Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Respondents most likely to travel with spouse or partner than whole family
- Wealth does not necessarily mean families vacation longer than a week
- Family travelers opting to save money by driving instead of flying
- Onsite cooking trending as a cost saver, especially for wealthy
- Forming connections with family is primary reason why travel matters
- Foreign travel limited for travelers with children
- Type of vacations families take depends on number of children
- Warm climates rule for families traveling outside U.S.
- Florida, California top domestic destinations for families
- Babysitting needs to be accessible, affordable to make impact
Insights and Opportunities
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- Create family sections on airplanes or family wings in hotels
- States, municipalities can market roadside attractions to families
- Operators can target families by concentrating on specific activities
Inspire Insights
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- Trend: “Alpha Moms”
- Trend: “I Travel, Therefore I Am”
Market Drivers
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- Lowest airfares originate in destinations typical of family vacations
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- Figure 1: Highest and lowest U.S. domestic average itinerary fares, Q2 2010 *
- U.S. domestic leisure travel expected to increase through 2013
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- Figure 2: Number of domestic person-trips for leisure, 2006-13
- Travel volume for domestic summer trips returning to 2007 peak
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- Figure 3: Number of summer (June, July, August) leisure travel person-trips, 2001-10
- Airfare starting to climb back up
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- Figure 4: Average domestic Q2 airfares, 2000-10 *
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- Figure 5: Average domestic quarterly airfares, 2000-10 *
Innovation and Innovators
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- Omni kids program tailors accommodations to mimic kids’ bedrooms
- Boutique hotels attract families by offering full-size kitchens
- Travel operators tweak family marketing
Marketing Strategies
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- Strategy: Family vacations create memories for life
- Emphasizing family values through creating lasting memories
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- Figure 6: Cruisecenter direct mail ad, October 2010
- Freezing emotional moments as if capturing them forever
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- Figure 7: New Mexico Tourism ad, 2010
- Showing memories as images from a photo album
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- Figure 8: AAA Travel direct mail ad, April 2010
- Tradition matters, not necessarily nostalgia
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- Figure 9: Alabama Tourism ad, 2010
- Strategy: Mom and dad need to have fun, too
- Letting dad “bang on the drum” is good for everybody
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- Figure 10: Carnival Cruises ad, 2010
- Showcasing amenities that appeal to mom and dad
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- Figure 11: Club Med direct mail ad, June 2010
- Strategy: Togetherness can be an adventure
- Pushing the endurance of family through adventuresome activities
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- Figure 12: Royal Caribbean International direct mail ad, October 2010
- Enjoying the exotic for the first time accompanied by family
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- Figure 13: Disney Vacations eBrochure, September 2010
- Adventure can also translate into delving into nature
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- Figure 14: Missouri Tourism ad, 2010
- Adventure is also educational
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- Figure 15: Illinois Tourism ad, 2010
- Strategy: Families can create vacations out of circumstance
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- Figure 16: Family Vacation Critic email ad, September 2010
Who Travels Together On Family Vacations
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- Key points
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- Figure 17: Family members who travel on vacation, by gender, September 2010
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- Figure 18: Family members who travel on vacation, by age, September 2010
- Spousal travel is highest among households earning most
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- Figure 19: Family members who travel on vacation, by household income, September 2010
Babysitting Services Used On Vacation
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- Key points
- Majority of respondents not spending on babysitters
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- Figure 20: Babysitting sevices used on vacations, by gender, September 2010
- Respondents aged 25-34 most likely to take advantage of babysitting
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- Figure 21: Babysitting sevices used on vacations, by age, September 2010
- Household income not influencing babysitting; availability may be a factor
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- Figure 22: Babysitting sevices used on vacations, by household income, September 2010
Average Length of Family Vacations
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- Key points
- Majority of respondents traveling with families for a single week
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- Figure 23: Length of family vacation, by gender, September 2010
- Respondents 55-64 most likely to vacation with family for a week
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- Figure 24: Length of family vacation, by age, September 2010
- Lower, middle incomes may need to travel more, even if at shorter intervals
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- Figure 25: Length of family vacation, by household income, September 2010
Ways Families Cut Costs When Vacationing
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- Key points
- Respondents cutting down on costs primarily by driving instead of flying
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- Figure 26: Ways families cut costs when vacationing, by gender, September 2010
- Youngest respondents most likely to ditch air travel for driving
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- Figure 27: Ways families cut costs when vacationing, by age, September 2010
- As household income rises, respondents open to cook more on site
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- Figure 28: Ways families cut costs when vacationing, by household income, September 2010
Attitudes about Family Vacationing
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- Key points
- Majority of respondents say vacationing with family forms bonds
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- Figure 29: Attitudes about family vacationing, by gender, September 2010
- Parents of teenagers are most likely to see vacations as creating bonds
