Timeshare Owners Remain Confident Travelers, Despite Economic Headwinds

Insights from ARDA’s September 2025 Vacation Ownership Sentiment Index

The American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) latest Vacation Ownership Sentiment Index shows that while U.S. economic confidence slipped in September 2025, enthusiasm for vacation ownership remained remarkably resilient. The Index registered 106.7, down four points from August but still six points higher than January 2025, signaling that timeshare owners continue to travel and plan vacations even amid softer consumer sentiment.

Owners Are Traveling More—and Planning Ahead

The report confirms that timeshare owners significantly outperform the broader traveler market in trip frequency, forward booking, and overall engagement

• 63% of owners have already booked their next vacation—62% higher than among travelers overall.
• 56% plan to take their next timeshare trip within four months.
• 39% expect to spend substantially more time on vacation in the next six months—44% higher than the general population.

In September, 35% of timeshare owners took a trip of 50 miles or more that included an overnight stay, compared with only 20% of total travelers.

ARDA calls this the “Timeshare Advantage”—a consistent pattern showing that owners, having pre-paid for vacation time, are both more motivated and more likely to follow through on travel plans than the average leisure traveler.

Satisfaction and Value Continue to Rise

For the thirteenth consecutive month, more than three-quarters of owners strongly agreed that their most recent vacation was “significantly better” than a typical trip. Equally impressive, those who “would highly recommend timeshare ownership to friends” and those who view ownership as “an exceptional value” each rose more than five points year-to-date.

Other indicators of confidence include:

• 78% of owners rated their last vacation as an exceptional experience, up six points from August.
• Over 50% have consistently said they expect their next timeshare vacation to exceed expectations—an eight-month streak.

Even as optimism about the U.S. economy dipped (23% vs. 30% in August), timeshare owners remained steadfast. More than half (53%) strongly agreed that “nothing is going to stop me from taking a vacation,” underscoring how ownership fosters a travel-ready mindset regardless of economic news.

The Broader Picture: A Year of Steady Performance

The Index has remained above 100 since January, tracking monthly sentiment on travel willingness, booking patterns, satisfaction, and perceived economic conditions. ARDA’s data visualization shows only modest month-to-month fluctuations, suggesting that vacation ownership behaves as a stabilizing force in the leisure sector.

For perspective, the index has ranged from a low of roughly 98.9 in early 2024 to peaks above 135 during the prior year’s post-pandemic travel surge. September’s 106.7 figure keeps the industry comfortably in positive territory.

Gen Z: The Next Generation of Vacation Owners

A standout section of ARDA’s September report spotlights Gen Z timeshare owners, a fast-growing cohort reshaping the market. Based on an augmented sample of 80 respondents, these younger owners differ from older generations in several key ways:

1. Demographics and Lifestyle

• More likely to be male (63%) and to have children at home (61%).
• Significantly more inclined to co-own a timeshare with someone outside their household, reflecting collaborative or friend-group ownership models.
• 37% regularly vacation with friends, versus 22% among older owners.

2. Travel Habits and Spending

• Gen Z owners plan 3.3 leisure trips and 2.8 business trips in the next six months, both higher than any comparison group.
• 55% expect to spend more time on vacation, and 41% expect to spend more money, indicating strong travel intent despite broader cost concerns.

3. Perceptions of Value

• 64% say owning a timeshare makes planning vacations easier.
• 61% believe it enables them to travel more frequently.
• 57% describe timeshare as an exceptional value, and 55% appreciate its prepaid structure, which offers predictability in uncertain economic times.

4. Future Engagement

• 61% of Gen Z owners plan to upgrade their current ownership within two years, nearly double the rate of older owners.
• 25% intend to purchase additional intervals or points, while only 10% anticipate selling.

These findings suggest that younger owners view vacation ownership not merely as a legacy product but as a flexible, lifestyle-enhancing asset that fits modern travel patterns such as “bleisure” trips and social travel with friends.

Methodology and Purpose

ARDA’s Vacation Ownership Sentiment Index is compiled monthly through an online survey of 500 U.S. timeshare owners and a parallel 500-person leisure traveler sample for comparison. All respondents must have taken a trip of at least 50 miles from home within the past year.

The survey uses significance testing across demographic and behavioral variables, then applies correlation analysis to identify which measures most strongly predict time and money spent on travel. The goal: provide industry stakeholders with a simple, data-driven scorecard of consumer sentiment and forward-looking behaviors.

What the Data Means for the Industry

Taken together, the September 2025 data paints a portrait of an ownership community that remains optimistic, active, and increasingly diverse. Despite a temporary dip in overall sentiment, timeshare owners continue to out-travel and out-plan their peers—an encouraging signal for resort developers, exchange networks, and hospitality marketers alike.

The resilience of the timeshare model—particularly its prepaid, commitment-based nature—appears to buffer owners from economic swings that might otherwise suppress travel. Meanwhile, the entrance of younger owners suggests continued relevance and adaptability of the product for decades to come.

In short:

Developers entering 2026 can expect a stable, opportunity-rich market—one where committed vacation owners continue to travel and plan ahead, even amid softer economic sentiment. With demand holding strong and satisfaction levels rising, resort projects catering to flexibility, family travel, and value-driven experiences are likely to see continued momentum.

The Resort Trades Media Group, based in a small Southern town 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.