Press Release: Interval International
December 15, 2000
MIAMI, FL -- The 2000 National Leisure Travel Monitor, co-authored by Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown and Yankelovich
Partners and sponsored in part by Interval International, provides a snapshot of the emerging lifestyles of today's
travelers and reveals that vacation ownership is an increasingly attractive vacation product for consumers. An
analysis of the social values and travel trends of adults who would consider the purchase of a timeshare or vacation
time during the next two years (17 percent of all leisure travelers) offers a number of compelling insights.
Now more than ever before, a vacation is viewed as an occasion on which to reunite the "family." Forty-nine
percent of leisure travelers interested in purchasing a timeshare plan to take one or more vacations with children
this year. Not surprisingly, fully 70 percent of adults say their children are influential in their decisions about
where to vacation. In addition, more than one-half of these individuals feel their children are influential in
deciding the actual dates of travel. Leisure travelers interested in purchasing a timeshare are even more likely
than their counterparts to say their children are influential in decisions about the selection of accommodations
when on vacation.
Multi-generational family travel is also on the rise. According to the Meredith Family Vacation Study, undertaken
annually by the Travel Industry Association of America, twenty percent of last year's family vacations, more than
17 million trips, included three generations traveling together.
"The trends we see developing reflect the general mood of our society," said Paul Rishell, president
for the Americas for Interval International. "These include a focus on family values and the family unit.
This focus has played a significant role in the growth of our industry, as the decision to purchase timeshare often
has its basis in a commitment to family time and activities that allow family participation."
When traveling for leisure during the last twelve months, 83 percent of adults interested in purchasing timeshare
stayed in a hotel or motel. This group is more likely to prefer luxury, all- suite and full-service accommodations,
presumably because many are traveling with children and accommodations that feature multiple bedrooms, full kitchens
and laundry facilities hold great appeal.
More than 54 percent of leisure travelers interested in purchasing vacation time have stayed in a condominium resort.
Nearly 80 percent are interested in staying at such a resort during the next two years, a significantly higher
proportion than for those who have not stayed in a condominium resort. This again reinforces the fact that condominium-style
accommodations suit the lifestyle of today's leisure travelers -- a fact that bodes well for the future growth
of the vacation ownership industry.
"Today's consumers want the pleasures of home in the vacation destination of their choice," said Rishell.
"Timeshare offers both, and this is a significant reason why the concept is attractive to a growing number
of leisure travelers."
Interval International, The Quality Vacation Exchange Company, has served the vacation ownership industry since
1976, offering innovative products and leading the industry with the highest level of quality, service and value.
Interval has attracted leading independent and brand-name developers to its network, which now includes nearly
1,800 resorts in more than 75 countries. Interval serves its developer clients and consumer members through 29
offices in 21 countries. Beyond exchange, Interval offers its clients a range of services, including program design,
sales and marketing support, travel, reservations and financial services.
SOURCE: Interval International