Wyndham Vacation Ownership Update

Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Additional Units At Emerald Beach Resort In Panama City Beach, Fla

Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced it has finalized an earlier contractual agreement to purchase 100 additional vacation ownership units at the Emerald Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Fla. from Emerald Beach Resort, LLC. These units supplement the 100 units the company purchased at the resort in 2007. Wyndham Vacation Ownership has also entered into a contractual agreement to purchase further units at the resort at a later date. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Last fall, we initiated a deal that would expand our presence in the Florida Panhandle through the incremental acquisition of existing vacation ownership units in Panama City Beach,” said Franz Hanning, president & CEO of Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “Our continued investment in this popular beach destination ensures that even more of our owners will have the opportunity to experience it.”
Operating as a part of the company’s FairShare Plus by Wyndham vacation ownership exchange program, Wyndham Vacation Resorts Panama City Beach will include a combination of spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom fully furnished condominium-style units with spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico, all featuring a private balcony, full kitchen, living room, dining room, and washer and dryer. The Emerald Beach Resort is located at 14700 Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach.

Silverleaf Resorts first Indoor Water Park

Silverleaf Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: SVLF) today announced the grand opening of their first indoor water park at The Villages Resort in Flint, Texas, (near Tyler) which serves the Dallas/Fort Worth market.
"The opening of the indoor water park at The Villages Resort marks a significant milestone for Silverleaf Resorts, as we continue to enhance our resorts and increase our appeal to both new customers and existing members," said Sharon K. Brayfield, President of Silverleaf Resorts.
The $10 million indoor water park is approximately 19,000 square feet and features a signature bucket dump aqua play unit, wave pool, lazy river and four indoor/outdoor tube rides. The 7,000 square foot entry building includes a food service area featuring Yum! Brands Inc. products from Pizza Hut(R) Express and A&W All American Food(R) Express, an arcade filled with the latest electronic adventures, a souvenir gift shop, and a large changing room with over 1,000 lockers.
The Villages Resort is located on the shores of Lake Palestine, a 40,000-acre lake and one of the larger water-sports playgrounds in the Southwest used for boating, swimming and other recreational activities. Members have private access to the lake and three swimming pools, as well as a miniature golf course, lighted tennis courts, an archery range, softball field, and horseback riding.
In December, Silverleaf opened the new Beach Club section of The Villages Resort which will be sold exclusively as an upgrade product to existing Silverleaf owners. The amenities are scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2008. Once fully developed, it will contain approximately 144 units.

2008 ARDA Convention

Leading vacation ownership companies and service providers have signed on as Signature Sponsors of the 2008 American Resort Development Association (ARDA) Convention and Exposition in Las Vegas. The annual convention, taking place April 6-10 Venetian Resort & Casino, will feature an impressive line-up of speakers and entertainers, including nationally acclaimed speaker, Rick Barrera, author of the inspiring true story Invincible, Vince Papale; and the winner of “America’s Got Talent,” ventriloquist and impressionist, Terry Fator The 2008 Signature Sponsors include American Express, The Family of Orange Lake Resorts, Group RCI , Hcareers, Holiday Systems International (HSI), iBAHN, Interval International, , Redweek.com, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Textron Financial and VacationGuard, Inc.
The convention offers companies prime exposure to 4,000 top vacation ownership industry professionals who gather to network, learn the latest industry trends, and visit hundreds of industry suppliers on the exhibit floor. Thanks to the generosity of the Signature Sponsors, the ARDA convention has become the number one resource for networking with industry leaders, cutting-edge educational programming, and exposure for sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees.“We are grateful to our 2008 Signature Sponsors for their role in making our programs and events possible,” said Howard C. Nusbaum, ARDA’s president and CEO.
The convention’s General Session, sponsored by Group RCI, presents keynote speaker Rick Barrera , a well known speaker throughout Fortune 500 companies for his unique approach to brand-building. . Group RCI is also sponsoring the sixth annual AIF Open Golf Tournament at the in Kissimmee, FL. Interval International is hosting their annual “Party with a Cause” where ticket proceeds will benefit industry research and education. The Breakfast of Champions, sponsored by iBAHN, will feature middle school teacher and inspiration behind Invincible, Vince Papale. The ARDA Awards Gala, sponsored by Holiday Systems International (HSI), will include a cocktail reception, elegant dinner, presentation of the annual ARDA Awards, and entertainment by the “The Human Jukebox,” Terry Fator.
Companies interested in participating as sponsors or exhibitors at the timeshare industry’s premier annual event may contact Sherry Eggers, Director of Sales and Marketing, at 202-371-6700, ext 116 or seggers@arda.org. For more information about the 2007 convention, please visit www.arda.org.
The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has over 1,000 corporate members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC).

