It Was a Very Good Year!

(A not-so-brief look at what we learned in 2025)

When I first became involved in the resort industry back in 1989, my very first acquaintance was Resort Trades’ own “Jack-of-all-Trades” Jack Richardson. He called to welcome me to ARRDA (as it was known before becoming ARDA). That gesture of friendship set the tone for what this publication has always stood for—community, collaboration, and connection.

Now, after more than 35 years, Resort Trades is turning the page—literally! We’ve traded our supersized tabloid format for a sleeker 8.375” x 10.875” design that fits neatly on your desk, in your briefcase, or (if you’re like me) under a pile of other trade journals you swear you’re going to read someday.

The updated look brings more color, photography, and original art—because we believe even serious business doesn’t deserve to be boring. What hasn’t changed is our mission: to deliver relevant, useful, and interesting content for the professionals who make this industry thrive – completely for free whether in print or online.

But, before we leave 2025…

January 2025

Withum executives Maida Calvert and Lena Combs’ article, “Commitment and Accountability: The Cornerstones of Organizational Success,” is of particular value to executives who are responsible for directing a resort team. It breaks down how commitment and accountability can simplify operations, reduce headaches, and strengthen team performance. Chances are, you’ll see a few challenges — and solutions — that hit close to home.

February 2025

One of the highlights we found in this issue was an article written by Marge Lennon.  Want a fresh dose of inspiration for your resort team or company? Have a look at her article,  “The Five Cs of Leadership Demonstrated by Timeshare Trailblazers.” It digs into how the industry’s early visionaries shaped success through values that still matter — commitment, courage, clarity, community, and consistency. If you’re operating a resort or timeshare business today, these are time-tested leadership principles that could serve as a benchmark for your own operation — maybe even spark a few ideas worth borrowing.

March 2025

The issue included a wrap-up of the January ARDA WIN event in Orlando. In the article, “ARDA WIN: Helping Build Strong Leaders,” we looked at how industry-backed leadership programs are developing the next generation of resort executives. The article offers insight into what kinds of training and support exist, and how investing in leadership development can pay dividends for team strength and long-term organizational success. If HR is your bag, you’ll find true gold here.

April 2025

We’d particularly like to acknowledge Kelley Ellert’s first entry in her newly-launched series, “Hospitality Innovation in Action.” Kelley’s debut column offers practical, real-world ideas for strengthening guest satisfaction and operational efficiency, drawn directly from what forward-thinking resorts are doing today. It’s the kind of piece that leaves managers with a few “why aren’t we trying this?” moments — and a clearer sense of where innovation can truly move the needle.

Her article, “Making Old New Again: The Transformative Power of Strategic Renovations,” is a smart read because it shows how well-planned renovations can do more than make a resort look fresh — they solve hidden problems, boost guest satisfaction, and even help owners feel like their maintenance fees are well spent. It gives a roadmap for turning “just aging” into “strategically renewed,” offering pragmatic tips that apply whether you’re doing a full overhaul or smart, targeted upgrades.

May 2025

“The Amenities Arms Race: How Resorts Are Redefining the Guest Experience” shows how amenities can give your resort a step-up and differentiate it from competitors. The article suggests a number of ideas including technology-oriented services, wellness-focused offerings, personalization tools like curated mini-bars, or cultural engagement such as events or classes. 

June 2025

This issue marks the mention of AI for the first time in our book, thanks to industry expert Janice Passos — and we didn’t tiptoe in. The article “How will Agentic AI elevate the guest experience and bring world-class service to all?” explores how next-gen “agentic” systems could transform resorts by acting as proactive, autonomous team-members: anticipating guest preferences, seamlessly coordinating room service, housekeeping, upgrades, or activities, and adapting in real time to feedback. 

For resort operators and managers, the upshot is clear: AI may soon let you deliver hyper-personalized, “always-on” service without ballooning staffing costs — freeing your human team to focus on higher-value interactions while maintaining efficiency and consistency across properties. 

July 2025

Resort Trades sought to help ARDA spread the word about a great PR effort on the industry’s behalf. In the article “ARDA Partners with Roadtrippers…,” the association seeks to prompt consumers to think of a fresh way to think about timeshare travel: six pre-designed road-trip itineraries merging iconic U.S. routes with thoughtfully chosen resort stays. 

August 2025

In his article, “Built to Play, Designed to Stay, How Playgrounds Give Resorts a Competitive Edge,” Rich Albright, VP and GM of Soft Play shows the great impact a playground can create. If you’re in the business of building or repositioning resorts, this article makes a strong case for playgrounds — not as “nice-to-have” extras, but as strategic assets. It outlines how a well-designed play area can turn a resort into a family-ready destination, attracting parents who want convenience, kid-friendly fun, and peace of mind — factors that can heavily influence booking decisions. 

