Home About the Foundation

The American Resort Development Association was founded in 1969 to represent the interests of the resort industry in the U.S. Today, with almost 1000 members, ARDA is recognized internationally as the foremost organization promoting the resort development industry.

In the midst of ARDA's growth, the timeshare segment of the industry believed that more resources were needed to address their unique needs. The International Foundation for Timeshare (ITF) was founded in May 1982 to enhance the timesharing industry and help ensure its longevity through research, technical studies and education. With a membership of 54 Directors and Fellows and an endowment of over $1 million, the International Timeshare Foundation has pursued its goals of industry education, research and enhancement. During the last 14 years, the Foundation has provided funding for a number of significant research programs and through its Think Tank sponsorships, brought critical issues affecting the future of vacation ownership to the attention of industry leaders.

As the industry grew, the Foundation's leaders began to think about ways to create an even stronger and more effective Foundation. In 1996, ARDA and the International Timeshare Foundation decided to unify resources and create a more efficient entity to fulfill mutual goals. A strategic planning session was conducted in November 1996 and future trends of the resort development industry were identified. These include: increased globalization; greater public awareness; more products diversity demands; larger, more affluent markets; limited availability of qualified personnel; constant technological changes; broadening of financing including more public financing and scrutiny; greater services by developers; and the enforcement of ethics and standards in new markets.

In response to these trends and needs, ARDA allowed the International Timeshare Foundation, a 501(c)(6) to lapse and incorporated in April '97, the ARDA International Foundation. This new, nonprofit organization, envisioned as a 501(c)3 organization, is devoted to meeting the industry's research and education needs, i.e. identifying consistent, ongoing industry benchmarks, expanding research, analyzing technological change and its impact and enhancing the public's knowledge of the timeshare industry.