RDO & TATOC seminar 2015

Sponsored by
RDO-TATOC SEMINAR
FRIDAY MARCH 6TH 2015

Hello and Welcome
Geoff Chapman TATOC

Focus on smaller,
'sold-out' and independent resorts
There's a lot in common with
all kinds of timeshare resorts/clubs
Geoff Chapman TATOC

12 MONTHS ON AND
THE STORY IS MUCH THE SAME
NO MAGICAL ANSWER
IT’S A COMPLEX AND
CONTINUOUS PROCESS
CHALLENGES

THINGS AREN’T STANDING STILL !!

EVOLUTION IS NOT 'ESSENTIAL'
EVOLUTION IS HAPPENING
IT'S YOUR RESPONSE
THAT'S ESSENTIAL
BETTER STILL ANTICIPATION
EVOLUTION

You're not on your own
People are succeeding
There are examples to follow
You have experience to share
There is help available
GOOD NEWS

REVIEW OF DIRECTIVE
CMA
EXIT
CAB
TIMESHARE REGULATIONS
TRADING STANDARDS
ACCREDITATION
AFFILIATION
HEALTH CHECK
AMBASSADORS
NEW REGULATIONS
WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Report expected from Commission:
Second half of year ? October ?
New Directive?
Amend Directive?
Work with consumers and industry?
Recommend better use of other Regulations?
No action?
REVIEW OF DIRECTIVE

EXIT:
MAJOR CONSUMER INTEREST
MAJOR MEDIA INTEREST
MAJOR GOVERNMENT INTEREST
EXIT MUST NOT MEAN 'EXODUS'
‘EXIT’

Carefully considered
Carefully managed
Carefully controlled
Criteria & Conditions
Clear policy
Exit Working Group
‘EXIT’ MUST BE

“Disposal of timeshares and other
long-term holiday products”
CMA (OFT) report to BIS and European Commission
Within the environment of the
review of Directive 2008/122/EC
CMA REPORT ON ‘EXIT’

1st Draft report February 2014
TATOC 1st Response March 2014
TATOC 2nd Response (draft 2) May 2014
Report issued August 2014
CMA REPORT ON ‘EXIT’

Report was changed and prefaced with
“It is not a judgement on the industry as a whole. It is
not a criticism of the industry’s representative bodies:
the Resort Development Organisation (RDO) and the
Timeshare Association (Timeshare Owners and
Committees) (TATOC).
Indeed, the CMA acknowledges the encouraging
efforts these bodies are making to address exit
issues.”
THE REPORT WAS ISSUED AS ‘CLOSED’
CMA REPORT ON EXIT

CHALLENGES
OWNERS
“CLUB”
MANAGEMENT
Co
TRUSTEE
DEVELOPER
COMMITTEE

CHALLENGES
OWNERS
“CLUB”
MANAGEMENT
Co
TRUSTEE
COMMITTEE

CONSUMER ACCREDITED
RESORTS ALTOGETHER - 42 (+ 1)
REVISITS - 16 (+ 11 planned )
NEW - 6 (+ 1 planned)
12 PLANNED
ACCREDITATION

Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
Consumer Rights Bill - 1 October 2015
ADR Directive 2013/11/EU
Alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes
Implement July 2015
Operational January 2016
NEW REGULATIONS

THANK YOU - HAVE A GREAT DAY
Paul Gardner Bougaard
Chief Executive RDO
Over now to…

• At the TATOC Conference last year we were
urged to work closer together
• Not without its difficulties – especially for
TATOC – “Sleeping with the enemy”
• This has been achieved as evidenced by the
following:
Paul Gardener Bougaard
Chief Executive, RDO

• Review of the 2nd Directive
• Response to the CMA Report on exit
• TTF/TATOC Helpline co-operation
• Claims Group
• Exit Strategy
• Complaint to EU Commission

• TTF/TATOC Helpline co-operation
• Mark & Fran working with Kwikchex team & Fiona at
RDO Consumer Services
• Very successful – last 12 months
• Helped TTF building its cases against:
- Monster Travel
- ITRA
- Eze Group
- And others

