One of FTA’s newest members, JP Morgan Chase, sent Greg Stranz, Director of their Marriott Bonvoy Bold Family Travel program shared their research and how families will be planning their travels in the year ahead.
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This year’s Spotlight audience was treated to a presentation from Dr. Jen Hartstein, a family psychologist, author, and television personality who leads a family psychotherapy practice.
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Continuing its annual tradition of honoring the late Keith Bellows, who helped pioneer the start of the organization in 2014, the FTA awarded its 2020 Person of the Year to Heather Greenwood Davis.
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The FTA Spotlight, despite being virtual, managed to bring together a group of top industry executives from some of the leading brands in family travel.
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Heather’s “The Future Is Family Travel” keynote address was so well done, a written script would not do it justice so we urge you to check it out yourself.
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The Travel Detective and Travel Editor at CBS News started things off by giving us his professional take on what the next 5-6 months might look like for travelers.
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Those who attended this year’s FTA Virtual Family Travel Spotlight on November 30th were treated to a special presentation honoring those persons and organizations who are advancing the FTA’s mission in unique and innovative ways. This year’s FTA Honors focused on organizations who specifically chose to give back to the communities they work in and serve, making Beaches […]
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Like so many industry conferences this year, the FTA was forced to cancel its annual “live” Summit and pivot to producing a virtual event that would once again bring together the industry’s leading authorities on family travel and shine a spotlight on the people, places and events shaping family travel today, and in the future. […]
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Founded in 2016, Travel Unity is focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel through individual and community empowerment. We are hoping this interview with its Founder Roni Weiss, will make our membership more aware of and supportive of their important mission. Q: Tell us about Travel Unity and why it was started. RW: […]
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With just over two weeks to go until the curtain lifts on its first-ever virtual Spotlight event happening on Monday, November 30, 2020, the FTA has announced its lineup of speakers and official agenda on its website, FamilyTravel.org. Open to everyone who believes in the FTA’s mission – to inspire and empower families to travel […]
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Those attending this year’s FTA Virtual Family Travel Spotlight on November 30th will be treated to a special presentation honoring those persons and organizations who are advancing the FTA’s mission in unique and innovative ways. And to continue our annual tradition, we’ll also be awarding the 2020 FTA Person of the Year in recognition of […]
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In the spirit of its uniquely popular annual Summit, the FTA is bringing together the industry’s leading authorities on family travel and shining a spotlight on the people, places and events shaping Family Travel for 2021.
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The FTA is thrilled to announce the hiring of Serendipity Media to handle its membership services and communications efforts. In a year that has already seen the FTA transition to a not-for-profit, the association took another big step in its restructuring by bringing in the services of this experienced and talented team. And Serendipity is […]
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With a plan to better educate their over 300 travel advisors about the opportunities the family travel market offers their businesses, the AAA Club Alliance has signed a membership agreement with the Family Travel Association giving their entire advisor network access to the FTA Travel Advisor Training and Certification Program. “Our goal with this program […]
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Despite the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the cruise line industry, Celebrity Cruises is onboard as the FTA’s first official Alliance Partner. To broaden their involvement with the FTA, Celebrity will sponsor the next research report co-produced annually with New York University (NYU). As part of this all-important transition year for the FTA, […]
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G Adventures introduces collection for travelers to vacation with those they know A recent G Adventures panel survey looking at travel trends post-pandemic has indicated that 35% of travelers* intend to take their next trip with multiple friends and / or family members. In response to this growing trend for travelers wanting to travel with […]
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With virtual conferences becoming the new norm for how we gather together to learn, network, and stay connected, the Family Travel Association has been busy spreading the word on how family travel could lead the way in our industry’s recovery once travel is ready to return. To give travel advisors and a chance to engage […]
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The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged many local economies that depend on tourism. The Family Travel Association would like to highlight what our members are doing to support their communities, both at home and around the world.
