Marriott’s success in the timeshare business did not come overnight, it was the result of many individual successes in specific locations that would combine to set a worldwide standard.
One of the first revolutionary timeshares by Marriott was Marriott Sabal Palms in Orlando, Florida. Opened in 1986, it was the first timeshare of its kind, built entirely by Marriott next to one of their own hotels. It became the model for future timeshares and saw immense success, leading to the construction of Marriott’s Imperial Palm Villas in Orlando as well. This solidified Marriott’s hold on the timeshare market throughout the 80’s.
Next, Marriott decided to move their market into international timeshares with the goal to provide people with a luxurious, unforgettable experience. This lead to the opening of Paradise Island Beach Club in Nassau, Bahamas, Marriott’s first international timeshare. Marriott’s subsequent partnership with Interval International allowed them to create the floating timeshare, where owners could trade their weeks for timeshares worldwide.
As Marriott’s success in international timeshares continued, their domestic holdings expanded as well. in 1994 Marriott opened a series of mountain timeshares in Utah and Colorado, and opened a timeshare in Williamsburg, Virginia with a historical theme.
In 1996, Marriott changed its official name to Marriott Vacation Club International, making its focus on vacationing customers clear. With this, Marriott opened their very first European timeshare, the Marbella Beach Resort in Spain, and opened a new, golf themed resort, Grande Vista, in Orlando, Florida.
In 1997, Marriott had welcomed over 100,000 guests and went for a brand new kind of timeshare. Marriott bought the 150 year old Boston Custom House, a historical landmark, and gave it a multimillion dollar facelift that transformed it into Marriott’s Custom House metropolitan timeshare, another first for the industry.
All these resorts solidified Marriott’s standing as a leader in the timeshare industry in the 20th century, and gave them a solid standing for their entrance into the new millennium. Look for updates into to see Marriott’s timeshares from the past 10 years.
You can read more here. If you’re interested in buying or selling a timeshare, contact our licensed real estate professionals at 888-235-0466 or visit our website for more information:
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