32 / 56
TRENDS
RESORTDEVELOPER.COM
vacation industry review
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2016
30
It’s on the Grandparents
In many parts of the world, vacationing as an extended family has been
the tradition for generations. In other places, including the U.S., the
parallel climb of multigenerational vacationing and the aging of baby
boomers is no coincidence. As the first wave of this group hit retire-
ment in the mid to late 2000s, the multigen travel trend began its
upward crawl, as noted by observers including Peter Yesawich, vice
president of MMGY Global, a U.S.–based integrated marketing firm
specializing in travel.
Multigenerational vacationing is “driven by an aging population,
and as people move into retirement, the number-one thing they tell us
they want to do is travel for leisure,” says Yesawich. He points to some
numbers from MMGY Global’s 2015
Portrait of the American Traveler
:
“Today, 21 percent of all travelers in America are grandparents. And
that percentage is going to grow as the population continues to age.”
When asked how many have taken a leisure trip with their grandchildren
in the past 12 months, 32 percent indicated so. This group was then
asked whether the grandchildren’s parents were part of the trip, and
73 percent said yes.
Yesawich’s research jibes with statistics from AARP to suggest a
continuing popularity. According to 2015 AARP membership research,
of those who took a multigenerational trip, the satisfaction rate was
98 percent, and 85 percent plan a multigenerational trip in the future.
What inspires grandparents to initiate these vacations? Says
Yesawich, it’s the fact that this generation feels that the extended family
does not spend enough time together. And according to William
Sutherland, vice president of travel services for AAA, today’s grand-
parents “value spending time with their children and grandchildren. In
today’s fast-paced world, travel affords families an opportunity to
spend quality time reconnecting and sharing experiences.”
Precious Memories
Amelia and David Chan may just be the poster grandparents for the
multigenerational travel trend. The couple, in their 70s, has four children,
seven grandchildren, and a handful of great-
grandchildren ranging in age from infant to 6
years old. They are owners of a two-bedroom
at the Hyatt Windward Pointe Resort.
“Every two or three years, one of the
families, consisting of a son or daughter with
their spouse and children, comes with us to our
Key West vacation,” says Amelia Chan.
Although she says the family gets together
regularly during the year, spending time with
each other while on vacation affords additional
benefits. “We have opportunities to spend
quality, unhurried time with each member, since
every family member is very busy through-
out the year. Intergenerational vacation time
and memories are truly precious and treasured
by all.”
Not Just an American
Phenomenon
Multigenerational travel isn’t just an American
phenomenon, nor is it new— it’s been prevalent
in many parts of the world, including Latin
America, the Middle East, and Asia. And the
drivers may not always be grandparents.
In Asia, vacations are commonly taken as a
larger family unit, because families tend to
live together — or at least have much closer
contact with each other. “It is not uncommon
for children to live at home well into their 30s,
even after marriage,” observes Joe Hickman,
vice president and executive director of Asia/
Pacific for Interval International. Hickman, who
has lived in Asia for more than 30 years, sees
this as an extension of values placed on strong
family ties, which differs from some cultures in
the West. “If you were to ask me, when I had
young kids, to take my parents or in-laws with
us on holiday, you would have heard my groan
halfway around the world.”
In Latin America, as well, extended family