Holidaying in the same place at the same time every year may not appeal to everyone so holiday clubs offer a points-based system to give you more flexibility.

Points are like a holiday currency. You will be able to make as many reservations at various resorts, as your points will allow.

You purchase a set number of points when you become an owner, which are then redeemed each year at any accommodation owned by the club, or if they are affiliated with an exchange company you would then have access to the additional resorts.

Being a member of a holiday club means you are part of a club with other members. The club owns accommodation inventory at a variety of resorts and as a whole is responsible for the levies incurred for these accommodations. The annual levies are distributed amongst the club members in the form of membership fees. These membership fees are used to manage the resort operations and maintain the units.

How to join

Step 1:

Choose how many points you want based on your budget, when you like to holiday, the number of people going on holiday and the accommodation size you will require. Based on your needs, the club will propose a suitable point allocation, which you will receive annually for as long as you remain a member.

Most resorts have different unit sizes that sleep different numbers of people. So, a bigger unit requires more points than a smaller unit. Points may also differ according to the time of year. School holidays (referred to as peak season) is in higher demand and therefore those time slots require more points than non-school holiday periods. Point values also differ between resorts as resorts are graded differently. One resort may not be rated as highly as another and therefore it would require fewer points to book.

Step 2:

Decide how long you would like to be a member of the club and then choose the type of product that fits your requirement. Clubs offer a variety of membership options that range from 5 to 10 years or more, the choice is yours

Step 3:

Sign up through a VOASA accredited holiday club or sales broker. VOASA (Vacation Ownership Association of SA) is an industry body that represents the interests of timeshare in South Africa for industry players and consumers.  In order to be registered with VOASA, companies have to comply with the relevant law and regulations applicable to the timeshare industry. VOASA members agree to adhere to the industry Code of Conduct as a condition of membership. If in doubt, ask to see a company’s VOASA membership certificate or check the members’ directory on the VOASA website at www.voasa.co.za

Step 4:

Paying for your points can be done either as a once-off cash payment or through the club’s in-house financing facilities which allows you to pay off your membership capital amount while still being able to go on holiday.

Step 5:

Bookings can be done either through the club online booking system or directly by phone and email. When you make a booking, the required number of points for your chosen holiday will be deducted from your points account. Depending on your club agreement, bookings can be done as full weeks, midweeks, weekends and/or single nights.

Remember that points are not like traditional timeshare where a fixed week is purchased. Instead points are use rights to a varied and extensive pool of weeks. This means that bookings are generally on a first-come-first-served basis. Should you not use all your points in the year in which they were allocated, then in most instanced the unused points are carried over to the next year and can be accumulated for a specified period, depending on your club agreement.