Time is a precious commodity and today more than ever families are choosing to use holidays as a way to catch up with one another. Multi-generational holidays are on the rise in 2018, with grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings and grandchildren all taking time out of their schedules to go away together and enjoy a well-deserved break.
A recent survey of 1,500 respondents conducted by Holiday Hypermarket showed that 46.67% of people are planning to travel with their families, including their spouse or partner, in 2018. With so many families deciding to holiday together a few necessary questions arise – what are the advantages and disadvantages of multi-generational holidays, and what family holidays are on the market for 2018?
Holiday benefits
The benefits of multi-generational holidays are clear – you get to spend time with the ones closest to you, usually in a spot far away from your everyday lives. If your family tends to bicker and quarrel, a holiday without the pressures and stresses of day-to-day life is an ideal way to get the family unit back on track.
It’s estimated that parents and children spend less than an hour with each other every day, due to heavy workloads and the demand of modern life. A survey carried out by Virgin Holidays and Universal Orlando Resort states, ‘Families are busier than ever. Parents are working, children are at school and the evening and weekends are taken up with a host of clubs, sports and play dates with friends. But this means that many families struggle with really getting to spend some time together and just enjoy each other’s company for a while.’
Today more and more packaged holidays are geared towards large families, with the knowledge that holidaying may be the only way to truly spend quality time together. These family hotel rooms come complete with 2-3 double beds, spacious living areas as well as little extras like game consoles and child-sized bathrobes and slippers.
Holiday challenges
Multi-generational holidays do come with their own set of challenges, especially when several groups of adults are involved. Getting everyone in your family to agree on one destination is the first obstacle, and not everyone will have the same preferences when it comes to beach vs city holidays. The issue of pricing might also come up, who is paying for what and at what age is it acceptable for young adults to pay their own way?
Once money issues are sorted and the destination is chosen the biggest obstacles are the challenges of who sleeps in which room and what hotel or villa will your family go for. ABTA’s latest Travel Trends Report for 2018 states that families are opting for more all-inclusive hotels and resorts thanks to their diversity and good value for money.
Tips for keeping the peace on multi-generational holidays include choosing a destination that offers something for everyone, hiring two smaller cars instead of one large one, and letting family members decide their own excursions.
Multi-generational holidays
Multi-generational holidays come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from all-inclusive hotels to crewed yacht charters and island hopping. Families tend to go for a holiday that encompasses a range of activities, with good beach access and high-quality-rated rooms. With such a high demand for multi-generational holidays, retailers have taken up the challenge by creating multi-functional living spaces to accommodate all ages.
Multi-generational cruising is also on the rise, with cruise liners like Cruise & Maritime Voyages taking the lead and offering reduced pricing for family holidays. Cruise & Maritime Voyages specifically sell multi-generational 7 and 12 night cruises, with a low child fare of just £99 pounds.
And it’s not just the cruise lines who are innovating in the multi-generational holiday space. Many package holiday providers have focussed their efforts on bringing the family together and encouraging group holidays to strengthen bonds. You’ll find villas with connecting rooms, spacious lounges, and even private outdoor pools.
Multi-generational holidays are slowly becoming the norm among families. And in 2018, finding a hotel, resort or cruise to suit all ages is no longer an issue. With a range of choices now available, getting everyone agreeing on a destination just might be the only real challenge.
