Press Release
November 9, 2001
ORLANDO, FL -- Future timeshare buyers are interested in a variety of travel destinations, would like to own a
two-bedroom unit and consider the opportunity to exchange to be an important feature of the timesharing concept,
according to the latest research commissioned by Interval International. The report, Future Timeshare Buyers:
2001 Market Profile, was released at the Timeshare and Resort Investment Conference held in Orlando, Florida November
5-7, 2001. The project was developed from data collected in The Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown/Yankelovich Partners
2001 National Leisure Travel Monitor, a strategic marketing tool for the travel and leisure industry. The study
was fielded early this year.
"In addition to basic demographic information, this report paints a detailed portrait of the travel preferences
and behaviors of prospective timeshare buyers," said Craig M. Nash, chairman and chief executive officer of
Interval International. "The research offers useful data for those involved in planning and marketing a resort
development."
According to the study, 90 percent of prospective timeshare owners would like to buy in the U.S. Other popular
potential purchase destinations are in the Caribbean, Europe and Australia.
Fifty-seven percent of prospective owners have already stayed in a condominium resort, giving them a taste of the
accommodations typically associated with timeshare, and 83 percent are interested in staying in a condominium resort
during the next two years.
Forty-two percent of those interested in purchasing timeshare consider themselves knowledgeable about its main
features. Their preferred unit size is a two-bedroom suite, followed by one-bedroom and three-bedroom suites.
The study found that exchanging properties is crucial to the timesharing concept.
"Nearly three-quarters of this group consider the ability to exchange vacation time or accommodations at other
resorts through a large network to be very or extremely important," said Nash. "This underscores the
value of the exchange system and speaks to its critical role in the appeal of timeshare."
The poll shows that prospective timeshare owners want to visit a variety of vacation destinations. When asked
to choose all of the places they want to visit, Florida topped the list for 61 percent of them. Prospective owners
also are interested in vacationing in Colorado (25 percent) and Hawaii (24 percent).
The most frequently mentioned "dream destinations" for prospective owners are the Hawaiian out islands
(84 percent), the Florida Keys (81 percent), Honolulu (81 percent) and US national parks (77 percent). With respect
to international vacationing, Europe (70 percent) is clearly the destination of choice but future timeshare owners
also want to visit the Caribbean (28 percent). In fact, their sense of wanderlust is so strong that prospective
timeshare owners have a higher degree of interest in visiting nearly all of the destinations listed in the study,
compared to respondents not interested in purchasing.
Interval International is celebrating its silver anniversary as the quality vacation exchange company providing
travel and leisure services for more than 1.25 million member families at nearly 1,900 resorts in more than 75
countries. With its international headquarters located in Miami, Florida, Interval serves its developer clients
and consumer members through 29 offices in 20 countries and currently employs more than 1,700 people worldwide.
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CONTACT:
Rhonda V. Sibilia 305-666-1861, ext. 7267 rsibilia@interval-intl.com