Timeshare Pitches Hassling Clients, Say Agents

Travel agents are seeing more unwanted solicitations of clients for timeshare purchases at resorts.  

While the timeshare industry has largely overcome the negative image of its early days, agents are reporting complaints from clients about aggressive sales pitches – sometimes during a “presentation” about resort credits, on other occasions via phone calls to guest rooms.

“So far this year I have had more complaints than usual from timeshare sales within resorts,” an agent, who did not want to be identified, told Travel Market Report.

And while agents agreed that timeshares may be a good option for some travelers, in many cases these pitches serve only to harass clients.

No comment
Several resort operators and wholesalers were asked to comment on the issue. Hard Rock Hotels and Apple Vacations said they would look into it but did not respond further. AM Resorts, Funjet Vacations and Palace Resorts did not respond at all.

A spokesperson for Playa Resorts said, “Playa is really in the middle of assessing that subject, so again, I don’t think we can contribute to the conversation now.”

Other names
Resorts sometimes use names other than timeshare like “fractional/unlimited luxury,” according to the agent.

While the agent said that timeshares can be a good product and are appropriate for many people, “it now seems that a lot of resorts are selling fractional time for regular hotel rooms, not even condos. Clients arrive and hotel managers try to make appointments for a sales pitch.”

A concern
Other agents weighed in with their frustrations.

“It is frustrating and concerning to have customers check out of their resorts and come home because they were hassled on their $7,000 vacation,” said Sandy Anderson, president of Coon Rapids, Minn.-based Riverdale Travel, a Travel Leaders agency.

At Ardis Travel in East Rutherford, N.J., Rich Ardis said his clients haven’t mentioned being bothered by these tactics lately, “but I know it has been going on at certain resorts and chains.”

“Our family does own a couple of [timeshare] weeks in Aruba,” Ardis said. “When I have checked exchanges [the directory of timeshare options for members of a timeshare program] with the timeshare operator I have noticed that there are numerous all-inclusive resorts listed as options.

“It doesn’t make much sense since you only get the room and then have to pay hundreds of dollars extra to have the all-inclusive.”

Warning clients
Ardis said he thinks he may have to start warning his clients about aggressive tactics.

“It would be helpful to have a list of resorts doing this. I know the sales managers can be very aggressive,” he added. “One time I was staying at a new resort in Orlando and they were calling every day. A similar thing happened in Las Vegas; I finally took the phone off the hook.

“When I stayed at one timeshare from a major brand, once I told them we already owned a timeshare they said thank you and never contacted me again during the stay.”

A long-standing issue
Kate Ficke, an agent in Huntley, Ill., said “This has been an issue for years but we have tried to get our best partners, the wholesalers, who sell most of the all-inclusive resorts through travel agents to stop the solicitation of our clients.

“Once guests purchase timeshare rooms they don’t need to work with agents except for airfares and we can’t make any money on tickets with our measly ticketing fees.”

Ficke said her requests [to partners] have been fairly successful but she has also started to include a “warning” in documentation letters notifying clients of time-share pitches and saying what they do is up to them.

“But that the pressure can be relentless in some areas,” she added. “Most clients who do, then, get pressured are better able to know what it is about and to say no before they go to the meeting.”

Resort credits
Some resorts offer a resort credit, usually $200 per room, to use toward extras like wine, spa treatments and romantic diners on the beach, according to Ficke.

Ficke said resort representatives frequently give guests the idea that they have to go to a timeshare presentation to receive these resort credits but that requirement isn’t stated in promotions or anywhere in tour operator packages, she added.

“I know this from personal experience,” said Ficke. “I was a paying guest at one of these resorts, went up to the desk and asked for my resort credit vouchers.

“The rep started his pitch. I said, ‘Gee, not interested  in that but I do expect to receive those vouchers now and although he seemed a bit flustered, he could not say no; he knew it and he gave me the vouchers.”