Welcome

Mike Tolan, a UK citizen of Irish/American origins, is like many international businessmen - he's larger than life and full of enthusiasm for what he does. It's an enthusiasm that infects his workforce and his clients. In Slovakia alone he employs 80 people and across the countries where he does business he claims 10,000 contended family customers.

Mike Tolan's company Platinum International, offers vacation time-share properties. Timeshare is a concept that began in the 70's in America which allows a family to buy a vacation home by the slice, or, for one or two weeks of usage every year. The advantage is that most vacation homes are empty most of the year while the owner pays year round maintenance and repair. The idea is that other owners buy a week in that same home, and therefore become collective members of a holiday home club, thus, sharing the cost of a luxury villa or apartment or resort. In the US timeshare as a product has a stunning name. Wall Street loves timeshare. Many players in the hospitality industry are in timeshare in one way or another such as Cendant, Marriot, Disney, Hilton, Radisson and Accor.

In the past in Europe, Timeshare has had a mixed bag of operators who have tried this business, here today, gone tomorrow. This created a mixed reputation, which is one way to say the sector has attracted widespread criticism for unfair practices and high-pressure selling, as has the insurance industry and many industries left unchecked.

He has several convincing arguments in his own favor that separates his company as a long-term serious operator. "I have been doing the same thing since 1983. I couldn't manage 10,000 families if I wasn't doing it right. The difference is that we manage and sell our own products through our own brand, World Class Vacation Club. We work in regulated markets. Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Malta all have good regulations.

Joining the European Union has also helped, because the EU enables uniform legislation throughout member countries and provides a level playing field in the timeshare industry for any legitimate serious company. If you are in business with 10 competitors in a single market, you know it's down to who gives the best value and the best service", he says. "At the end of the day, in any industry or business, that's a customer driven need. Our clients want the best, expect the best, and therefore we have to go to work for them year after year to strive to meet the mark of excellence they expect."

Platinum International employs 500 people worldwide, offering timeshare properties as part of what Mike Tolan calls a lifestyle opportunity.

"We have a second-to-none product, one that can be enjoyed by anyone of any nationality. Most Slovak families didn't know what was available, and we have introduced them to new possibilities - how to travel in a more luxurious and comfortable way for less money, our vacation club gives them a membership that provides the keys to over 1000 villas and chalets around the world to use for their holidays."

Asked about the cost, he compares it to buying a car: "There are different sizes, different bells and whistles, ranging from a few thousand euros to more than 15,000 depending if it's for corporate or private family of course. We do a lot of market research to find those who need our product and their ability to pay for it. Everyone who attends our presentations gets a free voucher to go stay in one of our selected properties in Malta."