The Generation Game: Research Reveals XL Holidays are Set to Boom

New research conducted by Hilton (NYSE: HLT) shows that extra-large holidays are set to boom as Britons invite friends and family away with them.

Almost three-quarters (72 percent) of UK adults say the events of the past 18 months have made them re-evaluate what is really important. Two-thirds of parents (65 percent) said their children have missed out on seeing grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins during 2020 and 2021, with 63 percent being keen to make up for this lost time in the future.

As a result of the extended time apart, the UK populace is set to embark on an era of multi-generational holidays, with more than half (51 percent) likely to go away next year with extended family members such as siblings, cousins and grandparents.

Of the respondents who had family abroad, almost all (96 percent) said it had been two years since they had seen loved ones living away, with 43 percent confirming their group holiday would involve visits to family overseas. Nearly three-quarters (70 percent) of those polled said going on an extended family holiday allowed them to reconnect with family members while enjoying a break, and more than half (52 percent) said inviting more people along made childcare easier.

Steve Cassidy, Hilton’s managing director, UK & Ireland, said: “Many of us have missed out on the opportunity to travel as well as spend quality time with loved ones, so for most, it makes perfect sense to combine the two and create some fantastic memories on holiday. Whether it’s building sandcastles with the grandchildren, cousins playing at a theme park, or mums and dads relaxing together, there is no shortage of options with a multi-generational getaway.  Our research shows just how much the public wants to make up for the lost time by adventuring with as many of their loved ones as possible.”

Hilton is the only major hotel chain that allows guests to confirm interconnecting rooms at the time of booking, providing a hassle-free solution to a decades-old problem for families and groups.

The most popular reason to have an XL holiday is to catch up with family members, followed by a special celebration and the chance to see relatives you don't often spend time with. A quarter of adults said holidays provide an opportunity for grandparents to spend quality time with their grandchildren, while a fifth (22 percent) said it allows kids to play together while grown-ups relax. Four in 10 (42 percent) say holidays with lots of kids are more fun and a quarter (23 percent) said they liked group trips away because it works out cheaper for accommodation costs. Almost half (45 percent) said they were willing to spend more on their next holiday to make up for having been unable to go abroad in 2020 and 2021.

The UK is the most likely destination for an XL holiday (41 percent), followed by Spain (31 percent), France (23 percent) and Italy (21 percent). Almost a fifth (18 percent) of families fancy a trip across the Atlantic for a getaway in Florida and 52 percent say that if they are holidaying with family members like young children, they are more likely to do things they wouldn't do otherwise such as visit a theme park, ride a jet ski and plan something more adventurous.

Almost all (89 percent) of the respondents in the UAE said they were likely to take a multi-generational holiday next year, followed by those in Saudi Arabia (86 percent), Turkey (63 percent) and Russia (60 percent), confirming the global post-pandemic trend to travel with the entire family.

Here are six of the best Hilton properties to head to on a multi-generational trip in 2022.

Hilton offers new family experience packages at nearly 200 of its hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  Curated by parents from the global hospitality brand, children under 12 can enjoy complimentary touches including beds decorated with a special children’s theme, storybooks, kids’ passports, mocktails, bespoke menus and dedicated breakfast corners.