July 31, 2021

KOALA is transforming the timeshare industry — with transparency and fair play. Co-founders Mike Kennedy and James Burbridge have built an online marketplace that connects vacation travelers to timeshare owners. With KOALA, these two communities connect and transact, safely and securely.

https://www.go-koala.com/

 

 

Many timeshare and vacation club owners find they’re no longer using their properties. Maybe the kids have grown, or they’re ready to explore new destinations. Whatever the reason, they still have to cover their annual expenses if they continue to own their timeshare. Bringing these two groups together helps everyone. Owners get an easy way to rent their space to defray costs. Travelers, by booking a top-notch resort for less money, get a smarter vacation. 

 

Mike and James this week on TIMESHARE TALKS FOR CONSUMERS 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaSBE8PyIGc

 

As Reported by: The Points Guy 

 

KOALA is a new platform that allows existing timeshare owners to list their unused nights or weeks for anyone to book. While there are other ways to do this right now, there are a couple of main benefits to KOALA. The first is a verification process to ensure that the properties you’re booking (and owner of said property) are both legitimate.

 

“We have a third-party — the resort — that can verify that each listing is accurate,” Mike said. “We guarantee that the unit you book is the one you check into or your money back. It’s very simple.”

 

This process happens on the front end, before a unit even goes live on the platform — including verification of the host. This provides valuable peace of mind for customers, as you’ll know exactly what you’re getting when you book a stay.

 

KOALA’s listings are inclusive of all costs associated with a stay — including taxes, resort fees and any other charges associated with your trip. According to Mike, “You’ll see exactly what you pay with us, and if there are any resort fees, you’ll see them clearly elucidated on the platform.”

The real victory comes in the potential for cost savings. While owners set the prices of their timeshares, the KOALA team provides price checks, comps and data in the background to alert them if a price is being set too high.

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/tpg-talks-best-alternatives-lodging-options/

 

As featured on CNN: The future of the vacation abode

 

"There are over 22 million timeshare owners around the world. Before Covid, over 60 percent of these owners already struggled to use their ownership on an annual basis and had few, if any, reliable exit options," says KOALA co-founder, Mike Kennedy. 

"I expect that percentage is only increasing during the Covid-19 pandemic as many timeshare owners are senior citizens who fall within the high-risk age group for the virus and may be avoiding travel as a result."

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/vacation-homes-us-citizens-travel-restrictions-covid-19/index.html

 

The Wall Street Journal

 

Koala, a new platform that follows Airbnb’s model but allows individuals to rent one-time stays in timeshares that would otherwise sit unused.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-vacation-homes-sites-that-cater-to-millennials-11607685957

 

KOALA charges owners a modest commission, ranging from 8% to 10%, for help with booking and payments. The prices you see on Koala include all booking fees, including resort fees. Nothing hidden, no surprises. 

 

Meet Mike and James

 

CEO and Co-founder Mike Kennedy was in the 90’s metal band Vision of Disorder before setting down his guitar in 2002 and getting into the real estate business in New York City. That led him to a job at Hilton Grand Vacations, where he spent 10 years learning the ins and outs of the timeshare business. In 2016, Mike indulged his twin passions for food and entrepreneurship by co-founding the restaurant Olmsted in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights, a farm-to-table neighborhood restaurant that keeps quail out back. He and his partners later started Maison Yaki, a French-Japanese yakitori restaurant. 

 

You can follow Mike on LinkedIn and on Instagram.

 

COO and Cofounder James Burbridge grew up in the U.K., where he attended Harrow School and University College London—plus a side trip to Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. All that learning blessed James with the mind of an engineer and the spirit of a creative. That, plus his experience in startup operations, tech entrepreneurship, and product development, has brought him success in fields from retail to travel and hospitality. James has helped run campaigns for companies like Emirates, Burberry, Coca-Cola, and the BBC; developed patented technology for the online retail market in Lebanon; and even started his own fractional ownership business—like timeshares—for cars and residences. 

You can follow James on LinkedIn.

 

Related article: Jessica Burke - Our Go-to for Virginia Beach Rentals

 

https://tarda.org/should-i-buy-a-timeshare-or-rent-one