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The Credo of Street Talk:
Street Talk is a compendium of tips,
facts, gossip, rumors, speculation and editorial comment.
- The thing we hate most is being lied to, heated up, told
half truths. Keep that in mind.
- We will always print the truth as best we know it, no matter who, what or where.
- If you know we have printed inaccurate information, tell us so we can fix it.
- See # 1
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Read the Klez Worm Virus
Alert here!! YOU may be infected!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shall we dive right in to the current hullabaloo surrounding the dreaded Plantation Resort
in Myrtle Beach, SC? What a mess, and it doesn't look like it's going to be resolved any time soon. In case
you haven't been following this soap opera, here's the deal in a nutshell: The Taylors (Ken and Brian, father
& son) were marketing the property for their Spinnaker Resorts brand, via their marketing company Southwinds
Sales & Marketing. Nigel Russell, a British import, ran things. Spinnaker had lots of problems over
time, eventually renamed their marketing company, and blah blah blah and then Russell blew Spinnaker/Southwinds
out about 7 months ago. Russell's company is Mulder Corporation. More controversy piled up under Russell's
new leadership and a couple of weeks ago or so developer Blaine Liljenquist fired Russell. Oh, there was
a major fuss then. Seems Russell has a lease on the sales center at the resort. Police came and went, threats were
hurled, but Russell won that round. Blaine can't use the center and is allegedly trying to get Russell evicted.
Russell hired some teenagers to guard the sales center and its contents overnight. A Nazi flag appeared and was
allegedly saluted by Russell and his lieutenants. The sales folks under Blaine started selling at the resort's
pool. Russell is not giving up without a fight.
Most recently, Russell and his crew set up signs near the welcome center trying to direct tours away from
Plantation and to his own operations (a vacation club and Plantation resales). You can see
some pictures here (Bob Davis is in the Superman t-shirt, waving Nigel is in the blue cap and shirt. Gee,
y'all dress real nice at Mulder is this the norm in MB?).
We are told that on July 2, Plantation's Jeff Motter told his sales crew that Nigel's crew was at the
Welcome Center parking lot getting arrested " even as I speak. So go and sell some business, we have great
tours and we have control of our resort." When the reps were let go for the day they saw that there was no
such arrest and felt deceived. They expressed their anger. Then they were told that management was going to fire
everyone but the top ten reps until they rebuild from the mess (which they created).
Folks figure that Russell might we winning this battle but question whether he can win the war. After all, Blaine
has more money, is a high ranking Republican hoohaw in the state and is friendly with the state Attorney General
whereas Russell has a questionable history that is probably exploitable and he is not exactly a beloved character
in the business.
Make no mistake about it: this fight is over the control of money (a lot of it). It is down and dirty on both
sides. And it is all going on under the eyes of the timesharing public and resort guests. And y'all, too, of course.
Now, explain to us again why it is that The Timeshare Beat & Street Talk are the bad guys in the
industry?
- COMMENT from you
July 5: --" Talk about your incompetent idiots, that place is loaded with them! Entities
such as Fairfield Resorts, Burroughs & Chapin, Sheraton have nothing to fear from these clowns. The Plantation
is known as a joke throughout the city. They are an absolute embarrassment to the industry. Thanks to your diligence
with photographic proof, the Timeshare Beat just proved how minor league they are!!!"
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has been pointed out to us that we failed to report on what happened with all the complaints
and pleas for help to governmental agencies from Ms. Beard regarding her fight with Westgate/CFI,
as noted further down this page. This person made a good point, so we will copy to you a couple of responses that
are representative of them all. Let this be a reminder to you all that commissioned sales folks have little
recourse from the agencies that protect everyone else's rights in this country. You are all alone, folks, on
your own, unloved and unprotected. READ YOUR CONTRACTS BEFORE YOU SIGN THEM, AND THEN KEEP GOOD RECORDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- From
Kent Dunston, Senior Management Analyst 1 --" Your e-mail correspondence [to the Governor's office] has been
forwarded to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Division of Florida Land Sales,
Condominiums and Mobile Homes (FLSCMH). ...Please be advised the Division's ability to investigate complaints is
limited solely to the scope of Chapter 721, of the Florida Statutes, and therefore the Agency has no authority,
nor jurisdiction, to intervene on behalf of individuals seeking the enforcement of legal contracts as has been
related in this matter."
- From
the ACLU: --" The civil liberties union will not represent you in a commission labor dispute that does not
involve a constitutional question."
