Founded in Indiana in 1974 by Jon and Christel DeHaan, RCI is one of the two main timeshare exchange businesses, along with Interval International (II).

It does not develop or sell timeshares (this falls within the province of RCI's sister subsidiary Wyndham Vacation Clubs).

A customer who buys a timeshare with an RCI-affiliated developer (whether Wyndham or another entity) has the option to become a member of RCI.

Benefits for RCI members would have begun on January 11, 2010 but one or more appeals of the entry of the final judgment were filed.

[3] In 2012, RCI, whilst not admitting any wrong-doing, settled the class action concerning its time-share renting tactics in favour of claimants in the US and agreed to compensate those who had suffered.