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March 30, 2006Service links up vacation rentals
ALTADENA - A local company unveiled a method of finding potential timeshare customers at a trade show this week in Las Vegas. Altadena-based LeisureLink Inc. introduced the Mini Vacation Tracker, or MiniVac, a Web-based leads and tracking system, at the American Resort Developers Association trade show, which concludes today. "The reception we're getting is extremely good," said Kelly Tompkins, founder and president of LeisureLink. "People are really very interested in our distribution of vacation rentals for the timeshare industry." The LeisureLink reservation platform connects property management companies through the Internet with travel agents and Web sites such as orbitz.com and travelocity.com. MiniVac gives online travelers the tools to book their own vacation rentals, then provides the option of getting a discounted rental if they agree to listen to a formal timeshare presentation. This provides a cost-effective lead generator for property management companies, said Tompkins. "We're on track to sign up most of the timeshare industry," he said. "We've either signed up or are in final negotiations with all the leading property managers." Online travelers take a survey that evaluates their potential as a timeshare owner. If they don't qualify, they can still book their vacation at the regular price. MiniVac will provide companies with vacationers who come pre-qualified as potential timeshare owners, said Tuzy Snyder-Wall, general manager of RMC Resort Management, which has used LeisureLink LeisureLink's methods are preferable to costly mailers, she said. "You're ending up with a lot of expense a lot of times for a shot in the dark," Snyder-Wall said. "A lot of people throw it away." Also, LeisureLink helps travel agents understand and book vacation rentals, which have different parameters than hotels, she said. "Everybody is looking to have as many distribution channels as possible to get their product out to the marketplace," Snyder-Wall said. LeisureLink brings qualified leads into resorts who have a higher probability to convert to timeshare ownership, said Tompkins, who founded the company in May 2002. LeisureLink is completing the acquisition of $5 million in venture capital funding to expand and grow, he said, and the launch of MiniVac has accelerated the sales cycle in signing up many big property managers. Posted by bkleinhe at 09:49 PM
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March 17, 2006Booking vacation rentals
By Gerri Willis, CNNMoney.com contributing columnist NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - We may still be bundled under our winter coats in some parts of the country, but now is the time to start locking in your summer vacation rental. Early birds have already started to book the hottest summer rentals across the country. In today's 5 tips we're going to tell you what you'll want to know when jockeying for your summer dream house. January and February are the busiest months and already, ideal vacation spots are getting snapped up. You will want to book early if you want a rental that's on the water, available on a holiday weekend and notorious as a hot-spot during the summer months. And this means if you are set on going to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Hilton Head or the Hamptons, you better start your planning now. In fact many families book their summer rentals at places like Martha's Vineyard a year in advance. If you're a bit more flexible with your destination and you're counting on finding a deal, look to the mountains. Places like Vermont, Colorado or Washington have their peak seasons during the winter, so you'll likely get better summer pricing at a mountain get-away, according to Anne Banas of SmarterTravel.com. The most popular vacation months -- July and August -- are going to cost more. You can save a ton of dough if you skip the high season. You could save at least 30% to 50% if you book your rental in late May and early June. And if you wait until after Labor day, you could cut your bill in half, according to Banas. If you're looking at beach front property, your best bet may be to go in September when the water is still on the warm side. Avoid rental agents. There is plenty of exploring on the Internet you can do on your own. You'll be able to skip out on fees which can be up to 10%. Rental owners generally include a few pictures of the property, a description of the house and what's in the local area. And since it's likely you'll be able to correspond with the vacation rental owner through e-mail, you won't even have to pay for the phone calls. This can be especially important if you are booking a rental property overseas. If you want to start your journey, check out the follow Web sites for your next vacation rental: www.vamoose.com, vacation rental by owner at www.vrbo.com and www.cyberrentals.com. Many people think about their vacation rentals as a home away from home. So before you invest, make sure that all the amenities you're used to at home will be available. Generally your kitchenware and your utensils are provided. But you may want to ask