Inflation

I just read an article comparing the prices of various things in 1999 and now in 2009. Did you know that it cost $4.00 to go to the top of the Empire State Building in 1999 and now it is $20.00?

Anyway, it got me thinking about timeshares and hotels.

In 1998, the average price of a hotel room in the United States was just over $111. Now, as a former timeshare salesperson I can tell you that I used to "pitch" 5% annual hotel inflation which my clients generally agreed with.

If that was the case, then the average hotel price in 2008 would have been just over $182, not including hotel tax. So what was the average hotel price in 2008? About $130. Hmmm...

And the timeshare? In 1998 the average price for a timeshare was about $12,500. In 2008? you guessed it...$20,000.

Now my point is not to diminish timeshares...I am all for timeshares...I think that they provide people with "better" accommodations and an all-around "better" vacation.

Something does need to be done about the cost though.

The first company or individual that latches onto this concept and actually DOES something not only about the high cost but the huge discrepancy between a "new" timeshare and an "old" timeshare will, in my opinion be the clear winners in the next decade.

Pssst....I have the solution...e-mail me and we'll do the right thing!