And so it goes...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter Giamalva, President of RCI Holiday Network (RCI Leisure Rental Division)
, was on CNBC Thursday morning (July 4). He was touting the benefits of timeshare ownership and exchange,
but mainly promoting the ability of the general public to log on to their website and " test drive" the
timeshare product by renting a timeshare condominium. Try it out, see how wonderful it is, etc. We were gratified
to see the product given good spin on a national platform for a change, but inexplicably chagrined that it was
Holiday Networks  doing it.
Shame on the rest of the industry for being so timid, short sighted and backward about banding together to promote
it to the general traveling public in a high profile manner. Why isn't the industry promoting itself in general
terms on the Travel Channel for cryin' out loud? We could go on and on, but we'll spare you. Oh yeah CNBC mispelled
the word " timeshare" not a surprise since most outside publications can't decide how to spell it.
It is one word, not two words and not hyphenated. Trust us and ARDA on this, the two major authorities
on the subject. Time-share is for computers. Timeshare is for vacation ownership. Webster's dictionary can kiss
our grits.
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
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What well-known industry consultant and marketing guru, currently and previously highly
ranked in ARDA, got blown out of his marketing contract with a famous resort in Los Cabos back in late 1988 and
promptly made himself scarce-- leaving behind him sales reps he had recruited from the USA who found themselves
jobless, payless, homeless, friendless, without legal working papers and scrambling for their lives? He didn't
even say goodby... It seems all too often, the more things change the more they stay the same.
- COMMENT
from you July 6: --" I guess this
is the same guy that collects job titles
and then when everyone realises he has not got a clue about marketing be it timeshare or new exchange companies
he claims to have got a better job oh I mean " challenge" and runs away taking his consultancy fees with
him threatening with a very well known lawyer from the US if the company that paid him objects. Just an educated
hunch..."
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Regarding last week's mention of Starwood's problem with their World Golf
Village property (Finova is foreclosing on it), a recent article in the Jacksonville, FL newspaper added
some detail. They reiterate what we already know-- that in August 2001, sales tailed off, and Starwood officials
closed the sales and marketing offices, laying off 22 people. The article goes on to say company officials said
there were not enough timeshare buyers to justify a sales and marketing team. Quote: " Since then, not one timeshare unit has been sold at the resort, said Dave
Matheson, a Starwood spokesman. The company stopped selling them. Matheson says the resort's inability to sell
timeshares is tied to the World Golf Village's failure to live up to its pre-opening billing. `We were basing our
projections off their projection of a million people, and they did not show up,' Matheson said. `We did not have
the masses to support timeshare sales,' he said. `I don't think the location is bad, but there is a lack of activity
and very little draw there. The hall of fame came up short, and there is a lack of a true entertainment pool.'
(see the whole article here: (external) Time hasn't been kind to resort
)
The auction of this property, and the unrelated Sandy Towers (upon which Westgate's David Siegel
holds first and fourth mortgages through his company Investco LLC), is scheduled for July 11. Will Siegel buy both
or either of them? So far it's been a very busy year for Siegel, who has added enormously to his empire at rock
bottom prices. Getting BIGGER.
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last week we made a mistake in the email address for the attorney in this blurb, so
we are running this item again: It appears that there is now a class action suit going into Federal Court against
Brian Taylor, Deane Taylor, Cindy Young-Gangloff, Ken Taylor, Southwind Sales and Marketing and Regency Marketing.
If you think you have a case and would like to be included, the attorney handling this is Mr. Jack D. Samrill,
who can be reached by phone at (843) 785-2134 or by email at JDSIMRILL@aol.com.
Says our source: --" We all need to contact [Mr. Samrill] to help in the case. He feels that
in federal court this could be settled in less than a year and since we’ve already waited almost a year for our
money, what’s another year? Anyone that Brian owes money to should call Mr. Samrill and join the class action suit."
- COMMENT from you July 2: --" Let's
not forget about Ellen Koon after all
she is the Controller of the company. What has happened to the money in the escrow accounts? Who is investigating
her?"
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
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According to a notice in The Mountain Press on June 25, a Fairfield timeshare rep
has been charged with two counts of sexual battery after two women signed warrants against him. Virgil Jackson
Fike, 49, of Sevierville, TN was arrested June 21 in connection with complaints by two co-workers at Fairfield
Smoky Mountains in Sevierville.
