Changing the Lens
By Howard Nusbaum
July 23, 2014
We’ve been talking a lot
about the next generation and how our industry has changed to meet the needs of
this growing vacation sector. Recent
research now tells us that the “next generation” is becoming today’s consumer.
Our recent AIF Owners
Study found that consumers of today are, on average, much younger than ever
before and much more culturally diverse.
The average age of owners who have purchased in the last three years is
now 42 years old—compared with 50.5 years old for all timeshare owners. This
younger owner demographic also has more children at home who comprise the
vacation-group.
From resort accommodations
and amenities to new product features and services, our industry needs to
understand the priorities of this new consumer and all their various lifestyle
requirements. As resort developers and
designers, we need to look at the world through this new lens. The good news is that ARDA and the AIF will
continue to provide market intelligence and tools designed to meet these
needs. For now, some of these topics are
tackled in our July Construction & Design issue of Developments magazine, where the impact of traveling group-members
on unit size, on-site amenities, and activities is discussed. Be sure to check it out!