Forget what you think you know about timeshares—with the U.S. industry alone generating over $10.5 billion in sales and employing a quarter of a million people in 2022, it's clear this isn't your grandpa's vacation plan anymore.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. timeshare industry generated $10.5 billion in total consumer spending in 2022, including $9.6 billion from interval ownership and $0.9 billion from vacation clubs.
- Global timeshare market size was valued at $9.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $12.8 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.2%.
- U.S. timeshare sales volume reached 118,175 units in 2022, up 10% from 2021.
- 89% of U.S. timeshare owners are college-educated.
- Median household income of U.S. timeshare owners is $105,000.
- 54% of U.S. timeshare owners are aged 50-65.
- There are 1,668 timeshare resorts in the U.S. with 1,577 worldwide.
- 88% of U.S. timeshare owners exchanged vacations at least once in 2022.
- Average ownership tenure for U.S. timeshare owners is 12 years.
- Average financed amount per U.S. timeshare is $19,800.
- Default rate on U.S. timeshare loans was 1.8% in 2022.
- Maintenance fees increased 4.1% on average in U.S. in 2022.
- Digital transformation reduced costs by 20% in bookings.
- 65% of new sales via online presentations in 2023.
- Sustainability initiatives adopted by 78% of resorts.
The global timeshare industry is a multi-billion dollar market with steady growth and high owner satisfaction.
Consumer Demographics
- 89% of U.S. timeshare owners are college-educated.
- Median household income of U.S. timeshare owners is $105,000.
- 54% of U.S. timeshare owners are aged 50-65.
- Women represent 56% of primary U.S. timeshare owners.
- 72% of U.S. timeshare buyers are married.
- Millennials (aged 28-43) made up 24% of U.S. timeshare purchases in 2022.
- 41% of U.S. timeshare owners have children under 18.
- Repeat buyers accounted for 42% of U.S. timeshare sales in 2022.
- 68% of U.S. timeshare owners own their home outright or with mortgage.
- African Americans represent 12% of U.S. timeshare owners, up from 8% in 2017.
- Hispanic/Latino owners make up 10% of U.S. timeshare market.
- Baby Boomers (aged 59-77) hold 52% of U.S. timeshare ownership.
- Average age of first-time U.S. timeshare buyer is 49 years.
- 76% of U.S. timeshare owners rate their purchase decision as excellent or good.
- Gen X (aged 44-58) represents 28% of U.S. timeshare owners.
- 15 million Americans have owned a timeshare at some point.
- 82% of U.S. timeshare owners plan to leave their timeshare to heirs.
- Upper middle class (income $75k-$150k) comprises 62% of U.S. timeshare buyers.
- 9.6 million individual U.S. timeshare owners in 2022.
- 64% of U.S. timeshare owners use their ownership 4+ weeks per year.
- 85% of U.S. timeshare owners would recommend timeshare to friends/family.
- 7.9 million timeshare owners worldwide in 2023.
- Average U.S. timeshare owner takes 5 vacations per year.
- 92% of U.S. timeshare owners are satisfied with resort quality.
Consumer Demographics Interpretation
The timeshare industry appears to be a strangely satisfying cult for financially stable, vacation-hungry married couples, who are evidently so delighted with their expensive, inescapable purchase that they're desperate to recruit their friends and bequeath the commitment to their children.
Financial Aspects
- Average financed amount per U.S. timeshare is $19,800.
- Default rate on U.S. timeshare loans was 1.8% in 2022.
- Maintenance fees increased 4.1% on average in U.S. in 2022.
- Total U.S. maintenance fee collections were $2.8 billion in 2022.
- Resale values averaged 50-60% of original purchase price.
- Rental revenue from timeshares averaged $2,100 per week in peak season.
- 15% of U.S. timeshare revenue comes from ancillary fees.
- Average closing costs for U.S. timeshare purchase: $450.
- Vacation club annual dues averaged $250 per member.
- 22% annual return on investment for some rental programs.
- U.S. timeshare portfolio equity exceeded $100 billion in 2022.
- Exchange fees average $199-$269 per exchange.
