专业外语timesharing.docVIP

Timesharing The 20th century is an era of mass tourism. Everyday there are people traveling somewhere in the world. The reasons for them to travel are many and varied, but a major one is, doubtless to say, vacationing. Nowadays, many people from developed countries and from some developing countries have vacations with salaries, the lengths of them varying from a few days to several weeks, even months. Many self-employed business people, professionals and freelance workers can choose to have vacations at the most desirable time and for the most desirable length they consider suitable. As in the past the nobles had castles or villas built in different places as their second homes for different seasons, the more wealthy ones today buy houses in resort areas to spend their vacations. Such vacation homes or second homes have a further advantage in that they will probably also appreciate in value. A tourist with savings available may therefore be able to have accommodations virtually free if the appreciation of the property covers the costs of services and maintenance. Many affluent German, French and Dutch tourists buy second homes, often in the country or by the sea, and this is reflected in the nature of the newest Spanish or French resorts where 80% or more of the accommodations available are likely to be for sale. For those who cannot afford to purchase a second home outright, timeshare makes an attractive alternative. Timeshare is a scheme whereby an apartment or condominium is sold to several co-owners, each of whom purchases the right to use the accommodation for a given period of the year, ranging from a week to several weeks. Because of this, it is also known as interval ownership. The initial cost of the accommodation will vary according to both the length of time and the period of the year for which it is purchased. For instance, a week in July or August in the same seaside condominium may be three or four times the cost of a week in winter. The scheme is rep