Mega-renters: Who are they and how do they operate

This dissertation investigates individuals who have acquired an extraordinary number of vacation ownership (timeshare) points or weeks and utilize their ownership for the purposes of generating income by renting their room reservations to the third parties. Individuals who operate in this context have been referred to as mega-renters on blogs such as the Timeshare Users Group website (Tug2.net), commonly referred to as Tug, which is an online forum where owners of timeshare share information about their ownership.;The timeshare or vacation ownership product is a leisure product that provides consumers luxury accommodations and or vacation experiences. Academic opinion based on net present value (NPV) analyses on the value of the vacation ownership product in comparison to renting hotel accommodations is mixed. What is consistent in the academic research is that the vacation ownership product should be purchased for one's personal enjoyment and not as an investment.;This study attempted to answer the research question of: Who are mega-renters and how do they operate? Identifying how mega-renters operate can assist other individuals considering developing a rental business to operate more effectively and pre-identify operating risks. Understanding how mega-renters operate can benefit vacation ownership companies in yield management of their resort properties and identifying opportunities in managing aspects of their owner program or policies.;Using an exploratory multi-case study approach, four in-depth interviews were conducted with participants solicited from Tug. A cross-case analysis was conducted applying the methodology suggested by Stake (2006) to develop assertions on how mega-renters operate. A conceptual model is presented based on the study's findings illustrating the manner in which mega-renters may acquire and distribute their inventory.