Rave reviews and a positive outlook!
This best describes the international view of the tourism sector and vacation ownership industry, the latter of which continues to be extremely resilient in the face of global economic challenges.
Speaking during the State Of The Industry panel discussion at the recently concluded Interval International-hosted 16th Annual Vacation Ownership Investment Conference at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel, Florida, Vail Brown, vice-president, global business development and marketing, Smith Travel Research Inc; Howard Nusbaum, president and chief executive officer, American Resort Development Association and Dave Pierzchala, senior vice president and managing director of Ipos, all described the industry’s current status as positive.
In the words of Brown: “It has been incredibly positive so far.”
She said that so far in 2014, revenue per available rooms grew by ten per cent and room demand recorded a growth of 4.3 per cent.
“2014 growth rates are healthy,” Brown said, as he looked at the sector’s performance.
Brown also disclosed that the demand for vacation ownership “remains strong and steady”, while Nusbaum disclosed among other things, that the Caribbean remained the number one preferred choice for vacation ownership buyers.
Pierzchala said the overall growth in tourism was up 4.6 per cent globally year to date; that tourism was up six per cent in Mexico and South America, ten per cent in Brazil and six per cent in Latin America. Rio de Janeiro, Mexico, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo were listed as the top Latin American markets to record significant growth.
Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America were also listed as top destinations during an Ipsos survey which also revealed that Paris, New York and Rome were the top three best cities to visit.
Pierzchala further said the survey revealed that people from various regions were being motivated to travel for different reasons.
It showed that Americans “travel primarily to strengthen relations”; Latin Americans to meet new people; Africans to be pampered and feel special; Europeans to brag about enviable experiences; Middle Easterners to experience local life; Asians for exhilarating experiences and Australians, to seek out memorable moments.
