Family Travel Statistics 2026

Family travel in 2026 is bigger, more multigenerational and more experience‑driven than ever, with families prioritising time together over things and increasingly choosing domestic stays, large holiday homes and countryside breaks

Global Family Travel Market Size & Growth

Market value

• Recent market research estimates the family travel market at roughly USD 1.68 trillion in 2024, with projections to reach around USD 3.1–3.2 trillion by 2033, implying CAGR in the 6–7% range.
• Family travel is often cited as over 30% of the total global travel and tourism spend, making it one of the industry’s dominant segments.

Key growth drivers include:

• Rising global middle‑class incomes and pent‑up post‑pandemic demand.
• A structural shift towards “experience over possessions”, particularly among Millennial and Gen Z parents.
• Growing popularity of adventure and experiential travel (soft adventure, nature, cultural immersion) adapted to families.

Family segment in adventure & experiential travel

• In the adventure tourism market, families are now one of the fastest‑growing traveller types, with family‑oriented trips expected to grow faster than solo and couples segments between 2025 and 2030.
• Surveys show over 60% of parents are interested in trips that combine nature, outdoor activities and learning experiences for children, such as farm stays, national parks and countryside breaks.

UK & European Family Travel & Staycations

UK domestic family travel

• VisitBritain’s latest sentiment trackers show that domestic overnight trips remain a key part of UK holiday plans in 2025–2026, with strong intent to take at least one UK break.
• ABTA’s Travel Trends 2026 report highlights that families with children are among the most likely groups to prioritise holidays, even as household budgets are squeezed.
• During the 2025 Christmas/New Year period, 11.6 million Brits planned a domestic overnight trip, and 3.5 million planned a UK day trip, underlining robust home‑market demand.

UK staycations & holiday lets (relevant to Party Houses)

• Our own UK Staycation Statistics 2026 note that large‑group and multi‑bedroom properties continue to perform well, especially in rural and national park locations.
• Sykes Cottages’ 2025 Staycation Index reports that over half of UK travellers planned at least one staycation in 2025, with 30–40% travelling as extended family or large groups.
• Short‑term rental analyses show that properties sleeping 6+ guests are seeing higher occupancy resilience than smaller units in many rural regions, reflecting demand from multi‑family groups and celebrations.
• Industry commentary on holiday lets in 2026 suggests continued demand for spacious, self‑catering properties with private facilities (gardens, hot tubs, games rooms), especially for birthdays, reunions and multi‑generation stays.

Europe

• Across Europe, families represent a core segment of domestic and intra‑European leisure travel, with family travel participation rates well above 50% in major inbound markets such as the UK, Germany and France.
• European family travellers increasingly favour drive‑to destinations and self‑catering accommodation, driven by cost control, flexibility and perceived safety.

Family Travel Behaviour & Spending

Trip frequency and duration

• Global surveys suggest that around 70% of families plan at least one major holiday per year, and many add one or two shorter breaks.
• For 2025–2026, several surveys report that over half of families intend to travel the same or more frequently than the previous year, despite economic uncertainty.
• Typical family holidays remain at 5–7 nights, but extended stays (7+ nights) are increasingly common for multi‑generational and “work‑from‑anywhere” trips.

Budget & spending

• One US survey found the average family vacation budget for 2025 to be roughly USD 4,000–4,500 per trip (for a family of four), with many planning to spend more on experiences than shopping.
• In the UK and Europe, families under 45 are increasing their holiday spending faster than older cohorts, even as they cut back in other categories.
• A UK travel budget study for 2026 suggests that British travellers expect to spend more on accommodation and transport, but are looking for value via self‑catering, free outdoor activities and group sharing of larger properties

Booking windows & channels

• Around 40–50% of families now book 2–6 months in advance, with shorter windows for domestic breaks and longer for international trips.
• Mobile bookings are rising, but families remain more likely than solo travellers to research extensively, read reviews and compare multiple properties before booking.
• For UK staycations, late‑booking behaviour (under 4 weeks) remains common, especially for weekend breaks and shoulder‑season stays.

Multigenerational & Group Family Travel

Growth in 3+ generation trips

• Multi‑generational travel has become a defining trend: one 2026 family travel roundup notes that around 47% of families report taking a trip with three or more generations in the past year.
• The Family Travel Association’s surveys and other industry reports show roughly a third to half of family trips now involve extended family, such as grandparents, cousins or multiple nuclear families travelling together.
• Key motivations include celebrating milestones (big birthdays, anniversaries, graduations), reconnecting after pandemic years, and creating shared experiences for children and grandparents

Accommodation preferences for groups

• For multi‑generational and multi‑family trips, whole‑property rentals, villas and large holiday homes are preferred over hotels, mainly for space, privacy and shared social areas.
• Families commonly cite multiple bedrooms, large communal lounges, private gardens and kitchens as core requirements, along with kid‑friendly amenities like games rooms, outdoor play space and nearby attractions.

