The Difference Between Timeshares and Vacation Clubs: Are Both Scams?

July 6, 2021

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At Astoria Vacation and Leisure Club, Inc., we usually get inquiries from people asking if AVLCI is a timeshare company or a vacation club. Maybe you are just curious or want to know more before signing up for a membership. We understand that your curiosity also comes with caution, as you have probably stumbled upon dozens of blogs and social media posts narrating unreliable and concocted stories about Club Astoria frauds and Astoria scam, and branding vacation clubs and timeshares as scams.

This article will discuss the differences between the two, as well as explain why both are certainly not scams.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Let us start with timeshare ownership first. The timeshare industry started in the 1960s, with the idea of vacationers sharing a deeded piece of real estate or resort condominium that was divided up for time among members. Looking at the dictionary, it is defined as “an agreement or arrangement in which parties share the ownership of or right to use a property and that provides for occupation by each party especially for periods of less than a year.”

Depending on the timeshare plan, the vacation stay period could either be fixed or floating, meaning members can either specify a set number of years or book ahead to use the unit within a fixed period.

Vacation clubs, on the other hand, offer more flexibility. They are considered as a modernized variation of the timeshare model, wherein members are required to pay an upfront sum to purchase “weeks” or “points.”

Vacation clubs offer more choices to their members than the traditional timeshare. The weeks mentioned earlier can be used throughout the year and not locked into specific dates (unlike timeshares). They can also be banked for future use.

Astoria Vacation and Leisure Club Inc. or AVLCI falls under the vacation club category since it offers members the flexibility and variety to choose from its lineup of prestigious hotels and resorts. With AVLCI, members can actually let relatives and even friends use their vacation privileges. Know more about AVLCI here.

ARE TIMESHARE AND VACATION CLUBS A SCAM?

On to the main reason why you are here. Are timeshares and vacation clubs a scam? The answer is no. There are legitimate companies offering real memberships here and abroad. Like with other purchases, you would be cautious in choosing one. Perhaps, you may even choose not to purchase one because of the bad reputation timeshares and vacation clubs get. The confusion lies mainly on you reading about sales agents “pressuring” people to attend a presentation in exchange for a buffet and other people’s opinions immediately branding it as a scam.

But ask yourself this before attending the invite: Am I a frequent traveler? Does the club have lots of hotels and resorts to choose from for a vacation? Have I focused more on the cons and not checked out the pros of that vacation club? Will this be a good investment?

It all falls on good research. If the vacation club you are looking for is a duly-registered entity of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a partner of Resorts Condominiums International (RCI) like AVLCI, then rest assured that you are signing up for the best! For certain, any vacation club that has dotted their “i’s” and crossed their “t’s” when it comes to all the legal facets of the business, will keep your investment protected and your family very happy with every holiday!