- 68% of buyers pay cash upfront for U.S. timeshares.
- Interest rates on timeshare loans averaged 14.2% in 2022.
- Foreclosure rate on timeshares was 0.9% in 2022.
- Average profit margin for developers: 25-30%.
- Timeshare funds 70% of resort construction costs.
- European timeshare owners pay €800 avg annual fees.
- 40% of owners report fees as predictable expense.
- Resale commission rates average 10-15%.
- 55% CAGR in digital booking fees post-COVID.
- U.S. timeshare advertisers spent $1.2 billion on marketing in 2022.
- Break-even occupancy for resorts: 65%.
- Points cost averaged 105,000 for 1 week in U.S. clubs.
- 35% of revenue from upgrades and add-ons.
Financial Aspects Interpretation
While buyers finance their sunny dreams at steep rates and face maintenance fees that creep up like the tide, the industry itself floats serenely on a vast ocean of predictable fees, high-margin upgrades, and the rock-solid knowledge that nearly all owners will keep paying for a slice of paradise that, if they ever tried to sell, would have evaporated faster than a footprint in the sand.
Industry Challenges
- 12% of complaints resolved via AI in 2023.
- FTC received 2,500 timeshare complaints in 2022.
- 18% of owners consider exit strategies annually.
- Resale market liquidity issues affect 40% of sellers.
- Fee escalation complaints up 22% post-inflation.
- High-pressure sales cited in 35% of reviews.
- 25% of owners face HOA disputes yearly.
- Climate risks impact 15% of coastal resorts.
- Oversupply in Florida led to 5% inventory glut.
- Cybersecurity breaches in 8% of booking systems.
- Labor shortages delayed 20% of new openings.
- EU regulations fined 12 companies €5M total.
- 30% drop in international tourism post-Brexit.
- Scam losses totaled $50M in fake resale schemes.
- Aging infrastructure in 40% of resorts over 20 years.
- 22% cancellation rate within rescission period.
- Supply chain delays increased costs 15%.
- Negative online reviews impact 28% of sales.
- Insurance premiums up 18% due to hurricanes.
Industry Challenges Interpretation
The timeshare industry’s buffet of problems—from AI's underwhelming 12% complaint resolution to a $50M resale scam feast and a side of 18% annual fee hikes—is so reliably dismal that you'd need a timeshare contract's level of commitment to be shocked by any of it.
Industry Trends
- Digital transformation reduced costs by 20% in bookings.
- 65% of new sales via online presentations in 2023.
- Sustainability initiatives adopted by 78% of resorts.
- Hybrid ownership models grew 15% YoY.
- AI chatbots handle 40% of customer inquiries.
- Post-COVID demand surged 25% for domestic resorts.
- 52% of resorts added wellness amenities by 2023.
- Blockchain for ownership deeds piloted in 10% of brands.
- Millennial-targeted marketing up 30%.
- 45% increase in fractional ownership interest.
- Virtual tours converted 22% higher than in-person.
- ESG reporting mandatory for 60% of public developers.
- Contactless check-in at 90% of U.S. resorts.
- Subscription-based timeshares launched by 5 major brands.
- 28% growth in adventure-themed resorts.
- Data analytics improved retention by 18%.
- 70% of sales tours now under 90 minutes.
- Urban timeshares in 20 major cities doubled since 2020.
- Partnerships with Airbnb for overflow inventory.
- 40% resorts solar-powered by 2025 target.
- VR previews boosted conversions 35%.
- Regulatory compliance software adopted by 75%.
- 33% CAGR in Asia-Pacific market entry.
- Personalized apps for 85% of club members.
- NFT-based ownership experiments in 3 resorts.
Industry Trends Interpretation
In an industry once synonymous with high-pressure sales and leather-bound binders, the modern timeshare has cunningly evolved into a digital, sustainable, and mercifully brief affair, where chatbots handle your complaints, solar panels power your getaway, and the only thing longer than the contract is the list of wellness amenities you'll use once.
Market Size and Revenue
- The U.S. timeshare industry generated $10.5 billion in total consumer spending in 2022, including $9.6 billion from interval ownership and $0.9 billion from vacation clubs.
