Sharetime magazine Spring 2015 from TATOC

TATOC CONFERENCE CONFERENCE BREAKOUT 2015
CHAIRMeN’S PANEL
oderator Robin Mills (RM)
Masked Phil Jennings about
the recent turbulent times at
Club Las Calas.
PJ: We are an owners club with
3,500 owners with a number of
unsold and re-possessed weeks.
While we were financially OK
with a fair management fee and
four per cent added to the sinking
fund each year, we realised
that we needed a commercial
partner to increase rentals and
sales.
RM: Any highlights from the
topics discussed this weekend?
RC: It is clear that at developer-run
resorts exit strategies for
those in need must be considered
to stop owners getting scammed.
JD: For many resorts rentals are
the one activity keeping them
going.
RM: Many resorts have a capital
partner but what is it that they
can offer?
JD: They control everything but it
must be managed in partnership
with the owners.
This year’s chairmen’s
panel (from left) included:
Phil Jennings
(PJ), Club Las Calas;
John Davey
(JD), The Alpine Club
Richard Coles
(RC), Cameron House;
PJ: Our partner took over sales
but we made sure that owners
could still buy a single week. To
date we have made 300 sales
and we’re working with them to
develop new products.
A core of owners did not want
sales on site, but they are quieter
now they can see that it is not too
bad. We use the Facebook page
and website to communicate with
our owners.
RM: How is the new venture
with QLodges going?
RC: QLodges are showing much
more interest in the timeshare
side and we are positive that
progress will be made with exit,
referrals, rentals and so on. We
know that we need to modernise
and the reaction from owners is
positive.
The discussion was opened to
the floor for comments.
Stuart Lamont, chairman
Club Leisure Group: The new
generation of owners want good
accommodation but their primary
requirement is what they can do
at the resort.
Jonathan Worth, Craigendarroch:
Youngsters can’t afford to buy a
house let alone a timeshare. We
need to look further afield and
target this market.
Helen Foster, RCI: There is a
passion for travel among the
younger generation and RCI works
with companies to address this
and get the message out. RCI
has launched a Chinese language
website to look at this market.
Tim Hiles, Royal Tenerife Country
Club: As a pilot for Ryanair I can
see similarities with the image of
the timeshare industry. We need
to review the cost of maintenance
fees and reduce the need for exits.
We need to do a Ryanair and
make ourselves better.
2016 DATES
TATOC Conference:
4-6 March 2016
Joint TATOC RDO Seminar:
4 March 2016 (TBC)
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