TACKLES TIMESHARING
With lower occupancy rates, a sagging economy, and the changing demographics of travelers, hotel industry officials are constantly searching for ways to fill rooms. One hot topic is timesharing.
Long considered the bad boy of the hospitality business, timesharing is coming of age in both size and stature. The entrance of companies like Disney, Marriott, and Hilton has served notice that timesharing is a viable occupancy option for the hotel industry.
THE BASICS
Timesharing’s image of past decades is quickly changing. Many vacationers now view it as a viable and economical option for future vacations.
The timeshare market is exploding. In the past two years, almost 500,000 households have purchased a total of more than 700,000 timeshare intervals. That means there are more than 3 million owners at more than 3,000 resorts worldwide. Contrary to popular belief, a recent survey showed that most of these owners are happy with their purchase.
“It is clear that timesharing is gaining in popularity, not only here in the United States, but also across Europe, Mexico, and in South America,” says Tom Franks,...