Traveler shows how to properly get through an unwanted timeshare presentation
Timeshare presentations are a staple in the travel industry, with almost 10 million American households owning a timeshare.
According to Forbes Advisor, a timeshare is a commitment — often for your lifetime — to paying for annual trips to the same resort or family of resorts.
To get people in the door, hotels with timeshares may offer significant discounts on their normal prices — as well as potentially awarded rewards points for those who will attend a pitch presentation. Prospective timeshare customers can pay under $200 for an entire trip simply because they listened to a pitch.
Savvy vacationers are agreeing to be pitched for the discounts but still have to attend the actual presentation in which the resort will try to sell the property to them. According to NerdWallet.com, most presentations are at least 90 minutes long. One TikToker shared her guide for how she survives the pitch process.
“How to survive: Just say no. Don’t pass go. Then enjoy a drink by the pool,” TeVan Grant (@grantfamof4) wrote in the caption.
Grant — who said she declined the chance to see a Marriott presentation — documented how the Hilton tour guides took them to see two rooms, which she claimed were nicer than the rooms she was awarded for accepting the timeshare deal, before the sales team leader tried to get her to sign the contract.
“It’s her job to confuse you enough and give you all the numbers to make you want to sign,” Grant said. According to her, the cheapest plan offered would cost her $1,000 for a five-day stay in Las Vegas every other year. Grant continued to refuse the deals and then went on about her vacation.
Just like Grant, many of her viewers shared their experiences with timeshare presentations and how they avoided buying in.
“I just tell them everything looks great, but I have to talk to my financial person. Works like a charm,” commented @bfotos.
If you are considering going to a timeshare presentation, there are a few things to expect, according to Savoteur.com.
“They show you beautiful destinations and make it seem like the world will be at your fingertips if you buy their timeshare product. Don’t be fooled,” the site said. “Many of these so-called dream trips are only accessible through timeshare exchange programs, typically presented as easy to navigate but never fully explained.”
Savoteur also noted that the price you get quoted normally doesn’t include other travel expenses like food or airfare.
Timeshares are a billion-dollar industry, but there are several things to keep an eye out for when considering one.
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