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 Vallarta Living | April 2007 
The Reality of Timeshare
 Jason Beckner - PVNN
| If you have any questions or are interested in vacation ownership opportunities in Puerto Vallarta, please contact me at ResortLifestyles@gmail.com.
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If you have ever been involved in the timeshare industry you learn to expect a wide variety of responses, and once a visitor finds out that you actually live here in paradise, the immediate follow up is always, "What do you do?"
This article was written because of an encounter I had last week at my favorite breakfast spot. I fell into a conversation with two ladies down on vacation from Canada. When they asked what type of work I do, I was prepared!
I spend most of my time involved in real estate and marketing in Puerto Vallarta and normally tell people that, but for reasons only know to Quetzalcoatl himself I felt like stirring up the conversation.
I also work with a major resort in the area and have assisted buyers looking at vacation ownership options in Puerto Vallarta, so I explained to my new friends that I work in TIMESHARE!
The response was immediate, visual and visceral, and both reactions were, to say the least, extreme! One broke out in a radiant smile and her feelings towards me only got warmer, while on the other hand, her friend pulled back a few inches and gave me a blank, grim smile (Canadians can be polite in ANY situation,) but her eyes flared with that primordial fight or flight instinct that made me feel like she was watching a very large rodent gnawing her foot off.
A recent study published in 2006 has revealed an astonishing level of contentment and satisfaction from the most qualified group to judge the merits of timeshare, actual owners.
The median income among timeshare owners is $81,000 and as any one involved in advertising or marketing will tell you, this consumer group tends to be highly educated, have had some type of success in life, and is far more likely to make sound financial and lifestyle decisions when contemplating large consumer purchases.
Industry insiders are well aware of this and are aware of how well their current products work. They point to the massive increases in repeat sales to current customers and the steady growth of referral sales as a proof of such satisfaction.
Now they have hard data to back up this assumption. When asked, 80.3% of owners expressed high levels of satisfaction with their timeshare purchase. 75.7% have reported heightened levels of anticipation or excitement while planning their next vacation. 52.8% believe that vacation ownership has made a positive impact on their health, and 25% of new buyers (over the last 2 years) are interested in purchasing additional time.
With a reported $8.6 billion spent on timeshare related services in 2005, you can see that this is an industry that is finding a solid niche with high end vacationers and retirees.
So why is there still such a negative perception in the minds of many travelers? There are many reasons for this and we will discuss them in future articles, but I believe it is a situation where the realities of the current product (amenities and benefits) haven't caught up to the perception and ideas people have about the industry.
Would you consider buying a 15 inch black and white TV? Of course not, the product has evolved into massive plasma screens with HDTV and digital recorders that eliminate commercials when watching recordings. The timeshare industry has evolved in a similar fashion.
This is the reason why today, virtually every major hotel chain and resort offers timeshare, and why consumers are snatching them up like they were shopping at Sam´s Club or Costco. Vacation ownership is a sensible, cost effective way to enjoy luxury vacation accommodations year after year - at wholesale, bulk pricing.
In my next article I will explain why there is no better time to buy a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta, as well as the financial realities that make the RIGHT program and resort an intelligent choice for you and your family.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or are interested in vacation ownership opportunities in Puerto Vallarta, please contact me at resortlifestyles@gmail.com. |
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