After two years of disruption, many timeshare owners are bracing for another summer of frustration. Overbooked flights, resorts in financial trouble and last-minute flight cancellations are pushing even long-standing members to question whether timeshare still works for how people travel today.
Pandemic repercussions for timeshare owners
In 2020, countless holidays were cancelled. Across much of the travel industry, refunds were issued and alternatives were offered. In contrast, many timeshare owners say they were still charged full fees, with additional accommodation offered the following year (whether it suited them or not). When resorts closed again in 2021, members were once again charged in full, with promises that the unused accommodation would roll over again into 2022.
“Cash grab” concerns
Experts warned that stacking up extra weeks would be impractical for most members, and that many resorts would not have enough availability to honour the promised accommodation. For that reason, the approach was widely viewed as a cash grab: resorts received full payment, despite the likelihood that many owners would never be able to take the holidays they had effectively paid for.
Airport chaos and staffing shortages
COVID-19 has been described, sardonically, as “the gift that keeps on giving”. During lockdowns, large numbers of airport and airline staff moved into other jobs. Although hotels and resorts are open, airlines have struggled to recruit and onboard new staff quickly enough because of the security and vetting requirements involved in airport roles. Without those workers, flights can’t depart, even when airlines are trying to plug gaps right up to the last minute.
UK flight cancellations: the last-minute problem
Thousands of outbound UK flights were cancelled in June, with over 70% reportedly cancelled while holidaymakers were already at the airport—often queuing at the check-in desk.
Families who had arranged car hire, organised pet care and made the usual preparations for going abroad were suddenly told “sorry, you are not going anywhere.”
High volumes of cancellations are expected to continue this summer, with EasyJet alone announcing it may need to cancel over 10,000 flights.
Why this hits timeshare owners harder
Beyond the disappointment of a long-awaited break—or having to tell excited children the holiday isn’t happening—there’s often an immediate scramble to prevent financial loss.
Travel insurance may cover some costs, and other bookings such as car hire and pet care can sometimes be moved to another date.
Timeshare owners, however, may receive neither a refund of their fees nor a realistic chance to reschedule when a timeshare week is cancelled at the last minute.
Inflexible booking rules and maintenance fees
Timeshare owners typically pay annual fees in advance, and exchanging a week can require months—sometimes years—of notice to have any chance of securing the preferred week and location. If an owner needs to cancel a booked week, many schemes require significant notice to avoid losing the booking (and the money tied to it).
If a flight is cancelled at the airport, there is usually no facility to bank or rebook that week for later. The week is lost. If the owner wants another holiday, they may have to pay for it again—on top of ongoing maintenance fees.
Resort uncertainty
"Timeshare just isn't equipped to deal with the challenges facing the modern holidaymaker," explains Andrew Cooper, CEO of European Consumer Claims (ECC). "New member sales have dropped off a cliff in Europe, because people today need to be able to book or change holiday plans at short notice. They don't want to be committed to paying every year a fee which is usually more than a regular holiday. Especially if they might not even be able to take that holiday.
"Timeshare resorts are closing down en masse, ceasing sales, and filing for bankruptcy and insolvency. Members are worried that their resort might not be operating from one year to the next."
What are my options?
Timeshare owners looking for ways to escape the commitment of their membership can contact our team at Timeshare Advice Centre for free, confidential advice. Relinquishment is generally possible with expert help. In many cases, unscrupulous timeshare resorts wrote illegal contracts to make more money. The members involved may be legally entitled to compensation, and the Timeshare Advice Centre team will be able to advise on this.
