What Traveling Kids Want: More Wi-Fi Please!

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Traveling with kids this holiday season? Give them a little more of what they want and there will be a lot more joy. A recent poll taken by Booking.com captured the pulse of more than 22,500 kids around the world to find out what those who should be seen and not heard had to say about what they want out of their family vacations

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No surprisingly, strong, fast Wi-Fi and the chance to take cool photos for social media is an absolute must for teens, while youngsters (5-11 year olds) crave a lush swimming pool and all the ice cream they can eat

Today’s teens (12-15 years old), put the focus on social media and keeping in touch with friends at home while away. Specifically:

• The majority (89%) of kids 12-15 years old prioritized a strong Wi-Fi connection as essential
• Having the chance to take cool photos for social media was important for nearly half (44%)
• Staying near a pool or a beach and enjoying lots of activities were also ranked in the top five important factors
• Conversely, only a quarter (25%) of those 12-15 years old think it’s important to make friends with other kids on vacation

By contrast, kids 5-11 years old are much more sociable and really want for vacations by a cool pool or beach:

• Staying near a pool/cool water slides (73%) or beach (58%) are deemed the two top priorities for children ages 5-11, followed by activities they can’t do at home (54%)
• Playing with other children is important to nearly half (42%), and over a third would like to have all the ice cream they can eat on vacation (34%) and food that isn’t usually allowed at home (32%)
• One in five look to stay somewhere with a room bigger than they have at home (24%) and with bouncy beds (22%), while one in ten (10%) expect vacation staff to be good at telling jokes

The findings highlighted Greece, Brazil and the US as among the top-rated destinations for children this year, especially as families can find the most important elements of a child’s vacation, such as evening activities, accommodations near beaches, and epic social media upload opportunities. Japan, Mexico and Canada were also given kudos by children visiting from around the world, showing how diverse destinations are more accessible and family-friendlier than ever.

SOCIAL MEDIA KUDOS

A strong Wi-Fi connection (89%) and eye-catching social media scenery (44%) are key factors in a vacation for kids 12-15 years old, showing the importance of reporting back to friends at home during family travels. Brazil is revealed as the top spot for teens 12-15 years old to get the best shot this summer, with rooftop apartments and epic beachside hotels overlooking views such as Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain. Creating kudos on Instagram, Snapchat and Weibo is serious business and something that can’t be easily overlooked for Generation Z.

A LAZY BREAKFAST

Nearly half (42%) of kids 12-15 years old and over a quarter (26%) of those 5-11 years old want accommodations that give them the opportunity to sleep in before breakfast. From those 5-11 years old, a huge 77% noted that Poland is great for a late breakfast, and Croatia was rated highly by older kids. To ease the stress, self-catering, or inclusive meal options, is a great choice for guaranteeing kids don’t miss the most important meal of the day, providing flexibility for them to enjoy fresh bread rolls and scrambled eggs whenever they want.

EATING FORBIDDEN FOOD

Of the 5 to 11 year olds who traveled this summer, a third (32%) agreed that the most important thing on a family trip is eating food that isn’t usually allowed at home, proving that vacations are an exciting way to taste food from different cultures and dig into tasty treats. Japan was a clear favorite, with a huge 84% of 5 to 11 year olds enjoying the food on their travels there. With a rise in popularity of colorful sushi and dim sum dishes, plus the delicious Ningyo-yaki dessert, it seems like children are experimenting with their taste buds more than ever!

STAYING UP PAST BEDTIME

Last summer, evening activities were highly regarded by nearly half (46%) of kids 5-11 years old, and a quarter (27%) of those 12-15 years old. With a range of hotels offering kids clubs, babysitters and evening shows, entertaining your kids has never been easier to organize on vacation. Rich in diversity and with a range of activities on your doorstep, including ice-skating, biking, wildlife sighting and fishing, over three quarters (78%) of children from 5-11 years old said Canada was a great destination for summer evening activities and staying out late.

LET’S GO TO THE BEACH

Sun, sea and sand – the perfect option for keeping the little ones busy on vacation. From making sand castles to paddling in the sea, staying near the beach is deemed the second most important thing for children 5-11 years old, and the fourth for those 12-15 years old. With a number of islands featuring idyllic beaches, fun water sports and epic snorkeling, Greece is a clear favorite for beach-based retreats – for all ages.

A WHOLE LOT OF HISTORY

Staying in a piece of history is also worth doing. From 16th-century castles to huge lighthouses, it’s easy to see why Great Britain was voted the most historical vacation spot by 76% of those 12-15 years old and 33% of children 5-11 years old. Closely followed by other European countries including Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy, it shows that studying can continue even when’s school’s out.

BIGGER BEDROOMS… AND BOUNCIER BEDS

Taiwan and Malaysia beat out Thailand for children’s bedroom sizes, with 84% of children ages 5-11 this summer recommending the small island off China. However, Brazil beats Asia in the battle of the bouncy beds, something that a fifth (22%) of children ages 5-11 see as an important factor for a family vacation, ensuring energetic jumping is followed by a comfortable night’s sleep.

Booking.com Travel Agent Booking Platform

For travel agents that want to take advantage of Booking.com for ease and pricing, the megabooking site has launched a travel agent platform that tracks their bookings and offers commissions on their services. The company launched the initial test pilot of Booking.com for Travel Agents last month as the first iteration of a new platform designed specifically with the unique needs of travel agents in mind.

The platform features a suite of easy-to-use tools that empower travel industry professionals to seamlessly make and manage accommodation reservations for their clients, operating somewhat as an extension of the company’s existing Affiliate Partner Program. It leverages technology and infrastructure being developed for Booking.com for Business.

The portal allows agents to view and manage all customer reservations via one handy dashboard, and it also includes a tab of customizable reports that fully support agents in monitoring individual client bookings, as well as providing them with a convenient breakdown of their earnings over time.

For more information: Click here.