AARP survey finds 47% of people 45-plus plan to take a multi-generational family trip within a year

WASHINGTON - AARP Travel, a valuable resource for America's 76 million baby boomers who spend over $120 billion annually in leisure travel, today announced new insights into Multi-Generational family vacations – trips that include three generations or more, such as kids, parents, aunts/uncles and grandparents all traveling to one destination to vacation together.

The new research conducted by AARP Travel of people 45 and older offers valuable insights into multi-generational vacations including why families are going, where they're going, what they do on these family vacations, the challenges to plan them and why they create memories of a lifetime. AARP is also giving away a family vacation for six for an Alaskan cruise, Grand Canyon adventure, or Hawaiian getaway to one lucky sweepstakes winner. A daily prize drawing is also held and each day one winner will receive a gift card.

"Multi-generational family travel is becoming the new trend in family vacations. Our AARP 2015 Travel Trends found initial evidence that they would be popular in 2015 and now we know why," saidStephanie Miles, Vice President, Member Value, AARP. "Our multi-generational travel research found 98 percent of travelers who took a multi-generational trip were highly satisfied and 85 percent are planning to take another one in the next 12 months."

Key multi-generational vacations findings include:

• 80 percent traveled in the U.S. and many chose active cities, beaches and amusement parks.
• 20 percent traveled internationally with half heading to the Caribbean, Mexico or South America.
• Cruising is popular for 25 percent of international travelers.
• Almost 40 percent chose nostalgic destinations to share a childhood memory.

Top Destinations for Multi-Generational Vacations: Picking the right destination where families across three generations can enjoy time with one another and also by themselves can be challenging, but there are destinations that offer both. The following information provides more insights into preferred destinations for multi-generational travel:

• 80 percent traveled domestically
  -Amusement Parks
  - Disney
  - California
  - Hawaii
• 20 percent traveled internationally
  - The Caribbean/South America
  - Cruise vacation
  - Europe
  - Mexico

Top Benefits of Multi-Generational Vacations: Traveling with parents, kids and grandparents can be transformative in many ways. The following are the top benefits of multi-generational travel as identified in the new AARP Travel research:

• Bringing the entire family together (83 percent)
• Helping build special memories (69 percent)
• Grandparents are able to spend time with grandkids (50 percent)
• Quality one-on-one time with family/spouse (36 percent)
• Adult relatives spending time with younger generations (29 percent)

Top Activities Enjoyed on Multi-Generational Vacations: Approximately half of all parents and grandparents who have taken a multi-generational trip recommend planning ahead, especially about activities so that everyone enjoys the trip. The top activities most enjoyed on multi-generational trips include:

• Spending time together as a family (72 percent)
• Dining out (49 percent)
• Relaxing by the beach/pool (41 percent)
• Sightseeing (33 percent)
• Theme/Amusement park (18 percent)
• Cooking together as a family (17 percent)
• Outdoor/Nature activities (14 percent)

Top Barriers to Planning a Multi-Generational Vacations: While more and more travelers 45-plus dream of taking a trip with their families, multi-generational travel definitely poses a few challenges in terms of planning and coordination. The following are the top barriers to multi-generation travel as identified in the AARP Travel Research:

• Agreeing on a date (38 percent)
• Cost concerns (20 percent)
• Overwhelming to coordinate (20 percent)
• Finding time to make the trip a priority (18 percent)
• Agreeing on a destination (17 percent)

The AARP Travel website makes the planning process for multigenerational trips much simpler. AARP Travel's Trip Finder tool features exciting destinations around the world and ideas for activities that everyone from grandparents, parents to grandkids can enjoy.

AARP Travel's range of travel tools and features include:

• Trip Finder - a fun, smart and visual series of questions to deliver ideas and recommendations for destinations - including some unexpected ones;
• Map Explorer - a detailed street-level interactive map that includes attractions, restaurants, hotels, local color and reviews for each destination;
• My Trips - a personal page where users can save and organize trip ideas, itineraries and related articles in one place and add to or edit them over multiple visits;
• Articles and Destinations - travel tips from AARP Travel Ambassador Samantha Brown, articles specifically geared toward the 50+ traveler and information about hundreds of domestic and international locations; and
• Book Trips - booking tools provided through AARP's relationships with Expedia and Liberty Travel and directly to hotels, and rental cars.