One woman alleges in a warrant that on two separate occasions Fike came up behind her, cupped her breast and rubbed
his groin against her buttocks. In a separate warrant, a second woman alleges that while she was having a conversation
with a co-worker Fike grabbed his leg, raised it and started rubbing his groin against her hip. Fike was released
from Sevier County Jail on $1,500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Sevier County General Sessions Court July
19.
E-mail
street@streettalkblog.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 On April 27, 2001 a woman left the employ of Westgate/CFI. Her last commission checks were plopped into her reserve
account to wait for her buyers to make 6 consecutive
timely payments before she could get
paid. According to a letter from CFI's attorneys, dated May 7, 2002, all of her last sales except one either cancelled
or defaulted prior to making their 6 consecutive
timely monthly payments. There was one
account at that time still pending, waiting on those 6 consecutive
timely monthly payments. Quote: " Once that purchaser makes the requisite payments, Ms. Beard will receive
the un-advanced portion of her commission on that account from her reserve account. However, if that purchaser
defaults on his purchase prior to making the requisite payments, Ms. Beard's reserve account will have a deficit
for which she will be liable to Westgate."
(Note that the conditions allowing this action were in the contract which Ms. Beard signed when she joined the
company.) According to Ms. Beard the EEOC has taken her case. As soon as this issue has been resolved one way or
another we will let you know. This issue was first noted in Street Talk on August 3, 2001.
(See past
issues of Street Talk)
In February this year we began a page showing the payment
rules for various companies, plus some comments from you about the practise. If you have any corrections that need
to be made to this information, or additions or comments, you will find the page at http://www.thetimesharebeat.com/street/pay.htm
- Are you tired of seeing this tidbit here? Want
us to move it to Legal Issues and only update you when/if something happens? Send us a line yes or no and the majority
will rule.
- July 8: Still by a very narrow margin the " yes" group is ahead, asking us to move it and update you
when/if anything happens.
- July 11: The vote is in. We'll be moving this outta here on Friday. And y'all thought one vote wouldn't make
a difference...
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rumors rumors, who's got the rumors...
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Sunterra's Andy Gennuso has applied to work at Trendwest
in California? Wouldn't that be something?
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Fairfield is actively negotiating to acquire a project site in
Lincoln City, Oregon? Maybe they really are supposed to compete with Trendwest?
- Is there any truth to the persistent rumor that USAI, Interval International's new parent-to-be,
might purchase Sunterra, thus following the path of Cendant/RCI? We have not seen any real indication
of this, but the rumor sure has legs so we're keeping both eyes open. An alternate rumor is that Carlson
Group will purchase Sunterra outright, rather than just branding the resorts as Radissons. That would be interesting,
too. As one insider put it, " At some point these companies need to get back to business
of building and selling timeshares rather than timeshare companies don't they!"
- COMMENT
from you July 6: --" Worst kept secret may be Barry Diller's trip to Europe ... and we wonder
why he's not going to France to meet with Va-va-Vivendi."
- Is there any truth to the rumor that key executives of Shell Vacations are going down to Miami
to meet with Interval International this month? Is Shell going to be another developer who jumps from RCI
to II? Stay tuned for more information...
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Sunterra Pacific is in serious talks with a developer in
Leavenworth, WA to acquire a project with 40-60 units? Not a bad idea (Trendwest has done well there), but
where will they get the money?
- Is there any truth to the rumor that American Vacation Resorts (Med Resorts' new name), run by
Maryann Meyers, closed its marketing department?
- Is there any truth to the rumor that Fairmont Hotels, who bought the Kea Lani resort in
Wailea, Maui for $250 million, may consider selling their poolside bungalows as fractional ownership so
as to defray the cost of aquisition?
- Is there any truth to the rumor that a big shake down has happened at Fairfield Orlando? The
ever-unpopular Wayne Schilling (whose philosophy reportedly is that " timeshare reps are like monkeys
anyone can do this job" ) is said to have been removed (permanently) from Fairfield. So maybe the monkeys have
won this battle? Who's next? ...stay tuned for the next Planet of the Apes of Timeshare.
- COMMENT
from you July 5: --" Yes, it's true that the very unpopular and dispised Wayne Schilling
has been terminated from Fairfield Resorts. The quote about monkeys is also a true quote that Mr. Schilling used
numerous times over the past several years. Finally justice has prevailed."
