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June 10, 2010 | View PDF Version

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2010 – Like the ladies of the new “Sex and the City” sequel, data from a survey released by the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) shows women are taking girlfriend getaways more than ever. Thirty-eight percent of women have taken a girlfriend getaway with female family and friends, and 63 percent plan on taking one in the next two years. This is a trend that has been seen over the past several years as more women in their 30s and 40s opt to spend some of their vacation time bonding with the girls rather than taking a traditional family vacation.

To support these Girlfriend Getaways, the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) offers “how-to” travel options to help make Girlfriend Getaways fun, affordable and stress-free.

The phenomenon of women traveling together on vacation has exploded because there are more career women with expendable income. They are busy, stressed out and tired from the multiple roles they perform at work and at home and a Girlfriend Getaway gives them the chance to recharge their batteries. This husband–free and children-free time is a way to reconnect and focus on their own well-being.

"Making the Girlfriend Getaway special starts with selecting the right place," said Howard Nusbaum, ARDA president and CEO. "Timeshare provides spacious accommodations in fabulous locations and are a terrific option for these girls-only vacations."

ARDA’s "Girlfriend Getaways" Guide provides women with everything they need to plan that once-in-a-lifetime adventure including reasons for considering this kind of getaway including planning tips, types of vacations to consider and how to make the most of your time away.

The Guide is available for download at http://www.vacationbetter.org.

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.