Experiential Exchange With Interval: Cruises, Hotels, and Tours
Whether it’s another survey or the latest set of statistics proving the point, it seems quite clear that immersive vacation experiences are top of mind for today’s travelers. The coolest thing about experiential travel, though, is that there are nearly as many different ways to do it as there are people who want to participate. The general definition goes something like this: a form of tourism during which people engage in local cultures, seek authenticity, and immerse themselves in meaningful pursuits. But what’s meaningful to one couple might be of little interest to another family who has found authenticity elsewhere. And no matter what, immersive activities run the gamut from a morning mountain hike to an intimate book reading — and way beyond.
In other words, while the rise in experiential travel has become a fixture of vacation itineraries, the ways in which to achieve it remain up for grabs, so it’s important that consumers have plenty of options. “Our goal remains to help our members have the best vacations possible,” says Samy Gonzalez, director of global programs at Interval. “That’s why we are committed to offering a variety of opportunities and choices. While resort-to-resort trading remains our most popular category, when members want a different experience, we can facilitate that, too.”
As the industry continues to embrace this latest trend, Interval continues to adapt its offerings to meet the demand for a wide range of experiences. And that starts with making sure that members can utilize their membership to embark on different types of vacations altogether by expanding traditional timeshare exchange to include cruises, hotel stays, and tour options.
This diverse range of exchange opportunities will remain a key differentiator in the industry, providing members with unparalleled flexibility and value.
Cruise Exchange:
Voyages of Discovery
With cruise exchange, an Interval mainstay and its first alternative exchange product, members can leverage their timeshare weeks or points to trade a single-destination vacation for exploring multiple locations during a single trip. And that’s just the beginning.
“We are seeing a shift in the cruise industry, with cruise companies building not only bigger ships, but also ships with tons of new amenities, entertainment venues, and reimagined deck spaces,” says Gonzalez. “For example, to complement the always-popular FlowRider surf simulator, Royal Caribbean recently debuted The Hideaway, an adults-only oasis featuring the industry’s first suspended infinity pool on the Icon of the Seas.”
Cruises are a stress-free type of vacation, where members’ food, beverages, and entertainment are taken care of, all under one roof. It’s an immersive experience, too, with each sailing providing an innumerable number of meaningful exploits, both on board and during shore excursions.
Hotel Exchange:
Urban Adventures
Members can expand their vacation choices to urban markets — which are typically not well represented by expansive resort properties — with hotel exchange, a program that seemingly unlocks an entire new world of travel opportunities.
“Instead of being limited to 3,200 resorts, our members can now choose from over 2 million hotels and resorts worldwide,” says Chris McGill, director of business development for Western, Midwestern, and Northeastern U.S. and Canada at Interval. “This expansion has greatly increased options for our members, opening major markets and gateway cities such as Paris, Rome, London, New York, and Chicago, as well as destinations in Asia and Latin America. Many of these locations did not have timeshare resorts and were previously inaccessible due to high construction costs and stringent government regulations, especially in Europe.”
Tour Exchange:
Immersive Experiences
Tour exchange provides members the chance for true destination immersion. Similar to cruise and hotel exchange, members can trade their week or points toward the purchase of a guided tour operated by the likes of Collette, Adventures by Disney, and Cosmos. “Guided tours truly give you the best destination experience, from local museums and food to restaurants and off-the-beaten-path experiences,” says Gonzalez.
And the possibilities are nearly endless. Whether members are looking for a journey through America’s national parks, a trip to Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano, or maybe an immersive voyage to the Greek isles, tour exchange can help make it happen. Plus, the curated experiences often include meals, accommodations, and resident guides who handle the in-trip logistics as well as share personal location insights.
“It’s a great option for people who wish to have a local guide through the trip in order to see all the different sides of a destination,” says Yoli Delvalle, director of travel at Interval. “And all the planning is done for them, which is a huge benefit.”
Paul Sisolak is a journalist, writer, and editor who has authored content for Vacation Industry Review since 2018, covering global industry trends, regulatory and legislative developments, and the latest in resort and developer news in the timeshare and vacation exchange spaces.