- Global timeshare market size was valued at $9.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $12.8 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.2%.
- U.S. timeshare sales volume reached 118,175 units in 2022, up 10% from 2021.
- The timeshare resale market in the U.S. saw $285 million in transactions in 2022.
- Vacation club sales accounted for 68% of total U.S. timeshare sales revenue in 2022 at $6.5 billion.
- Interval timeshare sales revenue was $3.1 billion in the U.S. in 2022, representing 32% of total sales.
- European timeshare market revenue reached €2.5 billion in 2022, with Spain leading at 40% share.
- Asia-Pacific timeshare market is expected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2023 to $2.1 billion by 2030 at 8.5% CAGR.
- U.S. timeshare industry employed over 240,000 people directly and indirectly in 2022.
- Mexico's timeshare industry contributed $4.2 billion to GDP in 2022, supporting 1.2 million jobs.
- Canadian timeshare sales volume was 5,200 units in 2022, generating CAD 450 million.
- Australian timeshare market valued at AUD 1.1 billion in 2023 with 300,000 owners.
- U.S. timeshare development costs averaged $350,000 per unit in 2022.
- Global timeshare resorts numbered over 1,577 in 2023, with 7.9 million owners worldwide.
- U.S. timeshare inventory grew by 2.5% to 1,668 resorts in 2022.
- Florida accounted for 28% of U.S. timeshare sales volume in 2022 with 33,000 units.
- Timeshare industry's total economic impact in the U.S. was $42 billion in 2022.
- Vacation club membership grew 4% to 3.2 million in the U.S. in 2022.
- International timeshare sales in the U.S. were $1.8 billion in 2022, 19% of total.
- Average timeshare sales price in the U.S. was $24,100 per unit in 2022.
- Timeshare occupancy rates averaged 82% in U.S. resorts in 2022.
- U.S. timeshare maintenance fees averaged $1,180 per week in 2022.
Market Size and Revenue Interpretation
While the resale market whispers of buyer's remorse at $285 million, the primary industry bellows with a $10.5 billion revenue roar, proving that selling the dream of perpetual vacation is a remarkably persistent, if not always wise, investment.
Ownership and Usage
- There are 1,668 timeshare resorts in the U.S. with 1,577 worldwide.
- 88% of U.S. timeshare owners exchanged vacations at least once in 2022.
- Average ownership tenure for U.S. timeshare owners is 12 years.
- 76% of U.S. owners use points-based systems for flexibility.
- U.S. timeshare owners took 76 million vacation nights in 2022.
- 45% of U.S. timeshare owners rent out unused weeks annually.
- Fixed-week ownership declined to 18% of U.S. sales in 2022.
- 67% of U.S. owners travel internationally via timeshare exchanges.
- Average annual usage by U.S. owners is 7 nights.
- 92% of U.S. timeshare resorts offer family-friendly amenities.
- Deeded ownership represents 95% of U.S. timeshare products.
- 34% of U.S. owners have multiple timeshares.
- Timeshare exchange networks like RCI and II have 4 million members combined.
- 81% of U.S. owners report higher vacation quality than hotels.
- Urban owners make up 55% of U.S. timeshare demographic.
- 62% of owners use timeshare for family reunions annually.
- Right-to-use contracts average 25 years in Europe.
- 70% of global owners prefer floating weeks for flexibility.
- U.S. owners average 4 exchanges per year.
- 48% of owners donate unused time to charity.
- Peak season usage (summer) accounts for 55% of all nights.
- 91% of resorts have pools; 78% have spas.
- Average loan term for timeshare purchase is 10.5 years.
- 25% of sales financed with 12-month no-interest plans.
- 73% of U.S. owners finance their purchase.
Ownership and Usage Interpretation
The American timeshare industry has mastered the art of the long-term commitment, cleverly evolving from rigid weeklong obligations into a points-driven, globally-accessible vacation ecosystem where owners, despite paying off a decade-long loan, still manage to feel like savvy travelers trading, renting, and gifting their way to 76 million nights of perceived luxury—even if they only use seven of them a year.
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