Local author and columnist, Laura Bricker, has an interesting perspective on timeshare sales based on her recent timeshare vacation to Florida. You can read “Psst, Wanna Buy a Timeshare?” at SeaCoastOnline.com

While her account of her experiences is accurate, her assessment that the timeshare resort industry is in trouble is not…but who can blame her for thinking this when you look at the way some timeshare real estate is sold?

Laura Bricker and family might have enjoyed their Florida timeshare vacation even more if they hadn’t been subjected to aggressive overtures from timeshare salespeople who approached them on the beach and even while driving. They were offered cash and other incentives to attend timeshare presentations. The unprofessional and desperate tactics of some timeshare sellers would leave anyone to assume that timeshare real estate is on its last leg.

In fact, timeshare sales of both new timeshare weeks purchased directly from developers and timeshare weeks and timeshare condos purchased as resales have never been better. According to the American Resort Development Association, known as ARDA, vacation ownership (new timeshare sales) has increased every year during the past decade, growing at an annualized rate of 16 percent. And in 2007, Sell My Timeshare NOW, presented its customers just over $274 million in offers to buy timeshare or rent timeshare - that’s an 18 percent increase in dollar amount over offers presented in 2006. Further proof of the strength of timeshare sales is the fact that major hoteliers all continue to expand their timeshare resort offerings worldwide. In fact, many sources in the hospitality and tourism industries claim that timeshare sales are the fastest growing segments of their business.

It’s a shame that heavy-handed sales tactics are still being used as part of timeshare sales. Timeshare ownership is a good product that brings a great deal of satisfaction to many people and doesn’t deserve the “bad rap” a few overzealous sales people give it.

To learn more about buying timeshare resales from their current owner, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW, where no salespeople will ever flag down your car or disturb you as you relax on the beach.