ARDA 2022 “timesharing together” conference

If you’ve never (or rarely) attended a convention or conference presented by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), you may be experiencing FOMO. This year’s meeting lasered-in on marketing and sales, in particular. Unlike previous conventions which hosted an exhibit hall and a large number of educational sessions, this time programming was limited to general sessions, plus five educational discussions called “Power Innovation Sessions.”

ARDA’s focus is serving developers of timeshare (or vacation ownership as we prefer to say) and sometimes resort professionals of independently managed resorts might feel there’s too high a price tag (particularly if staying at the Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida, with five-star room prices). Well, never fear, here are a few of the more salient points:

• Keynote speaker Seth Goldenberg echoed what is one of the industry’s next major directions – that of delivering experiential vacations. By the end of the conference, we must have heard the term “experience” used in every way known to man! If you’re involved in the industry, then you’re supposed to be finding ways to promote, provide, and PR the daylights out of the vacation ownership experience.

• Here’s the next big thing: Timeshare has recognized what has been largely an untapped market: minorities. To help illustrate how underserved blacks and Hispanics are, Soledad O’Brien described her childhood as a member of a mixed-race couple and the challenges they faced when traveling in the ‘60s. ARDA responded to the growing demand from this market by adding Diversity & Inclusion (also Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programming throughout the three-day meeting. There was even a Diversity & Inclusion Council meeting, which oddly enough, was exclusive.

• Colebrook Financial Company Principal Bill Ryczek and I had an interesting discussion about the ominous specter of a recession and how resort staff can prepare for it (Visit YouTube.com/ResortTrades to hear Bill’s comments.) If (and/or when) there is a downturn in the economy, several speakers during the conference reflected on the industry’s resiliency and on how strong occupancy rates were during the 2008-plus recession.

• With all the talk about the vacation ownership “experience” and providing “experiential” vacations and how to optimize the Customer Journey Experience, one could tell creative minds are hard at work. In other words, don’t count the vacation ownership industry out. Perhaps another bottom-line takeaway for me was that now is a great time to buy stock in timeshare!

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