Timeshare Consumer Guide
Monthly News Letter

June 2006

Welcome to the June edition of the Travel and Leisure Group monthly newsletter. The aim of the newsletter is to provide current information that may be of interest not only to buyers, owners and sellers of timeshare but to the consumer in general. We aim to provide information regarding exchanges, resorts and up to date OTE News and other reliable sources.

IN THIS EDITION

BIG NEWS - I.I. join the OTE

Interval International, the second largest exchange company, has become a member of the Organisation for Timeshare in Europe (OTE).
Interval International with whom leading resorts such as Marriott, De Vere and Savoy are affiliated made the announcement recently.
With II on side, the OTE feels that its role has been strengthened as the European trade body representing the wider interests of timeshare with regulators, politicians and the media.
The OTE now represents more than 70 per cent of the leading timeshare players in Europe.
Interval International is celebrating 30 years of quality and innovation. It has over 2000 affiliated resorts and more than 1.8 million member-families through its 28 offices in 19 countries.
There are many strings to the bow of InterActiveCorp, to which Interval International is a member. InterActiveCorp also own Ticketmaster and Ask.com which are globally known as leaders in their respective fields.

Club La Costa & GE Capital reach £80million deal!

GE Capital and Club La Costa have agreed a deal that will further strengthen their "existing, strong working relationship".
GE Capital have been operating in this business sector for 20 years and have a valuable knowledge of the industry. That, coupled with the strength behind CLC, they have signed a new two-year deal worth more than £80million.
The deal is an exclusive arrangement, offering point of sale finance.  This should encourage more buyers to take the CLC packages

Condo Hotels take off in Europe

The much covered Condo Hotels are taking off in Europe. The Concept which has been in established the States and Asia has been steadily growing over the last two years in Europe.
A Condo Hotel is defined as a hotel selling its units to individual equity investors who acquire a room, studio or suite.  The hotel still manages the operation under a single brand.
The influence of the concept will be seen more in the future across Europe as Condo Hotel seems to be the buzz word.

Club La Costa’s Second Resort in Southwest England

Club La Costa have emphasised their commitment to extending the choice of quality resorts to members and holiday home buyers.
The company who have many resorts in their portfolio have further increased their network after acquiring the Hustyns Hotel and Spa in St Breock Downs, Cornwall.
The Portfolio now stands at 22 and comes as CLC marks its 22nd anniversary.
CLC Country Homes was due to launch sales of 20 country cottages at Hustyns in mid-July, all with the option of a leaseback scheme giving guaranteed rental returns for up to 10 years.
The acquisition has stirred a huge interest with holiday homes buyers and investors, the company is now offering special pre-launch open weekends throughout June for all those clients registered on a priority mailing list.
The resort is only a 20 minute drive from the popular Eden Project and is located near Wadebridge.
CLC say that can supply visitors over the 10 year period via its members of the CLC Points system therefore allowing them to guarantee rental returns. CLC expect visitors 12 months a year with inevitable benefits to the local area.

Sales Figures looking good for Devere

De Vere Resort Ownership has increased sale in a first half report to 26 March 2006.  The report shows and increase of £2.7million.
De Vere – in high demand on the re-sale market – will not regard this increase as a new trend as it is still too early , they do view the results as encouraging.
The launch of a new fractional ownership product at The Carrick at Cameron House in Scotland could reduce marketing costs dramatically.
Earlier this year De Vere said it had received a preliminary approach from an unnamed bidder which may or may not lead to an offer for the company. As far as De Vere are concerned, discussions continued and further announcements will be made as and when appropriate.

Sunterra’s Online Rental Company

Sunterra Corporation based in Las Vegas has acquired a specialised online rental company for approx. $4million in cash and future consideration. 
Sunterra believes the acquisition will provide it with a new channel for rental opportunities and timeshare sales.  The buy-out of Beach Group LLC is all part of Sunterra’s strategy to identify and maximise new marketing channels that provide efficient access to it’s targeted customer.
Sunterra now have a platform in which to provide rental holiday goers with the opportunity to then purchase a timeshare or buy into their Points operation.  In doing this Sunterra are able to reduce marketing costs at the same time as boosting sales figures.

Brit’s spend More on Holiday

The annual survey of holiday habits reveals that British nationals spend more on holidays per household than visitors from any other European Country. Based on 3,535 respondents from many Europeans countries they found that the British spend an average of 2,795 Euros. Germany are placed second with 2,233 Euros. Italy come third (2,085), France (1,884) and Spain (1,880). This trend is said to be caused by the climate in the UK forcing residence to seek the sun. 68 per cent of UK respondents say they plan to escape this summer. A main factor when choosing to travel abroad for British nationals, Germans and Austrians is the risk of terrorist attack. The climate however, is more important to the French, Italians and Belgians. Other worries and considerations also include health risks and bird flu.

New Tourism Minister Named In Government Shake-Up

Shaun Woodward – who defected from the Conservative Party – has been named as the new minister responsible for tourism.
Prime minister Tony Blair appointed Shaun Woodward minister for creative industries and tourism.

Sunterra Downsizes European Operations

Significant changes are taking place within the Sunterra operations in Europe. The result of recent market conditions has forced the changes. Sunterra Europe aims to flush out any unnecessary and duplicative costs as well as staff changes and management streamlining. Member services however, along with resort management operations, will remain as unchanged as possible. The downsizing and streamlining will be fully implemented by August and will have an immediate impact on sales figures for the company. Associated advertising, sales and marketing cost will also be reduced. Sunterra believe that the continuing club and property management businesses are expected to continue to contribute at historic levels to the profitability of the European Business.

