The research is in, and studies show that families value vacation time and are seeking out ways to spend more time together away from home. Both an American Express Travel Survey and the Ypartnership’s National Leisure Travel Monitor show a definite increase in family and multigenerational travel over the past year.
The American Express Travel Survey, conducted in June, indicated that families value vacation time as a way to share personal interests with one another and that it was desirable to families to take a vacation that both kids and parents would enjoy. From food and music to sporting events and theme parks, travel involving shared family passions was among the most important determinants in what families wanted to do while on vacation. More than half of all the respondents — 63 percent — said that while planning vacations, personal interests were put aside and shared family passions determined locations and activities for family vacations.
Families look for hotels and resorts that offer accommodations for kids.
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According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents indicated that vacations are an important way to share personal interests with their children. Seventy-seven percent said that the ultimate vacation is when kids get to do what they want and parents get to do what they want, but ultimately, the family is together. When asked whether parents would consider a vacation that focused on their personal passions, with no good alternatives for children, 69 percent of respondents replied that they would not consider those vacations.
And, while 57 percent of respondents had attended a family event in the past two years, 47 percent had taken a family vacation. All indications point to that number increasing, as more and more resorts cater to families with kids clubs, adjoining rooms and suites and packages in addition to tours designed specifically for multigenerational travel.
Ypartnership’s National Leisure Travel Monitor revealed a similar passion for family time away from home. This year’s survey revealed that, since 2000, there has been an increase in the proportion of leisure travelers who traveled with children on one or more leisure trips during the previous 12 months from one-quarter to nearly 38 percent (see graph).
And grandparents are a segment that continues to grow. Nearly four in 10 leisure travelers are grandparents and nearly three in 10 have traveled with their grandchildren in the last year. Both proportions are a significant increase over last year.
Of parents traveling with children or who plan to travel with children, more than half look for hotels and resorts that offer special rates for kids. Four in 10 consider hotels and resorts with special accommodations for kids and more than one-third want a hotel with a kids’ club or organized family activities. Two in 10 also look for separate children’s and teen’s clubs.
More than half of leisure travelers are willing to take their children out of school to take a family vacation. In the West, this willingness is even more apparent, with nearly 60 percent of respondents saying that they would be willing to take children out of school for vacation.
As many resorts and cruise lines add or enhance their kids programs, it seems there is no end to the family travel trend. Even the economy doesn’t seem to be slowing down the growing family travel market.
"Given the uncertain economy, we wanted to see how people’s passions drive behavior when it comes to travel," says Audrey Hendley, vice president of marketing, American Express Travel. "The survey results overwhelmingly show that people whose vacations are tied to personal interests intend to continue to travel by taking advantage of money-saving resources, such as rewards programs."
American Express Travel Survey
81% of respondents indicated that vacations are an important way to share personal interests with their children.
77% of respondents stated that the ultimate vacation is when kids got to do what they wanted and they got to do what they wanted, but ultimately, they were all together.
69% of respondents stated that they would not consider a vacation that focused on their own passions if there were no good alternatives for their children.
63% of respondents said that while planning vacations, their personal passions were put on hold and shared family passions determined locations and activities.
57% of respondents attended a family event in the past two years.
47% of respondents had taken a family vacation with kids in the past two years.
Family Travel
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