U.S. company pushing to expand Indonesian timeshare market

JAKARTA (JP): A United States-based vacation company is encouraging Indonesian businessmen to form a timeshare sellers organization.

Resort Condominiums International (RCI), a leading international vacation exchange company invited tourist-related companies in Indonesia yesterday to discuss the establishment of a timeshare association to protect customers.

RCI's director of resort affiliations and services, Peter K. H. Chua, said an association is necessary to win worldwide recognition from developers, consumers and governments.

A timeshare is generally a condominium or apartment at a resort area, which is jointly owned by a number of individuals or groups, who divide up the time that is spent there.

The timeshare concept was first introduced in France in the 1960's to increase hotel occupancy rates.

RCI's Indonesian representative, Vitri S. Sukardi, said that her company has seven domestic hotel affiliates and almost 1,000 members.

She said RCI has cooperated with 2,631 resorts in 37 countries all over the world, of which 1,200 are in the United States and 200 in the Asia-Pacific region.

Chua said his company has successfully sponsored the establishment of timeshare associations in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

"We would inform the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications to get support for the establishment of an association in Indonesia," he said, adding that his company will hold a timeshare industry conference in Indonesia in July.

Haryogi Maulani, president of Balisani Group, which is affiliated with RCI, said the planned association will likely be established within three months. (icn)