Most parents plan holidays around children’s preferences, report shows

Generation Alpha and Gen Z travellers are playing active roles in family trip planning, Hilton’s 2025 report suggests. Photo / 123rf
Step aside boomers, Generation Alpha and Generation Z’s influence on the travel industry is steadily growing according to Hilton’s 2025 Trends Report.
Family travel is increasingly dictated by the preferences of travellers aged 27 years and younger in Asia Pacific, according to the report, which surveyed more than 13,000 travellers across 13 countries.
Across the ditch, 71% of young travellers “actively contribute” to family travel plans and 62% of parents consider their children’s interests when deciding vacation destinations.
“The growing influence of Generation Alpha on family travel signals a transformative shift in the travel industry,” said Hilton Asia Pacific’s senior vice-president and commercial director, Ben George.
Young travellers aren’t yet swiping credit cards and booking hotels for their family, but their influence over travel decisions continues to grow. Most contribute to selecting accommodation (31%), followed by transportation (20%), trip duration (12%), and budgeting (10%).
If travel providers want to keep up, they’ll need to cater to the younger generation’s preference for meaning and immersion, said Hilton Asia Pacific’s senior vice-president of brand management, Alexandra Jaritz.
“As Generation Alpha and Z step into the role of key influencers in family travel decisions, they are redefining the landscape of travel. Their evolving preferences are driving the industry to innovate, creating opportunities for more meaningful, immersive, and culturally enriching experiences that align with their values,” he said.
“This shift is not just about the destinations they choose, but how they interact with and experience the world.
Hilton’s report also found that multi-generational trips remain a popular way to travel, with 37% of travellers heading away with their parents and 40% inviting extended family members, especially in countries such as India, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
This trend is nothing new to the travel industry. Families have long taken trips together around their country or the world, especially travellers from collectivist cultures where families typically live together beyond adulthood.
This type of travel, while meaningful, isn’t without its challenges. The primary trip planner, typically the family matriarch, is tasked with finding destinations and activities that please people of all ages.
Asia Pacific Gen Alpha and Gen Z aren’t just searching for more meaningful experiences, but getting them regularly.
Almost all (92%) had travelled within the last year at least once and in Australia, youths average two trips a year.
As part of the 2025 trend report, Hilton also produced a “Generational Alpha Personality Test” to allow travellers to see what type of traveller they are.
Discover what type of traveller you are with Hilton’s Generation Alpha Personality Test.