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INDIANAPOLIS - Dec. 21, 1998 -- In a recent national consumer
survey, people across all generations expressed the need to reduce stress,
the urge to spend more time with family and friends and a strong desire
for more vacation time. According to the survey, having more fun is the
number one thing consumers expect to do this year.
Of 2,500 people surveyed by the Yankelovich MONITOR -- a 27-year syndicated
study of changing social values -- eight in ten consumers feel the need
to get more pleasure out of life and seven in ten would welcome more novelty
and change. In addition, the YPB/Yankelovich
"It is not a huge surprise to us that 78 percent of people surveyed say they feel the need to reduce stress," said Ron E. Jackson, president and COO of Resort Condominiums International LLC, sponsor of the annual survey. "We have careers and families, too. But we also know that owning a timeshare unit can take a lot of the stress and uncertainty out of trip planning and make it more relaxing to take a vacation." The consumers surveyed were classified into three groups: Xers (adult
consumers born since 1965), Boomers (born 1946-64) and Matures (born before
1946). All three groups expressed a desire to spend more time with family
and friends, but Xers show the highest degree of
"People seeking fun, family time and relaxation have always been a part
of our customer base," Jackson said. Resort condominiums are particularly
suited to families because of their size and floor plans with separate
bedrooms. Many have kitchens for preparing meals as a
The types of vacations people choose to take may also be affected by
the current social climate. In addition to more family time, the activities
most often chosen for fun and enjoyment among all three groups included
watching television and videos, reading books and
The attributes people are looking for in pleasure travel remain consistent. The top of the list includes items such as a place never visited before; an all-inclusive resort price; visiting arts, architectural/historical sites; getting exercise; an opportunity to eat different and unusual cuisine; and familiar locations. "The timeshare owner has all the bases covered," Jackson said. "If they
want to go someplace they've been before, they go to the timeshare they
own. If they want to exchange for a place they've never been, they can.
And, with timeshare resorts in more than 90 countries,
RCI, founded in 1974 in Indianapolis, Ind., is the leading timeshare-exchange company with more than 3,400 affiliated resorts in nearly 90 countries. In 1997, RCI booked more than 1.8 million exchanges, sending more than 6.5 million people on vacation. For more information, visit RCI's website at www.rci.com. RCI is a subsidiary of Cendant Corp. (NYSE:CD). Cendant is one of the foremost providers of consumer and business services. Cendant operates in three principal segments: Travel Services, Real Estate Services and Alliance Marketing. In Travel Services, Cendant is the leading franchisor of hotels and rental car agencies worldwide; the largest provider of vacation exchange services; a leading fleet management company; the UK's largest private car park operator; and a leading motorist assistance group in the UK. In Real Estate Services, Cendant is the world's largest franchisor of residential real estate brokerage offices, a major provider of mortgage services to consumers and a global leader in corporate employee relocation. In Alliance Marketing, Cendant provides access to insurance, travel, shopping, auto, and other services, primarily through direct marketing to customers of its affinity partners. Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, the Company has more than 40,000 employees and operates in more than 100 countries. |
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