by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:08 PM ET, Tue May 7, 2019
National Geographic and G Adventures are launching an expanded partnership that brings to life 12 new trips designed to allow children and adults to connect as a family.
The new "National Geographic Family Journeys with G Adventures" will take families with travelers as young as seven years old to a long list of compelling destinations (including Alaska, Costa Rica, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Peru, Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, and Tanzania) and offer them unforgettable experiences.
The trips will also include not one but two local G Adventures 'Chief Experience Officers', and will feature the themes that have made National Geographic the legendary travel company it is, namely: photography and storytelling, history and culture, wildlife and conservation, and exploration.
Among the destination and activity highlights families can experience together are: wildlife spotting in Alaska's national parks, where children can earn a junior ranger badge; pasta making and gladiator school in Italy; sumo wrestling lessons and samurai swordplay in Japan; acrobatics demonstrations with circus performers in Cambodia; and ziplining through the lush Costa Rican rainforest canopy.
This expanded partnership between the two companies comes on the heels of the previous success with National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures, launched in 2015.
With the popularity of those itineraries continuing to grow, G Adventures and National Geographic opted to expand their partnership into the lucrative family travel market.
"These trips reflect National Geographic's mission to ignite the explorer in all of us and provide unique travel experiences that help us feel more connected to the natural world and the many differing cultures in it," said Heather Heverling, National Geographic senior vice president of Product Management. "This expanded partnership with G Adventures has given us a new opportunity to provide one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences to travelers who want to make meaningful, lifelong memories with members of their family."
In order to develop the new itineraries, which have just gone on sale, National Geographic and G Adventures surveyed family travelers around the world to find out what people most want from a family trip.
The answer?
A vast majority (85 percent) of travelers surveyed said they prefer activities the whole family can enjoy together as opposed to those that allow for separate adult relaxation time.
The resulting National Geographic Family Journeys with G Adventures emphasize opportunities that allow families to have fun, connect, learn, and create lasting memories together.
"What really excites me about this new family travel style is how much learning, bonding, adventure, and enjoyment is included, for every member of the family, at such an accessible price," said G Adventures Managing Director for the U.S. and Latin America, and father of three himself, Ben Perlo.
Additional findings of the survey included that overwhelmingly (81 percent), of family travelers 'love to learn' while traveling, which is not necessarily a new revelation. Another 73 percent said they especially love the outdoors.
And in another affirmation of the growing demand for multigenerational travel, survey participants identified "family" as including not just nuclear members, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Departures for the new trips start in March 2020. All 12 trips in the National Geographic Family Journeys collection are now bookable online at National Geographic Expeditions or at G Adventures, as well as through travel agents.
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