NATIONAL REPORT— The fastest growing groups among future timeshare buyers are younger and more ethnically diverse than other pleasure travelers, according to the latest research commissioned by Interval International. The report also identified three social trends viewed as impacting current consumer-purchasing behavior and showcased the travel preferences of these potential purchasers. The study, Future Timeshare Buyers: 2002 Market Profile, was developed from data collected in The Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell/Yankelovich Partners 2002 National Leisure Travel Monitor. “Future Timeshare Buyers: 2002 Market Profile” focuses on the 16% of U.S. leisure travelers who indicate interest in purchasing some form of timeshare during the next two years. “This level of purchase interest is slightly higher than that recorded the previous year and validates the resiliency and continued appeal of vacation ownership, despite the social and economic pressures now faced by the travel industry,” said David Gilbert, executive vp/sales and marketing for Interval International. The majority of prospective purchasers are female (54%), white (77%), married (56%), age 37 or older (57%), and have annual household incomes of $50,000 or more (68%). The two demographic groups in which interest in owning vacation time is growing the fastest are 23- to 36-year-old and African Americans. In addition, three social trends were identified in the report as impacting today’s consumers: the “affluent attitude;” a renewed emphasis on personal relationships; and marketplace clutter. Prospective purchasers are significantly more likely than their non-interested counterparts to embrace the “affluent attitude” (the growing sense of entitlement to luxury touches). The findings also demonstrated the importance of family and friends to the respondent group, reinforcing their renewed emphasis on relationships. Prospective timeshare buyers place a high value on their vacation time, as nearly four in 10 would trade an increase in pay for an increase in vacation time. And, spending time with family and friends tops their list of leisure-time activities. More grandparents are traveling with children, and prospective purchasers are significantly more likely to plan vacations with children (nearly one-half plan to travel with children in the upcoming 12 months). In addition, friends are named as the traveling companion of choice, cited by 65% of prospective owners, compared to 53% who are interested in traveling with children who reside in their home. They are also more interested in traveling with extended family than leisure travelers in general. Prospective purchasers of vacation time, on average, travel with 2.6 adults (including themselves) and 2.2 children. Finally, consumers are increasingly seeking advice to help them cut through the clutter of marketplace options, and customized solutions represent one of the few ways left for businesses to achieve true product/service differentiation. A substantial proportion of prospective timeshare buyers would be willing to pay up to 20% more for a product or service customized to their specifications. “The study suggests that marketing messages highlighting luxury, prestige, and entitlement— or that communicate the greater space and privacy available to larger traveling parties— will appeal to prospective owners,” said Raul Estrada, Interval’s vp, consumer marketing and reservation services. “Targeted marketing is critical, so one-to-one marketing messages underscoring the flexibility of vacation ownership would also appeal to these consumers.” In examining travel preferences, the research demonstrated that future timeshare buyers travel frequently and are interested in a variety of destinations. Prospective purchasers report an average of 3.6 leisure trips of more than 75 miles away from home requiring overnight accommodations during the last 12 months, and plan to take an average of 4.2 such trips i
