Four in 10 Brits are going for multigenerational holidays this year – but not just for bonding & making memories
FOUR in 10 adults will be taking a multigenerational holiday this year, according to research.
And the poll of 2,000 holidaymakers found 51 per cent have travelled with at least three generations in previous years.
By holidaying in this way, 58 per cent are looking forward to creating great memories to treasure in the future.
While 18 per cent view it as a great opportunity for childcare to be shared and giving parents of younger children some time to themselves.
But 19 per cent are travelling with multiple generations to cut costs, with a third going away together so everyone can bond.
Other reasons for cross-family travel include making grandparents happy (24 per cent) and to make the most of time together (48 per cent).
Matt Richardson, from John Lewis Money, which commissioned the research, said: “A holiday with multiple family generations is the ideal opportunity for bonding – strengthening relationships and creating memories with your wider family – as well as potentially sharing the childcare load while away.
“It’s important to plan the details in advance to help keep everyone happy, thinking about activities that everyone will enjoy, as well as ensuring you have local currency to hand to avoid any awkward bill or payment moments that may arise.”
The survey also found 18 per cent love the idea of a multigenerational holiday because more personalities make for a memorable trip.
And 17 per cent think it means they can stay in bigger accommodation.
When paying for such a trip, 29 per cent take it in turns to foot the bills, and 28 per cent will have a kitty that everyone contributes cash to.
But for 17 per cent, the grandparents will pay for most things, according to the OnePoll research.
Sarah Carter, 44, and her husband, Jon, 48, have been going on intergenerational holidays with Jon’s dad, Ron Carter, 76, for the last seven years.
Their first holiday to Calpe, Spain, in 2017, proved a hit with Ron and his late wife, Josee – who were delighted to be able to spend “unlimited” time with their grandchildren.
It also meant Sarah and Jon, who works in transport, were able to enjoy “a couple of much-needed date nights” alone – while the grandparents babysat.
With their four children – Jordan, 22, Aaron, 18, Neve, 17, Jaxson, nine – in tow, the three generations have explored Gran Canaria in Spain, Ireland and New York in the US.
Sarah and her family's top intergenerational travelling tips:
- Always plan an itinerary and give a copy to the children as it makes it more fun for them and easier so there not constantly asking “are we there yet”.
- Check reviews on hotels and facilities – the one time we didn’t, we ended up with a hotel disaster and had to move during the night.
- Take pay-as-you-go SIM cards and make sure your kids know what to do in an emergency. When in NYC, Neve was trapped on the subway due to a mid-day rush but luckily she knew exactly what to do due to the travelling and we reunited with her.
- Research the area you’re going to and take into consideration the ages of everyone, ask each person if there is something in particular you want to do and try to do it.
- Respect each other and each other’s ability to do stuff, as some things may seem easy to one person however to the older person this could tire them out.
- Learn how to say “hello” “please” and “thank you” in the language of the place you’re travelling to, it is very appreciated by the locals.
- Don’t skip travel insurance, and do take cash in the local currency – it’s always useful and many places are cash only – you don’t want to be caught short when buying an ice cream or shopping in local markets.
- Encourage the children to fill out travel diaries, and let them take lots of pictures.
- Make sure when you arrive at your destination airport you have researched when the transfers are, it is so much easier when you are tired and there is a group of you which can sometimes become grumpy that you know what your doing to get to the first hotel/resort.
- Check to see if it’s cheaper to break journeys down, especially the travel ones, sometimes it’s a lot cheaper to break the journey up for a few days and explore new places before continuing to your final destination.
- Only pack what you need (easier said than done).
- Never travel without a pack of playing cards.
The family sadly lost Josee in August 2018 and Ron was diagnosed with blood cancer in February 2023 – which only highlighted the importance of making family memories and essential grandparent and grandchild bonding time.
They have already travelled to Cape Verde in July, and have trips booked for Lanzarote and New York later this year.
Sarah, who works in the NHS, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, said: “It all started because Ron and Josee needed us to help them – they wouldn’t have been able to go abroad without us.
“But it was great and the kids loved being around their grandad and nan all the time.
“Jon and I even got to sneak off for a long lunch or a beach walk after dinner alone.
“We sadly lost Josee in 2018 but we’ve been on holiday as a multigenerational family over a dozen times since.
“It’s important for the children to spend as much time as they can with Ron.
“His diagnosis hasn’t slowed him down, if anything he wants to travel even more.
“As soon as we get paid, we book a new holiday – we can’t take our money with us and we’d rather have family memories than a nice sofa.”