Wyndham Vacation Ownership Acquires Property In Colorado

Company to Build its Fifth Vacation Ownership Resort in the State
Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), today announced the acquisition of land at the Grand Elk Ranch and Club community in Granby, Colo. from Grand Elk, LLC. The company in 2008 will begin construction of a 44-unit vacation ownership resort, which will operate under the company’s WorldMark by Wyndham resort portfolio. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The resort will be known as WorldMark Grand Elk and it is anticipated to welcome owners and their guests in summer 2009. Once complete, WorldMark Grand Elk will be the company’s fifth resort in the state complementing the company’s WorldMark resorts in Steamboat Springs and Estes Park; Wyndham Vacation Resorts in Durango and Pagosa Springs; and sales centers in Broomfield, Colorado Springs and Englewood.
“Our owners have diverse interests therefore we are committed to provide them with world-class resorts in a variety of desirable destinations,” said Franz Hanning, president & CEO of Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “With the addition of WorldMark Grand Elk and our recently opened resort in Red River, N.M., we continue to develop a well-rounded portfolio of ski destinations to complement our many urban, mountain and coastal resorts for our more than 250,000 WorldMark owners.”
Located in beautiful Frasier Valley just north of Winter Park, WorldMark Grand Elk will feature a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom condominium-style units as well as beautifully-appointed three-bedroom Presidential suites. Each unit features a full kitchen, living room, dining room, flat panel televisions in the living room and Master bedroom, entertainment systems, including a stereo and DVD/VCR and a barbeque grill on the deck. In addition, Presidential units will also include stainless steel kitchen appliances, granite countertops, whirlpool tubs, upgraded fixtures, fireplaces for chilly winter days and hardwood flooring in each unit’s common areas.
Owners and guests will be able to enjoy resort amenities, including an outdoor pool, children’s pool, spa/hot tub, barbeque areas, business center, exercise room and children’s play area. Additionally, owners will enjoy discounts at the neighboring Grand Elk Golf Course, part of the 440-acre Grand Elk Ranch and Club master-planned community. The resort’s location in the Rocky Mountains offers plenty of activities including skiing, hiking, golfing, biking, fly-fishing and more.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announced today that it will release the Company’s fourth quarter financial results prior to market open on Thursday, January 31, 2008, followed by a conference call at 10:30am EST. The conference call will include a brief discussion of the quarter followed by questions and answers. The call will be moderated by Jason Koval, Vice President, Investor Relations.

Participants may listen to the simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the company website http://www.starwoodhotels.com and choosing Investor Relations within the Corporate Information section of the website at 10:30am EST or by calling 913-312-0938 fifteen minutes prior to the call.

In addition, a replay has been arranged, which will air from Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 1:30pm EST through Thursday, February 7, 2007 at 12:00 midnight. The replay will be available on the Company’s website or by dialing 719-457-0820 (access code is 6516452).



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Wyndham Vacation Ownership

Wyndham Vacation Ownership,
a member of Wyndham Worldwide’s (NYSE: WYN) family of companies, is the world’s largest vacation ownership business, as measured by the number of vacation ownership resorts, individual vacation ownership units and owners of vacation ownership interests. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its three primary consumer brands, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, WorldMark by Wyndham, and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific. As of July 31, 2007, Wyndham Vacation Ownership had developed or acquired more than 135 vacation ownership resorts throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and the South Pacific that represent more than 17,000 individual vacation ownership units and more than 800,000 owners of vacation ownership interests. Wyndham Vacation Ownership is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, and is supported by more than 16,000 employees globally.

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Wyndham Vacation Ownership Opens Third San Diego Resort'

Wyndham Vacation Ownership, the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies (NYSE: WYN), has opened WorldMark Mission Valley, its third resort in San Diego, Calif., joining Wyndham Harbour Lights and WorldMark San Diego. Operating under the WorldMark by Wyndham portfolio of products, the 167-unit WorldMark Mission Valley resort is the company’s latest urban destination property. “San Diego is a destination rich with entertainment opportunities and we are pleased to create another resort for our owners in an area with such a wide range of nightlife, restaurants, shops, recreational activities and attractions,” said Franz Hanning, president and CEO, Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “As one of the largest urban timeshare resort developers, San Diego is an important market for us. By continuing to expand our portfolio of urban properties, we offer our owners and their guests the comfort they have come to expect from our resorts, close to the city amenities they desire.”Featuring a mix of well-appointed one- and two-bedroom units, WorldMark Mission Valley has several amenities for owners and their guests to enjoy, including a pool, hot tub, exercise facility and on-site parking. Each spacious unit has a living room, dining room, full kitchen and washer and dryer for added convenience.Named for the historic Mission San Diego de Alcala founded in 1769, the Mission Valley area of San Diego offers plenty for owners to enjoy, from dining and shopping to recreational activities and historical sites. For sports fans, Mission Valley is the location of Qualcomm Stadium, the home of the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers and San Diego State University’s Aztecs football team. In addition, WorldMark Mission Valley is conveniently located near the attractions, nightlife and amenities of San Diego including SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego Zoo, Presidio Park and Balboa Park.Wyndham Vacation Ownership continues to expand its presence in Southern California. In addition to its three San Diego area resorts, the company will also open its second resorts in both Oceanside and Anaheim in 2008. These properties complement Wyndham Vacation Ownership’s established resorts in Big Bear, Indio and Palm Springs. All told there are ten Wyndham Vacation Ownership resorts in this region.WorldMark Mission Valley also becomes the company’s latest urban destination resort. In addition to San Diego, Wyndham Vacation Ownership has recently opened or is developing resorts in Washington, D.C.; San Antonio; San Francisco; and New Orleans.

