Agents are being told to prepare themselves to sell timeshare on the high street within the next few years, with lucrative earning potential.
With the sector featuring at this year’s ABTA Convention in November, opportunities for agents to earn commission selling timeshare are just around the corner, according to timeshare company De Vere Resort Ownership managing director Craig Mitchell.
Speaking at an Organisation for Timeshare in Europe roundtable in London, Mitchell said: “This will be a high-street product shortly. There will be opportunities for agents to take advantage.”
De Vere is already a major customer of Portman Travel in Edinburgh. And Hilton International Grand Vacations Company – Hilton’s timeshare arm – is currently in talks with Lastminute.com about adding rentals to its inventory. Meanwhile, Cendant-owned timeshare brand RCI is forging closer links with Advantage and Travelcare, which last week signed an agreement to dynamically package trips to RCI’s Holiday Network portfolio.
“Travel agents now realise there is money to be made from timeshare,” said RCI vice-president of sales Beverley Hoyle.