• Exit Strategy
• Exit Working Group – worked during 2014 including
participation from Harry Taylor

June 2013, the Board approved the following:
• In the event of the death of a joint owner, the surviving
owner can surrender their timeshare if they wish
• Members cannot obligate the beneficiaries of a will to
take on a timeshare if they don’t wish to do so
• In the case of bankruptcy, the individual may hand back
their timeshare without charge

• November 2014 RDO Board approved the following:
• - Owners suffering from a long term illness may surrender their
timeshare without any notice period (maintenance fees must be fully
up-to-date)
• - Owners may surrender their timeshare at any time subject to the
agreement of the RDO members. The surrender fee must not exceed
three years current maintenance fees
• These are the minimum – some members are allowing owners
out – no conditions applied
• Trial period for members November to February 2015

• Formally approved – RDO February Board
• Not to be announced publicly until 8 April 2015

• Understand the difficulties this presents for owner-
run resorts
• Aware the attitude of BIS
• Waiting to see what EU Commission decides

• Complaint to EU Commission – backed by TATOC &
RDO

• Working well together for owners and the industry

RDO Legislative Council Chairman
Eugene Miskelly

A digital, social and media campaign for RDO members
January2015
#timetoshare

 Timeshare industry is still ‘under the cosh’ from negative feedback,
predominantly online, despite high customer satisfaction
 Owners are aging; there is a need for a new and younger demographic; or
to showcase timeshare as an ideal multi-generation holiday option
 Today’s consumers are seeking holiday experiences, not just
accommodation, and they want value (in terms of time, quality and
money) from their holiday choices
 They are also digitally-savvy; they will “Google-it”, they want rich
information and peer-to-peer reviews matter
 Sharing as a concept is incredibly current – timeshare was the first in the
holiday space
Background – the industry
50
Copyright© Flagship Consulting 2015

 The past couple of years have been focused on:
• Enforcement
• Timeshare Directive review
• Resale
• PPI-type claims
• Consumer credit lending
 Media activity limited success – ‘noisy’ market
 Need for united, positive campaign with focused on happy, healthy
families/couples on holiday
 RDO has some 250 (?) member resorts across Europe – enough to build
noise!
 (Industry charity with high profile MP)
RDO

 To help timeshare holidays stand out and to put them in the mainstream
holiday mix
 To appeal to a new audience (a younger demographic), showing that
timeshare is a great family holiday
 To create a campaign that delivers a strong and positive online presence
to counter existing negativity
Objectives

 Take control of the noise surrounding timeshare - particularly online - by
creating a wealth of positive content
 Highlight the flexibility and diversity of timeshare holidays, leveraging
the vogue for sharing economy
 Involve satisfied owners to bring to life a timeshare holiday
 Create a campaign / movement that engages a younger audience and that
busts the myths about timeshare holidays
 Show that timeshare holidays give families #timetoshare and show why
it matters
Strategy

 A campaign that captures:
• Memories of family holiday life at timeshare resorts
• Shows the importance of togetherness and why sharing
time together as a family rejuvenates, refreshes and builds
better families
• Highlights why timeshare and its convenience, flexibility
and ‘safety’ provides the perfect ‘backdrop’ to family and
multi-generational holidays
#timetoshare

 Creates fresh, visual and on-going content that boosts timeshare’s online
presence
 Timing: summer but it can have phases throughout a longer period
(spring half term, summer holidays, autumn half term)
 Easy for members to participate – guidance, resources provided
 Taps into the sharing economy interest, showing timeshare as a modern
holiday choice
 Consider the ultimate #timetoshare Ambassador for the campaign
(celebrity involvement)
Other considerations

 Create a logo / style for the campaign to pull it together and bring to life
#timetoshare
 – Reflects holidays, families
 – Brings to life the idea of sharing
 – Has multi-generational appeal
 – Works on and off line
Create a brand

