While classic beach and city holidays in Spain, Greece and France are still in greatest demand, ABTA Members report that families are responsible for driving longer haul bookings, particularly for destinations such as Orlando, Dubai, Cancun and Barbados.
Looking for new experiences, families are varying the destinations they are visiting too, with visits to Africa and South America on the rise ? from 8% and 7% respectively in 2018 to 13% and 11% in 2019.
Africa, Kenya and Botswana, in particular, are more popular amongst older families ? 50% and 46% respectively vs 19% and 17%. Whilst in South America, Peru and Brazil are attracting younger families ? 18% and 28% respectively vs 9% and 15%.
Young families at the same time are showing greater enthusiasm for cruise, which has grown in popularity by 10% in the last four years. Many cruise ships today are being built with multigenerational travel in mind ? family cabins, water parks, theatres and game areas are all now more commonplace on modern ships.
When it comes to sustainable travel, families are taking a greater interest too. How animals are treated is their highest concern (66%), with families viewing and interacting with animals, either in captivity or in the wild, more so than any other demographic. Responding to these concerns, ABTA has launched the second edition of its Animal Welfare Guidelines, with updated unacceptable practices such as contact or feeding of elephants without a barrier, including riding and bathing elephants.
Other top concerns for families are nature conservation (63%) and preservation of culture and heritage (61%).
The findings also show an increased reliance on technology for support during the booking process. Families increasingly welcome the efficiency and convenience of using the internet to get support for travel arrangements.