- July 6: --" Wayne
is, without a doubt, too strong for
the average person. He is a Guru of sales, even if slightly disconnected sometimes. Dozens of highly successful
timeshare salespeople, however, will acknowledge that Wayne helped them over the top. He has tutored at least a
half dozen more site level VP's and Directors of Sales that are prospering within Fairfield. (Signed), " Better
off " for having toured " Waynes World" . Best Wishes."
E-mail
street@streettalkblog.com
 
- To The Timeshare Beat, which will begin
its 4th year " on the air" on Tuesday, July 9. In its 3 full years of operations The Beat has published
and archived well over 17,000 press releases and news articles plus its two popular travel guides to
Hawaii & Mexico over 100 resort spotlights the wildly popular " IN Europe with Simone"
column the " It's Your World" travel column travel tips from our readers the new " Sun
& Fun" resort promotions an ombudsman section which has been able to help consumers and the
industry resolve problems quietly and privately and much much more. Oh yeah they've published some
pretty popular In the Biz columns, too-- with special kudos to Jerry Sikes for over 125 consecutive and
insightful columns. Thanks to all who have contributed your knowledge, insight and enthusiasm so willingly! And
on August 27, Street Talk will celebrate its own birthday. (Boy have we changed since our first column in
1999...)
- To Chip McIntyre and the entire gang at Bluegreen's
Shorecrest resort in Myrtle Beach. They had the first true net $1,000,000 week in the company's history.
Word is the gross was a little over 1.2 million and if, after 30 days, the net million holds up, there's a HUGE
corporate spiff for the entire team. Kudos to that whole team!
If you've got a verifiable brag or bit of praise you'd like to have in Kudos next week, send it in! E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Quotable quotes: " America wasn't founded so that we could all be better. America was founded
so we could all be anything we damned well pleased."
—P. J. O'Rourke in Rolling Stone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Idle Thoughts:
- Sometimes " corporate" ought to listen to the gripes of the sales reps. Sometimes
it isn't just reps being " disgruntled" or reps who " can't make it" or reps that can't adjust
to new ways or new personalities sometimes those reps actually know what they're talking about and by the time
" corporate" figures out that they're being fed a line of bull by " management" it may be too
late to fix things. Just a thought.
- Interval International has made some major changes to their website, in case you
haven't noticed. We think the resort directory part is a big improvement, with it being a lot easier to find exactly
what you want and the information about each resort presented in a more accessible way. Nice job.
- Speaking of websites, does eBay's timeshare division, or Marriott, or anyone
else in the industry, still have a partnership with Timeshare Nation? If so, we would encourage them to
visit the Timeshare Nation website at http://www.timesharenation.com/
What is that all about, anyway...?????
- We have come to the conclusion that all the flap about Vacation Galleria is mostly
an issue of lack of trust in the principals of that company and their associates. And so far, they have given no
one any reason to change their views.
- StoneRidge Golf Course, which opened recently in Prescott Valley, Arizona
has a 14,586-square-foot clubhouse, meeting space and banquet facilities. It also might be the state's only course
to have both a female head golf pro (Susan Rakozy) and female superintendent (Cheryl Aungst). A surrounding development
will include 1,800 homes, 500 custom lots, 470 townhomes and 275 timeshare units. It is owned and operated by SunCor
Golf. Question: who will handle the timeshare project?
- Our opinion on the turmoil within so many of Fairfield's resorts is that Cendant
is " corporatizing" the company. In due time, once all the bumps are ironed out, all will be standardized
and sales reps will find themselves in " corporate sales" without even realizing it. This is not necessarily
a bad thing, especially for Fairfield's ability to regulate their corner of the industry and for the company's
bottom line, but it is anathema to the free spirit and independent nature of many within the industry. Folks who
do not like regimentation and the inability to be creative in their sales approach (and we do not mean pitching
 heat) will not be working for Fairfield
in the end. Neither will reps with the inability to properly kiss butt. Fairfield will plant, grow and harvest
green peas in their own image, and will pay on a corporate scale. Industry veterans will move on somewhere else,
singing along with BB King... " The thrill is gone. The thrill is gone away... The thrill
is gone, baby The thrill is gone away. You know you've done me wrong, baby And you'll be sorry someday... "
- COMMENT
from you July 5: --" Regarding Fairfield,
you're right it has definitely changed...
for the BETTER! So has Equivest. (finally) The business has changed, and as a veteran (15 years) drug tests, weeding
out the heat merchants (rental pitches, re-sale) is only helping make the timeshare industry more creditable to
the consumer!"