 Creating the case for #timetoshare
– Research (consumer omnibus) to determine public views on why sharing time
matters; establish what we most share on holiday (e.g. books, photographs,
food)
– Commission a psychologist to explain why and to highlight the importance of
being together and sharing time; also discuss within the context of modern life
– Gather anecdotal comments to illustrate the case
– Create info-graphics, videos and other content to post online
– Use as the basis of a media campaign
– Create partnerships with key family media: Family Traveller magazine and
Mumsnet – resort visits, editorial competitions
– Consider working with some key family bloggers / vloggers
– Create partnerships with relevant third parties: Random House top-10 summer
holiday reads, with on-cover #timetoshare giveaway or Photobox for memory
sharing
– Celebrity Ambassador (fee plus holidays)
Launching the Campaign

 Create a microsite (or use the RDO consumer website
www.gotimeshare.org) as a collection point for owner #timetoshare
memories
 Encourage owners to submit stories, photos and videos
 Create an ‘Ambassadors’ Club with each resort nominating a socially
connected family to blog / tweet /FaceBook about #timetoshare #timeshare
and to be interviewed and photographed
 Consider a competition (high value) to find the timeshare family of the year
 Make it easy for developers to encourage their owners to participate
Galvanising Owners

 Create a resource library so that developers can share with their owners and
encourage them to join the campaign:
– Posters /leaflets
– Email templates
– Social media example posts including visuals
– Take into account different languages
(Spanish, German and a Scandinavian language)
 Ask developers to create a list of experiences that encourage family #timetoshare
activities e.g.
– Games for each resort
– Cookery lessons
– Consider an onsite photographer to capture moments
– Book Clubs
– Memory books in units (produced by Photobox)
Developer involvement

 Use #timetoshare to tie all content and competitions together
 Use RDO or Go Timeshare’s Facebook & Twitter (or both) to post content.
 Promote our content through paid social media and use very specific, location,
demographic and interest targeting to reach the audience with the greatest
impact.
– e.g. Young Families: From well-to-do London, 30-40 years old, married,
like mumsnet (or other parent identifier) and like Thomas Cook or RCI
(something to show they might be interested in timeshare).
 Use YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram to capture rich media.
 Write regular blogs about #timetoshare campaign and the shared experiences to
keep content fresh; the blogs can be tailored to any positive areas we want to
promote e.g. golf/ water sports etc.
 Expand social reach and authority by involving a social influencer.
Social media campaign

Panellists:
Richard Coles, Q Lodges Cameron House, Committee Chairman
John Tweddle, MBE, Q Lodges, The Carrick, Committee Chairman
John Davey, The Alpine Club, Committee Chairman
Harry Taylor, TATOC Chief Executive
Moderator:
Robin Mills
Health Check Panel

Problems Reported by the
Owners Committee
• Ageing ownership, many wish
to relinquish their weeks,
impacting on management fees
& future resort refurbishments
etc
• Exit programme not offered
• Children don’t wish to take on
parents’ weeks
• Accommodation tired – won’t
appeal to the younger market
• Increase in number of resale
weeks for sale
• Marketing resale weeks has
had limited success and mainly
targets existing owners
• Poor web presence
• Inexperience in promoting
rentals in an competitive
market
‘
Brightviews’ Resort, Broadchurch, Devon

1.Carry out sales & marketing
in-house. Investment & new
staff required
• Purchase marketing list &
carry out email campaign to
encourage short breaks with 90
minute tour included.
2.Sell weeks through resale
company
3.Partner with a
holiday/destination club
4. Focus on rentals
• Review the changeover day.
Sundays often the better day.
• Ensure the website’s
accessible 24hrs/24 for
bookings
• Set consumer rental prices as
well as industry rental prices
• Promote to the general public,
through rental website such as
Bookings.com/laterooms.com
‘
Panellist Recommendations

• Determine fixed amount
owners will receive in rentals.
• Determine who’s responsible
for handling enquiries etc.
• Renegotiate rental programme
deals with your exchange
company
• Consider websites such as
Wowcher to attract customers
• 5. Review perpetuity
arrangements of Constitution
Conclusion
• Resort needs 3rd party
&TATOC will put it in
contact with a number of
businesses incl. resellers,
marketers, social media
professionals, clubs &
interior designers.
• Use its reserve for accelerated
refurbishment programme
‘
Panellist Recommendations

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