Why next-generation travelers are reshaping the definition of modern hospitality

For decades, the timeshare and vacation ownership industry has relied on incentives to drive tours and sales. The gifts, rewards, and promotional touchpoints have always supported guest engagement. While the fundamentals remain the same, expectations have changed dramatically.

Travelers now expect transparency, personalization, and immediacy from every interaction, including the incentive experience. Modernization is not a rejection of tradition. It is the natural evolution of a model that must keep pace with the travelers it serves. Legacy gift programs can evolve into value-based engagement systems that merge technology with the enduring principles of hospitality.

This is not a product pitch. It is a straightforward assessment of where the industry is headed for operators who plan to remain competitive in 2026 and beyond.

The Cost of Standing Still

Many incentive programs still function the way they did a generation ago, built on spreadsheets, manual tracking, and disconnected processes. What once seemed efficient now slows teams and obscures operational insight. Every manual step introduces friction; from the moment a guest arrives to the moment the transaction is reconciled.

Human-driven systems create inconsistencies and errors. Without real-time visibility, leaders spend more time reacting than guiding. Fragmented platforms weaken accountability, and the absence of reliable data undermines both growth and trust. These inefficiencies ultimately affect how guests perceive the brand, and even small lapses in execution weaken confidence across the entire operation.

A Generational Shift

According to the ARDA International Foundation’s 2022 U.S. Shared Vacation Ownership Owners Report, Millennials and Gen Z now make up the majority of new timeshare buyers. These owners place a high value on immediacy, transparency, and personalized service. Their expectations are shaped by Amazon, Apple, and the travel apps that define convenience in their daily lives.

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They are not evaluating one resort against another. They are evaluating every interaction against the most seamless digital experiences they encounter anywhere.

This shift does not diminish the value of tradition. Rather, it requires the hospitality industry to translate its signature warmth into modern form: faster communication, unified systems, and experiences that feel personal without feeling scripted.

The Modernization Imperative

Modernization is not the simple replacement of paper with screens. It is the alignment of people, processes, and data to create clarity and consistency.

• Efficiency as Experience: When operations move cleanly, guests interpret it as professional competence.
• Real-Time Insight: Visibility supports stronger decision-making across departments.
• Trust Through Transparency: Clear reporting strengthens accountability and reinforces confidence among staff and guests.
• Futureproofing the Brand: Modern systems communicate readiness and position the resort for long-term credibility.

From Legacy to Leadership

Incentive management was once a back-office responsibility. Today it represents a frontline moment that reflects the resort’s operational discipline. Modernization transforms what was historically an administrative chore into a defining element of the brand experience.

The industry has weathered many transitions: phone reservations to online booking, siloed logs to centralized data, paper records to digital operations. Each shift began as a modernization effort and quickly became a standard for survival. The next stage of evolution is no different.

The Road Ahead

The timeshare industry has always balanced heritage with innovation. The challenge today is to uphold the roots of hospitality while adopting the systems that sustain it.

Modernization is no longer optional. It is the path by which the industry strengthens its legacy, supported by decisions that create transparency, connection, and a truly guest-focused experience.

Taking the First Step

Modernization begins with a leadership decision to replace assumptions with insight. The most effective place to start is small. Examine where your team still relies on manual processes, where guests encounter unnecessary friction, and where data arrives too late to be useful. Addressing even one of these areas can set the tone for broader transformation and signal to both staff and guests that progress is underway.
As Earl Nightingale wrote, success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.

Modernization follows the same pattern. It does not require a sweeping overhaul on day one. It requires clear priorities, consistent movement, and a willingness to evolve. Resorts that act now, steadily and deliberately, will set the standard for tomorrow’s industry.

Bryan Griffin is the founder of iTicket Solutions, a technology partner to the resort and vacation ownership industry. With more than 25 years in hospitality innovation, he has helped design and deploy systems that connect guest experience with operational performance. Bryan has served on the Advisory Board for PAR Technology and is a recipient of the RSPA Innovative Solution Award for developing one of the industry’s first plug-and-play “Point of Sale in a Box” models, recognized for advancing modernization in hospitality and resort operations.