Member Article

Booking.com reveals some royally good insights into the Great British family holiday

New research by Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travellers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, provides some royally good insight into the Great British family holiday.

Just as soon-to-be-royal-parents Harry and Meghan will likely be putting plans in place to bring their new arrival on overseas engagements, a family holiday with young children comes packed with extra considerations. Although trips away facilitate fantastic experiences for youngsters, they also require careful planning and are not always the most relaxing for the beady eyed parents!

Interestingly, nearly three quarters of parents (71%) agreed that holidays with their young children became most enjoyable once their children hit a certain age. The “magic age” that came up trumps was five years old according to a quarter of parents (25%), closely followed by four (20%) and three (19%).

When it comes to the enriching elements of a holiday, over half of parents (55%) reported that they see them as an opportunity to bond with their children. Over a third (33%) of respondents also said that they gain pleasure from seeing their children learn about different cultures, whilst for a further 26% say the benefits of family travel are all about experiencing new things together, going on excursions and seeking out new adventures.

The biggest and perhaps unsurprising holiday challenge parents referenced, was finding time for personal relaxation whilst on holiday (44%). Additionally, a fifth (20%) of parents identified planning the trip as being one of the biggest stressors on family holidays. This highlights the need for frictionless travel booking options, which make the process as smooth as possible.

When it came to holiday priorities and compromises, half (50%) of those with young families report that they’ve had to compromise on their ideal holiday destination, as well as the type of holiday, with 34% believing beach holidays offer more suitable accommodation types for a young family, than a chic city break.

70% of Brits with children under ten years old agree that ensuring safe surroundings for their children is extremely important to them when planning a getaway and to ensure this, 68% admit to stretching their budget and paying more than they originally planned for family friendly accommodation.

Joost Vermeulen, Director of Booking.com for UK, Ireland, Nordics and Benelux commented: “Our research reveals that while recognising the huge positive value that travel can bring for their families, UK parents do face certain challenges when trying to plan a family holiday. At Booking.com we’re here to help.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Regina Porter .