Summary:
- New research from GroupAccommodation.com indicates multi-generational travel is still as popular as ever;
- The findings on multi-generation travel shows 38% of respondents holiday in the UK and 62% abroad;
- The most popular length of holiday is seven days, with people spending on average £200-£500 per person;
- The Top UK travel destinations were Cornwall, Devon and Wales, while the most popular overseas destinations were Spain, France and Turkey.
The 'Generations on the Move' survey was conducted in Aug-2018, when 670 respondents were asked for their experiences and preferences relating to multi-generational travel. Their definition of multi-generational travel is a leisure trip involving at least three generations of the same family.
Most of the respondents had taken at least two multi-generational trips in the past three years, with 5% have enjoyed six or more family breaks. Nearly seven in ten respondents said their multi-generational trips usually took place outside of the UK. Spain was the most popular foreign destination, accounting for 43% of all European travel. Closer to home, the South West of England was home to almost a third of all UK visits. Unsurprisingly, Europe dominated the international travel, ahead of Asia & Middle East and then the Americas.
The generations were broadly split between holiday homes and hotels, although baby boomers were the exception - with almost half of those surveyed in this group expressing a clear preference for private holiday rentals.
In addition, the survey also revealed the majority of holidays (67%) were at least a week in duration and cost less than £500 per person (56%). Affordability, weather and ease of travel were the most important factors influencing the choice of destination.
For short-breaks of between one and three days, more stays were taken in the UK (68%), by car (50%) and using hotel accommodation (68%). For longer trips of 15 days or more almost a third (31%) stayed in private accommodation belonging to a family member or friend and the majority (86%) were to destinations outside of Europe.
Interestingly, social media was ranked among the lowest ranking factors influencing choice of destination, yet more than one in ten (15%) respondents actually ranked social media as the factor that influenced them most when choosing a destination. It is no surprise to learn that this group skewed to a younger age dynamic - Generation Z (19%), Millennials (17%), Generation X (13%) and Baby Boomers (10%).
When asked to describe multi-generational travel in their own words, a plurality remarked it was special family time for them. "You get to appreciate all aspects of what a holiday means to someone, no matter the age," one respondent commented. "It makes you see things differently." Almost half of those surveyed are already planning a trip for 2019, with almost 60% responding that spending time with loved ones was the most important factor in their decision.
However, it seems the younger you are, the more negative you tend to feel about these types of holidays - 23% of Generation Z respondents and 21% of Millennials agreed or strongly agreed to the statement it was 'something I dread' versus just 6% of baby boomers.
The age gap is also apparent when you consider juggling the wants and needs of the group (Generation Z: 66%; Millennials: 60%; Generation X: 48% and Baby Boomers: 31%) and also juggling different budgets within the group (Generation Z: 53%; Millennials: 53%; Generation X: 42% and Baby Boomers: 32%)
But, less than one quarter (23%) indicated they would prefer a holiday with their friends over family, although a generational gap is apparent. Just one in ten baby boomers said this was the case, contrasting with 35% of Generation Z respondents.