Spring is in the air, and opportunities to capture the attention of coveted family travelers are blooming. Tourism destinations can capitalize on the larger parties and longer stays that are typical with families traveling together, but family vacations usually only happen at certain times of the year in the U.S. as school allows: spring break, summer and winter holidays. Now is the time to start marketing efforts to capture that critical summer stretch.
According to a survey conducted by the Family Travel Association in summer of 2022, 85% of parents were “very likely to travel with their children in the next 12 months.” That means there’s lots of opportunity with about 53.6 million families planning their vacations, but there’s also plenty of competition! How do destination marketing organizations stand out? Here are some of our best tips.
1. Highlight Family-Friendly Hotels
Does your destination have hotels that cater especially to families? Anything that can add convenience to a parent’s life is worth highlighting! This is a great time of year to push family-friendly features in your marketing efforts, including:
- Swimming pools
- Free Wi-Fi
- In-room refrigerators
- Adjoining rooms, suites or other large-group room options
- Play areas or game rooms
- Complimentary breakfast or on-site dining
- Guest laundry facilities
- Shuttle services from airport to hotel
- Cribs and cots available
- Rentals like bikes, board games, beach chairs, etc.
- Video game consoles
- Any unique special amenities for kids, like Kimpton Hotels’ kickboard scooter promotion
It’s a great idea to work some content that centers on these features into your usual tactics at this time of year, like social media posts, e-newsletters, blog posts, paid ads and more. Instead of choosing photos of couples, consider child or family options.
2. Reassure Families with Safety & Flexible Planning Messaging
The tourism industry has largely bounced back from the COVD-19 pandemic in some ways, but focusing on safety is certainly still an important part of messaging toward the family traveler. Continued messaging about cleanliness can set parents’ minds at ease, so highlighting any “clean and safe” certifications or other efforts is a good idea in family-centric content.
Another major concern for families is cancellation, an issue exacerbated by both the pandemic and recent economic volatility. Parents do not want to be stuck in an airport with a toddler in tow or out hundreds or thousands of dollars when an attraction is suddenly closed. That’s why it’s key for destinations and their businesses to focus messaging around clear, easy cancellation policies and flexibility in planning.
3. Build a Family Fun Itinerary
While our first two tips focused on allaying family worries, this one focuses on the fun stuff! What awesome attractions do families love the most in your destination?
Zoos, beaches, outdoor activities, amusement parks and so on make great entries on a family-friendly itinerary. Plan out a full weekend (or even a week if you’re feeling ambitious!) of stops that a family would love, and break them all down in an itinerary on your website, cross-promoted through social media, email and ads.
It’s also a great idea to promote family-friendly restaurant options here. Throw in information about kids’ menus and picky-eater favorites (chicken tenders for the win!), and be especially sure to highlight spots that have something special for both parents and kids. For example, wineries or breweries that are welcoming for families and pets are a great option.
To take your family itinerary a step further, consider working with the attractions and businesses to get them in on the promotion game. You could share collaboration-type posts on Instagram, or you could offer a stamped passport with a discount for people who visit multiple stops. These kinds of efforts are truly win-win.
4. Keep the Grandparents in Mind
These days, more and more families are open to the idea of multigenerational family travel, and destinations that lean into that and that optimize their content for it stand to benefit. Many families invite Grandma and Grandpa along on vacation to help cover costs, and the trend of “gramping,” or grandkids traveling with grandparents rather than parents, is also on the rise.
Again, you can cater to these trends by being smart about the photographs you choose for your marketing efforts across all channels – aka, be sure to mix in some older folks with those family photos! It’s also super important to highlight group hotel options, from discounts to logistical conveniences like group booking links online.
5. Capture the Family Reunion Market
Speaking of large, multigenerational families, let’s talk family reunions. If, like many destinations, yours wants to highlight their event spaces, don’t just focus on those old classics like corporate retreats and weddings. Family reunions are a great content option, too, and according to GroupTravel.org, more than 65% of reunions happen during the summer. Highlight group hotel rates, catering options, large group activities and so on to market to this audience in particular.
Remember, family travel marketing is especially important pre-summer, but it’s a great idea any time of year, particularly if your destination is family-friendly. If you have any questions about your own destination, be sure to reach out to Mary at [email protected].