More than nine in 10 families (92%) will vacation this year, up from 88% who did so last year, according to travel community Trip Advisor. Half of parents (48%) say the ability to spend quality time together is the most enjoyable aspect of the family vacation. Also:
• 52% of parents believe travel is “very important” to a child’s education, with an additional 35% believing it’s “somewhat important.”
• 75% of those under age 18 have visited more than six U.S. states and 73% have traveled internationally.
• 44% of parents think airplanes are the most stressful mode of transportation, while 16% cite car travel. Three in 10 (31%) say traveling with children is stress-free.
• 11% of parents have given their child an antihistamine to put them to sleep while traveling.
• TV or DVD players are the resources most likely to be used by parents to entertain children while traveling (45%); 23% encourage kids to read books, and 10% rely on new toys.
• The largest number of families (47%) expect to spend roughly the same amount on family trips as they did last year, while 28% expect to spend more; 30% will spend $1,000-$3,000, 22% will spend $3,000-$5,000, 19% will spend $5,000-$8,000, and 10% will spend more than $10,000.
Source: Trip Advisor, Alexandra Botti, 464 Hillside Ave., Needham, MA 02494; 617-670-6529; abotti@tripadvisor.com; www.tripadvisor.com.
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