Travel trends are shaped by traveller habits, and as far as trends in the industry from the last few years go, multigenerational travel is one that’s here to stay. In fact, travelling is something universally enjoyed by today’s generations—from baby boomers to gen Xers, to millennials, to generation Z. It also doesn’t hurt that we have all this technology and innovation at our disposal, making travel more accessible to us than at any other time in history.
Multi-gen travel gives us the opportunity to spend quality time with family in faraway exotic places or nearby retreats—this is especially meaningful for families who are spread out over the map. The driving force behind this is a shift in our priorities, as we continue to value experiences over material goods. This is reflected in our saving and spending habits geared towards travel.
A few multigenerational travel ideas
Need some multi-gen travel ideas for your family? All-inclusive resort vacations or cruise vacations are tried-and-tested choices among larger groups of travellers because there’s less time spent planning and more time spent relaxing. Families that are a little more active or hands-on can also seek out activities like outdoor adventure tours, visits to national parks, cultural immersions, museum hopping, heritage or historical site tours, and many more others, limited only by your imagination. Sometimes though, you might find that a simple, old-fashioned family road trip across Canada is all you’ll need.
5 tips for planning your multi-gen trip
Coming up with multigenerational trip ideas is the fun—and easy—part. But next comes the planning stage, which can be quite a big challenge, depending on how large your family is. Unlike planning for solo travel, already time consuming enough on its own, planning the logistics of an entire family trip is something else!
Decide who’s coming along on the trip
Who’s coming along? Your parents? Your children? Your grandchildren? Your brother(s) and/or sister(s)? Their families? The family tree can get quite “branchy”, so it’s best to plan ahead and be realistic about who can go on your multigenerational trip, logistically speaking.
Make sure everyone who’s coming can actually make it
Everyone’s busy, so double- and triple-check that everyone’s schedules match up. The more people in your family, the harder it is to find a timeframe that works for everyone. Ensure that everyone can book the right days off from work or that any obligations they might have can be rescheduled without a problem.
Have all parties agree on a budget
Every household has its own income situation and therefore own budget. Be respectful of a common budget to avoid going over it and causing financial problems. On the upside, shared accommodation such as vacation home rentals or villas can often lead to cost savings, the more people there are.
Include each family member in the planning process
Letting everyone have some say in where to go and what to do can avoid possible disagreements during the trip (or it can lead to it, so exercise caution!). It’s also a good way to invite new perspectives and ideas from everyone involved.
Stick to family-friendly activities
Whenever you travel in a group with a wide age range, it’s best to plan for activities that have a general appeal to all the members of that group. You can’t always please everyone, but the more activities people can participate in, the more fun it’ll be!
Get family travel insurance!
When it comes to insuring your group (of 2 or more) on their travels, family plans are always the most economical option, with policies available in both Single Trip and Multi Trip Annual plans. Family members can either travel together or separately on annual plans, meaning they don’t have to leave on their trip at the same time.
Before purchasing, it’s important to make sure that your whole family is covered. In the policy wording, you’ll find that the definition of “family” includes:
- Individuals 59 years old and under
- Dependent children and grandchildren
- up to & including 21 years old
- up to 25 years old, if attending school full-time
Note: If grandparents are 60+ years old, they won’t be able to take advantage of a family plan, but there are other ways to economize their travel insurance. The healthier they are, the lower their premiums will be, since our Medical Health Questionnaire rewards healthy travellers by offering competitive rates.
If you have any more questions, take a look at family travel insurance FAQs.
Enjoy travelling with family!
Justin