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Produced by Aaron Schlein, creator of the FTA’s podcast: Family Travel Radio, we’re kicking off a series of recorded interviews with our newly formed Board of Directors. View all interviews here
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The new bill will guarantee that children can sit with their parents on flights at no additional cost, an important safety measure during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Award-winning active tour company Austin Adventures is celebrating the essential workers who have kept America going throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through their first-ever America’s Essential Workers Contest. “We are recognizing those who never rested or who didn’t have the luxury of sheltering in place,” said Dan Austin, the president and CEO of Austin Adventures. “America’s […]
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While the COVID-19 era has introduced specific challenges for all of us, the animals and staff at the center in India that we work with are also in need of emergency additional medicinal supplies, food, first aid, and support with staffing and care due to restrictions on local travel and social distancing. Transported supplies are […]
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Stuart, FL June 24 2020 – Big Five Tours & Expeditions’ Live with Five Jr allows children the opportunity to ride along in real time with one of its in-country partners. The idea behind Live with Five Jr is to provide an interactive experience that allows children to personally connect with a destination through a […]
Continue Reading StoryJust as we started to slowly work our way towards reopening our devastated economy, another crisis took a hold of the U.S. very different from COVID-19. This one deeply seeded in our culture and profoundly personal. Racism and discrimination exists in every aspect of our society, including travel. As such, the FTA will continue to […]
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As parts of the country begin the process of opening up, travelers are looking forward to getting back on the road and in the skies according to the most recent Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers. (Link to rest of story below) For the first trip when it is appropriate to travel again half (52%) of respondents will […]
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The webinar was facilitated by the CEO of the Ker & Downey® Africa Group, Lee Kelsall, who represented Jumbari Family Safaris, a division launched by the group in early 2019 to cater to the family traveler. “I think that this period has forced us all to reflect on what is most important in life and […]
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As the travel industry reawakens following a period of historic retrenchment, IWorld of Travel anticipates renewed growth spurred by pent-up demand. Poised for success in the changing environment, the company is adding a dynamic personality to its leadership team. Alida Paljevic brings more than two decades of experience in the travel industry with deep expertise […]
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In response to COVID-19, South Dakota Tourism launched in March the “Great Places Are Waiting” campaign, a three-phase plan that will run through the summer across all media channels. They recently entered our second phase, one that sees our marketing shift to more openly court & invite visitors to experience our Great Places. This second […]
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An ode to lovers of travel, by G Adventures Bruce Poon Tip: While reflecting on how this interruption would impact the future of tourism, author, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bruce Poon Tip has concluded that despite the hardships being presented to many of us, we have been given the gift of reshaping how we travel in […]
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The FTA Classroom initiative, headed by FTA Board member, Claire Zlobin, is showcasing the creative ways our members are bringing fun and educational activities to families who are homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge everyone to check them out on our Facebook page (@familytravelassociation) and share them with families who might have kids getting […]
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As the transition from an independently owned LLC to a non-for-profit organization continues to progress, the Family Travel Association formed its first official Board of Directors, headed by Travel Age West’s Vice President, Publisher and Editor in Chief, Ken Shapiro. The Executive Committee also includes Marketing and eCommerce Executive, Mike Janes as Vice President, Ben […]
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In letters sent to American, Delta, and United Airlines, Consumer Reports called on these companies to ensure children are seated with their families on planes at no additional cost. More than 130,000 people have signed Consumer Reports’ petition in support of this effort since it was launched just over two weeks ago.
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Dear FTA Members, I love the travel industry. We all do. We love the destinations we help families discover, the experiences we create that changes children’s lives, and the people we work with that make it all possible. As Jack Ezon recently wrote, remember, this is not a job about money, it’s a job […]
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The #TakeFamilyTime advocacy campaign has clearly struck a nerve with families, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
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We look for gift ideas that are meaningful, create joy, build lasting memories, build us to be better people, and make us stronger as a family.
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As we have in years past, the Family Travel Association will have an extensive presence at the 2020 New York Times Travel Show, Friday, January 24 through Sunday, January 26, affording our members several opportunities to raise their visibility within the industry, and with the more than 30,000 consumers who attend the weekend consumer days. […]
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On another page, we presented some of the obstacles preventing parents from taking more vacations. Since then, eight of our members provided their input. THANK YOU for your engagement. THIS is why we launched #TakeFamilyTime. The practical side of us understands that having 58% of American parents (and other adults with children in their home) NOT […]
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Nothing educates like travel does. Learning history from a textbook, or even through video, can’t match the opportunity for a child to be immersed in an environment where they can experience history firsthand. That’s why the Wyoming Office of Tourism is leveraging the fact that 2019 is the 150th anniversary of Wyoming women’s suffrage, and […]
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#TakeFamilyTime is an advocacy campaign meant to rally its membership around the alarming trend of American parents not using all their vacation days and raise the awareness of the importance of traveling together as a family.
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Who knew that building a business in an emerging market would be such a gut-wrenching experience? Yet, as a 30-year old Harvard Business School graduate, I set out to pursue my dream of launching a socially conscious travel company.
