Travel + Leisure will be acquired by a timeshare company for $100 million. What exactly will this look like?
Continue reading: Odd: Wyndham Destinations Acquires Travel + Leisure
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
"Personally I have very strong feelings about the timeshare business, but I recognize others feel differently, so I won’t even get into that."
That's exactly wrong with (US-)American culture nowadays: People are afraid to call out bad things and simply accept them in order to not 'offend' anyone.
Unfortunately this will prevent society becoming better, instead it will lead to a further deterioration of social cohesion.
"Help me understand this acquisition"
The magazine itself is worth nothing. The brand is worth something.
Wyndham thinks that rebranding their business "Travel+Leisure" is worth the purchase price.
A similar transaction happened with Sports Illustrated, also previously owned by Meredith, which was sold to a random company of promoters (Authentic Brands Group) who said at the time they'd slap the SI brand on all sorts of businesses (I haven't paid attention to whether they did or not).
They want the media platform to try and sanitize timesharing. Also through another part of the company, they let you book available timeshare properties just like a normal hotel. Lower tier timeshares are no better than your standard Hyatt Place, however they go all the way up to Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons partnerships.
As a timeshare owner (bought resale and initial purchase was to specifically access a property where the maintenance fee for a week in a 2 Bedroom timeshare next to the convention center is less than 2 nights at Excalibur), I understand a lot of the fraud that is sold to people through the sales presentations but there are definitely use cases as well as ways that it can help you travel safely in this pandemic.
All media today is owned by some business looking to use it to favorably influence their business, why should a travel magazine be any differnt. They could buy a lot of advertising to try to boost their timeshare sales or they can buy an established "reputable" magazine to do the same thing where they get further control on the message.
Furthermore, Meredith is losing money left and right at the moment, so if they find someone to buy out the publication than smart on them to be honest.
Basically putting a halo on them. I doubt much will change about the magazine itself.
Maybe Wyndham will aqcuire one of the more botique 'ownership' companies that has legitimately luxury properties (kind of a level below the Steve Case venture)
Max +1 For your readership and your lifestyle timeshares are very poor use of funds and that is obviously your opinion (besides the false promises, up selling, uncontrolled HOA fees for life, limits on uses and that most time shares are available for 20% of the retail price on secondary markets. Also many of us can book timeshares for a few nights or more with points and. It be tied into a specific product (assuming the timeshare stays solvent). If a timeshare loses other owners the HOA fee goes up to proportional ownership. Although major chains Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt have time shares which probably have more value than others they are a really bad deal for those in the points and miles community.
Looks like Wyndham bought two things. A timeshare and marketing arm and the ability to sell exchange timeshares for Wyndham points and cash expanding their base. Time will tell if it was a good investment.
I suppose this REBRANDING from Wyndham is that maybe Wyndham has finally realized their sales staff has lied to so many ppl that the name is now tarnished. Also, Maintenance fee increases have turned ppl off the timeshare industry.
Am I correct in this assumption? I have been an owner since early 2001 and have been through many "Update" sessions where there were many misrepresentations. Makes one immune to their presentations. I have been trying to contact them and have been on hold, finally answered and when I asked for her name, she gave me another phone number to call, then rudely hung up on me.