Beaches survey reveals an increased desire to invite grandparents on vacations

Traveling with grandma and grandpa is in. That’s what Beaches Resorts says it found in its Censuswide survey of more than 1,000 families.

Among other things, Beaches found that 69% of parents between the ages of 25 and 45 who were surveyed want their children’s grandparents to join more of their family vacations, and that 57% are interested in starting new family traditions centered around vacations with grandparents.

The findings coincide with Pleasant Holidays booking patterns since the pandemic, according to president and CEO Jack Richards.

“The baby boomer grandparents are taking the lead since they have the time and money to organize and book multigenerational trips and unique family experiences to destinations worldwide,” Richards said. “For travel 2021-23, affordability was not an issue. However, price is becoming a challenge in 2024 and heading into 2025.”

Despite signs pointing to a slowdown for all-inclusive demand, most of Pleasant Holidays’ multigenerational bookings steer toward all-inclusive beach vacations, especially when there are younger children involved.

“All-inclusive resorts offer a fixed budget, multiple dining options, different lodging options, kids’ clubs and often childcare options,” Richards said. “The wonderful thing about travel today is that there is something for everyone, and hotels and resorts are discovering new and innovative ways to appeal to a broad cross-section of people.”

Sara Purdy, owner of Purdy’s Journeys, a member of Envoyage, said the Caribbean sees the highest demand for multigenerational vacations since, typically, all-inclusives offer activities for all ages.

“It may not be easy for grandparents to walk 10,000+ steps a day around a city in Europe, but it sure is easy for them to make their way around a resort,” Purdy said. “Every activity is easily accessible: dining, golf, beach, spa. Resorts also have villas with several bedrooms where the whole family can stay under one roof together, so they don’t feel separated being spread out through a hotel.”

Baby boomer grandparents aren’t satisfied sitting on a beach or around a pool all day; 61% of the study respondents said that grandparents are more active than expected during travel, with 58% of millennial parents agreeing their children’s grandparents are more active than their own were.

“Grandparents like to be with their grandchildren, so they are game for all the options that keeps their grands busy and engaged,” said Mary Delello, owner and manager of Winter Park, Fla.-based All About Travel. “It makes for great pictures and memories that everyone will always remember.”

Purdy said grandparents are more willing nowadays to step outside  their comfort zones when traveling with family, “but they know their limits and do not hinder their kids or grandkids from doing these kinds of more physically demanding activities,” she said. “I recently had a private hike to a waterfall planned for a multigenerational family and made sure that when anyone was ready to head back and not continue on, they could do so. Multigenerational travel is all about listening to every family member’s needs and customizing a vacation that will suit everyone.”

Seventy-two percent of parents said that grandparents are extremely helpful on vacation, with 59% agreeing that having grandparents along eases stress.

“The grandparents are usually the ones that have the kids with them, so that the parents have some time to themselves and space to recharge,” Delello said.