2026 ARDA Leadership & Policy Forum
Overview
The ARDA Leadership & Policy Forum is a key governance and leadership event for leaders and stakeholders in the vacation ownership and timeshare industry, A central component of the Forum is ARDA’s committee meetings, which provide an opportunity for committee members to come together, discuss current priorities and challenges, collaborate on initiatives, and help shape ARDA’s agenda. In addition to committee and governance activities, the meeting features programming focused on legislative, regulatory and economic issues that impact the industry.
Hotel Information
The Willard Intercontinental Hotel is the host hotel for the 2026 ARDA Leadership & Policy Forum. At this time, the ARDA Discount Room Block is sold out. Rooms are available at the Willard at the prevailing rate and can be booked directly on the hotel’s website.
Registration
| Type of registration | Deadline | Fee |
| ARDA Trustee or Chairman’s League Members | October 22 | Complimentary |
| Early Bird | September 18 | Member: $900 | Non-Member: $1200 |
| Standard | October 22 | Member: $1100 | Non-Member: $1400 |
Cancellation Policy
Registrations may be cancelled until September 19 and will be issued a 50% refund. After September 20, no refunds will be authorized. Registrations may be substituted for someone else within your organization until October 16, 2026.
Agenda
Speaker information and additional details will be provided in late September.
Unless otherwise noted, events are open to all attendees.
7:30 am-4:00 pm
Registration
8:00 am-5:00 pm
VIP Lounge (open to ARDA VIP Members and their Guests)
Sponsored by First American Title Insurance Company
8:00 am-9:30 am
Investment Committee (closed meeting)
9:00 am-11:00 am
Coffee Service
Sponsored by Western Alliance Bank
9:30 am-11:00 am
Technology & Innovation Council (closed meeting)
10:00 am-11:00 am
General Counsel Council (closed meeting)
11:00 am-12:30 pm
AIF Board of Directors (closed meeting)
1:00 pm-2:30 pm
ROC Board of Directors (closed meeting)
2:00 pm-4:00 pm
Coffee Service
Sponsored by Western Alliance Bank
1:30 pm-2:30 pm
Research Committee
3:00 pm-5:00 pm
ARDA Executive Committee (closed meeting)
3:00 pm-4:00 pm
Legislative Committee with Speaker JoeCrowley
Former, U.S. Representative from NewYork’s 14th Congressional District
4:00 pm-5:00 pm
WIN Committee
5:00 pm-6:00 pm
Welcome Reception
Sponsored by Interval International and RCI
6:30 pm-8:30 pm
VIP Member Dinner with Speaker Dasha Burns, White House Bureau Chief, Politico
Sponsored by First American Title Insurance Company
(Open to ARDA Trustee & Chairman’s League Members)
8:00 am-4:00 pm
Registration
8:00 am-5:00 pm
VIP Lounge (open to ARDA VIP Members and their Guests)
Sponsored by First American Title Insurance Company
8:00 am-9:00 am
Continental Breakfast
8:30 am-11:00 am
ARDA Board of Directors (closed meeting)
11:15 am-12:15 pm
Risk Management Advisory Council (closed meeting)
12:30 pm-1:45 pm
Legislative Luncheon with Speaker John Katko, Former U.S. Representative for New York’s 24th Congressional District, Senior Advisor, HillEast Group & Host of Balancing Act, where Katko brings balance to discussions on divisive political issues
Sponsored by ARDA-ROC
2:00 pm-2:45 pm
General Session CEO Conversation: Leadership Transformation & the Future of Timeshare
Sponsored by Liberty Bank
Join ARDA President and CEO Jason Gamel as he moderates a candid conversation with Matt Avril, CEO of Marriott Vacations Worldwide, and Jim Mikolaiсhik, CEO of Holiday Inn Club. The conversation will explore their return to the vacation ownership industry in new leadership roles, navigating the transition, and leading iconic brands through change.
They’ll share lessons from their careers, the priorities and challenges of their first six months, how they build culture and earn the trust of their teams, and the decisions shaping their organizations today. The conversation will also look ahead at the evolving owner experience, technology and AI, the next generation of owners, and the forces that will define the future of vacation ownership.
2:45 pm-3:15 pm
Coffee Service
Sponsored by Western Alliance Bank
3:00 pm-3:30 pm
Knowing the Owner: The Data Behind Today’s Timeshare Consumer
Join David Axel, ARDA’s SVP, PR, Marketing & Communications, to explore who today’s timeshare owner is—and how we know. This session takes a closer look at how ARDA tracks, measures, and understands the vacation ownership consumer.
From owner demographics and behaviors to satisfaction, travel patterns, purchasing decisions, and emerging trends, we’ll explore the research behind the numbers and what it tells us about where the industry is headed. Most importantly, we’ll examine why understanding the owner matters—and how ARDA is using these insights to make smarter decisions, better serve owners, and attract the next generation of vacation ownership consumers.
3:40 pm-4:30 pm
General Session with Keynote Speaker Douglas Holtz-Eakin: Holtz-Eakin will share the latest economic outlook- where the US economy is headed, including growth inflation, interest rates, employment and consumer spending. He’ll connect economic trends to what Congress and the administration are doing or not doing- on taxes- spending, regulation trade and other policy issues.
Sponsored by Fidelity National Timeshare
4:30 pm-5:00 pm
Reception
8:30 am-10:00 am
Closing Breakfast with Keynote Speaker Jake Sherman, Founder, Punchbowl News
Sponsored by FNTC
Thank you to Our Generous Sponsors
Beacon Sponsors
Champion Sponsors
