Travelbag’s top picks for trending skip-generational travel destinations
Skip-generational holidays are set to become increasingly popular in 2018. Research recently conducted by ABTA confirmed that holiday-taking among family groups and the older generation is on the rise. Today’s mature travellers are making the most of their increased spending power and are splashing the cash on travel in their golden years. Combined with endless free time, a growing interest in active and adventurous holidays and greater options for tailor-made trips to suit the whole family, more grandparents are inviting the grandkids along to experience holidays together in 2018, whilst cheekily leaving the parents behind.
Matt Bell, Chief Commercial Officer for Travelbag, comments on this emerging trend:
“Assessing past booking data and projecting for the New Year, there is no doubt that skip-gen travel is set to skyrocket in 2018. Our Travel Experts have predicted that Western Canada, South Africa, Thailand and Australia will be the top long-haul destinations for skip-generational holidays this year. The destinations are all easy to explore independently and offer abundant activities to make long-lasting memories for each member of the family, no matter their age, interest or abilities.”
The specialists in tailor-made travel to destinations worldwide have handpicked the top four holiday destinations for grandparents looking to holiday with their grandchildren in 2018:
Western Canada: the perfect landscape for skip-generational family bonding
Family holidays are moving away from the traditional all-inclusive beach retreat and instead becoming more adventurous with enriching experiences to bring all members of the clan closer together. And where better to bond with the grandkids than the great outdoors? Grandchildren can ditch their gadgets for glaciers, swap screens for seismic scenery, and rid themselves of mobiles for mountains in Western Canada. Gen-gap families can enjoy the thrill of spotting a grizzly bear (from a safe distance!), board a ferry to Vancouver Island, hike in the shadow of snow-capped peaks and cap off the day reminiscing over maple-syrup infused hot chocolates.
Travelbag is offering a 10-day Whales, Bears & Vancouver self-drive tour, staying in 4* hotels on a bed and breakfast basis. Highlights include hitching a ride on a Zodiac in search of whales, porpoises and seals, discovering metropolitan Vancouver and boarding a floatplane to Knight Inlet to spot grizzly bears. Prices start from £2,399pp including flights from London Gatwick. Based on selected July and August 2018 departure dates, book by 30th August 2018. Based on two adults travelling with two children aged under 12. (0207 001 5252, www.travelbag.co.uk)
South Africa: luxury safari courtesy of the golden oldies
Whilst people aged 35-44 take the most holidays overall, it is the over 65s who are taking the most holidays abroad and deciding to fork out on a luxury break or bucket list trip with their loved ones. Enter the safari holiday! Travelbag has seen an increase in grandparent-grandchildren safari bookings, giving the kids the ultimate bragging rights. Safari holidays incorporate self-drive tours of the winelands and the chance to search for the big five, whilst staying in luxury boutique lodges. It’s a win-win for grannies and kiddos alike.
Travelbag is offering eight days in Cape Town and Kruger National Park staying in 4* hotels on a bed and breakfast basis. Prices start from £1799pp including Virgin Atlantic flights from London Heathrow. Based on selected July and August 2018 departure dates, book by 30th April 2018. Based on two adults travelling with two children aged under 12. (0207 001 5252, www.travelbag.co.uk)
Australia: the ultimate skip-gen road trip
Travelbag predicts that Australia will be a top pick for gen-gap travellers in 2018. Grandparents can hit the open road with the grandkids and embark on an epic Australian self-drive adventure. Your family of road warriors can choose from a number of exciting routes, such as Alice Springs and the remote Red Centre, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road, or Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Beach-hopping down the sunny east coast is always a winner amongst the young and old alike. The grandkids can swim, surf, snorkel and sunbathe to their heart’s content, whilst grandparents can relax and soak up the laid-back Aussie lifestyle. Skip-generational trips to Australia can be packed full of activities to suit everyone’s interest with kangaroo and wallaby watching on Hamilton Island in the heart of the Whitsunday Islands, hitting the water slides at Gold Coast’s Wet’n’Wild waterpark or marvelling at Uluru and Aboriginal rock paintings in the Northern Territory.
Travelbag is offering an 11-day Tastes of Southern Australia tour, staying in 4* hotels on a bed and breakfast basis. Highlights include exploring the sights of Melbourne, travelling the Great Ocean Road and seeing the Twelve Apostles and enjoying the wildlife of Kangaroo Island. Prices start from £3,499pp including Singapore Airlines flights from London Heathrow. Based on selected July and August 2018 departure dates, book by 30th August 2018. Based on two adults travelling with two children aged under 12. (0207 001 5252, www.travelbag.co.uk)
Thailand: something to suit every palette
Thailand, known for having the best food scene in the world, with delights to tantalise every taste bud, is a food connoisseur’s dream at any age. Street eats are a main attraction, with huge, sizzling woks of noodles or the more niche chargrilled scorpion on sticks to thrill the grandchildren. The older folks can indulge in world-renowned Thai dishes such as spicy Tom Yum Goong, mango salad and Pad Thai. Gen-gap families can work off all the calories by bathing baby elephants at one of the country’s responsible sanctuaries, snorkelling in the turquoise Gulf of Thailand or hiking to small hill tribes to see how other families around the world live.
Travelbag is offering three nights in Bangkok, three nights in Chiang Mai and eight nights at the beach in Pattaya, staying in 4* hotels (room only). Prices start from £699pp including Emirates flights from London Heathrow. Based on selected July and August 2018 departure dates, book by 30th August 2018. Based on two adults travelling with two children aged under 12. (0207 001 5252, www.travelbag.co.uk)
Travelbag packages can be tailored to suit a variety of interests, budgets, dates and length of stay. For more information, visit: www.travelbag.co.uk
About Travelbag
Travelbag specialises in creating tailor-made holidays to a range of worldwide destinations that can be booked either online, over the telephone or in one of their seven UK shops (London, Brighton, Solihull, Cheltenham, Winchester, Alton and Knutsford).