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- Figure 30: Attitudes about family vacationing, by age, September 2010
- Lowest-earning households most concerned about kid-friendly hotels
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- Figure 31: Attitudes about family vacationing, by household income, September 2010
Reasons Why Families Vacation
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- Key points
- One third of respondents travel with family habitually outside holidays
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- Figure 32: Reasons why families vacation, by gender, September 2010
- Seniors 65+ and those aged 35-44 most likely to make routine family visits
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- Figure 33: Reasons why families vacation, by age, September 2010
Ways Families Research Vacations
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- Key points
- Family, friends matter at same rate as operator websites, travel websites
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- Figure 34: Tools used to research family vacations, by gender, September 2010
- Family travel websites matter most to respondents aged 35-44
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- Figure 35: Tools used to research family vacations, by age, September 2010
- Households earning $100K+ most online, least likely to listen to friends
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- Figure 36: Tools used to research family vacations, by household income, September 2010
Websites Used For Family Travel Research
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- Key points
- Respondents with children prefer Expedia.com to research travel
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- Figure 37: Travel websites used over the past seven days, by households with one or more children and households with no children April-June 2010
Foreign Travel and Family Vacations
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- Key points
- Respondents with children take an average of two foreign trips
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- Figure 38: Round-trip foreign trips taken over the last three years April-June 2010
Types of Family Vacations Taken In U.S. and Abroad
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- Key points
- Visiting friends, relatives top cited type of domestic destination
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- Figure 39: Vacations taken within the U.S. in past 12 months, by number of children in household, September 2010
- Families with multiple children travel outside the U.S. primarily via cruises
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- Figure 40: Vacations taken outside the U.S. in past 12 months, by number of children in household, September 2010
Where Families Travel Outside U.S.
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- Key points
- Respondents with families staying closer to home but in warm climate
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- Figure 41: Round-trip foreign trips taken over the last three years April-June 2010
States Families Visit On Vacation
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- Key points
- Florida, California top destinations for family vacations
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- Figure 42: Primary state visited over last 12 months (one way) April-June 2010
How Families Travel Within U.S.
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- Key points
- Respondents with children most likely to travel by car, then plane
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- Figure 43: How respondents traveled domestically over the last 12 months (one way), April-June 2010
Airlines Families Use to Fly Domestically
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- Key points
- Southwest Airlines favored by respondents with children
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- Figure 44: Airlines used by respondents who traveled domestically over the last 12 months (one way), April-June 2010
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Asian respondents most likely to travel with young children, seniors
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- Figure 45: Family members who travel on vacation, by race and hispanic origin, September 2010
- Hispanic respondents slightly more likely to use babysitting services
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- Figure 46: Babysitting sevices used on vacations, by race and hispanic origin, September 2010
- Black respondents most likely to give up flying in order to save money
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- Figure 47: Ways families cut costs when vacationing, by race and Hispanic origin, September 2010
- Hispanics most likely to perceive traveling as a way to bond with family
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- Figure 48: Attitudes about family vacationing, by race and hispanic origin, September 2010
- Blacks, Hispanics most likely to travel for family reunions
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- Figure 49: Reasons why families vacation, by race and hispanic origin, September 2010
- Black, Hispanic respondents most likely to use online research
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- Figure 50: Tools used to research family vacations, by Race and Hispanic origin, September 2010
- White respondents taking week vacations; blacks, Hispanics taking weekend trips
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- Figure 51: Length of family vacation, by race and Hispanic origin, September 2010
Cluster Analysis
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- Bunkers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Roadsters
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Easy Riders
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunity
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 52: Family vacation clusters, September 2010
- Figure 53: Ways consumers saved money, by family vacation clusters, September 2010
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- Figure 54: Attitudes toward family vacations, by family vacation clusters, September 2010
- Figure 55: Family events that make people vacation over the last 12 months, by family vacation clusters, September 2010
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- Figure 56: Tools to research family vacations, by family vacation clusters, September 2010
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 57: Family vacation clusters, by gender, September 2010
- Figure 58: Family vacation clusters, by age group, September 2010
- Figure 59: Family vacation clusters, by household income, September 2010
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- Figure 60: Family vacation clusters, by race, September 2010
- Figure 61: Family vacation clusters, by Hispanic origin, September 2010
- Cluster methodology
Appendix—Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Reasons why families vacation and household income
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- Figure 62: Reasons why families vacation, by household income, September 2010
Appendix: Trade Associations
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