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Interval International

We don't exchange at all anymore, using what we own (or renting out our weeks when we can't use them), so I certainly have "no dog in this fight". However, as a regular reader and contributor in several different timeshare discussion forums, I see a WHOLE lot more widespread complaining and overall dissatisfaction with RCI than with II. For the record, Interval International (unlike RCI) has also never been the target of a class action lawsuit by its' very own dissatisfied membership. Regardless of the individual exchange company, available "inventory" rules everything. It seems to me in recent years (based upon 35 years of timeshare ownership, experience and observation), that owners with high demand weeks are increasingly renting them out if not actually using them, rather than "depositing for exchange". Playing the "exchange game" means paying ever increasing exchange company fees for membership, exchanges and upgrade --- just for the privilege of rolling the dice in the exchange game, with absolutely NO guaranty of obtaining a suitable or desirable exchange in return. It's little wonder that more and more people are just saying "no thank you" to playing the "exchange game". Accordingly, "deposited" weeks may very well be lower in both number and in quality these days (and also in the future). That's just speculation on my part, with no statistics available to back me up, but my personal opinion is that blaming Interval International for not having specific desirable inventory is both misguided and entirely unwarranted. Every exchange company depends upon owners depositing weeks; that's the "exchange inventory pool". It's certainly no surprise to me that the best weeks are seldom (if ever) "deposited for exchange" anymore; I do not see that picture improving in the future either. The prominence, ease and simplicity of the Internet has changed the timeshare landscape forever and (at least in my observation and personal opinion). ALL of the exchange companies are becoming less and less relevant with each and every passing day. Just my own personal observations and opinion.