Family holidays have long been the mainstay of family life; providing stories, lifelong memories, and opportunities to experience new places both local and abroad with those closest to you. Despite the unprecedented lasting impact of COVID-19 which has all but stopped travel and vacation throughout the majority of 2020, the hope across the industry is that 2021 and beyond will see a spike in individual and family groups travelling abroad during peak holiday times – providing hotel owners and resort businesses with renewed opportunities to use their marketing prowess to entice holidaymakers in with longer stays and better deals.

Family holidays in particular are a business that holes are sorely missing as we continue to navigate our way through the pandemic, with hoards of resorts, airlines and destinations offering incredible price drops and deals to try and entice travellers to book and visit them. The truth is, however, that until borders are reopened, the travel industry is going to continue to struggle.

The value of family tourism

You might be wondering why we, as an industry, are so set on family tourism as the driving force behind reenergised success. After all, family groups are likely to book only during the peak season, leaving resorts and hotels empty once the schools have returned and annual leave dates have been fulfilled.

However, what family tourism guarantees is a longer length of stay – essentially heightening their value to any resort or hotel who can continue to upsell various experiences, meals and additional features to each group until the end of their trip. These are the guests who enjoy family experiences booked through the hotel, who stay longer and interact more with local communities and businesses.

When compared with parties who only visit for a long weekend or for the odd day or two, it is the family groups who are most likely to engage in the widest range of activities and who often move around the area to take in more of the local amenities and offerings.

Protecting family tourism

Upon assessing the value of family tourism, it quickly becomes apparent that this is the business we need to be protecting as an industry; seeking to plug gaps and reinvigorate experiential stays so that when the skies are reopened and the borders are cleared, family groups can once again return to our destinations and hotels ready for a new adventure.

And so, to those of you who believe your main business lies in high end and older travellers, or in young couples with no responsibilities to tie them down, we urge you to consider again the value and importance of family tourism in creating a viable business with long-term success. As the world returns to normal, it is families who will be taking the time to get away and introduce children to new experiences, meaning it is these travellers who you should be working towards targeting with your high octane experiences, activities and amenities.

It is also worth noting that families are more likely to research and book their own holidays – while other demographics use travel booking sites and travel agents to find the perfect break. With additional individuals to please and different preference and needs to meet, family groups are those who will take the time to sit down and book their own trip – finding destinations which match their unique specifications.

It is up to us as an industry, and you are a hotelier, to provide them with the security and knowledge that you can cater for all their needs and desires. It is only then that you will find yourself revelling in the potential success of a family tourism market.