LETTER FROM CHAIRMAN

January 01, 2011

As I write this, we open a fresh chapter for 2011 - a new year that brings with it fresh challenges, and hopefully, a work life balance that ensures you spend good times with your family.

And as the pages turn, I see bright days ahead for the timeshare industry. It does look like we can leverage further consolidation and growth in this decade.

From my vantage point as an industry observer, I can see orientation that’s pointing in the right directions. I can see trends getting pronounced, consumer clusters getting distinctly indicative of change, and patterns of consumer behavior that are ringing the cash register.

• The entry level age is showing a clear shift and going younger. Younger prospects include vacations in their annual plans and make the effort to take time off with their families. That’s good news for timeshare.
• The holiday experience that timeshare delivers today, is broad spectrum and gives holiday seekers a lot more than comfortable rooms at a holiday location. It gives them the extended  experience of outdoor activities that are unique to the location, with fully developed support systems.
• With affiliations and the consequent growth of resort networks, timeshare owners have the option and facility to exchange their plans for newer and exciting holiday locations – in the country and across the world.
• Resort owners have taken “professionalism” to new heights, with well managed facilities and high levels of customer support and convenience. This again has a positive influence on industry growth.
• Resort owners are also using newer technology platforms supported by the web and sophisticated hand-held devices to help customers preview their holiday experiences online or make the necessary bookings from the convenience of their homes or offices.
• Even at the government level, there is now a better acceptance of timeshare as an independent driver of footfalls for the tourism industry. AIRDA has been instrumental here,  in representing the industry within key policy-making circles.

I see another interesting thing happening, which probably didn’t happen before.  Younger parent profiles introduce useful future prospects in their children. Just imagine, today’s ten year old is actually experiencing timeshare on the upswing. In the future, he does not need a pre-sell on timeshare. All he needs is the right kind of choices.

While these ripple effects will spin-off growth on their own, the responsibility to make a positive orientation in the customer’s mind is largely a collective responsibility. And can only happen when you come under a common, constructive banner such as AIRDA.

Collective voice always gets heard, noticed and is invariably acted upon. In the long run, it pays to be part of AIRDA.

B. S. Rathor
Chairman, AIRDA