Based in Washington, D.C., the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is the trade association for the timeshare industry. ARDA’s work — including proactive advocacy — touches every role within the timeshare industry. Developers, exchange companies, vacation clubs, timeshare resellers, HOAs, resort management companies, industry vendors, consultants, and legal and regulatory experts are all part of the ARDA network. Meanwhile, timeshare owners and managers connect with ARDA through the ARDA-Resort Owners’ Coalition (ARDA-ROC).
An important part of ARDA’s advocacy role is in the area of public relations. You may already be familiar with the #LoveMyTimeshare campaign, a vibrant movement fueled by personal experiences – thousands of stories, photos, and videos celebrating the positive impact timeshare vacations have on real families. This campaign has a large social media aspect, communicating directly with the American public.
ARDA also takes a proactive role in communicating with the media on behalf of our industry. For example, in January, ARDA President Jason Gamel spent the day at the international Media Marketplace, which is considered the leading global networking event connecting the travel industry with journalists, editors and influencers. The centerpiece of the event has a “speed-dating” format and it matches industry representatives with journalists who have been preselected as a potential match.
At the end of the day, he was somewhat surprised by the tone and tenor of the conversations he had. What he found was most of his contacts had no opinions about the timeshare industry. “The journalists I spoke with were mostly uninformed about our industry,” Gamel said. “I was prepared to talk about both the positives aspects of the industry as well as some of the negative perceptions, so in some ways it was gratifying to see that were starting with open minds.”
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Although almost all the journalists had some idea what timeshares are, they were unaware of the major brands in our industry, the nature and quality of our resorts, and the flexibility and options afforded by new product offerings. They were also unaware of the youth movement that has taken place (57% of timeshare owners today are GEN Z and Millennials vs. 39% in 2012), which ARDA attributes to the fact that this younger population probably enjoyed timeshare vacations as children and thus realize the benefits of ownership. The experiential nature of the product also appeals to a younger population as do the newer urban locations.
They also didn’t know that many resorts have rental programs for non-timeshare owners. “This has perhaps the biggest downside as these travel writers may want to cover timeshare resorts but don’t because they believe they are closed to a portion of their readership,” Gamel says. “This is a lost opportunity as many new owners fall in love with timeshare through a rental stay at one of our resorts.”
Related: The Surprising Millennial Travel Trend That Boomers Started
So, what does this mean for media relations going forward? “We should focus our efforts on the basics of our industry as it stands in 2023 and less about overcoming negative stereotypes,” says Sarah Conroy, ARDA’s Senior Director of Marketing and Communications. “We can grab their attention with new amenities, resorts and programs, then turn the conversation to the core value proposition and features of the modern-day timeshare product. We have a great story to share.”
But ARDA can’t do this on its own. They are urging all timeshare developers and resorts to communicate factual information about our industry with their local media. Share news about your company or resort and urge them to also cover our industry more broadly.
Related: Love/Hate Relationships with Timeshares
To assist in these efforts, ARDA has provided Resort Trades with several talking points to use in your outreach efforts.
With such a great story to share, don’t hesitate to be an advocate for our industry. To learn more about recent industry research and ARDA’s advocacy efforts, visit ARDA.org, where you can find a wealth of information.
Judy Kenninger is principal of Kenninger Communications and has been covering the vacation real estate industry for nearly two decades.
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