Timeshare owners are more likely than other U.S. travelers to take a road trip to attractions and events this summer
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A new nationwide study from ARDA, the trade association for the vacation ownership and timeshare industries, has found that timeshare owners are nearly 25% more likely than other U.S. travelers to take a road trip this summer.
The March 2026 Vacation Ownership Sentiment Report, which surveyed 500 timeshare owners and 500 general travelers, also found that timeshare owners are significantly more likely to visit key attractions and events this summer, including the following:
- Fifty-eight percent of surveyed owners plan to road trip to a national park, while only 36% of overall travelers plan to do the same.
- Forty-nine percent of timeshare owners will road trip to a theme park, compared to 28% of travelers in general.
- Forty percent of owners will attend a sporting event while on their road trip, while 24% of average travelers plan to do the same.
These findings reflect the access timeshare owners have to well-positioned, drive-to timeshare resorts in popular destinations like Moab, Utah; Sedona, Arizona; Orlando, Florida; and in hosting World Cup cities like Boston, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
"Road trips are emerging as the top summer travel choice as travelers seek lower-cost options amid economic uncertainty," said ARDA President & CEO Jason Gamel. "With nearly 1,500 timeshare resorts in drive-to markets nationwide, it's no surprise that our owners are leading this trend. In an inflationary environment, reaching a destination for the cost of a tank of gas is highly appealing, and 74% of timeshare owners say their vacations are more affordable because they can simply drive to their resort."
In addition to these findings, the study also measured timeshare owners' enthusiasm for travel in general against that of non-owners. Significant takeaways from this portion of the report are below:
- Seventy percent of timeshare owners have made a reservation for their next vacation; 56% higher than the incidence of overall travelers.
- Forty-six percent of timeshare owners are planning to spend significantly more time on vacation over the next six months; a +48% higher incidence than travelers in general who plan to do the same.
- Timeshare owners were more than twice as likely as travelers in general to have taken a vacation last month.
- Sixty-two percent of timeshare owners strongly agree that "Nothing is going to stop me from taking a vacation"; up +10 points from January.
To access the full Vacation Ownership Sentiment Report and other industry data from ARDA, click here.
About ARDA
ARDA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, Washington, DC-based trade association for the timeshare industry, representing more than 300 privately held and publicly traded companies. ARDA's work — including proactive advocacy — touches every role within the timeshare industry. Developers, exchange companies, vacation clubs, timeshare resellers, timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, industry vendors, consultants, and legal and regulatory experts are all part of the ARDA network, including popular companies such as Disney Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Westgate, and Wyndham Destinations. As the U.S. is the global headquarters for the timeshare and shared ownership industries, ARDA is seen as a leader amongst its peers worldwide and regularly works with established and emerging associations and markets across the globe to help advocate for the interests of ARDA members and beyond.
Media Contact
Lauren McCommon, ARDA, 1 3212815356, [email protected], ARDA.org
SOURCE ARDA
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