Matching families to the right vacation product is not always an easy selling proposition. But agents who take the initiative—and do the research—are reaping rewards.

To help you boost your bookings, we asked experts about how to find the right fit for your family clients.

Asking the Right Questions

For Pleasant Holidays President and CEO Jack E. Richards, asking the right questions is the key to success. “The single-most important thing to do is find out the purpose of the trip,” he said. “People have gotten away from wanting to go to the beach to just do nothing. We’re seeing a lot of interest in vacations that offer education and history.”

The challenge is to think creatively. “Most people think of Orlando as a top destination for families, and it’s an important one,” he said.

“But a large segment of our clientele is going to Washington, D.C., to see the monuments or to lay Christmas wreaths at Arlington. They may go to New York City for shopping but also to visit the September 11 Memorial and Museum,” said Richards.

Finding the Right Balance

Although most families are interested in adventure trip components, that doesn’t mean they’re willing to forgo creature comforts. “You have to find the right balance for the group,” Richards said. “Figure out how much activity the kids want and how much pampering the adults want.”

The market itself, meanwhile, is undergoing exponential growth. “Years ago, people would hesitate before taking the kids on international trips,” he said. “Now they’re heading off to Mexico, the Caribbean and going on European river cruises. Agents really should be looking beyond traditional theme parks and become experts in family travel. It’s a booming field.”

Sarah Fazendin of A Family Travel Blog in Cherry Creek, Colo., agreed. “I’m seeing that clients don’t have hotels or even locations in mind when they come to me,” she said, making research more important than ever. “Sometimes the solutions might be easy, as with a ski or snorkeling trip,” she added. “But other times the clients want to go somewhere the kids can practice their Spanish.”

Booking Further Out

Families are now booking much farther in advance. “Clients are starting to look a couple of years in advance,” Fazendin said. “There’s a sweet spot when the kids are in early high school. Parents realize that college is only a few years away. So, they start thinking about Machu Picchu. It’s important to open a file for them and stay on top of it.”

Fazendin also stays on top of luxury trends. “This group is staying away from the mega resorts,” she said. “They’re focused on intimate experiences and unique places, such as nature preserves.”

She’s also had success selling small-ship cruises in destinations like Alaska and the South Pacific. “In the past, Tahiti and the South Pacific were primarily for honeymooners. But I’m seeing family interest, especially in places such as the Jean Michel Cousteau property in Fiji,” Fazendin said, adding that Nicaragua and Panama are also hot right now.

Another growing trend is multiple families traveling together. “I’m seeing families with kids in middle school or older wanting to travel together,” she said. “And, I’m doing lots of big groups where the parents are celebrating a 40th or 50th birthday.”

Selling Villas to Families

Family groups are ideal prospects for villa rentals, said Steve Lassman, vice president of villa product and agency relations for Villas of Distinction, with cost savings making them particularly attractive. “In a destination such as Orlando, we can put families in villas with four to 15 bedrooms. Qualitywise they’re on par with the Grand Floridian or Four Seasons,” he said. “And dollar-for-dollar, clients come out ahead.”

Agents can book villas with game rooms, private theaters, even ice-skating rinks and bowling alleys. But, it’s the less tangible benefits that matter most. “The idea that you’re all together with plenty of space makes people relax more than in a hotel situation,” he said.

The Caribbean is a perennially popular spot for family villa rentals, and Italy is another top option, Lassman said, while well-traveled families interested in the outdoors gravitate to Belize or Costa Rica.

“Our goal is to help design a vacation around what the family and the kids want to do,” he said. “It’s all about giving the clients a space to share experiences. After all, that’s what everyone is striving for today.”