Timeshare markets are segmented because not all of the population is in a position to make the timeshare purchase. Differences in income, employment stability, and career, as well as differences in family circumstances, mean that the timeshare offer is not of interest to everyone. Research on current timeshare ownership suggests that owners tend to be middle aged, belong to families with or without dependent children, have higher than average incomes, and are more likely to have a higher education than the population as a whole. In these circumstances, resort developers and operators must understand the various techniques for segmenting the potential market so as to better target marketing efforts and generate potential sales leads.

In addition, the timeshare market itself is not homogeneous. Clearly, different motives exist for buying into timeshare, and these motives create different expectations as to how the timeshare product should be offered and organized. These expectations develop critical success factors by which customers evaluate the timeshare experience. An understanding of the critical success factors associated with different occasions is crucial for the delivery of timeshare experiences that are in line with customer perceptions and needs. The notion of occassionality also questions the extent that timeshare resorts can appeal to all timeshare customers in the same way. Different expectations and critical success factors may mean that some customer groups are in contradiction to others. That is, their mutual expectations are at odds with each other.

Finally, consumer behavior in general and decisions to buy into timeshare...