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June 17, 2009 | View PDF Version

Washington, DC, June 17, 2009 -- While Americans patiently wait for the country’s economic stimulus plan to take effect, it’s clear that a separate plan is needed to spur recovery in another area - the amount of time enjoyed with family. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) recently surveyed visitors to its VacationBetter.org website to determine if they have enough quality time with their immediate and extended families.Nearly half of the respondents felt quality time spent with the family was lacking and a stimulus plan was the solution.

“Unfortunately vacation is one of the first things people give up when times get tough economically, and with that goes some of the best quality time you can get with your family,” said Howard Nusbaum, ARDA president and CEO. “Tough times are when people need connect to their families even more, and it can be done very economically.”

In hopes of counteracting the failing tradition of quality family time, ARDA has created the Family Stimulus Plan. As part of this package, ARDA is providing tips and suggestions on how to take time away to renew and rejuvenate with the family on its VacationBetter.org consumer information website. “The Family Stimulus Plan” [BL1], provides travelers with helpful hints on planning a successful family vacation with either your immediate family or an extended family reunion. It contains event-planning tips, including managing invitations, selecting a location, ice-breaker games, decorations and ways to stay in touch all year long.

Another way to stimulate your interest in a family vacation is to hear from the health and wellness experts. It’s a proven fact that people who spend time away reap health benefits far beyond that week or two of vacation. Vacations are not a luxury, but a necessity for good health and well-being.

Owning your vacation with timeshare has shown to be a sure-fire way of guaranteeing that you won’t find excuses not to vacation and in fact, will reap all of the benefits of having pre-paid your vacation – quality resorts, family-friendly accommodations and regular getaways. In fact, according to an ARDA study, timeshare properties are experiencing an 82 percent occupancy rate despite tough economic times.

As we all focus on the economic stimulus, ARDA encourages us to remember an even more important plan we can enact on our own -- The Family Stimulus Plan. To download a customizable package, visit www.VacationBetter.org.

About VacationBetter.org
The American Resort Development Association’s (ARDA) new on-line resource informs consumers on the importance of taking a vacation and the overall benefits of enjoying one – regularly – through shared vacation ownership.VacationBetter.org is a comprehensive, educational tool for consumers to learn about this travel option and to demonstrate a way for travelers to vacation better.

About ARDA:
The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has almost 1,000 members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with expertise in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC). For more information, visit www.arda.org or ARDA’s consumer website at www.VacationBetter.org.