Evolving Family Travel Trends and Top Destinations That Meet Them

DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Family travel makes up the largest segment of the leisure travel industry, with each family vacationing about 4.5* times per year. With the dynamics of today's family travel changing, the experts at Hotels.com® used their latest Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®) to identify the top trends and some of the destinations that best suit the current core needs of family travelers. 

"Hotels.com offers tools to help families pinpoint the best hotel for their needs," said Taylor L. Cole, APR, travel expert for Hotels.com. "Families can search based on hotel amenities like kid-friendly areas, cribs, and on-site child care and even the proximity to a landmark, attraction or activity. We have real guest reviews written by family travelers and customers can search based on the type of accommodation."

In the latest edition of the Hotel Price Index, the Family Travel Spotlight identifies five key characteristics of family travelers: value-consciousness, making memories, staying healthy and safe, providing activities for kids and adults and staying close to home. Whether it's a budget-friendly hotel for a great staycation, a homey vacation rental or a kid-friendly all-inclusive resort, Hotels.com recommends the following hotels in top destinations to give families what they desire.

Family travelers are value-conscious:
Families are looking for hotels that offer perks and deals, such as free breakfast or 50 percent off on a second room, when searching through different travel websites. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic ($267 USD per night according to the HPI) is an ideal family destination due to the wide selection of kid friendly resorts and attractive deals available. For example, at Grand Palladium Bávaro Resort & Spa, the first child stays for free and the second stays at 50 percent off. This all-inclusive resort has the largest kids club in the Caribbean.

Families travel to make memories:
A very important aspect of family travel is to make memories along the way. Seventy percent of families have taken vacations in the past year to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and graduations*. A number of hotels are creating ways to store these memories for years to come. For starters, in Vail, Colorado ($261 USD per night according to the HPI), The Lodge at Vail, a RockResort has an online photo-sharing and saving program called Epic Mix that allows families to have fun on the slopes while professional photographers take photos that vacationers can view later.

Families want children to stay healthy and safe while traveling:
Healthy eating and wellness are top of mind even when families are away from home. Loews Hotels of California offers Precious Plates - a regular menu for children but with half the cost and smaller portions. At Ritz-Carlton hotels, parents can call early and request outlet covers, a tub spout cover and first aid kit as part of the Protect Our Little Ones program. JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts offers menus for three young age groups.

Families want fun for kids and parents too:
Traveling with little ones can be tough, but families deserve a vacation no matter what. Some hotels have incorporated areas where parents can get away while the kids join in on supervised activities with their own age groups. Others, for instance the Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel situated in the heart of Chicago, Illinois ($162 USD per night according to the HPI), offer amenities, such as babysitting services, to allow parents the enjoyment of a romantic date.

Families still love staycations:
With so many people to coordinate, family vacation wishes can be easily met with staycations. These vacations are no more than 50 miles from home, but the decrease in travel time provides more valuable family time. The staycation trend is here to stay, as it provides a budget-friendly, time-saving vacation option for families. San Antonio, Texas ($126 USD per night according to the HPI) has been among the Top 10 Domestic Destination for Americans to travel for two years in a row. With its numerous museums, parks and activities, the city is an attractive place for families to visit. The homey Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade provides a comfortable setting with a room especially created for the kids and adjoining room for their parents. The colorful bedding, beanbag chairs and complimentary Kids' Sensation Bar filled with toys, trinkets and snacks makes this hotel feel like home.

For more interesting insights into family travel planning behaviors, check out the Family Traveler Infographic from Expedia, Inc. Learn more by visiting www.hotel-price-index.com and follow the conversation on Twitter @hotelsdotcom, #HPI.

*According to TMS Family Travel Summit.

Press contacts:

Mary Apesos – Finn Partners for Hotels.com
Phone: (212) 593-6310
Email: [email protected]  
@FinnTravel

Taylor L. Cole, APR
Hotels.com North America
Phone: (469) 335-8442
Email: [email protected]
@TravelwithTLC

About the HPI®
The HPI tracks real prices paid per room by Hotels.com customers at approximately 155,000 properties within the Hotels.com network in major destinations around the world. To access the full report, including videos, detailed maps, colorful photos, a city-by-city breakdown and family travel trends, please visit: www.hotel-price-index.com.

About Hotels.com®
Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking brand. Through the Expedia, Inc. global network of websites, Hotels.com, LP connects travelers with approximately 220,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com, LP benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, obtaining the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 7 million Guest Reviews on the websites from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through Hotels.com, LP's industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards^®, customers can earn a free* night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 85,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee†, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com, LP will refund the difference. Travelers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centers. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Hotels.comUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com, LP is part of Expedia, Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world's best-known brands. 

Hotels.com, Hotel Price Index, HPI, Finding You The Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2013 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50

*Your free night is good at any Welcome Rewards eligible property. The maximum value of your free night is the average daily rate of your ten (10) nights. Your free night does not include taxes and fees.

† Price match guarantee on hotel bookings. If you find a lower price on exactly the same stay elsewhere, we'll match it or let you cancel your booking without a penalty.  Terms and conditions apply.

Video with caption: "Hotels.com identifies the top trends and destinations for family travelers based on the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI)." Video available at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-DA84950-20130924-1.mp4

Image with caption: "With the dynamics of today's family travel changing, the experts at Hotels.com(R) used their latest Hotel Price Index(TM) (HPI(R)) to identify the top trends and some of the destinations that best suit the current core needs of family travelers. Hotels.com identifies top destinations for family travelers based on HPI data." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130924/DA84950

SOURCE Hotels.com