Resort Timeshare Consumer Data

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 3/1/2007

A Profile of Vacation Owners


Baby boomers and empty nesters lead in vacation ownership.

With the profile of the average timeshare buyer becoming increasingly diverse across population segments, the study underscores the flexibility and value of vacation ownership products for a broad range of consumers and lifestyles. Baby boomers and empty nesters lead in vacation ownership.

. 17% of recent buyers (within the last 12 months) are single.
. 31.4% of recent buyers and 24.9% of all owners have children under 18 years of age.
. The average age of recent buyers is 52.
. The median income is $74,000 for recent buyers and $81,000 among all owners.

High Satisfaction Rates and Repeat Sales

Consistently high satisfaction rates among owners, along with repeat sales to existing
owners and owner referrals of potential buyers account for the strong, steady growth
of the vacation ownership industry.

. A high 80.3% of all owners express satisfaction with their timeshare purchase.
. 75.7% say owning a timeshare has increased their looking forward to vacations.
. 68.4% of all owners say owning a timeshare has increased the amount of time they spend on vacations.
. 66.4% say it has increased their learning experiences.
. 52.8% say it has increased their health and happiness.
. About 25% of recent buyers are interested in purchasing additional timeshares.

Travel Patterns of Vacation Owners

Timeshare owners are committed travelers. By attracting a steady stream of repeat visitors who stay longer and spend more than the average traveler, timeshare resorts accrue a host of economic benefits to the surrounding region.

. The average timeshare visitor spends 8.6 nights per vacation in the resort area where their timeshare is located.
. The average timeshare visitor party spends $1,334 per timeshare vacation - an increase of 10.7% since 2002.
. The average size of timeshare visitor parties is 3.8 persons.
. 35.8% of all owners personally used their own timeshare purchase during the past 12 months, while 47.4% exchanged or space banked it, 4.4% rented it out, and 2.9% gave it away.
. Only 9.5% of time owned by all owners went unused during the last 12 months.

The Purchasing Process

Vacation owners are savvy travelers who shop around.

. A high 80.3% of all owners express satisfaction with their timeshare purchase.
. 75.7% say owning a timeshare has increased their looking forward to vacations.
. 68.4% of all owners say owning a timeshare has increased the amount of time they spend on vacations.
. 66.4% say it has increased their learning experiences.
. 52.8% say it has increased their health and happiness.
. About 25% of recent buyers are interested in purchasing additional timeshares.

Most Attractive Characteristics of Resort Area


Located in popular resort destinations, timeshare resorts offer a wide range of vacation experiences.

The inherent flexibility of timeshare, including the ability to exchange to other resorts, offers consumers the opportunity to tailor their vacations to meet their lifestyle and vacation dreams.

Conducted by Ragatz Associates, the study examines the demographics, buying patterns, and usage of vacation ownership based on surveys of 938 recent timeshare buyers and 1,547 owners who purchased prior to 2005.

For media inquiries about AIF research on the timeshare industry, contact:

Lou Ann Burney ARDA (202) 207-1156 lburney@arda.org
Ellen Yui YUI+Company (301) 270-8571 ellenyui@yuico.com
Elizabeth Grace YUI+Company (561) 989-9855 lizkgrace@aol.com