The European timeshare market: The growth, development, regulation and economic benefits of one of tourism's most successful sectors

Abstract

Timeshare is now a world-wide business and is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the holiday industry. The concept of timeshare — the purchase of the right to use a specific holiday property for a given period every year — is itself an attractive one. When coupled with the concept of exchange — the service which allows timeshare owners to swap the holiday weeks they own for different weeks in alternative properties all around the world, giving timeshare owners complete flexibility in their holiday choices — the concept has become highly successful. The significance and impact of timeshare is recognized by the World Tourism Organisation, the European Commission and many national tourist authorities. This report examines the growth within the key European markets for timeshare, considers the trends in the industry, its impact and the regulation of its activities. It draws conclusions, based on the business experience of RCI Europe, the leading timeshare exchange company, and its developer partners and on the findings of independent research studies.