Only 3.5% of affluent parents are choosing Airbnb as accommodation during luxury family vacation travel, according to a new survey.
The survey by Top Flight Family, an online family vacation resource, was conducted in October among 362 U.S. residents of with children under age 17 and income above US$100,000. Respondents reported spending about US$1,500 per person per vacation. With an average household size of 3.9 and an average of 4.1 trips taken per year, that means affluent households spend over $23,000 per year just on family travel.
Hotels remain the top choice for families on vacation (60%), with nearly half (43%) of respondents said their child had stayed with them at a 5-star hotel or resort.
Vacation rentals (17%) were the second-most popular option, but only 3.5% chose Airbnb rentals as their favorite accommodation option, ranking it behind staying with friends and family (13.5%) and booking timeshares (4.4%).
Some statistics from Gen X versus millennial parents:
- Gen X parents are more likely than millennial parents to use travel as a way to reconnect with extended family and friends.
- 32% of Gen X parents said their primary reason for traveling with children is to visit long-distance relatives, while only 16% of millennial parents listed this as their number one reason for hitting the road
- 24% of Gen X parents said “visiting friends or family” is their favorite type of vacation to book, while only 11% of millennial parents chose this as their favorite
- 24% of Gen X parents say their favorite type of accommodation is staying with friends or family, while only 6% of millennial parents selected this as their preferred lodging option
Nearly a quarter of affluent parents (23%) said they take trips primarily to enrich their children’s education and development. Two-thirds said they are willing to let their kids miss some school in order to travel (65%).
Affluent parents are savvy about paying extra for add-ons that make the experience of traveling with children more convenient and enjoyable. For most parents, the number one option worth spending on is upgrading from a standard hotel room to a suite or villa (71%).
Activity and adventure vacations were ranked highest by 25% of families. Beach vacations came in a close second (24%), ahead of visiting friends or family (20%).