Back view of a happy family on tropical beach / Shutterstock
Expedia has released their 2019 Family Travel Report that looks at travel habits of Canadian families with children ranging from toddlers, to pre-teens to teenagers.
The report surveyed 1503 Canadian parents between February 8 - 13 using an online panel.
It found that nearly half of the respondents - a whopping 40 per cent of residents - are willing to spend a great deal of time travelling to their vacation destination. In fact, they were willing to spend an impressive eight hours or more travelling by plane or car. Further, this lengthy travel time was selected as the top choice for travel time to destination with their kids.
Interestingly, Albertans had an even higher plane threshold than the rest of the country. A staggering 50 per cent of respondents said that were willing to spend eight or more hours on a plane with children. In contrast, Atlantic Canadians were the least willing, with only 30 per cent of respondents noting that they were willing to spend that amount of time travelling.
Beach destinations were the most popular choice for destinations - over 80 per cent of respondents selected sun-soaked getaways as their top choice. Adventure travel came in a close second, however, with 70 per cent of respondents seeking a more exciting experience with their families.
According to Expedia, popular adventure destinations included Kahului, Manila, Costa Rica, Auckland and Phoenix. When it comes to family travel budgets, a third of respondents said they spend between $3,000 to $5,000 on a single vacation.
"Managing a budget is important for all travellers and families are no exception. Our survey found that the extra costs that can arise with family travel is the number one challenge for 42% of Canadians," said Jennifer Callegaro, Senior Manager, Marketing for Brand Expedia.
"As a parent, I try to book as many elements of our trip together before we leave. This helps to not only manage our itinerary all in one place, but also manage our budget. By bundling trip elements into a package on Expedia – including hotels, flights, car rentals and activities – travellers are able to save as well as know the near total cost of their trip before they even depart."
Canadians also noted that having attractions nearby was the most important factor in selection a destination, with nearly 60 per cent of respondents selecting this requirement. Access to kid's friendly activities, such as a pool, came in second, with 46 per cent of respondents selecting this option.
British Columbians and Québécois were the most likely to stay in a vacation rental out of all the Canadian provinces. However, nearly half of respondents report using vacation rentals. Similarly, nearly half of respondents report using a car rental on their holiday.
With files from Relax News.
