In a media release just out, ARDA, the American Resort Development Association cites the State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry: United States Study 2011 Edition conducted by Ernst & Young, as showing a positive pattern for timeshares. Significant factors include:

• 80 percent of timeshare owners vacationed in their timeshare last year.
• Timeshare sales were steady with a slight increase over the previous year.
• Timeshare rentals continue to thrive as 10 percent of timeshare occupancy was by renters; a fact attributed to the expansion of timeshare rental programs.
• Last year, timeshare rental accounted for 7.9 million nights rented. Currently 82 percent of timeshare resorts offer some form of timeshare rental.
• Several leaders in timeshare increased their offerings to include timeshare points as well as (and sometimes in place of) fixed timeshare week intervals.
• 55 percent of new timeshare sales are from individuals who are new to timeshare.
• 45 percent of timeshare sales are from people who already own a timeshare.

As Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO ARDA explains, “People are still making budget-conscious decisions when it comes to travel, which is why the value proposition of timeshare products is so appealing to our approximately 8 million owners.”

Follow this link to read the full release by the American Resort Development Association.