The first new timeshare tower in Waikīkī in seven years is expected to open for business Friday at 90% occupancy, a signal of the strength of the visitor industry.
The Conversation talked to Jason Gamel, the president and CEO of the American Resort Development Association, about the latest timeshare trends.
He flew to Honolulu for this week's Hawaiʻi Tourism Conference and to celebrate the new timeshare opening. He said a common misconception is that timeshares are for older generations.
"Over 50% of current owners are millennials or Gen Z, and over two-thirds of new buyers are millennials and Gen Z buyers. So I think this is, for one, over the last several years, people have realized the benefits of timeshare accommodations and what they bring," Gamel said.
He said that's also because younger generations have grown up with timeshares — his own children included.
Hawaiʻi's appeal to younger travelers, he said, is bolstered by the fact that the state offers a variety of experience-based travel, such as horseback riding and cultural education.
"When people marry the two, the experiential nature of the product along with the fantastic accommodations, then you realize that you could use your timeshare ownership to book some of these great experiential travel," Gamel said.
The prepaid nature of timeshares makes it easier for visitors to budget for their vacations, he said.
"For them, it's about spending when they get there, and that's when they do spend on artwork. They do spend on local experiences. They spend on memorabilia because they want to take some of that vacation back with them, and they're usually here for 10 or more days," he told HPR.
Gamel said the timeshare industry has some catching up to do in terms of technology among younger travelers. He said businesses are working to meet expectations for reservation platforms, artificial intelligence, and more.
Like many in the broader tourism industry, he keeps an eye on the Japanese visitor market, which has not returned to pre-pandemic numbers.
"We hope that they'll want to come to Hawaiʻi and move within the same system," he said. "We're cautiously optimistic that things will continue to recover."
This interview aired on The Conversation on Oct. 3, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
