Another year has flown by, and the ARDA Spring Conference 2025 went off without a hitch. From March 23rd to March 26th, over 1,200 timeshare industry professionals gathered at The Signia by Hilton at Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida, to network, hear keynote speakers, and review the latest market research. This three-day event is one of the most prestigious of the year, filled with educational sessions, inspiring stories, and important legislative initiatives that every mover and shaker in the industry should know. But what made this year special? Continue reading for the full scoop on the ARDA Spring Conference 2025.
What Is the ARDA Spring Conference?
In case you’re new to the vacation ownership industry, ARDA, or the American Resort Development Association, is an organization meant to protect, strengthen, and fuel the growth of the timeshare industry. Working in the interest of both the timeshare owner and the developer, ARDA “protect[s] the rights and well-being of the timeshare industry through advocacy at all levels of government,” and “connect[s] timeshare professionals by building relationships and fostering collaboration.” The ARDA Spring Conference is an exclusive opportunity for industry professionals to network and educate themselves on the standings of the industry and new market research, of which we will discuss below.
ARDA International Foundation (AIF) Market Research
Before we get started, you may want to know more about AIF. The ARDA International Foundation (AIF) is a member-sponsored organization created to conduct market research and meet the educational needs of the ever-growing and changing timeshare industry. AIF consistently partners with credible and respected research firms to produce statistics and other reliable data. According to the ARDA, “Areas of focus for the AIF include identifying consistent and ongoing benchmarks, analyzing technological changes and impacts, and enhancing the public’s knowledge of the industry.” This being said, let’s dive into the AIF research presented at the ARDA Spring Conference 2025.
AIF Market Research Breakdown
In this state of the industry presentation, the AIF speakers focused on the size, structure, and growth of the 2024 U.S. timeshare industry, excluding fractional resorts and private residence clubs when collecting their data in January/February of this year. This data came from a pool of 573 U.S. resorts. From 2023 to 2024, it was found that the number of timeshare transactions increased, as did rental revenue and occupancy. However, the average price of maintenance fees rose from $1,260 to $1,480, while sales price per transaction decreased from $24,170 to $22,686 and sales volume decreased from $10.6 billion to $10.5 billion.
According to surveys conducted by AIF, Americans are compensating for increased stress, taking extra efforts to pamper themselves in the present rather than waiting for the future. In fact, 78% of young adults under the age of 25 are more focused on maintaining a work/life balance, with ages 25-34 reaching 79%. Moreover, two-thirds of Americans agree that making time for leisure activities is more important now than it was six months ago, drawing a connection between pre- and post-election outlooks.
Here are some of the key take-aways from this presentation:
- Overall vacation ownership sentiment index is up to 107.8
- Timeshare owners continue to actualize vacations despite tepid economic outlook
- Majority agrees that timeshare is a cost effective alternative to peak season travel/vacation homes
ARDA Spring Conference 2025 Topics
Though the AIF market research was a one of the larger talking points of the conference this year, many speakers dove into the challenges faced, both past and present, by timeshare professionals. Speakers shared the importance of realizing untapped revenue and potential using AI, food and beverage, and resort activities. When it came to AI, Darren Frei of Skift relayed:
In quarter three 2024, 37% of travelers said they used AI tools like ChatGPT to plan trips. Of those, 83% said they were happy with the results. It’s a really great indication that AI is getting very good at personalizing travel.
Moreover, attendees heard from other well-respected industry professionals about the importance of being creative with technology and working to create experiences that keep guests on-site the resort property rather than venturing elsewhere. From presidents and CEOs to general managers, to chief technology officers, the best of the best brought their insights and experience readily to the table.
A handful of big names were also featured keynote speakers at the conference this year, sharing their inspiring, one-of-a-kind stories to energize and stir the attendees to action in their roles. These names included Kat Cole, the CEO of AG1, a foundational nutrition supplement, Anthony Robles, an NCAA wrestling champion born with one leg, Paul Whelan, a former US Marine once held hostage in Russia, and Maggie Cook, the CEO and founder of Maggie’s Salsa. How’s that for a line up? Check out notable sessions from the ARDA Spring Conference 2025.
