2024 Outlook Brighter

We believe 2024 will be a fabulous year of growth for the country, the timeshare resort industry, and for us. What proof do I have of this? Well, not much beyond “women’s intuition” and a search through last year’s editions of Resort Trades.

For example, take a look at the gloomy “Forecast 2023; Gathering Clouds and Growing Turbulence,” by Phillip M. Perry on page 8 of January 2023. Headers lept off the page like an Egyptian pestilence of frogs. Bad tidings like “worker shortage,” “retail slowdown,” and “supply chain disruption” were the norm.

Compare this to Mr. Perry’s almost exuberant-by-comparison 2024 forecast. Sure, it begins on a somewhat sour note, but quickly segues to a cheerful tone when discussing consumer confidence. And, isn’t this a positive harbinger for our own timeshare owners/members and prospects?

Under the header, “feeling good,” Perry says, “The public mood is a strong driver of the economy. And here the news is good. “Consumer confidence has been trending higher, and I think prospects are good for it to improve next year,” he quotes one expert as saying.

Timeshare Professionals to Show Creativity

Resort Trades noted how innovation and creativity were markers signaling a brighter tomorrow for the timeshare industry.

In our editorial, as well as in our “Faces & Places” column, The Trades carried encouraging news coming from resort companies month after month. My article in the February 2023 Resort Trades, “How will AI Impact the Resort Industry?”, noted the promise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be an economic boon, particularly for resort marketing.

Resort professionals continue to share from their experience by contributing to our pages. Take the July 2023 issue, for example, in which we are offered invaluable advice from Joe Takacs, president and CEO of The MVP Service, LLC, on how to best handle association-owned inventory.

Reflections on the Resort Industry

As we head toward the spring of 2024, I hope you’ll take a moment to look at some of the articles that have appeared in our pages in the last year. There’s a tremendous amount of value to be found in our 2023 archives: https://lnkd.in/eu2ZbrC4.

Think for a moment of all the other industry publications that have come and gone over the years. Like all businesses, we are affected by crises, supply shortages, and price increases. Despite the growing expense of producing a print magazine, we know our readers appreciate receiving news from inside the industry.

Resort Trades’ Role in Supporting Our Readers

Our team at Resort Trades intends to continue to provide value to the resort community by producing a monthly free print publication, as well as several digital products. In an article from HealthCom Media (yes, a digital publication found at https://www.healthcommedia.com/print-versus-digital-four-reasons-why-print-is-still-around), author Aisling McCarthy answers the question about why print still wins the battle over digital in popularity. We found these three points most striking to us:

• People like engaging with print materials.
• Print stimulates more senses.
• Print can truly captivate readers by gaining their full attention.

Let’s Stay Engaged

You can help us continue to provide the timely, quality content we’ve been sharing for 37 years! If you’re part of the community of timeshare professionals, then you’re the reason we exist!

We sense that our content this year is going to be more widely read than ever before. If you have any ideas or comments you’d like to share, we’d love to hear them. Here’s how we can connect:

1. Find me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/sharonscottwilson.
2. Send your thoughts and article suggestions to me at Sharon@TheTrades.com.
3. Like and share our social media posts and YouTube videos.
4. Plus, we would be very appreciative if you were to recommend us to a new or current advertiser.

Most of all, share with others; tell them, “I SAW IT IN THE TRADES!”