CLIA survey reveals late teens and early twenties choosing to holiday with parents

The survey was taken by 1,000 UK adults who will or have taken a holiday in 2016 with their children that are 16 – 21 years old.

The overarching results of the research show parents see their children as an integral part of the family holiday, no matter what age.

Even when ‘children’ choose to holiday independently 95% returned to the family holiday, a social condition CLIA has coined the ‘boomerang effect’.

Andy Harmer, CLIA Europe vp operations commented, 'The research was motivated by a desire for us to sense check the trend for multi-generational cruising and to establish what the ‘family unit’ looks like in 2016.  The family holiday is in a state of flux, no longer is there an age at which parents lose the kids and we are seeing a new demographic; the kidults. As a result more attention needs to be placed on experiences for customers in their late teens and early twenties, something the cruise industry is already prepared for.'

The main reason for parents choosing to holiday with their children is to spend quality time together and 78% of those surveyed agreed with this statement. Millennials lead more demanding lives; time is taken up with education, employment and relationships outside of the family unit. 70% of parents said that a holiday is the only opportunity they have to spend quality time with their children.

The holiday process is now more democratic with parents often demoted in the decision making: 74% of those surevyed allowed their children to determine where they go on holiday. Despite this, the kids don’t want to take any financial responsibility and 88% of parents will pay for their child/children of any age to come on holiday with them.

Cultural commentator and BBC broadcaster Benjamin Ramm said: 'Society is seeing a seismic shift in attitudes to travel and wider family life, as this CLIA research reveals. Previous generations were desperate to break free from the family structure, whereas today the rising cost of living and an increased sense of individual culture all lead to a dependency on the family unit – which of course extends into the holiday arena, a formative opportunity to spend quality time together.'