ARDA Spring Conference Sessions
Monday
- Timeshare 101: AIF Market Research Revealed
- Timeshare 101: The Business of Timeshare, Part 1| Legal, Finance, Design
- Timeshare 101: The Business of Timeshare, Part 2| Resort Operations, Sales and Marketing, Rental, Exchange
Tuesday
- Power Session 1: Unlocking Untapped Revenue, Maximizing Profitability in the Modern Timeshare Landscape
- Power Session 2: Management Companies, What Are the Challenges and Opportunities of Working in the Independent Resort Space?
- Power Session 3: A View from Wall Street
- Timeshare 2.0: The Mechanics of a Maintenance Fee/Reserve Studies
- Timeshare 2.0: A Deeper Dive, Insurance, Risk Management
- Power Session 4: Legal and Legislative Update, Impacts of the New Administration on Tax, Labor, and Immigration
- Timeshare 2.0: Finance, How Are We Making Money? What Is VPG? How Does Financing Work?
- Timeshare 2.0: A Deeper Dive, AI and Timeshare
- General Session: Navigating Political Change, The Impact of a New Administration on Our Industry
Wednesday
- All Inclusive Vacations: Tips and Trends from Industry Leaders
- General Session: Skift Research Update, How AI and Digital Innovation Are Redefining Travel
- Leveraging on All Opportunities Toward Globalization
- Power Session 8: Evolution of Timeshare F&B & Activities
ARDA Awards 2025
The ARDA Awards ceremony was held on March 26th on the final day of the ARDA Spring Conference 2025 at The Signia by Hilton. Award categories included Sales & Marketing, Management & Administration, Advertising/Promotion/Communications, Resort Design, and ACE. The ACE division honors those who have accomplished what is considered the highest level of excellence in the industry. Moreover, these winners and nominees recognize professional excellence, exemplary sales and marketing wins, product design, and more. Explore some key winners of ARDA Awards below. Note that the first name listed will be for small/medium developer winner, followed by the large developer winner.
- Marketing Management Leader: Ely Tomines, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, and Marrissa Peebles, Hilton Grand Vacations.
- Marketing Team: Corporate Demand Generation Team, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, and Las Vegas Events Team, Hilton Grand Vacations.
- Sales Team: In-House Sales Team Westgate Smoky Mountains, Westgate Resorts, and Club Wyndham Clearwater Beach, Travel + Leisure Co.
- Activities Team: Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek, Travel + Leisure Co.
- Resort General Manager: Leslie Barilli, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, and Steve Horn, Hilton Grand Vacations
- Social Media Campaign: HGV Tournament of Champions “Spill the Tee” Campaign, HGV
- Special Event (Owner/Guest): HGV Introduction to Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix, HGV
- Interior Design: Marriott Vacation Club, Waikiki, MVW
- Amenities: Maui Bay Villas- super-pool, bar, and oceanfront beach club, HGV
Work with Fidelity, an ARDA-Accredited Business
If you were unable to make the ARDA Spring Conference 2025, we hope this helped you stay up to date with the ins-and-outs of the industry. There are a lot of great things happening with vacation ownership. From the advancement of marketing tech to an experience-focused vacation approach and a growing need for escapism, some would say the industry is exploding with future possibilities. However, there’s still a long road ahead for business professionals in the vacation club industry.
While the road is built, it really isn’t finished, and never really will be. In fact, it’s more critical than ever that we lay new bricks, fix the cracks that are there in the bricks today, and support the path that we’ve created.
And should you ever decide you want to buy or sell a timeshare, you know who to call. Get in touch with us by calling 1 (800) 410-8326 today. Moreover, to really get up to speed with industry changes throughout the years, take a look at ARDA Spring Conferences from 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
