Watch the full panel discussion here.
Panellists (from left to right): Peter Pienaar: General Manager, Business Development, Southern Sun; Tony Forbes: Business Development Executive, Beekman Group and iExchange; Karen Halvorsen: Co-owner, Cape Escape (rental); Nicky McCulloch: Co-owner, Cape Escape (resales); Peter Edmondson: Managing Member, TravTrust Investments (sales for Dream Vacation Club) and Jonathan Kilroe-Smith (Group CEO for Club Mykonos Langebaan) who moderated the session.
TRENDING OWNERSHIP MODELS AND BUYER PREFERENCES
The discussion highlighted how varying ownership models and evolving buyer preferences shape the market.
Nicky McCulloch (Co-Owner of Cape Escape Resales) observed a growing interest in traditional timeshare weeks, noting that approximately 70% of transactions lean towards fixed weeks, compared to 30% for points-based options. She explained that buyers typically fall into two categories.
“The first group is value-driven, seeking peak or red weeks with high exchange value and low levies, primarily for trading locally or internationally. For them, the resort itself is less important. The second group is more discerning, purchasing for family holidays. They prioritise specific details, like two-bedroom units during school holidays, and they prefer views, floor levels, and amenities.”
She added an interesting observation:
“We’re also seeing a heartening trend of grandparents investing in larger units to spend quality time with their children and grandchildren, underscoring the enduring value of family connection.”
Tony Forbes (Business Development Executive at Beekman Group and iExchange) pointed out the connection between buyer preferences and property portfolios, along with the sellers involved.
“The mix of perpetual ownership models, fixed-term share block weeks, or fixed calendars largely depends on the strength of your property portfolio and the capabilities of your sales team. It comes down to salespeople and their strength on the different products. Training sales teams across multiple products can be challenging, so specialisation often becomes necessary. Matching the right salesperson to the right product is essential to maximise their strengths and ensure success.”
He concluded with advice for the industry:
“Strive for a diverse portfolio. A well-curated mix of products creates more opportunities, reduces risk, and ensures you can adapt to evolving customer needs.”
