Wonder what drives TS location decisions

[BaillieCH]

I was sitting at work today and discussing the pros and cons of timeshare ownership with a coworker that has a "place up north" here in Michigan and had a random thought. Why don't any major timeshare developers have anything up this way in the Traverse City / Petoskey area or in the Mackinaw area. Both areas are HUGE tourist draws in the summer months to the extent that state law says schools cant start until after Labor day (unless the school explicitly requests to open beofre hand and has to be approved by the state). This is specifically for tourist reasons. Also, from what I understand, skiing and winter activities are very abundant in the colder months. Sounds to me like it could be a draw year round.

There's some one off timeshsres and other smaller developers, but why not a Wyndham or hilton or something like that?

Just a random musing.

 

[dioxide45]

The prime season is too short meaning they can’t sell as many weeks for top price.

The tourist draw is also mostly regional. Unlike places like Florida or Hawaii where people come from all over to go there. Northern Michigan mostly draws tourists from Michigan, Ohio and a few other neighboring states.

 

[am1]

The prime season is too short meaning they can’t sell as many weeks for top price.

The tourist draw is also mostly regional. Unlike places like Florida or Hawaii where people come from all over to go there. Northern Michigan mostly draws tourists from Michigan, Ohio and a few other neighboring states.

Possibly costs as well.

 

[ScoopKona]

There's some one off timeshsres and other smaller developers, but why not a Wyndham or hilton or something like that?

Seasonal attractions are hard to sell. The good weeks sell out immediately. And then the resort has to figure out what to do for the rest of the year. Some ski resorts forced buyers to purchase "mud weeks" to go along with their ski week. (Hyatt Breckenridge, for instance.) I agree that a place like Mackinac Island is a no-brainer. But only for the late spring through early fall. And owners are going to howl about maintenance fees for the weeks nobody wants. "Why should *moi* have to pay this?" (Say it in a Miss Piggy voice.) The resort would need a winter caretaker (think "The Shining"). And there would be all that annual "get the place ready for season" work, every single year. Hotels pay this and pass the costs on per night. So guests don't think about the line-item costs.

Developers like one-size-fits all solutions for one-size-fits-all people.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We own in Colorado, a couple of small resorts that were built in the 1980's and are not "resorts" that have great ski season weeks that are very popular and summer season weeks that are somewhat valuable. Anything during weeks 15-23 and 33-50 fall within that off-season time of year. The resorts sit empty many of those weeks.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Canada has the same issue. It is hard to have year round demand because of weather situations.

Ontario and Maritimes you just want the late spring to early oct times.

Skiing is a draw, but you have to have something else nearby that is an attraction in the office. So BC is great and Quebec is ok. Ontario has some small skiing for locals but not world class skiing.

It is hard to make some of these locations work. Having fixed weeks and everyone paying the same will not work either. Summer weeks are a bargain and are subsidized by Shoulder and off season weeks. These non-prime weeks over pay and are the first to bail on the MFs. Only having UDI point based systems would work where Prime season holder pay based on the demand of their prime time.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Colorado allows resorts to charge less fees for off-season deeded weeks. Two of our resorts do this, the other one does not. Some weeks that are considered high season in RCI are week 23, and the fees at Pines at Meadow Ridge are about $330 for that week, 2 bed, 2 bath. Gets me 24 TPU's. It's my best one. The others are not so great.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

This is why Hawaii is so popular. Works year round.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Also reasons why you won't find timeshares in Alaska

 

[Carolinian]

Developers also look at where they can get tour flows. There was a timeshare developed on a small manmade lake in rural Franklin County, North Carolina, for example, because they could get tour flows from Raleigh and Durham. I did a tour there simply for the freebie and it was not too much of a detour from a frequent trip to Raleigh. I could not imagine spending a week there. The big push, as it is in many developer presentations, was "for exchange". I did the tour before I had owned any timeshare anywhere. Luckily I discovered the secondary market before I decided to buy a T/S.

 

[ABCTravels]

We have family in the midwest and summer vacationed with them to Macinaw/Traverse/Canada etc about 15 years ago. I think about it often this time of year as I put on the (very expensive) Columbia coat I had to buy in order to stay warm for the 4th of July in Mackinaw! However, it was very beautiful up there, and we had a wonderful trip!