Miami, Fla., April 18, 2000 -- According to a recent study by Simmons Market Research Bureau, Inc., 88 percent
of the U.S. membership base of Interval International used a personal computer at home or at work in 1999, compared
with just 52 percent of the general population. The in-depth study of Interval's U.S. consumer-membership base
revealed that overall, the number of members using computers increased more than six percent from 1997 to 1999,
while in that same period the number of Interval members using computers at home surged upward by more than 19
percent.
Remarkably, the number of Interval members with Internet access increased more than 40 percent in the past two
years. Almost 80 percent of Interval members now have Internet access.
"Every year, more channels of electronic access to the vacation-ownership resort industry open up, and the
numbers of consumers taking advantage of those channels is increasing at an extraordinary rate," said Craig
M. Nash, chairman and chief executive officer of Interval International. "We are strongly focused on technology
enhancement because future success belongs to those companies that understand and capitalize on the reality of
rapid evolution."
Interval's members were asked about their use of the Internet as a purchasing medium. Among the various categories
of items purchased on-line, travel is second only to books, and airline tickets are the most common type of travel
purchase these members make, followed by hotel reservations and car rentals. Member data for 1997 are not available
because, as recently as two years ago, Internet-based purchasing existed only on a limited basis.
Because of Interval's members' high propensity to purchase on-line, the company continues to expand its ability
to offer them products and services through IntervalWorld.com. Currently, these online capabilities include exchange
deposits, exchange requests, Getaway purchases, the ability to check pending requests, membership renewal and upgrading
and car rental. The site also offers an array of financial services that allow members to access auto insurance
and home financing quotes and an affinity program with Amazon.com offering travel-related books and accessories.
Another finding identified that e-mail usage is significantly higher among Interval members with 70% using e-mail,
compared with only 14% of the general population. More than 35% of Interval members use e-mail every day and 52%
of respondents are online up to five hours per week.
Conducted in the fall of 1999, the national study updates the results of similar research undertaken by Simmons
in 1997. It also provides comparisons of the demographic characteristics and product-use behavior of Interval's
membership base with those of the total U.S. adult population, based upon data gathered in Simmons' Spring 1998
National Consumer Survey. At that time, just 25 percent of the general population had Internet access. In February
of 2000, Nielsen//Net Ratings (a provider of Internet audience data - nielsennetratings.com)
reported that 122.3 million U.S. consumers, or 45 percent of the U.S. population, had access to the Internet.
Data for Interval's 1999 Simmons Proprietary Research Study were collected by mailing an eight-page questionnaire
to 2,500 Interval International members that were selected randomly from the active domestic member list. The
study yielded a 50 percent response rate. A total of 1,256 questionnaires were tabulated.
The demographic characteristics of the survey respondents closely match U.S. Interval International members as
a whole in terms of geographical distribution and type of membership. Simmons estimates the overall maximum sampling
error is plus or minus 2.7 percent. That is, there is a 95 percent certainty that the overall survey results are
within plus or minus 2.7 percent (or better) of what would be obtained if questionnaires were completed by every
active Interval International U.S. member.
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 approximately
1,800 resorts in over 70 countries. Interval serves more than one million member families worldwide through 31
offices in 23 countries. Beyond exchange, Interval offers its developer clients a range of services, including
program design, sales and marketing support, travel, reservations and financial services.
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Contact: Christina Wells
(305) 666-1861, Ext. 7267
cwells@interval-intl.com or
Ellen Yui
(301) 270-8571
ellenyui@starpower.net