World Travel - Global Travel News

Do you long to explore the mountains of China one year, and the cities of Spain the next? If worldwide travel is one of your long-term goals, you might want to buy timeshare to ensure a lifetime of affordable lodging, wherever you travel. Many people mistakenly believe that a timeshare will limit their travel options to one destination, however the opposite is actually true. Timeshares are extremely flexible, often allowing owners the option to choose between hundreds of destinations, all over the world.

Timeshares allow owners to purchase an increment of time at the resort of their choice to be used every year or every other year. You can choose to purchase time at a resort that you'll probably want to visit more than once, but you certainly won't be tied to this location for the life of your contract or deed. Vacation clubs and exchange companies allow owners to trade their time at their "home resort" for time nearly anywhere in the world.

Vacation clubs, like Marriott and Hyatt, guarantee a certain level of quality in all of their locations, and membership at one generally grants access to all of their resorts. However, vacation clubs tend to be slightly more expensive than other timeshares, and sometimes limitations are placed on their travel options based on where you purchased your timeshare. It's important to inquire with the resort if you're going to purchase timeshare resale.

Perhaps the most flexible method is the exchange company. Exchange companies like RCI and Interval International are affiliated with hundreds of resorts in hundreds of locales all over the world. Ownership of an affiliated timeshare and club membership with the exchange company will allow you to travel within their network at stay at any resort that is of similar quality to yours. With an exchange company or vacation club, your Hawaii timeshare might mean vacations in Scotland, India and Fiji.

If you're interested in the idea of timeshares, but aren't sure they're right for you, you can always rent timeshare in a few different locations first. Renting is a great way to immerse yourself in the timesharing lifestyle without any long-term commitment. And when you rent, you'll reap many of the benefits of ownership like expanded units and reduced rates. You can even rent with a vacation club, meaning you can choose your destination.