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reason #3 Why Not to Buy a Timeshare

Ability to exchange

Though exchange is an attractive reason for purchasing a timeshare, your "trading power" and the trade opportunities available to you, will depend on what you buy. Read more about how the timeshare exchange system works.
There is also a cost consideration here - if you're buying a timeshare for exchange ability, you'll want to pay close attention to these as well. Most exchange companies have annual membership fees + exchange fees involved when you actually do the exchange. There might also be fees for allowing someone else to use your unit.

In depth review of Benefit #5 of Buying a Timeshare

Timeshare vacation Flexibility


If unexpected circumstances arise, or you simply cannot take your vacation one year, timeshares afford other options. You can bank your timeshare with one of the timeshare exchange companies (each of which requires memberships to do so). Keep in mind there may be restrictions on how long you can push your vacation off before you lose your week altogether and there are fees associated with doing so.

Timeshare newsletter

In depth review of Benefit #4 of Buying a Timeshare

Guaranteed Vacations


Americans are notorious for giving up vacation time. Americans get a meager amount of vacation time, they also tend not to use it all, Unsurprisingly, Americans got the least amount of vacation days per year among the countries surveyed, earning only 14 days vs. 24 days in Great Britain, 26 days in Germany, 30 days in Spain and 36 days in France. So take a vacationWhen you buy a timeshare, you're making a significant upfront investment and may be more motivated to take valuable time with your family annually. If you buy an annual fixed week, you are guaranteed that same week each year at a resort you are familiar with, and don't have the hassle of vacation planning year after year. It is a fact that timeshare owners are more likely to use their vacations than those who don't own. Again... a lifestyle decision to build memories with your family and friends.


Take a Family Vacation

In depth review of Benefit #2 of Buying a Timeshare

Home-like accommodations

Most timeshare units have floor plans that closely resemble two bedroom, two bathroom condos or apartments, usually with an additional sleeper sofa in the living room. Timeshare unit sizes vary from studios to four bedrooms, allowing plenty of room for families.
Anyone who has been on a vacation with children or groups of friends can tell you that hotel accommodations are not ideal. There are some hotel chains that offer suites, but they are often difficult to find, and two or more bedrooms are hard to come-by. Adjoining hotel rooms are often much more expensive, and usually lack the living, dining, kitchen, and laundry amenities that make your vacation more convenient and affordable. In addition, timeshares come stocked with kitchen utensils, dishes, silverware, etc.. But, unlike your typical rental home, no need to pack sheets and towels.
See more differences between hotel and timeshare condo accommodations »

Real property ownership
If you buy a "deeded" timeshare, you are buying real property. You can give it away, will it to your heirs, rent it, sell it, and so on. Not all timeshares are sold today with deeds. You will need to look carefully at the contract you are offered.

In depth Review : Benefits of Buying a Timeshare

Long-term savings over hotels

The basic timeshare concept is simple: you pay a one time purchase fee that entitles you to a week every year (or sometimes every other year) at a resort. Instead of renting your vacations, you now own them. Due to the upfront costs, and the fact that the majority of timeshares do not appreciate like normal real estate, the cost savings is in future vacations.
Here's an example:
$1,000
x 30
----------
$30,000
Your weekly cost for a hotel room*
Number of years of vacationing

Total cost in today's dollars**
* Assuming $200/night
** Before inflation
With a timeshare, let's assume you find a deal on for $4,000 with an annual maintenance fee of $600. Your equation becomes:
$600
x 30
----------
$18,000
+ 4,000
----------
$22,000
Your annual maintenance fee
Years of vacationing

Total maintenance fees*
Upfront purchase price

Total cost in today's dollars**
* Assuming maintenance fee remains constant
** Before inflation
Using this calculation, you could pay as much as $22,000 upfront for a timeshare and break even with comparable hotel vacation costs. This is more like the high end new sales prices of timeshares sold today.