According to John Lee, chairman of the Vacation Ownership Association of Southern Africa (VOASA), more and more South Africans are choosing to make use of their timeshare accommodation when travelling domestically as a cost-effective alternative to traditional holiday or business accommodation.
"For South Africans holidaying has become a very expensive endeavour. The cost of travel is rising continuously, as the prices for fuel, flights and accommodation increase. However, people still want to and need to take breaks and this is when timeshare becomes an attractive option," says Lee.
Staying in timeshare accommodation, rather than traditional holiday accommodation, has many advantages for holidaymakers. For one, there is more flexibility for self-catering options which allows holidaymakers to control their budgets better.
Timeshare accommodation is often booked well in advance - allowing for plenty of time to plan, save money and prepare for the trip in the most cost affordable and stress-free manner - especially for the millions of South Africans who simply don't have the time to research and plan holidays in advance.
But Lee stresses the influence of the South African timeshare industry stretches far beyond convenience and affordability for holidaymakers. "The South African timeshare industry is considered amongst its peers to be one of the most innovative and advanced timeshare industries in the world. The timeshare sector in South Africa currently accounts for around R3.5bn per annum and permanently employs more than 25,000 people, making it a very valuable contributor to the South African tourism industry."
Tourism has been identified by government as a key economic sector for South Africa in terms of contributing to economic growth and sustainable employment. "In March, the World Travel and Tourism Council said SA's tourism industry is expected to grow 3.4% this year, faster than the forecast 2% in the wider economy. We believe that timeshare can play a significant role in achieving this growth, given the necessary regulatory support," says Lee.
However, Lee stresses the need for regulated quality service, transparency and consumer protection through education in the timeshare industry is very important for the sustained growth of the sector. "We are aware that certain consumer related issues pertaining to points club products has been raised. To this end, VOASA recently updated the provisions of the Code applicable to members of timeshare schemes, and introduced an internal Code applicable to VOASA members only.
"VOASA has also taken the initiative in drafting an Industry Code in terms of section 82 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and legislation specifically applicable to the timeshare and share block schemes. This Industry Code makes provision for an ombud scheme to deal with timeshare members' complaints and once the Code has passed through the accreditation process and is accepted by the Minister, it will have the effect of regulation, and be applicable to any persons or entities who deal with or in a timeshare related product in any form or manner," Lee says.
