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The travel surge immediately following the pandemic may have subsided, but enthusiasm for travel is still strong – particularly with families, who realize that exploring the world together is incredibly valuable. Whether they’re planning kid-friendly cruises or bucket-list African safari adventures, families are prioritizing travel now more than ever.
Checking Off the Bucket List
According to Lauren Quirk, founder and executive producer of Travel With Character, bucket-list trips are in fact trending this year, from chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland to finally trying a river cruise. She encourages clients who may have only imagined visiting a destination to actually take the trip – even if it means traveling outside their comfort zones.
“Travelers want to seize the moment, and they want to do it with their friends and family,” Quirk said. “These journeys are immersive, thrilling and transformative, making them ideal for families or groups wanting a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Steve Griswold, co-owner of Pixie Vacations, said many of his agency’s clients are also planning the types of trips they may have previously postponed until the kids in their family were older. Even if the motivation isn’t checking something off a bucket list, these trips can be a family’s dream vacation.
Quirk agreed. “Our clients are the dreamers, and we implement the logistics,” she said.
Family guests at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. (Photo Credit: Four Seasons Hualalai)
Celebrating Milestones
Bucket-list destinations may be getting more attention than in the past, but parents and grandparents are also looking to share favorite vacation memories or celebrate milestones with their children and grandchildren – which consistently makes Europe a popular choice.
Travel With Character’s Quirk noted that many couples are returning to their honeymoon destinations, only this time with a larger group – and kids – in tow. These anniversary trips offer meaningful ways to honor the past, but Quirk also looks for opportunities to “uplevel the experience” so families can create new memories together. She also finds that asking clients if others might like to join the celebration often sparks conversations that lead to invitations, expanding a single booking into multiple rooms, or even an entire group trip.
Heather Straight, co-president and CEO of Key to the World Travel, agreed that Europe itineraries continue to be a top request for families this year, but she added that her agency is seeing a significant uptick in multigenerational families asking about river cruising.
“This segment has typically been primarily older couples for us, but it’s starting to be a huge draw for family travel – mostly families with older kids or teens,” she said. The exception is Adventures by Disney sailings on AmaWaterways; Straight said her agency has requests for groups with kids as young as 5 years old.
Cruising Into Summer
While river cruising is still an under-the-radar product for many families, Straight noted that ocean cruising has been consistently up 30 to 50% each year since 2022, with Caribbean cruises strongest in the winter, and European itineraries in the summer.
“Ocean cruising is especially popular for multigenerational family travel but is also a favorite among our advisors for how easy it is to maximize commissions on a relatively easy vacation to plan,” she said.
Advisors noted that cruising is a popular option for travelers. Pictured, a family on an excursion in Amsterdam. (Source: Norwegian Cruise Line)
Jennifer Novotny, owner of Upon A Star Travel & Concierge, is seeing a surge of interest in Mediterranean cruising, as multigenerational families are heading abroad more than ever.
“Beginning last year and continuing through this Wave Season, we’ve had a growing number of
Leveling Up
Even destinations that have historically served as family travel go-tos are requiring advisors to up their game, including theme parks.
“Clients today expect more than just tickets,” Quirk said. “They want insider tips, strategic touring plans and personalized experiences to avoid crowds and maximize enjoyment. This is where a travel advisor’s expertise can truly shine.”
Despite needing more preplanning than in the past, theme park vacations will always be popular with families because there’s something for everyone to enjoy, said Susanne Hays, owner and president of Fairytale Journeys Travel.
“Grandparents love watching their grandkids experience the magic; teens love the thrill rides; younger kids get excited about meeting their favorite characters; and parents appreciate the incredible dining and relaxing downtime,” she said.
In other “multigen magnets” such as Hawaii or the Caribbean, clients looking to maximize their vacation time together are opting for resorts that offer villa-style accommodations with a common living space rather than separate hotel rooms; others are choosing private villa rentals where they can have an entire home to themselves.
The bottom line, Hays said, is that it’s never just about booking a trip; it’s understanding what matters to each family, and creating a vacation that fits them perfectly
“People remember how you made them feel,” she said. “When you make it easy, exciting and personal, they return – and they bring others with them.”
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