- AND: --" Fairfield's
managers don't have a clue how to keep
the sales people happy because they are all so worried about losing their jobs. I think it's deplorable how they
have let so many good managers and sales people get fired or walk. If they would raise the incentives for the sales
department and not treat them like children then I think they will see a dramatic increase in sales volume. After
working for Fairfield for 3 years I was played out by 2 macho guys trying to show each other who was the boss.
So now the one trying to flex his muscles has already moved on to another location and the one still " in charge"
is still trying to rebuild his force and apparently has no one loyal left to watch his back. What happened to taking
care of the ones who took care of you, Fairield? Think about it... Does anyone else feel the same?"
- AND: --" The
problem is as they centralize marketing
and services, little things like the difference in marketplaces fall through the cracks. Flow goes down, and the
customer mix for some areas is far different from others. The sales departments only know one thing: lower VPG
and lower flow. This of course means lower compensation for all production employees in sales and marketing. You
will also notice that customer service will suffer as that too is centralized and is " de personalized" .
- July 6:
--" Fairfield has never been known for its marketing except to Fairfield owners,
ie: Ambassador Club referrals and Bring A Friend clients. Of course there is always the ever popular site packages
that they sell to their owners (3/2) or (4/3), which owners buy because its the only way they are going to get
in some places. (Lots of mktg blocks on units their owners should have access to but don't) Marketing outside of
Fairfield owners is mostly limited to OPC and they have never been known to splash that hard in places other than
Williamsburg, Branson, Myrtle Beach and Las Vegas. THIS IS WHY FAIRFIELD IS A INHOUSE COMPANY, and if you are unfortunate
enough to be trying to make a living on the outhouse line, then you better be good enough to earn a position on
the inhouse line or head elsewhere before you starve."
- July 9: --" It's
all true, and yes Fairfield will live
to regret it. Huge corporate overhead and uneeded " regional" vp's contribute to the problem. Everyone
in their cushy positions covering each other's back perpetuate the problem. But all those Williamsburg ex-liners
who are runing this company, don't care. They're fat. And when it all goes to hell, they will just pull the ripcord
on their golden parachutes and gently fall to their retire]ment mansions. tata"
- AND: --" Fairfield
is no different from most companies
when it comes to lead generation. Every one of them keeps firing the same rusty old guns, telemarketing, body snatching,
and now Internet (so far just a slight variation on the " WOW YOU'VE WON" theme). Anyone that responds
to that type of marketing in this day and age is a blithering idiot, and that's who we are touring. I don't have
the answer, but that's the point... the answer is still out there and it's something we are not doing."
E-mail
street@streettalkblog.com
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- Analysis by Moneris Solutions, Canada's largest processor of credit and debit
card transactions, identified 2001's top-five sectors where spending increased by comparing credit and debit dollar
spending volumes in July 2001 against dollar volume spending in June 2001. According to this study, accommodation
spending by Candadians was up 33 per cent. In particular, motel chains were up as much as 66 per cent and timeshares
were up 31 per cent. Go Canada!
- Cendant, which acquired the Bentley Brook Mountain Club when they bought
Equivest Finance Inc. in February, has purchased roughly 72 acres just east of Bentley Brook's massive 80-unit
building on Corey Road from Jiminy Peak Inc. for $780,000 on June 21. The company plans to build a 72-unit
condominium project for $12 million over the next year. Units will be sold for between $10,000 and $20,000 per
week of ownership.
- According to the local Stowe, Vermont newspaper, Stowe zoners have approved a
$10 million development plan by the Stoweflake Resort to construct 20 luxury condominiums on a four-acre
parcel along Cottage Club Road. Stoweflake plans to build 20 three-bedroom condos that could be converted into
as many as 50 separate hotel-type units by locking off bedrooms. The project will be done in partnership with Canadian
resort giant Intrawest. Intrawest wants the development so it can include Stowe as part of its exclusive
timeshare club offerings.
- Though Disney is still keeping more than 2,500 nearly completed Pop Century hotel
rooms off the market in Orlando, its vacation ownership business is booming. Scheduled to open July 1, the Disney
Vacation Club units at their new Beach Club Villas (208 units) already are 40 percent sold out. According
to an article in The Orlando Business Journal the resort's vacation ownership program has been so successful
that a recent price increase that brings the entry level for membership up to $12,000 didn't put a dent in demand.
