed. 

Don’t try to do it yourselves; there is 

a lot of advice you can get for free 

before you have to spend a penny. 

Once these things are written 

in proper English, without the 

“herein to afters” and so on, you 

might understand exactly what 

you are part of and that can’t be 

bad, can it? 

Till the next time, 



NEW management FIRM 

offers full consultancy service 

eisure Management Plus (LMP) 

Lis now geared up to manage 

timeshare resorts and provide a 

range of consulting and quality 

assurance services. 

Managing director Stuart 

Humphreys explained: “We are 

now set up to perform management 

services anywhere in Europe 

– indeed anywhere worldwide.” 

LMP is now part of RCI’s 

Affiliate Access programme and 

is able to offer resorts KEEZAPP 

technology that allows guests to 

pre-register their arrival. 

Guests arrive at the resort, the 

application shows if their unit is 

ready and then, using their smart 

phone, KEEZAP opens the door. 

Says Humphreys: “Most of 

the larger hotels groups use 

something similar, so this is an 

opportunity for single resorts to 

keep up with this technology.” 

More information is available at: 

http://www.leisuremanagementplus. 

com/#!technology/c1d4g 

The gift 

of priceless 

memories 

Diamond Resorts’ team 

members embrace the 

company’s core belief in giving 

back to the communities in 

which they work and to make a 

difference in their local area. 

At Los Amigos Beach Club and 

Sahara Sunset resorts in Malaga, 

Spain, team members extended 

their hospitality to 16 sevento-15-year-old 

children, from 

‘Cuidad de los Niños’, a local 

orphanage. 

The children were invited to enjoy 

a Diamond Resorts day of fun, 

which for many of them, was their 

first-ever holiday. 

Manuel Sánchez, local authority adviser; Andrés Ruiz, local councillor; 

Juan Carlos Maldonado, Major of Mijas and Salvador Díaz, CLC World’s 

director of construction and development. 

CLC World given go-ahead for 

major Costa del Sol project 

Team members ensured the 

experience would be a memorable 

one. The programme included 

pool games, recreational 

activities and lunch at the on-site 

restaurants. 

expected to increase from the 

current 1,300 to 1,600. 

Plans to build 250 apartments 

at CLC World’s prestige California 

Beach Resort in southern 

Spain have been given the green 

light by the local authority. 

Once completed, the company 

expects the annual number of 

holidaymakers to CLC Club La 

Costa World to rise from 90,000 

to 120,000, bringing additional 

benefits to the local economy. 

Work on phase one of the luxury 

€70million project is planned to 

start in 2016 and, as construction 

work gets under way, jobs for 

between 300 and 500 people 

would be created. 

Upon completion, CLC World’s 

workforce servicing its guests is 

The new apartments will be 

built on a 25,000m2 area, with 

3,000m2 dedicated to commercial 

outlets. 

Another 15,000m2, opposite the 

sea, will be developed as a green 

zone featuring Mediterranean 

gardens, lakes and waterfalls. The 

plans also include an improved 

access from the resort to the main 

coastal highway.

Sharetime magazine winter 2015 from TATOC, The Timeshare Association

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