When hoteliers turn their minds toward spring, one thought inevitably heads the top of the list – spring break and family destinations. Spring break always holds great promise for the industry. This year, with family travel continuing to grow, there are some serious trends to watch.
Multigenerational Travel is Hot
Pack up the family and head out on the road. Literally, the whole family. Multigenerational travel is reaching new heights of popularity this year. No longer is a family vacation considered parents and children. Grandparents are invited to the party now, too! Furthermore, they’re often the party responsible for footing the bill, but grandparents aren’t necessarily the ones choosing the destination.
Millennials Are Doing the Booking
Even though Grandma and Grandpa may be picking up the tab for the next multigenerational family vacation, they’re not typically the ones researching and booking the trips. According to a survey, 49% of the time, grandchildren have the greatest influence on destination but Millennials are the ones making it happen. Generally speaking, Millenials are savvy travelers and won’t risk something as eventful as a family vacation on guesses and hearsay. Instead, they turn to a travel agent. The under 35 age group is responsible for a 50% boost in the use of travel agencies in 2014 and that trend is not likely to change in 2015 either.
Experiential Travel is Drawing Interest
Well-trodden destinations are all well and good, but the newest trend is experiential travel and more and more immersive travel is becoming family friendly. Mega players in the industry have already hopped onboard with the likes of hospitality guru Disney adding adventures such as family cooking classes in Ecuador that teaches only local dishes to their 2015 roster. The modern day family globe-trotter is being labeled an “aspirational adventurer”, meaning travelers who aspire to attack an adventure with tenacity, yet still long for the traditional comforts of luxury travel. Watch for them at your venue this year!
This little bit of insight will play to your advantage when designing vacation packages this spring and summer. And don’t forget to consider discounted rates for bulk booking, more suite availability and pairing up with local attractions to offer your guests a bit of adventure or local flair.