RCI LM proof that people are STAYING local

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

all searches run with a start date of 20JUN running 2 weeks.

A Total of 7 Resorts were found for NORTHEAST U.S. AND CANADA/EAST COAST AREA: MAINE TO GEORGIA and INLAND NORTHEAST

I might take 2 of those a Sandcastle PTown studio and a Vacation in the Berkshires

A Total of 5 Resorts were found for NORTHEAST U.S. AND CANADA/PENNSYLVANIA; PACIFIC COAST AND HAWAII/CALIFORNIA

Nothing for Pennsylvania. Palm Springs anyone?

A Total of 14 Resorts were found for PACIFIC COAST AND HAWAII/HAWAII

Some real nice stuff here. Hawaii always has last great LM ops. There are more than usual lately.

Nothing for coastal WA, OR, BC

A Total of 1 Resorts were found for ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND WESTERN CANADA/NEW MEXICO

Couldn't pay me to stay in the one resort that came up.

A Total of 1 Resorts were found for THE BRITISH ISLES/BRITISH ISLES, WITHOUT CANALBOATS; NORTHERN EUROPE/FRANCE: PARIS AREA

These 3 BDRM Ireland ops are KILLING me!

Nothing this morning for Venice or Rome but they have been up on the boards every morning lately. We've seen London, Edinburgh, Venice, Paris & Rome LM availability in the last 14 days.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

No doubt about it.......Hawaii, Carribean & Europe are avialable every day. Great sightings, 1, 2 & 3 bdrms at great locations.

All the local stuff is vey difficult to find. When it is showing up, it's mostly the week, or two, before check-in. A few exceptions, but that's been consistant for the summer 08, so far.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I'm telling you, the future is in the Poconos!

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

What was once hard to get may become the near dog trader while the always available may soon be the highest demand. So goes the travel and timeshare world that can't help but be buffeted by outside forces. As always if you own what you want to use - either a multi resort mini-system or a resort you enjoy you are fine. If you bought with high trade value in mind you may find that it isn't so good anymore.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I'm telling you, the future is in the Poconos!

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

I agree Lawren...While I'm out, I figured I would look at something we could drive to in LM and really couldn't find anything worthwhile. It would have been the perfect time.

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

What was once hard to get may become the near dog trader while the always available may soon be the highest demand. ... As always if you own what you want to use - either a multi resort mini-system or a resort you enjoy you are fine. If you bought with high trade value in mind you may find that it isn't so good anymore.

We love our Wyn points for this reason. If they ever actually make them searchable online, they'd be even better. But meanwhile, we own other weeks which we bought with the hope of trading them more than half the time. All but one have turned out to be good or excellent traders. Since they are great drive-to locations, they may actually become even better traders now.

Where some (Hawaii? southern Caribbean? other high airfare locales?) may lose trade power in the coming years, others may gain trade power. Buying where you want to stay is ideal. But if you still want to trade often for variety beyond a mini-system (or be able to search online for exchanges), a nice resort in an underserved timeshare area, which is easy to reach by both air and/or car, near several high population regions, may become a better choice for a "trading" timeshare purchase than an island resort. JMO.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

We love our Wyn points for this reason. If they ever actually make them searchable online, they'd be even better. But meanwhile, we own other weeks which we bought with the hope of trading them more than half the time. All but one have turned out to be good or excellent traders. Since they are great drive-to locations, they may actually become even better traders now.

Where some (Hawaii? southern Caribbean? other high airfare locales?) may lose trade power in the coming years, others may gain trade power. Buying where you want to stay is ideal. But if you still want to trade often for variety beyond a mini-system (or be able to search online for exchanges), a nice resort in an underserved timeshare area, which is easy to reach by both air and/or car, near several high population regions, may become a better choice for a "trading" timeshare purchase than an island resort. JMO.

Those have always been the best traders. Underserved area that people want to go to in seasons they want to go there.

I've never had a Caribbean resort to play with in RCI so I can't say for sure but my understanding from research is they are not great traders.

Over the last decade I have seen some changes on what is available for exchange. There are still plenty of great places in all areas if you can make your plans 15 months to 2 years out with RCI.

The point of the post was to highlight some very very nice last minute destinations in places where the USD is not doing well or airfare costs are an issue. If you already have plans for over the pond or hawaii it pays to check ex-ops for both II and RCI for these gems.

I still see some very nice things in driving distance. Thursdays are tough as the very Last Minute stuff really won't show until we get closer than 9 days out.

For the Northeast there's been Block Island, Newport, etc. Nice things so my dear Jericap you DO stand a chance of getting something driveable.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Remember Williamsburg, everybody! Half the country's population can drive to Williamsburg in eight hours or less. Or something like that. Spence, what's that statistic?

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

I was looking at last call.... UGH, I don't have any weeks to trade at the present time...

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I'm telling you, the future is in the Poconos!

You may be right.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

Remember Williamsburg, everybody! Half the country's population can drive to Williamsburg in eight hours or less. Or something like that. Spence, what's that statistic?

That's close, Williamsburg is a 'Days Drive' for 50% of the US population, or words to that effect.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Those have always been the best traders. Underserved area that people want to go to in seasons they want to go there.

That Winners Circle fixed week 52 I bought for $900 back in 1999 looks better all of the time.

[Sue S Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sue S]

We're really feeling the pinch too!

I'm seriously considering giving up my Manhattan Club exchange next April because the air fare is so high and the general opinion is that it's going to get higher, not lower...

There are so many places in Europe that I want to see and it would be soooo much cheaper! But everyone says I'm crazy and that New York is a "must see". So we've thought about going down the route of making it a mega trip and going somewhere else for an add-on week but the costs are getting prohibitive...

I just don't know what to do I'd really like to see Rome and go to Venice again and then there's the whole of Eastern Europe where I haven't been at all yet...

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I'm seriously considering giving up my Manhattan Club exchange next April because the air fare is so high and the general opinion is that it's going to get higher, not lower...

There are so many places in Europe that I want to see and it would be soooo much cheaper! But everyone says I'm crazy and that New York is a "must see". So we've thought about going down the route of making it a mega trip and going somewhere else for an add-on week but the costs are getting prohibitive...

I just don't know what to do I'd really like to see Rome and go to Venice again and then there's the whole of Eastern Europe where I haven't been at all yet...

Sue I had a similar quandry last year. i had a GREAT trade into England. The air was insane with $200/ticket just in taxes. Really hefty air for the 3 of us. We decided to suck it up and go. One of the best vacations my family has ever taken and we are wanting to return.

Of course up to you but think about how cheap it will be once you get here!

and Yes my hometown is a "must do".