Timeshare Owners More Worldly Says ARDA

Timeshare sales prices have held steady, according to the “2010 State of the Timeshare Industry report.” Here’s how ARDA president and CEO, Howard Nusbaum sees it, “In the face of an overall tighter credit environment, several of the larger timeshare developers intentionally reduced the scope of their sales operations and focused efforts more on the efficiencies found in selling to existing owners, referrals, and rentals. Today’s consumer is more worldly, and their travel needs have expanded. Our industry continues to adapt to the changing environment and is responsive to those who love the product.”

Yes, timeshare owners are more worldly … the world is more “worldly” when you think about it. Just as importantly, timeshare owners (and future timeshare buyers and timeshare renters) are more connected, tech savvy, and consumer aware. All of which says less about the timeshare industry and much more about consumers in general.

Timeshare Buyers Want Options and Control

People want to comparison shop—but not by making phone calls, visiting showrooms or leafing through stacks of product catalogues. Instead, consumers want to do two things in the process of becoming educated to make a buying decision.

1. They want to seek the opinion of unbiased consumers like themselves who have already made their own decisions, learning the pros, cons, and complaints these consumers may have found.
2. They want to zip through the top websites for a given product, gathering real information in the form of size, availability and pricing for themselves.

The direction the timeshare industry is taking is a great beginning. The industry is 100% correct in recognizing that consumers want more choices, more flexibility and more opportunities to control the buying process. Yes, ‘more worldly’ is one way to describe it, but the simple truth is… as the internet has given us instant and expansive information and communication, it’s also made the world a smaller and more navigable place for all of us.