2023 Summer Travel Trends: Why Multi-Generational Travel is Booming

PMG's latest consumer research found that multi-generational travel is mega-popular this year, with 87 percent of American families with at least one child prioritizing leisure travel and actively planning a summer vacation with the family this year. We explore these trends and more in this article.

In this article,

The Travel Trends Defining the 2023 Summer Travel Season

Why Multi-Generational Travel is Booming This Year

This article was originally published on The Drum.

This summer, people are looking for immersive, authentic, and transformative experiences that allow them to engage in local communities and cultures. As travelers seek to broaden their perspectives, the desire to create lasting memories is playing a significant role in shaping summer travel plans, especially among families with children.

According to PMG’s survey, an incredible 87 percent of American families with at least one child are prioritizing leisure travel and actively planning a summer vacation with the family this year. Most notably, roughly 90 percent of U.S. adults ages 35 to 44 (men, 93%, and women, 86%) are planning to travel.

Several factors likely underpin these results. One explanation is that individuals in this age group often enjoy a more stable financial situation, established careers, and greater flexibility in their personal commitments, contributing to their overall ability and increased desire to explore new destinations and book leisure activities.

Other motivations may be that they likely regard summer leisure travel as a respite from family and work responsibilities and seek to prioritize those travel plans accordingly. According to YouGov, more than two-fifths of U.S. consumers (43 percent) are looking to get away from home when traveling, a trend especially true among parents with at least one child. At least half of parents say they are “just looking to get away” or “just need a vacation away from home” (52 percent), according to YouGov’s latest travel poll. 

Multi-generational travel has become incredibly popular as families seek unparalleled ways to spend more quality time together. Some are even booking big-ticket adventures. Safari company African Travel, for example, reports a 20 percent increase in safari bookings from last year, with 40 percent of trips arranged and paid for by grandparents to help make a bucket list experience possible for their families.

Among international destinations, YouGov reports that the United Kingdom tops the list as the most popular summer getaway spot among American families this year, followed by Italy, Barcelona, and Germany.

As parents finalize the family’s summer itinerary and look for last-minute ideas and new inspiration, searches on Pinterest for family-centric travel and experiences like summer vacation ideas (+9,546 percent), travel packing ideas (+266 percent), things to do in summer (+251 percent), and camping must-haves (+223 percent) have skyrocketed in the weeks leading up to the start of summer.

There’s no single, defining attitude among travelers this year except their collective desire to get out and explore. Today, people are really motivated to travel and visit different destinations and cultural capitals around the world and ultimately make up for lost time by enjoying newfound flexibility, especially in the international market, as the broader industry sheds pandemic-era restrictions and national borders re-open for more tourists. 

For more insight into the latest 2023 summer travel trends, check out PMG’s latest report here.