Timeshare News that timeshare legislation is in the works is encouraging. The sector has seen enormous growth in St. Maarten over the past decade, but was in dire need of regulation to protect prospective buyers and along with them the island's good name. The fact that the local timeshare association was closely involved in the preparation of the draft legislation should put to rest any concerns that it will be detrimental to the industry. To the contrary, better regulation should contribute to consumer confidence. One need only remember the Pelican saga and its effect to understand that this is very important. It will not only help the buyer, but also those selling timeshare to known what is and what is not acceptable under the law, providing much needed stability to the sector. The numbers are in any case mind-boggling: A total of 66,000 timeshare owners, with an average income of 90,000 dollars per year, making up 75 per cent of the island's stay-over tourism. Like it or not, St. Maarten is turning into a timeshare rather than hotel island. That is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, independent research not just here, but also in Aruba, has shown that contrary to popular belief, timeshare guests spend as much as hotel guests do. It is frequently argued that because timeshare units have a kitchen and the owners are often already familiar with the island, they spend less and look for the best deals. That may be true in some cases, but the average figures speak a different language. In addition, timeshare guests tend to be more loyal. Following several hurricane onslaughts and 9-11 they returned to the island much more quickly, partly out of necessity, than did regular hotel guests. What can be a problem with timeshare, however, is the often aggressive sales methods used, turning off a number of visitors. Perhaps the pending legislation, once passed, can improve that situation and help give the timeshare sector its rightful place in St. Maarten's tourism industry, not just in terms of numbers, but in terms of respect and reputation. Give us your opinion on this story Post a message on our message board! Click Here! Copyright ©1998-2001 The Daily Herald - Design by Dimitri1374