Continue Reading StoryContinuous learning leads to continuous success. That’s why in April 2018, the Family Travel Association launched “FTA Academy,” a 23-module video certification program open to all FTA Travel Advisor members. The Academy offers insightful and thought-provoking content for agents at every stage of their career. FTA Academy was created by Sally Black, FTA Director of […]
Continue Reading StoryFew family vacations offer the promise of connections between children and parents like dive vacations do. “A scuba diving vacation forever changes the way you see the world – both above and below the surface,” said Jennifer Small, public relations manager with FTA Member PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) Worldwide. “By sharing this unique […]
Continue Reading StoryOne of the biggest draws for families to travel is the opportunity to have intimate encounters with animals in their natural habitats. We asked Ryan Connolly and the team at FTA Member Hidden Iceland to help you understand the draw of Iceland’s hometown favorite – The Puffin – with a little help from FTA Member […]
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Signature Travel Network held its first Luxury Summit in Dallas, Texas on April 10th. The sold-out event featured senior representatives from a variety of industries and organizations within the luxury segment, as well as over 250 Signature members. “Luxury travel is one of the fastest-growing segments of our business, and our greatest opportunity,” said Ignacio […]
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FTA sat down with Nora Livingstone, CEO and Founder of Animal Experience International, one of our newest members, to understand how she built her company’s itineraries and brand promise based on her personal family travel experiences. Describe what AEI is and who you target primarily? AEI is a small woman-owned tour company that sends people […]
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The FTA recently collaborated with Media Partner Recommend Magazine to bring insights and best practices for professional travel advisors seeking to focus on the family travel market. Recommend Magazine Editor-in-Chief Paloma Villaverde de Rico moderated a panel discussion that included FTA member and travel advisor, Nicole Thibault, owner of Magical Storybook Travels, and FTA Communications […]
Continue Reading StoryThe Family Travel Association (FTA) is proud to announce its first 2019 FTA Summit keynote speaker, Bruce Poon Tip, founder of G Adventures, a tour company that has been a leader in bringing local life experiences to group tours. G Adventures recently announced its partnership with National Geographic is expanding with the launch of National […]
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PHOTO: Gay couple walking through fall woodland with daughter. (Photo via monkeybusinessimages / iStock / Getty Images Plus) Choosing a family vacation destination is tough enough, with sometimes vastly different ideas of what would be cool to kids of different ages—not to mention what the parents want. But for LGBTQ families, there are added issues […]
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Let’s be honest, when your potential customers hear the term “volunteer travel,” what’s their gut reaction? There’s a good chance they picture a group of college-age kids in a third world country. By day the agenda calls for physically demanding labor, while at night they envision sleeping in creaky wooden bunk beds. While this assessment […]
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Are you looking for exciting family vacation ideas? Think outside the box and perhaps consider a dude ranch vacation in the west! For more than 100 years dude ranches and guest ranch vacations have provided limitless fun and engaging things to do for the whole family. Mom and dad will appreciate the all-inclusive rates – […]
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Dude ranches make an incredibly memorable and enjoyable family vacation – for moms especially. With a sense of togetherness and shared experiences moms and the whole family are sure to love their time in the great outdoors, horseback riding and participating in a limitless number of outdoor adventures, such as hiking, fishing, white water rafting, […]
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To kick off the new year, the President of the FTA, Rainer Jenss, announced the addition of four new members to the Advisory Board: Mike Janes, Ben Perlo, Peter Ross, Ashish Sanghrajka. The Advisory Board is comprised of a variety of industry luminaries who have a strong belief in our mission and the expertise to help […]
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The itineraries and experiences empowering families traveling with adventure tour operator and FTA Member Intrepid Travel, often result from the personal experiences of employees like Family Brand and Product Manager, Dyan McKie. Based in Melbourne, Australia, McKie has been in the travel industry for 20 years, but today uses her personal insight as the mother […]
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Author and freelance writer Erin Kirkland talks with Family Travel Radio’s Aaron Schlein about how travel is more affordable when parents shift their perspective. Budget travel has “negative connotations,” Kirkland tells Schlein. “We need to start thinking about shifting our mindset, and make the phrases affordable and budget, come back to being something meaningful.” In […]
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Social media is one of the key ways FTA members stay in touch with each other and their followers. In 2019, we will continue to expand platforms on Facebook and Instagram for our members, so you can demonstrate your talent and offerings.
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Over half of parents (66%) say they would cancel Christmas this year to travel instead, with majority (78%) noting they would rather spend their money on a vacation instead of holiday gifts.
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The FTA collaborated with Family Getaways and the Northstar Travel Group to further their efforts to educate travel professionals on selling family travel.