Next in line for development is the revamping of the Disney Institute into an Upstate New York, Chautauqua-style
design. The original townhouse units are being torn down -- in fact, the entire Institute is empty except for the
spa and fitness center. The first 118-unit phase is set to open in spring 2004. Question: When will Disney build
in Hawaii, and where?
- COMMENT
from you July 8: --" At the Disney
Institute, the LBV Golf Course which
many timeshare people enjoy in Orlando is still open in addition to the spa and fitness center."
- Sunterra Europe (Group Holdings) plc has acquired the timeshare business of CBM
Group, a privately held Spanish company. The business comprises two resorts in the Balearic island of Majorca
(Garden Lago and Cala de Mar) and one resort in Gran Canaria (Cala Blanca), which is one of the Canary
Islands. Both destinations are prime European vacation locations.
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
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- What's new with American Resorts International? Their Chicago phone room is gone.
Are they still in business??
- COMMENT
from you July 11: --" Although their
800 number seems to have disappeared,
their regular number is still active and has staffing for member reservations, customer service and other functions.
I just used the number a few minutes ago and talked to two different people."
- Construction has reportedly halted at Marriott's Villas at Doral near Miami. Is
there anyone in corporate Marriott looking into the situation at the Villas? Several folks want to know if, with
failing sales and soaring cancellation, someone doesn't have to be held accountable? Says one source: --" Why does the marketing department fail repeatedly to attain
any market share in the Miami area? Can the marketing executive in charge accept responsibility for do-nothing
attitude? If corporate was to inspect the irregularities at the resort, they would find a poor morale, and leadership
who are content to provide lip service only. After the recent departure of the marketing manager, the marketing
department is facing some challenges. The biggest -- the marketing director. Any marketing department with access
to over 15 Marriott properties in the area should have penetration at each location. The Villas, with over 1 year
in the area, has accessed only a handful of the properties. Will the corporate officers accept the lip service
they have received to date as to why the location is not meeting budgets? Sometimes when the fish is rotting, you
need to cut..."
- COMMENT
from you July 9: --" In marketing they tend to avoid any risk or decision. Thus they underperform.
If all you try to do is set up vendors, you will fail. You must
build and operate your own."
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
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- According to the World Tourism Organisation, the international tourism industry
shrank 2.6 per cent last year because the September 11th terrorist attacks " severely aggravated" the
effects of the global economic slowdown. For the Caribbean, declines in 2002 are already in double digits,
forcing industry officials to discount products and services to unsustainable levels.
Typically, around this time of the year, airlines, hotels and tour operators offer 35 per cent " discount"
sales to stimulate travel in the soft fall season. Today, consumers are taking advantage of 50 per cent sales to
certain destinations in the summer season, and the trend is likely to continue into September.
The economic and social development of Caribbean nations may depend on the lifespan of the new private-public
sector campaign to market the Caribbean as a single destination. A new trust, established to administer the programme,
met in Miami last week to formulate strategies for addressing unprecedented declines in tourism arrivals and expenditures
that threaten the tourism-dependent economies of the Caribbean. In our humble opinion, if it weren't for timeshare
the region would be in even more trouble!
- If you look at Michael Hehle's Cityslicker-holidays.com you will find Drumcoura
is not on it anymore. Did Ron Weisz end up with this property after all? We understand that Hehle owes Ron
a substantial amount of money (in addition to a whole lot of other people who are owed). Hehle is promoting freeholidays.cc
as his exchange company. Other than that there is no exchange affiliation. This is all too unfortunate, because
Hehle's properties have a lot of potential. If only he could be induced to actually pay for the expert help he
needs...
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
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- It looks like an exodus at Orange Lake Country Club in Orlando, with top closers
heading on out. Helene Volpi, Mike Weber and Pam Toffey joined Silver Lake (we hear that Helene faxed
her resignation in, for interesting reasons) Mike MacClennan accepted a position as DOS at Embassy Grand
Beach, and Jennifer Stack was offered a manager's position at Embassy. Did we miss anyone?
- Timeshare reseller ERA – Stroman in Conroe, Texas, has hired Douglas
Manning as its new marketing and advertising manager. Doug’s goals will be to increase public awareness of
timeshare, get more realtors involved in the resale process, and to increase ownership at resorts.
- Peggy Hornsby is reportedly on her way back to Fairfield in Orlando, having
discovered that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the street...
E-mail street@streettalkblog.com
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NEWS ARCHIVES 