Pools and water activities are the most important element of a family resort holiday, followed by spacious and potentially adjoining guest rooms, according to the latest Hilton Blue Paper - "Resort Travel Trends: What Families Want."
Parenting on Female First
Hilton Hotels & Resorts issues the study today as the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide prepares to introduce Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort as its 75th resort and first all-inclusive in Mexico this Autumn.
The study explores top destinations along with the needs and preferences of parents and kids when it comes to family holidays. Hilton finds an increased interest in all-inclusive resorts, with 95 per cent of UK parents and 92 per cent of U.S parents polled at least "somewhat interested" in this model.
Additional focus is given to the holiday planning process, today's desirable destinations and the preferred components of an ultimate kids' club experience. The report was commissioned by Hilton Hotels & Resorts and offers valuable insight from parents and kids - through a survey consisting of more than 1,200 parents in the U.K. and U.S. in June and July 2012 as well as 20 focus groups that separated mums and kids in November 2011 in the U.K., U.S. and China.
"This new research offers a timely perspective on what today's families seek in resort holidays," said Dave Horton, global head at Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "Of particular note, the report's leading resort holiday considerations of pools and food for everyone are key touch points for our 75 resorts that all offer at least two pools or a pool and a beach and a minimum of two restaurants along with waterfront food and beverage services."
"This Hilton Blue Paper examines the family holiday experience from the planning period to key on-property touch points, with input coming from the most credible source of mums, dads and kids in cities around the world who regularly take resort holidays," said Bonnie Campagnuolo, senior director of global brand marketing at Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "We look forward to using the report to further shape the guiding principles and standards for our Hilton Resorts portfolio that offers 75 resorts in 28 countries."
The Hilton Blue Paper is released as the Hilton Resorts portfolio continues to expand its global footprint with 17 resorts in development while consistently offering memorable holiday experiences in the world's most desirable locations - as near as Portugal and Mallorca and as exotic as Mauritius, Seychelles and Bora Bora. The portfolio, which features 10 all-inclusive resorts with the opening of Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort in October 2012, will introduce exciting beach and city resorts by 2015 in destinations including Argentina, Austria, China, India, Egypt, U.A.E. and Jordan.
Hilton Resorts is a specific collection of premier properties within the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio that are designed for travellers seeking relaxation and rejuvenation in the world's most sought-after destinations. This distinguished group of more than 70 properties located throughout 28 countries encompasses requirements above and beyond the Hilton brand standards.
Key insights in this Hilton Blue Paper include:
· Pools and water activities are the No. 1 resort touch point for parents and kids, followed by spacious (and potentially adjoining) guest rooms and a variety of dining options.
· Kids' clubs are a highly valued resort amenity for families, as they allow kids to have fun and enjoy group activities while parents take advantage of some "me" time - key considerations for kids' club use are safety, flexibility and diverse programming.
· Top destinations where U.K. parents want to holiday now include Orlando with Disneyland Paris, Italy, Mallorca and Dubai, while U.S. parents pair their top choice of Hawaii, Orlando, the Grand Canyon, Southern California and Continental Europe.
· An increasing interest in all-inclusive resorts, with 95 percent of U.K. parents and 92 percent of U.S. parents at least "somewhat interested" in this resort holiday option.
· Mum serves as the family travel agent - researching travel options and seeking advice from trusted sources (including friends and family) before booking a family holiday.
· While parents want to simply relax and create fond memories while holidaying, kids are most interested in fun pools and good food.
· A checklist of parent recommendations for resort holidays that please everyone in the family.
To view a summary and full version of the "Resort Travel Trends: What Families Want" report and other Hilton Blue Papers, visit http://news.hilton.com/bluepaper. To learn more about Hilton Resorts, Visit http://hilton.com/resorts or http://news.hilton.com/resorts.