Ohhh, that 11 days on average on a timeshare vacation - I'd love to see the mean and a distribution chart. It seems like the the logical values for "timeshare normies" would be 0 - i.e. no trips, the people who all end up hating timeshares, 7 days (using a traditional week or sold week) and then the rest of us on TUG at 4+ weeks a year would seem to be the long tail. But Average without a distribution it's really unclear if the other huge percentage is at 2 weeks, or if there's a few at a huge number that are fighting against all the 0 days...
Then there's the repeat visits - I think that has to be a function of most timeshare people being "in the game" for a long time. I'm going back to a location for the first time next week. I could imagine 10 years from now I might hit 7 return visits to Massanutten if we do keep wanting to do it around Memorial Day each year. Smuggs might also be a lot of trips. Depending on how next year's trips to New Orleans goes, I can see going back at least once - though a lot of these are because "everyone" can't go at once, but "everyone" wants to go to some of the same places. But still, over 7 times!
"Over 70% of owners would recommend timeshare ownership in general" is a little hard to believe, their data has to be skewed somehow to the very positive end of the owners. Even on TUG, where we're mostly pretty pro timeshare and have generally good experiences with our ownerships don't think it's a general recommendation. Or maybe all the internet posts and news stories are overall majorly negatively biased I guess. But in terms of just "all timeshare owners" I am surprised only 30% have reservations on widespread recommendations.
The income brackets don't surprise me.
Kind of sad (though OTOH good for us cheapskates and the companies I guess) that even Millenials and Gen Z are over 2/3rds retail purchases. I would have expected more "truth finding online" here. Though it's also trending down, the n for Gen Z is quite small so IDK if the numbers are as well sourced as the larger other generations (IDK why Gen X is split either).
The statistics on new owners of 16% seems "reasonable" to me for a 2 year period. I don't know how that compares to say car ownership, or appliance, or other "major" but also often somewhat ongoing markets. But if that holds true over time I think it puts paid to the "timeshare owners are all aging out" so the market is going to collapse.
"The average length of timeshare ownership
is 13 years, with Baby Boomers owning their
timeshare for 21 years and Gen Zers owning
for 9 years."
That Gen Z statistic is kind of unbelievable to me - the oldest Gen Z are 27 right now (OMG that's old lol) and if they've owned for 9 years they bought as soon as they turned 18. Which means all the others somehow got a timeshare as minors? Press X to doubt XXXXXXXX.
Ok - well then there's an average of over 4 trips! I guess I was wrong at the beginning, it's way more people going for a LONG time, and using an average of 2.5 units, which means to me a lot of 0 days a year and a number of IDK 30+ days a year. And wow, I did NOT expect the implication that a LOT of people are booking 3+ units each stay. I guess it must be way more family reunions etc than I thought. Though I also am considering that - if this 2 unit Massanutten trip works out, maybe we'll try and book something like that if we ever kick off "family reunions" at all.
I'm surprised how many people seemingly are happy and also booking between one week and 6 months. Remember most don't seem to be booking last calls or the like. And over a quarter are one to 3 months out specifically! I guess it seems possible to "not plan" and be a happy owner if you believe all this. Another press X to doubt for me, or we need more context.
"Timeshare owners overwhelmingly return to their previous trips’ destinations, with over 80% of owners
being repeat visitors to their most recent destination."
I still think a lot of this is a function of limited locations, and the selection bias of the people who buy timeshares retail are going to be people who desire to go back to those locations many many times. Remember this is only 1/13 Americans. I'm guessing a huge majority of people in general don't go to the same place over and over again unless it's to go to family and stay in their house.
Wondering again about the skew of their data given that they say only 16% didn't use it at all. This doesn't really feel right to me, but maybe it's just the complainers we hear about in the media.
It's both surprising and not to see skiing at 15%.
Interesting to see "Kid friendly games, arts and crafts" at only 24%.
"Overall ownership experience satisfaction tends to be a function of income as
higher income owners"
Also not so surprising. You need to have a certain amount of free money even with the discounted lodgings via timeshares to travel.
"Younger owners (e.g., Millennials: 86%) are more likely 76%
to recommend timeshare ownership than their older
counterparts (e.g., Boomers: 48%)."
This does not seem to track with the "common wisdom" of Millennials and Gen Z being way more AirB&B interested. Though this again is just from people who are owners. But I'm quite surprised the Boomers are so low. I guess it has a little to do with who you're recommending it too? If I was in my 70s I probably wouldn't recommend to other people like me starting out with timeshares just due to ROI time. Whereas in my 40s (and many Millennials in their 30s) I think there's a long ROI time horizon for others like me. So again, context is going to matter.
I am interested to see that "Quality of technology" rates so high - what the heck does that even mean? I don't care if they have computers or game systems or whatever - I bring my own. I guess TVs matter to some, but that's kind of an either / or sort of thing right? I would guess the #1 is WiFi, and if that's the case, these resorts NEED TO MASSIVELY improve their WiFi. Like, don't worry about upgrading the appliances, TV size or much else till the WiFi is GREAT.
I am shocked that apparently 38% of people don't care THAT MUCH about how many bedrooms though.
The reasons to purchase a timeshare make sense except for Overall Flexibility - I mean, yes that's really important, but timeshares are the opposite of that... I wouldn't think anyone purchases a timeshare, especially someone happy with it, because they think it gives them more flexibility than just paying cash at hotels or wherever...
Interesting to see 43% have no children. Makes sense - children can make it hard to use a timeshare because of scheduling...
