LETTER FROM CHAIRMAN

February 2013

This time I thought I’d talk about one aspect of life that all of us need to come to terms with – sooner, or later. The fact that we’re all getting older. And the older we get, the more we need to reset some buttons. What has that got to do with timeshare, you may wonder. Just read on and you’ll see one example of what typically happens when people cross that age-60 threshold.

I met some friends the other day at the club and some of them were in their mid-sixties. At least two of them had a timeshare membership that they were losing interest in. “What’s the use,” they said. “No point in just husband and wife going on a vacation.”

That comment got me to do a small impromptu session with them to reset some buttons, as I mentioned earlier. The points I have listed below are a summary of what I shared with them.

• To start with, what’s wrong with just the “old couple” going off on a vacation? You get to break the monotony of city life and discover new horizons. I also believe that vacations are a good rewards option when you’re in that empty-nest phase.
• Since timeshare does allow you to plan in advance, you could invite the children to join you from wherever they are. I’m sure they too, will look forward to catching up with Dad & Mum once a year.
• If the children are busy, take a neighbor or a friend’s family along – you can arrange to split the expenses privately, and enjoy the vacation in one large group. Especially if you’re not looking forward to holidaying by yourselves.
• If you can’t go for some reason, or if a health condition does not allow you to travel, you can monetize your week. You can even consider gifting your week to someone really dear to you. I have come across doting uncles gifting their weeks to a nephew or niece as a wedding present. Makes sense in more ways than one.

Then there’s another way of looking at it. If your membership plan has many years of validity left, you might even consider transferring the membership to one of your children. Talk to your timeshare provider on the procedure and paperwork - this is something that is easily done within the AIRDA network of resorts that have pretty much the same rules and regulations on transfer of membership.

Most of what I have said here is largely based on my own experience. I may be the Chairman at AIRDA, but I also have a timeshare plan in an individual capacity. Something I invested in, long before I joined the organization.

Looking back, I have really enjoyed my timeshare plan and derived the most benefits from it, with some early planning and scheduling every year. I too, am sixty-plus and in that empty-nest stage with my wife.

Our children are busy at their jobs or passions and may not always have the time to come home on a vacation.  We’re not complaining, because this is a predictable stage in life – at some point in time, your children will leave home to lead their own lives.

But we’ve also managed to get them all together to make it one big family reunion.

So, if you’re in my age bracket, I’d say, don’t worry, be happy. Age is just a number that keeps ticking over. Start packing your bags and open a new chapter in your travelogues. And do keep me posted – would love to hear from you.

B. S. Rathor
Chairman, AIRDA