This is the last Family Getaways issue in 2017, and it marks the end of another great year for family travel. Agents have reported strong sales in 2017 — a good rebound from a slump felt at the end of 2016 — especially when it comes to booking family business. And the future looks bright, too: In the “2018 Virtuoso Luxe Report,” multigenerational family travel was named the top trend to watch in the year ahead. We’ve seen in the past that after major disasters, consumers tend to place even greater value on time spent with loved ones. So, after the hurricanes, fires and other misfortunes we saw this fall, it would not be surprising if family travel experienced a major surge.
While I’m sure all of us agree we would rather no one experience such hardships, families traveling is a good thing. And the importance of advisors in the family travel niche has not been lost on industry players. In this issue, you can read about the Family Travel Association’s (FTA) recent summit (“All Inclusive,” page 30), where adding more resources for agents was a hot topic. Early next year, the FTA will release a new education program for travel advisors.
As you’ll read in this issue’s cover story (“Did You Know?” page 14), there are already plenty of little-known options out there for traveling families. And incorporating fresh ideas into an itinerary is more important than ever, as families are looking to discover activities they might not be able to find on their own. Agents should be seeking out under-the-radar gems like these to enhance their value to clients.
But you won’t have to go it alone. As we head into 2018, rest assured that the editors of Family Getaways will continue to look for unique ways to help you grow your family travel business in the year ahead.
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