RCI may use a formula to obtain a numerical value for each week deposited.This is would allow inclusion in a computer program.
The formula may be of a kind such as:
DV = 0.01*NV [100 + DT + VEP]
DV is the calculated value of the deposited week at the time it is deposited. We understand that this does not change from its initial value.
NV is the numerical value that RCI may give for a particular week in its inventory, and may be determined when a resort is built or becomes a member of the RCI system.This determination will take into account the quality of the resort, the geographical area that it is in (cost of alternative hotels etc), and the particular week at that resort (if in a popular vacation period etc). This value could be fixed over its lifetime, but RCI may perhaps review this value if the resort`s standard starts to fail, or indeed if additional facilities are provided at the resort or it is improved in some way or other.
DT is the particular week (before its own start date) when the week is deposited. The maximum value for this is 104.
VEP is the Vacation Experience Profile which could be given a score up to 100. VEP takes into account the views of exchangees to that resort (and the area?).It may not give an accurate reflection of a particular week in a year, or a particular apartment. With a new resort, with few or no exchangees, perhaps RCI uses an average value for that area, or for that quality of resort. The same may apply if for some reason, there have been insufficient returns of VEP forms to accurately determine the value. The method does have merit though in that an exchangee`s experience may be equally as good (or better) in a standard resort than in a Gold Crown. (as per 3 star and 5 star hotels-I have been in some wonderful 3 star hotels). The VEP will also provide some compensation/adustment to the final value of DV if say a Gold Crown resort is getting a little tired etc.
The above is a very simple formula, and RCI may well put factors before DT or VEP depending on how important they feel each variant is.
If a week is deposited into the sytem 2 years before it its start date, and if the VEP is 100 percent (unlikely!), then DV becomes approximately 3 times NV, and we are off to a good start!
Now it is clear that there is nothing you can do about the value of your own week`s NV unless you buy into a higher quality resort/week.
However it is evident (as RCI says) that the earlier you deposit, the better, as a higher DT results in a higher DV.
If a better quality unit is deposited at a later date than yours then its DV value may well work out to be similar to yours and allow you to exchange. Thus, exchanges up the scale of quality will result.
To prevent too much incompatibility of exchanges, though, between the top flight resorts and the lower echelons(and vice versa), RCI may place a limit on the value ranges of DV in the manner DV must be < 2 NV, but always > 0.5 NV. Because of this you may never be able to trade too far up the inventory, or too far down.
