New Family Travel Research Confirms High-Value Market

The Family Travel Association partnered with tourism market research firm Longwoods International to create a new profile of the family travel market in the U.S.

The Profile of the American Family Traveler taps into Longwoods’ Travel USA panel database and confirms the value of the family travel market and reveals what it represents within the travel industry.

Family travel makes up 35 percent of all domestic travel according to Longwoods' research. It’s worth more since data shows that families spend 39 percent more on travel than non-family travelers, demonstrating that the market is a significant driver of economic activity in the travel industry.

Research also shows that more than half of family trips are discretionary travel and they represent an opportunity for marketing outreach by all categories of travel suppliers.

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The profile also shows the demographics of the family traveler. Adults skew younger, with an average age of 38, and they are more likely to be married/partnered (74 percent).

More than 60 percent are actively employed and family travelers represent higher income brackets with 43 percent of adults having a household income of $75,000 or more.

“The Family Travel Association is thrilled to be joining forces with Longwoods International to deepen our research and understanding of the family travel market,” said Peter Bopp, Family Travel Association’s director of strategy. “Their extensive trend data on family travel behaviors is providing a depth of insights that will be highly valued by our members and the industry at large.

“This new partnership further enhances the FTA’s ongoing mission to better understand the family travel marketplace and its economic impact,” Bopp added.

This first Profile of American Family Travel report, released today, represents insights gathered from Longwoods 2016 Travel USA panel. It will be updated annually and the 2017 Profile is scheduled to be released in this fall.