As Multigenerational Travel Increases, So Do the Benefits for All Ages

Multigenerational travel has been growing in the past couple of years, a trend that only accelerated in 2023 as the pandemic faded, according to the 2023 Family Travel Association (FTA) Annual Family Travel Survey of 3,300 parents and grandparents. 

Carried out in partnership with the NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, the survey found that more than half of the parents surveyed said they are planning to travel with grandparents and children — “a big contributor to the market growth,” it said. 

Much of that is on the grandparents, the survey found, with 54 percent of the grandparents surveyed saying they plan and organize multigenerational travel experiences and half having taken a multigenerational trip in the past three years. Forty percent of grandparents surveyed are planning to take one in the next three years, it found.

Travel “expands people’s imagination and possibilities in life,” said Chloe Johnston, president and founder of Pennsylvania-based Chloe Johnston Experiences. “It’s really fun to do that together with grandparents and parents — it creates core memories for kids and is really fun for the older generations to see the children discover the world. And their excitement becomes contagious.”

That said, traveling with three generations has some limitations, or at least needs some special consideration when planning, Johnston said. “If someone is less mobile, we can use drivers or create experiences that are shorter in duration or without much walking.”

But the need to balance potentially less-mobile grandparents with very active children doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways to find activities well-suited to everyone.

The key, Johnston said, “is to create lasting memories doing interesting new experiences that expand everyone’s horizons.”

The Dining Experience

While dining is a great opportunity for more relaxed and intimate family time, it can also be an important part of the cultural experience, Johnston said.

“For dining, we tend to send families earlier to larger restaurants with more interactive experiences,” Johnston added. “Maybe a raclette dinner in the mountains or a river boat cruise where they are eating and also taking in the sights together.”

She also suggested visiting European “food markets and trying lots of new things, and then having a picnic in a beautiful location to take in the surroundings,” or “cooking classes focused on regional cuisines and trying unfamiliar foods.”

Resorts, on the other hand, can offer many dining options — as well as excursions to nearby restaurants— while all-inclusive prperties have another benefit: Liquor is included for adults, a a potentially cost-savings advantage.

Beyond the Beach

Beach vacations remain the top destination of multigenerational travelers, the FTA survey found, with 44 percent of grandparents planning one in 2024. But resorts can offer far more to do than lie on the beach.

Along with adult-focused options like spas, golf and nightclubs, resorts generally have a host of family-friendly activities, ranging from traditional watersports like snorkeling and catamaran day trips to more locally focused experiences such as Mayan ruin tours in Mexico and rainforest zipline adventure tours in Costa Rica. City-based hotels offer access to cultural institutions, the performing arts and sporting events.

All-inclusives can also be a good option when there are young children to consider, Johnston said. 

Pointing to some good properties in Jamaica, the Caribbean and Mexico, she said all-inclusives can “include childcare — part or full time and some even for infants — so that the parents can have some relaxation. Some also have whole programs for kids with activities and games to keep them engaged.”

RIU Hotels & Resorts’ has RiuLand, a fully staffed club for younger children — 4-7 years old and 8-12 years old — with activities ranging from ball pits and on-stage dancing to children’s play pools, as well as some activities with a message about recycling and caring for animals. 

For teens, the Riu4U club offers activities ranging from video games and parties to treasure hunts. Live entertainment for families includes the famous RIU Get Together Party.

Hugo Aguilera, director of partner marketing and business development of RIU Hotels & Resorts, told Travel Weekly recently that another option for multigenerational family groups at its all-inclusive resorts is to split them between RIU’s wide variety of products in the same destination, with some staying at the family product while others stay at the adults-only part of the property with access to facilities like golf, spas and live entertainment.

That way, he said, “they can still share that family vacation” without necessarily having to share the child entertainment aspect. 

Grandparents can have plenty of time with the young ones — nearly two thirds of whom told the FTA that spending extended time with their grandchildren was a prime reason for the trips, second only to bonding as a family — without having to be surrounded by other families’ kids at night.

Getting Local

“When it comes to crafting our multigenerational trips, our product architects thoughtfully design each itinerary understanding the diverse needs, dynamics and attention spans involved,” said Julia O’Brien, vice president of marketing for Connecticut-based tour operator Tauck.

Activities should be “fun, hands-on experiences that cater to everyone, from young children to grandparents,” she said. “Catering to multiple generations requires careful planning and a keen understanding of each traveler's preferences and limitations.”

That ranges from knowing the best times to visit attractions, arranging family-friendly dining, and generally “introducing families to the cultures and traditions of a destination,” O’Brien said. 

This requires “crafting itineraries that balance enriching cultural experiences — think museum visits, interactions with the locals, discovering animals and natural wonders — as well as interactive ones like cooking classes, waltzing lessons, medieval games, horseback riding with cowboys,” and more, she said. 

The key is to keep “everyone engaged and having fun together, not apart,” O’Brien added.

It is important to “not just do the same things in the new place that they do at home,” Johnston said. Cultural tours should be by experts who can “bring new places to life,” she said. “Interactive museums, boat trips to see the place in a fun way, art classes in the open air where families can learn and create together.”

Cost Matters

Many of these experiences can be reasonably priced. That’s important as “families are starting to express concerns about affordability and the rising cost of travel” despite planning “to maintain or increase their spending on family travel in the coming year,” said FTA survey co-author Lynn Minnaert, a professor and Head of Subject, Tourism and Languages at Edinburgh Napier University. 

Cost can become even more of an issue as the size of a multigenerational family increases, with four-generation trips easily ballooning to 20 adults and children — too many for most grandparents to fully cover.

Indeed, 48 percent of the grandparents surveyed in the FTA study share trip costs with their children, compared to 50 percent that cover everything.

The adult side of this equation can be eased with all-inclusive properties, which include alcoholic beverages and elevated dining experiences, Aguilera said, pointing to that perk of the Elite Club by RIU level recently added at a growing number of its RIU Palace properties.

That said, “some families might have initial sticker shock when they see the price” of an all-inclusive, O’Brien noted. Many travelers “only consider the beginning costs of a trip — not the end costs when you add up exchange rates, airport transfers, all the tipping, food, transportation, etc.” she added. 

With an all-inclusive trip, there are no nasty cost surprises at the end, just happy memories and stronger family bonds.