The timeshare industry is booming. With annual global sales topping $6 billion and growth between 16 percent and 18 percent a year for the past seven years, timesharing is the fastest-growing segment of the global travel and tourism industry. According to the January 1999 issue of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.'s "Leisure Almanac," "The growth of the timeshare industry has been nothing short of remarkable over the past 15 to 20 years." Bear, Stearns predicts that "the confluence of a rapidly growing population of income-qualified households and increased utilization should result in collective revenues of $200 billion between 1995 and 2009."

Timeshare Fast Facts

• In 1998, the United States accounted for $3.06 billion -- approximately half -- of the world's timeshare sales revenue, according to a recent survey sponsored by the American Resort Development Association. In 2000, U.S. sales were about $4.1 billion, according to Ragatz Associates.



• The U.S. also leads in the number of resorts (more than 1,600) and owners (nearly 3 million).
  
  
• According to Ragatz Associates, in 1998 there were 4.25 million timeshare owners living in more than 200 countries and over 5,000 timeshare resorts in more than 90 countries.
  
  
• There are about 6 million timeshare owners worldwide and approximately 5,000 timeshare resorts in more than 90 countries.
  
  
• About 6 million timeshare sales presentations were conducted throughout the world in 1998. Of those purchasing timesharing for the first time, more than 54 percent had already attended three or more sales presentations, indicating that consumers are beginning to shop for timesharing.
  
  
• In 2000, the median income of a U.S. timeshare owner was about $74,000, with a median age of 54, according to Ragatz Associates.
  
  
• California has more timeshare owners (about 292,000) than any other state in the country and ranks third among states with the most timeshare resorts in active sales.