The only thing harder to get rid of than a timeshare is a huge timeshare business. Marriott last week announced that it is spinning-off it’s timeshare business as a independent company.
Click here to read my column about it in The Sunday Wall Street Journal. I also talk about it with Matt Fleener, anchor at Denver’s NBC affiliate, 9News.
Also, a great resource for people looking to sell their timeshares (a very difficult endeavor in these times) is the Timeshare Users Group.
Marriott owners might also want to contact Allan Cohen, quoted in my column, who wants to organize owners to make sure its move to spin-off the company is productive for owners. He can be contacted at C20854@aol.com.
Vito T. LaBarbara
February 21, 2011
Al – since your column yesterday my email box has been filled from Marriott Timeshare owners around the world many who are also stockholders, asking how can we make sure that we will be heard as Marriott spins off the timeshare division into a stand alone company. I have been encouraged in the overwhelming support of the creation of an ombudsman office and an owners coalition. The voices on TimeSharing Today (www.tstoday.com) and TUG ( http://www.tug2.net/) should be heard loud and clear by Marriott.
I encourage each of the 400,000 plus Marriott Time share owners if they have not yet, too invest another $46 and purchase at least one share of Marriott stock to make sure that they are also a stockholder in the new company. The challenges ahead can only be successfully overcome with the support of current owners and stockholders. The past attitudes of MVCI, as demonstrated from the actions taken in Aruba and at other Vacation clubs, are just the tip of the iceberg and are representative of the valid issues that concern so many owners worldwide.
The success of the new company is important to the welfare and goodwill of timeshare owners and should be viewed as a great opportunity for moving forward in a positive direction. Now is the time to begin to move from the past and establish a new begining by working together. If done right this can be an exciting opportunity for growth and be of benefit to every owner.
As stockholders of the new Timeshare Company begin to evaluate its value and decide whether or not to support its growth,by creating meaningful communications with stockholders and timeshare owners, whose fees and positive word-of-mouth reviews are the fuel that drives the engine, can we succeed. I would hope that Marriott would want to open a dialogue and accept my offer to work with the owners and provide tangible insights and assistance on a purely voluntary basis. As a professional, I strongly believe in an honest discussion and stand ready for it. Let’s hope that MVCI has learned from mistakes in the past and can move forward and work with Timeshare owners in a collaborative fashion.
For those Marriott owners wanting to stay involved as Marriott spins off MVCI – please contact me at: c20854@aol.com Thank you, Allan Cohen (301-299-2118)