Top Vacation Cities Named By Timeshare Renters

RedWeek.com Survey Shows Advantage of Renting Timeshares Versus Hotel Stay

SEATTLE - May 30, 2006 - Visitors of RedWeek.com, the online marketplace for timeshare, selected their favorite vacation locations in an online survey and results also show a clear preference for renting a timeshare versus a hotel stay.

Orlando, Florida with its mix of theme parks, golf courses, good weather and close proximity to beaches, is the number one vacation destination in which to rent a timeshare. Cancun, Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina fill out the top five list.

When given a choice, fun in the sun and sand is the preferred vacation activity. Forty-three percent chose beaches as the most important factor in determining a vacation destination. Theme parks and nearby water activities tie for second at 14 percent. Golf is third at 5 percent.

Respondents prefer renting a timeshare for their vacation stay versus getting a room at a hotel in the same area. When asked to compare the overall offerings of a timeshare resort to a hotel stay, 80 percent say the offerings at a timeshare resort are better than a hotel.

Travelers also were asked to make the same comparison in several other categories. Ninety-one percent say room size at timeshare resorts is better than a hotel. Seventy-four percent say the amenities at timeshare resorts are better and 71 percent say family activities are also better than a hotel.

Saving money is an important factor. Eighty percent say they could save money by renting a timeshare versus a hotel. When asked how much, 37 percent indicate a savings of 11-30 percent; 23 percent say a savings of 31-50 percent; and 11 percent say the savings is over half of what a hotel would charge.

"The advantage of renting a timeshare versus staying at a hotel has never been more apparent," says Randy Conrads, president and CEO of RedWeek.com. "When comparing the per-night savings, amenities and room size, our survey showed vacationers are better off renting a timeshare than booking a room at a hotel."

For a list of all survey results, go to www.redweek.com/about/press-releases-2006-05-24-survey-results.

With a free registration, visitors to RedWeek.com can view resort ratings, photos, descriptions and availability. For $9.99, one can upgrade to member status and contact other members regarding rental, sale or exchange postings. Timeshare owners can post their unit for rent or exchange for $19.99 for a six-month period, and resale postings are $49.99 for 12 months.

RedWeek.com (www.redweek.com) is a member-supported marketplace connecting travelers and the timeshare community. The site was launched in November of 2002 and continues to experience significant growth, recently reaching 1,000,000 registered users. It offers outstanding resort condominium accommodations for rent, purchase, and exchange directly between users. The company was co-founded by Randy Conrads, who also founded the successful Classmates.com Web site, which was acquired in 2004 by United Online, Inc. (Nasdaq:UNTD).