- It’s cheaper than a lifetime of holidays
By paying for a number of years holidays upfront at today’s prices, you are safeguarding your holiday costs against inflation and peak season rates. If you calculate the expense of owning and maintaining a holiday home that is only used once or twice a year, it makes financial sense to share the cost between several owners.
- It encourages you to take an amazing holiday every year
The fact is that people who holiday regularly live longer, healthier lives. Like gym memberships, timeshare forces you to do something good for your health and wellbeing. It encourages you to unplug, and spend time with your family. A survey of South African timeshare revealed that timeshare owners spend 6.5 more days a year on holiday than their non-owner counterparts?
- The industry has shifted to a “membership and points club” model that is more flexible
You don’t have to go back to the same place at the same time year after year. There’s lots of choice in where and when to travel locally or abroad, the duration of your vacation and the size of your accommodation.
- Timeshare offers units with more space and privacy
You love your family, but you need space too. If you’ve ever spent a holidays with your grown-up kids, grandkids or extended family members, you know that it can be challenging. Large family holidays usually mean cramped accommodation, which is never fun! Timeshare accommodations have two or more bedrooms, giving families room and space to truly unwind and relax. Most resorts will also have amenities like swimming pools, a gym and beach access that tend to be of higher quality than other holiday accommodations.
- You can rent out your unit on years you don’t use it
If there’s ever a year that you simply aren’t making use of your ownership, you can rent it out (subject to the agreement entered into) to help cover the annual maintenance fee.
- There are added perks to being a points club owner
Points clubs often offer owners-only perks and benefits where you can enjoy discounts on a range of purchases and bookings such as car rentals, etc. as well as access to bonus weeks.
- You make lifelong friends
Timeshare brings people together. It is very common for owners to bond over similar interests and forge lifelong friendships while holidaying together each year. It’s always heart-warming to see different families returning together as friends, and their celebration of being reunited again.
- You can trade your points or weeks on timeshare exchange networks like RCI.
If you own a fixed week or have rotated through enough of your resort portfolio, you might be wondering if there’s any possible way to see the rest of the world with what you already own. The answer is – yes! By becoming members of your resort’s affiliated exchange network, you can deposit your timeshare points or weeks and exchange them for an exciting holiday in a new destination.
- It’s more sustainable
Like Airbnb and Uber, timeshare also exists in the sharing economy. Actually, timeshare could be considered the original holiday sharing economy! In a sharing economy, holidays are more affordable and more sustainable. As a timeshare owner, you are sharing your unit with someone else when you aren’t using it – cutting down on emissions and over-construction.
10. The industry is lead by reputable hospitality brands
Over the past three decades, top global hospitality brands have entered the timeshare arena and dramatically changed the face of the industry. Internationally these include Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, Disney, Wyndham and in South Africa Sun International, Southern Sun and Legacy Hotels and Resorts amongst others are actively engaged in growing the industry.