September 2025

ARDA’s 2025 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry report delivers a hard-hitting, data-driven snapshot of where the timeshare business stands — from resort counts and unit supply to sales volume, occupancy, rental revenue, and more. For resort developers, operators or management executives, that means insight into market health, demand trends and competitive dynamics — information you can use to benchmark your own performance or evaluate new projects. It also reveals how timeshare resorts are adapting structurally (what types of resorts are being added or retired, changes in amenities or unit mix) so you get a sense of what’s working industry-wide right now. Finally, by understanding shifts in owner behavior, occupancy, rental income and resale potential, you can make smarter decisions about pricing, upgrades, marketing, and even long-term investment strategy.

Here are the key metrics from ARDA’s 2025 State of the Vacation Timeshare Industry that matter most to resort developers and operators. We have distilled them into which have the strongest strategic implications:

1. Overall Industry Sales Volume

One of the most critical indicators of market strength, total sales volume shows whether consumers are still investing in vacation ownership — and at what pace. Rising volume signals healthy demand and room for new development; flat or declining volume suggests developers should focus on repositioning, upselling, or product modernization.

2. Occupancy Rates

Occupancy continues to outperform the traditional hotel sector, underscoring the resilience of the timeshare model. High occupancy directly supports rental revenue, owner satisfaction, and long-term dues stability — all metrics developers watch closely when planning expansions or renovations.

3. Average Price Per Interval / Per Point Package

This helps developers benchmark their own project pricing against national norms. Understanding average spend also reveals what today’s buyers consider “value,” shaping how you package amenities, points, and experiential upgrades.

4. Rental Revenue Growth

The report highlights strong rental performance across many markets. For operators, this validates the “hybrid use” model — serving both owners and renters — while signaling a growing opportunity for revenue optimization, digital booking improvements, and repurposing under-utilized inventory.

5. Net Resort Supply (Openings vs. Closures)

This is the developer’s reality check. Knowing how many resorts are being added, retired, or absorbed into larger systems helps you assess competitive saturation, identify underserved regional markets, and plan product types (urban, beach, mixed-use, experiential, etc.) with better precision.

6. Owner Behavior Metrics

Examples include booking windows, vacation frequency, and usage patterns — all valuable for modernizing product design. When owners book earlier, stay longer, or travel differently, developers can optimize unit mix and amenity investments accordingly.

October 2025

Odilia Guiant’s article, “How AI Makes Me a Better Leader,” helps us learn from AI. The gist as we read it:

• The article shows how AI can free up time — letting you get out of the weeds of repetitive tasks and administrative busy-work so you can focus on strategic thinking, mentoring, and leadership.
• It argues that with that freed-up time and clarity you can become a more thoughtful decision-maker, better communicator, and more intentional leader — with less stress and more impact. (Hear! Hear!)
• For resort execs juggling plenty of responsibilities, it offers a practical pathway to shift from “day-to-day manager” mode into “big-picture leader” mode.

November 2025

Bill Ryczek, a founding principal of Colebrook Financial, provided a sobering look at the state of the industry’s financial outlook for 2026. In his article, “Inflation and High Interest Rates Impact Timeshare Portfolios,” he examines how recent inflation and rising interest rates are pressuring timeshare loan portfolios. Key takeaways include:

• Defaults and delinquencies are rising — more buyers are falling behind or canceling, particularly those under financial strain.
• Prepayments have slowed sharply. With higher borrowing costs, fewer owners are using home-equity or other refinancing options to pay off timeshare loans early — which erodes a previously important source of liquidity.
• Borrowing-base surpluses have shrunk dramatically. What once might’ve provided hundreds of thousands in surplus now barely covers short-term cash needs — limiting the ability to finance new projects, renovations, or cover capital improvements
• Buyer demographics matter more than ever. The article notes that upscale purchasers (with stronger financial cushions) are weathering the storm better than lower-income buyers — suggesting that product positioning and buyer profiling now carry extra weight.

Bill didn’t pull any punches. Bottom line: In the current economic climate, resort developers, operators, and portfolio managers may want to tighten underwriting standards, boost value perception in your inventory, and rethink financing or collection strategies.

December 2025

Blake Plumley’s article, “Strategically Navigating Economic Uncertainty: A Guide to Optimizing Business Finances,” offers a more upbeat response to what might appear a hopeless conundrum. Blake echoes the theme of the July 2025 issue, which was “Refurbishment, Renewal, Refresh.” He reminds us to “Remember, economic uncertainty is not a death knell for businesses. Instead, it can be seen as an opportunity to reassess, reinvent, and reinforce your business strategy for sustained financial success.”

Enjoy the refurbished, renewed, and refreshed Resort Trades this year, but maybe take a moment to clip a few articles from past issues. They’re all available at https://resorttrades.com/past-issues.

Sharon Scott Wilson, RRP
Publisher, Resort Trades Media Group

The Resort Trades Media Group, based in Tennessee, was launched in 1978 as a resource directory to assist timeshare resort operators in resort development, management, and administration. Its editorial content soon expanded to provide not only resources for products and services, but also well-researched, relevant articles for career professionals involved in the vacation ownership industry. The Group produces a monthly print/digital magazine, a weekly eMagazine, a news-oriented website, and social media messaging integration. Contact Marla@thetrades.com; 1-931-337-4090; ResortTrades.com.