What is a timeshare and what types are there?

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More and more travel sites publish advertisements for the sale of timeshare, but not everywhere there is an explanation of what kind of system it is, how it works, and where it came from. Some of the reviewers claim that it is as simple as buying a tour, while others are -; flatly discourages tourists from getting involved with timeshares.

But, like any holiday format, timeshare has its pros and cons. The Vipgeo portal invites you to learn about all sides of this phenomenon in world tourism.

History and features of timeshare

Actually, for the first time, the term timeshare was registered in the United States in 1974, when one of the travel companies offered its clients long-term contracts for annual accommodation in a specific hotel in a specific resort. A little later, this system came to Europe, becoming very popular there among a certain circle of tourists.

In fact, timeshare – This is a full-fledged rental of a hotel room by a tourist for one or two weeks a year. There are also contracts for a month of annual residence, or one-time timeshare for owning the property throughout the year. But the most widespread are precisely those timeshare options that give the tourist a place `` for vacation '', most often – on fixed dates of one or two seasons.

Timeshare

The terms of such contracts each hotel, or, as it is called in the West – club – has the right to install itself. The minimum period of the timeshare – three years, maximum – under 30. Of course, tourists in this case `` redeem '' only a room with the proviso that the club can change the rules of the additional payment at its discretion due to inflation, an increase in the rating, etc.

Of course, when it comes to such long periods, then the cost of the timeshare itself – the pleasure is not cheap. A contract for a period of 10 years will cost an ordinary tourist $ 13,000 and more, depending on the prestige of the hotel or apartment. If the timeshare buyer is in doubt, he can sign a trial contract for a week, which will cost about $ 200-450 for a double room.

Cost of timeshare

According to the level of prestige and prices, timeshares are divided by color, depending on the season:

'Red'; timeshare – buying time at the hotel only during high season. The guest has the right to shift the dates of arrivals, as well as exchange timeshare for another resort. The most expensive option.
`` White '' timeshare – buying time to stay in the off-season. According to the rules for using the services, it is similar to the `` red '' one contract, but due to the lesser popularity it is much cheaper.
`` Blue '' timeshare – timeshare of the off season. The cheapest, and usually offering accommodation in uncategorized hotels.

Important

Important: If the first American timeshares had very strict obligations to tourists, now they have somewhat weakened their responsibility. So, tourists from year to year can settle in different hotels, but within the same resort area, when, as in the 1970s, it was unacceptable.

Timeshares in Russia appeared in the 1990s in private hotels in the Krasnodar Territory and a number of other regions. At first, these were honest attempts to copy the American system, but later the business went criminal and was taken over by fraudsters. Now there are only a few actually legal companies offering timeshares, but every year the demand for `` club vacations '' begins to grow, though – already outside our country.

Basic concepts used in timeshare

Club – hotel or the actual place of residence of the tourist, for example, a cottage in a resort area or an apartment in a residential building. Often this word means the resort area itself, where the hotels are located, in which the tourist has the right to check in.
Multiclub – unified area of several resorts of one region or island. Recently, the term has been used to denote the service area of the timeshare founder.
Founder – the company that owns the hotel, where the tourist buys time to stay.
Trustee – a firm that regulates the legality of the purchase and compliance with the timeshare rules. They exist in the USA, Europe and a number of island states. There are no such companies in Russia today.

Advantages of timeshare

Most licensed hotels and apartments operating on the timeshare system – This is a modern, comfortable accommodation with all the necessary amenities and located within walking distance from the resort or sightseeing area.
Modern timeshares have a flexible check-in system without being tied to a specific date of the month. This was done after numerous complaints from tourists due to postponed vacations.
Any timeshare can be put up for sale, if for some reason the tourist cannot or does not want to visit the selected resort anymore.
All timeshares have special programs for families with children. If we are talking about `` red '' contract – then most clubs do not charge any additional payments for the child's accommodation.
Clubs operating under the signs of world brands guarantee that during the entire term of the contract tourists will be provided not only with accommodation, but also regular meals.

Disadvantages of timeshare

Timeshare system is considered expensive and not always profitable, even on West. In addition to paying the contract, the tourist will be charged property tax. If we are talking about prestigious vacation spots, then the amount of annual fees can be up to $ 500.
Foreign hotels rarely provide timeshares for the Russian-speaking contingent. As a consequence – language barrier at almost all levels: from service to the menu in the hotel restaurant. A Russian-speaking guide or animator will have to be hired for a separate fee.
Most timeshare contracts are not renewable. The queue for checking into hotels, as a rule, is scheduled for several years in advance, so it is more profitable to purchase long-term contracts.
A tourist, buying a timeshare, is completely entrusted to the founder and his management company responsible for accommodation. In case of bankruptcy of the hotel, money is returned only through the custodian firm. If the trustee is not registered in the country of destination, all disputes are resolved in court.
In recent years, most European clubs have been working with the concept of `` tourist reputation ''. If the guest in any way violates the rule of staying at the hotel, then his timeshare contract is canceled without the right to a refund.

Do timeshares have a future in Russia?

The lawlessness of the 90s, a lot of swindlers in modern Russia and a variety of fraudulent schemes associated with the purchase of timeshares repel a large part of tourists from such offers, according to most travel forums. But is everything so bad with timeshares in our country?

Fraudulent schemes

The main problem is that for more than 20 years, Russian laws have learned very little to control the tourist market. According to tourists who are faced with a `` divorce '' under the guise of timeshares, lawsuits related to the return of money drag on for years. The crimes are obvious, but sometimes it is simply impossible to prove them.

Litigation

In recent years, some tourist regions For example, the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea began to actively introduce licensing of hotels responsible for timeshare in Russia. This led to a sharp decline in illegal immigrants, but the prices for such services jumped sharply, which scared off the lion's share of our tourists.

Service prices jump up

Prices for services have skyrocketed

So far, the fate of timeshares in Russia is unclear, because, according to travel observers, the price for the legal purchase of time in a hotel or apartment cannot be called affordable. For 2016, three-year timeshare contracts in Yalta cost from 100 thousand rubles, and in Sochi this figure may double.

Based on this, we can conclude that the transition of timeshare in the Russian tourist market will take years.