if there is Internet access or a highchair that's available. See if a washer and dryer or a dishwasher is available. Find out if the rental is pet-friendly and if pool areas are gated if you have children. Just in case your vacation dream home turns out to resemble something more like out of the Addams Family mansion, you'll want to make sure you have recourse. Always pay by credit card. It will be harder to get your money back if you pay in cash or by check. Plus you may be protected by the fair credit billing act. Keep in mind that unlike hotels, payment options and cancellation policies vary widely with vacation home owners. Some rentals may have generous policies in the off-season, but in the peak season they may be come quite limited. You should know the details before you sign on the dotted line. You may also try to work out a payment schedule so you don't have to pay all the money upfront. And of course, you should only pay the landlord who is named in the rental contract. Posted by bkleinhe at 03:16 PM
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March 01, 2006Measure regulating transient rentals moves toward reality
WAILUKU – A bill regulating transient vacation rentals took a big step toward becoming long-term reality Monday when the County Council’s Planning Committee voted to send a draft of the measure to the planning commissions for review over the next few months when lawmakers are tied up in budget hearings. "I think it’s wonderful," David Dantes, president of the Maui Vacation Rental Association, said after the meeting. "The thing I’m elated about is now that they’ve done this, there’s a good chance we won’t have to wait and straddle an election year. We should be able to get a good, enforceable law adopted by the end of this term and put the issue to rest." Acknowledging the wishes of the members, Chairwoman Charmaine Tavares said she would send not only a draft of a bill introduced by Council Member Bob Carroll, but another one introduced by Council Member Jo Anne Johnson and other supporting materials so the planning commissions of Maui, Molokai and Lanai would have a good idea of what had been discussed. As usual, the Hana Advisory Committee also will be included in the review process. Carroll’s bill, crafted with input from Dantes’ organization, essentially would broaden legislation that governs bed-and-breakfasts to allow two separate structures per lot for short-term rentals. Bed-and-breakfast rules say the proprietor must live in the same dwelling that houses the vacation units, but the new bill includes free-standing structures. It appears that the two structures would be permitted in addition to a main house. The bill also would green light resident managers instead of the owner to maintain the business. The introduction to the bill said that the two individual structures and resident managers would be allowed "in limited instances." The idea to get comments from the planning commissions during the time frame when the council has no option but to deliberate the budget sounded like a perfect scenario. In an ideal world, the comments from all commissions would be awaiting lawmakers when budget wraps up by the end of May, making for an easy transition to get back into the thick of things. However, county government is anything but an ideal world. The Planning Department’s Joe Alueta reminded council members that the Maui panel usually was booked two or three months in advance, so it could be a while before the reviews take place. For nearly 90 minutes, lawmakers debated whether they should send the draft now, in their last committee meeting before budget, or hold off until a more refined version was available, probably not until June, at the earliest. Even by routing the draft to the commissions, the committee will have to send a final bill back to the commissions for another review. Carroll urged his colleagues to take immediate action, especially so the differing thoughts of residents of the different islands could be considered. "I don’t think we have an ordinance that’s a one size fits all," he said. He found quick support from Council Member Mike Molina. "We have a problem here and we can’t wait," said Molina. "The longer we wait, the more we spin our wheels. . . . The level of concern continues to rise on this issue." Council Member Joe Pontanilla asked that the commissions also be forwarded information gathered by a task force appointed a few years ago to discuss transient vacation rentals. Tavares noted that the task force was disbanded before it completed its work, but said she would find out what had been prepared. In addition, commissions will get a report from the Kula Community Association; anticipated comments from community associations in Makawao, Paia and Haiku; and other pertinent information. Although it appeared that vacation rentals would be allowed on agricultural land, Johnson did not seem to be willing to support that. The bill also would simplify application procedures and expand eligibility for bed-and-breakfast home permits while strengthening the prohibition against illegal transient vacation rentals. Posted by bkleinhe at 07:28 PM
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