Study shows the strength of family travel: Travel Weekly
Family travel is back, and many are determined to travel with their loved ones within the next year, according to a study by the Family Travel Association.
The 2022 U.S. Family Travel Survey was published by the FTA this month in collaboration with the New York University School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality.
The study has uncovered a number of trends showing that families are ready to return to traveling together and are looking for the best deals with the help of travel advisors, as worries about the pandemic continue to recede.
This is the seventh annual survey on family travel released by the FTA and this year’s study set out to examine the extent to which the pandemic and recent economic uncertainty might be having on family travel.
“This year’s survey shows that while the pandemic impacts family travel less than last year, the last two years have also led to changes that are likely to last,” said Lynn Minnaert, former clinical associate professor at the Tisch Center. “Families are excited to get back out there, but peace of mind and value for money are key priorities when they make travel decisions.”
This year’s study found that more parents are planning to take a trip with their children in 2023 and that demand for travel in 2022 is higher than it was in 2019.
International vacations, trips to big cities, and a rise in demand for hotel stays are among some of the trends among families. A little more than half of the study’s participants say they feel the pandemic is mostly contained and are comfortable traveling again.
“With the global Covid pandemic now mostly behind us in 2022, we have seen that family and multigenerational travel has been an important force in the tourism industry’s recovery,” said Rainer Jenss, FTA founder. “This speaks volumes to the priority families are now placing on spending time together and traveling. Now is the time to double down on family travel.”
However, about 47% of respondents remain cautious about travel due to the lingering effects of the pandemic and are planning their trips accordingly. Gas prices, higher interest rates and inflation are also a consideration, and the study says that many will seek cheaper prices on lodging.
Still, for those who are willing to see the world with their children and other loved ones, the study found that since the pandemic, there has been significant growth in families using travel advisors to help plan their vacations in order to navigate the booking process and achieve peace of mind.
