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TIMESHARE

M a r c h 2 0 12

HotelManagement.net

The Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort is located in Orlando, near Central Floridas numerous theme parks. It offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units.

NEWS BRIEFS
Agreement extended: Interval International and Welk Resorts renewed their master affiliation agreement. The multiyear contract extends the relationship and comprises six properties located in Branson, Mo.; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Palm Springs, Calif.; and San Diego. Program milestone: The Registry Collection, a luxury exchange program and part of Wyndham Worldwide, will hit its 10year anniversary in 2012. The Registry Collection was launched in 2002 as the first luxury leisure real-estate exchange company. Leader announced: Legacy Vacation Club, a vacation ownership company based in Orlando, appointed Tony Picciano its new president and CEO. Legacy has eight resorts in Florida, New Jersey, Colorado and Nevada, and nearly 40,000 owner families. Italian resort: Prime Investimenti sri, a real estate company based in Italy, plans to open a 31-apartment vacation ownership resort in the Tuscan countryside near the village of Peccioli. The resort, the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Borgo alle Vigne, is expected to open early in 2013. Membership program: EllicottVillas, a private residence club in Ellicottville, N.Y., joined Preferred Residences, a hospitality branded membership and exchange program where owners receive exchange services based on a worldwide points-based HM program.

We know people dont all buy on the very first visit. he said. If we do a good job and they dont feel threatened or pressured, well get a chance to see them again.

SALES AND MARKETING

Changing tactics
$70,000 in income there was a sharp dropoff in value per guest, she said. We made a he financial upheaval of the past sev- company decision to reduce our tour counts eral years has affected how timeshare potentially and go for quality versus quantity. companies go about selling their prodThat focus on quality has become the uct as well as what types of consumers they philosophy at Wyndham, too, according to target. Several companies shifted their strat- Groeninger, who said that five years ago, the egies and have had excellent years despite the companys marketing efforts focused more on tough climate. the quantity of tours rather than on the creditWeve had record years during good times worthiness of tour guests. and recently weve had record performances We have since transformed our marketing during one of the most challenging economic efforts to focus exclusively on the most qualiclimates in decades, said Tom Groeninger, fied customers who not only have an interest in SVP of sales operations for Wyndham Vaca- purchasing a lifetime of vacations with us, but tion Ownership. Thats who also have the ability to a direct result of our sales pay for them, he said. leadership and sales teams Companies also are Breckenridge Grand Vacations and speaks to the quality of being more patient with net promoter score. our sales development and consumers who are interSource: Breckenridge Grand Vacations training programs. ested but arent quite ready Ginny Vietti, director of to sign on the dotted line. marketing for Breckenridge In past years, most Grand Vacations, based in Breckenridge, Colo., timeshare sales organizations basically took is experiencing a similar uptick in performance. one shot at the customer and either made a sale Were going to finish 2011 with $58 or they didnt, but its not that way anymore, million in real estate sales, Vietti said. That is said David Bidgood, president of field sales and $6 million above our budgeted number in 2011 marketing for Bluegreen Resorts. We realize and almost $10 million ahead of 2010. people dont all purchase something the first time they go through the presentation. SO WHATS CHANGED? Bluegreen works to keep the lines of A number of changes timeshare companies communication open with these potential have made are contributing to their financial customers. health. One of the biggest is a shift in what We try to stay in contact, Bidgood said. type of people they are targeting. Vietti said Two years later, their circumstances change. that five years ago Breckenridge targeted Their finances change and their knowledge of households with an annual income of more the product probably changes also. than $60,000 but now requires a $70,000 Bidgood agreed that its important to keep minimum household income. a connection with those who express interest in We saw that between $60,000 and the timeshare product.
By Elaine Yetzer Simon
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

41 percent

WYNDHAM

Companies experience strong performance in a weak economy with sales and marketing tweaks

PULLING THEM IN Timeshare companies have also shifted how they get interested parties to a resort. We are much less reliant on overnight trial packages due to the expense and accounting rules, Groeninger said. We have really been successful at creating new owners through local community marketing programs. Groeninger said Wyndham also is focusing marketing and sales efforts on nonowners staying at its resorts, such as RCI exchange guests, guests of owners, trial product owners and rental guests. According to Bidgood, the company trends higher in the white-collar market when the economy is down and people who have money arent going to respond to a presentation for free tickets. When the economy is really good, if you are advertising a premium or an offer such as a free stay or attraction tickets, if you have a lot of people at the very bottom end of the blue-collar market they are going to respond to those offers much more than the white-collar market, he said. Breckenridge still offers discounted stays to attract potential buyers, but the basic idea is greatly expanded. Now we have 40 different packages to really try to fit what people are looking for, Vietti said. The strategy has been successful. More people want to come here and tour than we have agents and time slots, Vietti said. We have to purchase a lot of hotel rooms in town because we cant house them all at the resort. Bidgood said Bluegreen has had success with giving group presentations instead of oneon-one tours at some of the companys larger sites. They hear other peoples questions; they hear other comments; they hear experiences, he said. We want everybody to know as much as they possibly can. Thats how they make informed decisions. Other benefits are that the presentations are consistent each time and its a more relaxed atmosphere, Bidgood said. When its time to discuss financing, attendees break off from the group with a representative who will go through the money issues, terms and conditions on a personal basis. Referrals still are a huge focus for timeshare companies. Vietti said about 50 percent of Breckenridge Grand Vacations sales come from current owners and their referrals, and Bidgood said about half of Bluegreens sales HM come from existing owners.
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