Eye on……… Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort – Malta

St. George's Bay
St. Julians    STJ 02
MALTA
Phone: 21-374894

The five star Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort Malta is situated in St. George's Bay on the island's north coast, directly overlooking the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean and with views stretching from the historic Grand Harbour in the East to the sister island of Gozo in the West.

This location provides the best of both worlds. St. George's Bay is a quiet area, ideal for getting away from it all and for focusing your mind at a conference or seminar, yet the cosmopolitan night-life of bustling St. Julian's is only 1 kilometer away. Valletta, the capital is only 20 minutes from the hotel by taxi. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the hotel from the airport.

The resort has 224 spacious twin rooms, 20 Junior suites and 8 Executive suites, all with balconies and sea views. Some even have terraces large enough to host a private cocktail party for up to 50 guests.

All rooms are fully air-conditioned in summer and centrally heated in winter. They are furnished to a very high standard and include television with cable channels and pay t.v., direct-dial telephone, free WiFi broadband internet access, trouser press, hairdryer, coffee and tea-making facilities, private safe and minibar, as well as all other facilities you would expect from a deluxe 5-star Resort.

The finest cusine from around the world, professionally presented, is the key to the success of any event, and at the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort, we leave nothing to chance. Our chefs have the creative skills and experience to tempt you with a mouth-watering variety of menus for every occasion. Alternatively, planners are most welcome to specify their choice of menu.

Renowned and respected across the Island, our outside catering service suppliers Island Caterers Ltd., are also at your disposal to arrange functions with a difference outside the hotel. Just ask us for our suggestions.

The hotel's Kon Tiki restaurant enjoys a well-earned reputation for fine food. A full buffet breakfast is served here, and in the evenings a buffet style table-d'hote menu is available. Le Petillant a la carte restaurant is a more intimate dining area, specialising in classic flambed dishes prepared at your table. Situated just off the lobby is Le Bistro, serving light dishes and snacks 24 hours a day.

There are also several bars within the Resort. The Bridge Cocktail bar is open all day, while the Kon Tiki bar is open for pre and post dinner drinks. Le Bistro bar is open 24 hours a day. In addition, in the summer months there is a swim-up bar in the Resort's main pool.

Situated in a secluded area of the resort at the water's edge on St. George's coast, The Edge Restaurant boasts of a fully stocked bar where barbecues are an enjoyable part of summer nights.

The Maltese Islands have often been referred to as the island of sunshine and history and with good reason. With a history boasting 6,000 years of civilisation, every square inch of its land, its temples and monuments bear witness to these past civilisations. For those of you with an appetite for culture, Malta and Gozo are strewn with fascinating historical and archaeological sites, some of which date back earlier than the Pyramids!

Museum lovers will find a variety of treasures to discover. Each museum houses fabulous artefacts from various fields and eras be it art, archaeology, natural history, war time, the temples or our celebrated maritime history. And more treasures can be found in one of the 364 churches built on the island!

For those interested in old fortifications built at the time of the Knights of St. John, military and historical parades are regularly staged to allow visitors to be swept back in time and if you really wish to fully understand Malta's history, then visit one of the multi-vision shows which encapsulate Maltese history from its very beginnings to modern day.

No visitor has ever been to Malta and left without visiting her sister islands, Gozo and Comino. Gozo, aptly termed as the island where time stands still because of the tranquillity it exudes, is greener than Malta and more rural allowing for sweeping views of terraced fields, glimmering shorelines, and imposing churches. Comino, a mile long and uninhabited, is a veritable paradise with a lagoon bluer than turquoise.

Valletta, the Fortress City, "a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen", has many titles, all recalling its rich historical past. It is the "modern" city built by the Knights of St John; a masterpiece of the baroque; a European Art City; and a World Heritage City. But these are just some of its faces and fortunes.

Valletta is also Malta's capital city: a living, working city, the administrative and commercial heart of the Islands. Nowhere in Malta is the life of the Islands reflected more than here. The city is busy by day, yet retains a timeless atmosphere. The grid of narrow streets house some of Europe's finest art works, churches and palaces and one of the oldest theatres in Europe, the Manoel Theatre.

Valletta hosts a vast cultural programme. Street events are staged against the city's magnificent baroque architecture and floodlit bastions. There is theatre and music and all manner of things to see and join in, from avant garde art to traditional church festas. The city is a delight to shop in: narrow side streets are full of tiny shops selling antiques, maps, books, prints and jewellery.

Walking around Valletta, you'll come across an intriguing historical site around every corner: votive statues, niches, fountains and coats of arms high up on parapets. And when you need to stop and take it all in, the city yields up squares, courtyards, gardens and any number of cafes, right on cue.

Diving is a very popular sport in Malta and for those of you who are passionate about this sport, Malta offers many attractions and spectacular diving sites. Contact Subway Diving School for any queries about diving in Malta.

And for those who wish to take it easier, simply stroll around our charming towns and villages and enjoy the uniqueness and tranquillity that is so very typical of the Islands.

Information on this resort was taking directly from the resort website. You can visit this website by following this link http://www.islandhotels.com/radisson/page.jsp?id=84&siteid=2

Resort Prices vary depending upon the season purchased.

Resale Prices start from £1750 up to £6000 dependant upon Unit location/ Week number etc…

Editor: David James

Previous Editions:
July 2005 Newsletter
June 2005 Newsletter
August 2005 Newsletter
September 2005 Newsletter
October 2005 Newsletter
November 2005 Newsletter
January 2006 Newsletter
February 2006 Newsletter
March 2006 Newsletter
April 2006 Newsletter
May 2006 Newsletter