Madge - I have a few questions I'd like for you to answer, please.
I am a travel agent (& a TS owner). In the October 2 issue of 'Travel Agent' magazine, there was an article that told of how RCI is now making condos, villas, & houses available to travel agents to rent to their clients. In order to get 1st hand knowledge of how wonderful the timeshare condo experience is, RCI is giving travel agents a 25% discount off rental fees if units are rented for themselves. Lastly, through the end of 2006 and during special promotions thereafter, travel agents can make 20% commission on rentals they arrange.
I logged onto the website listed in the article and sure enough, it was timeshare resorts that were listed for rent. These were not excess inventory: Hawaii any time of year, coastal So CA in the San Diego area during Del Mar race season, coastal FL any time of year, etc. The rental fees for these units were reasonable.
My questions to you, Madge, are:
1. From what inventory are these weeks being made available from? Spacebanked weeks program? Points program?
2. Why, as a timeshare owner requesting an exchange into Hawaii, am I told by an RCI VC that there is a 2 year wait, but as a travel agent, I can book a week for the spring of 2007 and at a 25% discount to boot?
3. Why is RCI not honoring what they promised their paying members - namely, the availability of units in desirable locations when they spacebanked their weeks for the use of other MEMBERS?
I am a travel agent (& a TS owner). In the October 2 issue of 'Travel Agent' magazine, there was an article that told of how RCI is now making condos, villas, & houses available to travel agents to rent to their clients. In order to get 1st hand knowledge of how wonderful the timeshare condo experience is, RCI is giving travel agents a 25% discount off rental fees if units are rented for themselves. Lastly, through the end of 2006 and during special promotions thereafter, travel agents can make 20% commission on rentals they arrange.
I logged onto the website listed in the article and sure enough, it was timeshare resorts that were listed for rent. These were not excess inventory: Hawaii any time of year, coastal So CA in the San Diego area during Del Mar race season, coastal FL any time of year, etc. The rental fees for these units were reasonable.
My questions to you, Madge, are:
1. From what inventory are these weeks being made available from? Spacebanked weeks program? Points program?
2. Why, as a timeshare owner requesting an exchange into Hawaii, am I told by an RCI VC that there is a 2 year wait, but as a travel agent, I can book a week for the spring of 2007 and at a 25% discount to boot?
3. Why is RCI not honoring what they promised their paying members - namely, the availability of units in desirable locations when they spacebanked their weeks for the use of other MEMBERS?
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He wants to know, as do I, how come travel agents are given access to RCI's inventory, often for the most sought after locations, and for a discount! Also the OP said that the weeks he saw on the travel agent site are prime weeks most often unavailable to owners.