An Owner's View Of the Timeshare Titans

As an owner of several Marriott and Westin Vacation Intervals, I have experienced the "tin ear" syndrome when interacting with these Timeshare Titans. While both organizations conduct many structured surveys, their response to unstructured feedback is very defensive; the result is that the necessary improvements in programs and procedures occur much more slowly than if unstructured feedback were valued. Further, the defensiveness conveys arrogance and an under appreciation of owner perspective. I am currently experiencing this with the Marriott Destinations program. The most blatant example of disregard for existing owners was the decision by the Westin Princeville Resort to begin selling preferred view units as "Fixed Intervals" without giving notice to those who had already purchased. The view disparity by location in this resort is unusually significant. Unfortunately, because of dominant market positions, there is little prospect that either organization is likely to abandon it's autocratic approach. However, Marriott's more serious focus on restraining the inflation in maintenance fees demonstrates that these twins are not "identical"!