What Families Want From Holidays in 2026

Key decision drivers

Top reasons families give for travelling in 2025–2026 include:

• Spending quality time together and “making memories” (consistently the number one driver).
• Relaxation and escape from daily routine.
• Adventure and new experiences for kids.
• Nature and outdoor activities, including beaches, countryside, hiking, and wildlife.
• Surveys show that over 80% of families say travel helps their children learn about the world, while around two‑thirds see holidays as essential for family wellbeing.

Accommodation & destination preferences

• Self‑catering and apartment/villa‑style stays are more popular than hotel rooms for families, because they offer more space, kitchens and separate sleeping areas.
• Families are particularly attracted to countryside and coastal destinations, with UK staycation data highlighting the popularity of areas like the Peak District, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Devon and Cornwall for family groups.
• Proximity to family‑friendly attractions (zoos, theme parks, walking trails, water sports, heritage sites) is a strong factor in destination choice.

Children’s influence (“kidfluencers”)

• The NYU/Family Travel Association’s 2025 Family Travel Survey and similar studies highlight the rise of “kidfluencers”, with 60–80% of parents saying their children significantly influence destination, accommodation and activities.
• Kids’ top requests include pools or hot tubs, theme parks, beaches, animals/wildlife experiences and space to play, all of which favour spacious holiday homes over small hotel rooms.

Safety, Value & Flexibility

• Post‑pandemic, families continue to place high importance on flexible booking and cancellation policies, especially for international travel.
• Value for money is a key concern: many families are trading down on distance (choosing drive‑to, domestic and regional trips) in order to trade up on quality, such as bigger houses, better amenities and unique experiences.
• Surveys show that around 60% of families are willing to cut back on non‑essential spending at home in order to protect their holiday budget.

Sources

1. ABTA – Travel Trends 2026 Report
2. ABTA – Holiday Habits 2025/26
3. VisitBritain – Domestic Sentiment Tracker, January 2026
4. VisitBritain – UK Domestic Travel Sentiment Tracker (latest results)
5. VisitBritain – Great Britain Domestic Overnight Trips: Latest Results
6. VisitBritain – “11.6 million Brits plan a domestic holiday in the UK during Christmas and New Year” (Press Release, 2025)
8. Sykes Holiday Cottages – Staycation Index 2025
9. Smoobu – The UK Short‑Term Rental Market: Trends, Data, and 2026 Outlook
10. Travelnest – UK Holiday Let Market Forecast 2026: What Hosts Should Prepare For
11. Coast & Country – Holiday Let Market Insights for 2026
12. Holiday Host – Is There Still Demand for Holiday Lets in the UK in 2026?
13. Dataintelo – Family Travel Market Research Report 2033
14. Dataintelo – Parent–Child Travel Market Report 2025–2033
15. Family Travel Association – The State of Travel and the Economy in 2025
16. NYU SPS / Family Travel Association – 2025 Family Travel Survey (“Kidfluencers”)
17. Hotelagio – 60+ Family Travel Statistics and Trends 2026 Edition
18. Accio – 2025 Family Travel Trends
19. Houston First – “Family Travel on the Rise and Expected to Grow in 2026”
20. Hilton – 2026 Trends Report (Inheritourism & Expanded, Playful Family Vacations)
21. Ama Islantilla Resort – Tourism Trends for 2026
22. TravelAge West – “What’s the Average Vacation Budget for 2025?”
23. Consultancy.uk – “Holiday spending rises through 2025, particularly for consumers under 45”
24. ETIAS UK – United Kingdom Travel Budget 2026
25. Grand View Research – Adventure Tourism Market (Family Traveller Type)
26. Future Market Insights – Adventure Tourism Market Size & Outlook
27. ResearchAndMarkets – Adventure Tourism Market Global Forecast 2026–2032
28. ElectroIQ – Adventure Tourism Statistics
29. Travel Market Report – “New Study Says Adventure Travel is a Booming, Nearly Trillion‑Dollar Market”
30. Condor Ferries – Family Travel Destination Statistics
31. YouGov – Theme Parks in Britain: Who’s Going and How Often?
32. Statista – Amusement and Theme Parks in the United Kingdom: Statistics & Facts