Four million Americans currently own a timeshare, and that number is expected to rise say analysts.

Fractional ownerships are becoming more accepted for everything from private jets to RVs to traditional vacation home ownership.

Gas prices have been fuelling a recent boom in interest towards timeshare vacations. People are attracted to the possibility of locking into an affordable vacation spot that's close to home. Americans are getting fed up by spending a fortune on gas just to get to a vacation spot, only to continue to spend a fortune on hotels and expensive restaurant meals.

A timeshare close to home offers a full resort experience that can also save a lot of money.  Timeshare groups say that the resorts are becoming more all inclusive than ever before, and the line between traditional resort and timeshare resort is getting very fine. The advantage of a timeshare though, is that you can lock into a cost.

Americans can't do much about the rising cost of vacations, but a timeshare is something that is never going to get more expensive. A timeshare is a reasonable investment opportunity that also happens to be more enjoyable than most.

Families love timeshare resorts for the host of activities offered for kids, and parents are thankful too, while get a little peace and quiet during a well deserved vacation.

Demand for this summer season has never been higher, and industry experts are advising would be vacationers to book into a timeshare slot now, to avoid a possible disappointment later.

With the rising cost of gas, the difficulty of today's air travel, and the expense of staying in hotels, a timeshare investment makes very solid economic sense for today's savvy American investors. Florida is currently the most popular timeshare destination, but extensive growth in Arizona and California has number one Florida looking over its shoulder!