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The annual “Great Migration” is considered one of the grandest wildlife spectacles on earth, when millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles travel a circular route through eastern Africa in search of fresh grazing lands. The annual procession is now the focus of a new nine-day Tauck safari, “Great Migration: Tanzania & Kenya,” providing travelers with […]
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Il Viaggio Travel, a San José, Costa Rica, ground operator, recently took advantage of one of the greatest FTA member benefits – the ability to connect with other members, create meaningful business relationships, and help parents discover what our members are offering traveling families. The company recently launched a new product line – Costa Rica […]
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Celebrity Cruises recently was named the 2018 Power Partner by the Special Needs Group (SNG), an organization that seeks to educate travel industry professionals about the issues faced by some travelers with accessibility challenges. Celebrity Cruises, an FTA member, is the first supplier to have successfully completed SNG’s Certified Accessible Travel Advocate (CATA) program, and […]
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The FTA has started working with members on a Travel Agent Resource Center designed to help travel advisors better understand what our suppliers offer families and how to sell to their products and services more effectively.
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Recommend Magazine is interested in learning how travel agents are booking family travel, how it has changed and grown over the last few years, and how niches within the general segment are changing how travel advisors sell this particular demographic. That’s why Recommend is partnering with the FTA to better understand family traveler booking practices […]
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Saint Lucia consistently ranks at the top of romantic Caribbean islands, but what many families and travel agents might not be aware of is that it is also a very kid-friendly destination. For any agent whose clients are looking for a lush getaway, with a diverse set of family-oriented resorts and activities, Saint Lucia should […]
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Canadians prioritize visiting new places and exploring with their children, according to a survey recently presented at the 2018 Family Travel Association Summit. Canadian families have a tremendous passion for getting away together, as evidenced by the 81 percent who told the Family Travel Association (FTA) that they are “very likely” or “likely” to travel […]
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The South Dakota Department of Tourism will host the Family Travel Association 2019 Summit, Oct. 20-24.
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Still glowing from an evening of awards and networking, attendees reconvened on Day 2, Tuesday, focused on supporting families whose special needs aren’t always being met by the travel industry. Tuesday morning also included an eye-opening main session about the special challenges that families with special needs members face in feeling comfortable traveling. Myron Pincomb, […]
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The 150 delegates who attended left Bermuda with a renewed sense of excitement and resolution about the opportunities the family travel market offers their businesses.
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It was a night unlike any other, many travel veterans said. Monday evening, at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, the FTA unveiled FTA Honors.
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More than 150 travel industry members will be meeting at the Fairmont Southampton Princess in less than two weeks, for the FTA’s 2018 Summit. Hosted by the Bermuda Tourism Authority, this year’s summit will focus on “Innovation,” as we gather to discuss issues like the affordability of family travel, travel for families with special needs, […]
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On October 1st, The Family Travel Association (FTA) will launch Family Travel Radio, a podcast designed to help parents discover what’s possible when it comes to traveling with their children. Family Travel Radio will be hosted by podcasting veteran Aaron Schlein, who has produced nearly 100 episodes of two existing podcasts, Dramatic Travels Family and […]
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Over the next few weeks, we’ll be reaching out to FTA members to gather assets for the soon-to-be-launched FTA Resource Center for Travel Agents. We want to hear from you about what tools and information would help you better connect with your FTA colleagues, and improve your business. The Resource Center will be designed to […]
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Raising a global citizen takes planning The key years for travel with your child are ages 5 to 18. During those 13 years, families are also juggling extracurricular activities and life road bumps that will further limit your travel time options. That is why Global CommUnity created the Life Travel Map. You can study the destination […]
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Luxury travel agents from Tzell Travel share their tips for unforgettable experiences for families around the world Experiential travel is hot and it’s not just for grownups. Travel Leaders Group’s recent Travel Trends survey revealed that luxury travelers are most interested in experiential travel and that’s no different for families, according to Tzell Travel Group […]
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Animals hold a special place in our hearts – and anyone with children knows this love starts at a young age. Some of our first words are the sounds made by favorite animals.
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Thomson Family Adventures introduces exclusive 20th Anniversary offers to benefit families. Watertown, MA- Thomson Family Adventures, a leader in the family adventure travel industry, is proud to announce that it is celebrating its 20th year in adventure family travel. Since the company’s inception in 1998, thousands of families of all ages have been able to […]
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As the busy summer travel season approaches, global luxury travel network unveils that families are roaming the world in search of experiences that create closer bonds and lasting memories.
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More than a third of Americans were planning to take a vacation more than 50 miles away from home involving more than 2 immediate family members.
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The Family Travel Association is proud to announce the launch of the FTA Certification program for travel agents that specialize in family travel. This certification course is the first of it’s kind in the travel industry.
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Parents report traveling with children is easier today than it’s been for past generations, according to new research by Lonely Planet in conjunction with Lonely Planet Kids. The travel media company surveyed 1,800 parents with children under 18 about their travel habits, preferences and how family travel has changed compared to when they were young. […]
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Longwoods International, a leader in tourism market research, and the Family Travel Association, the leading coalition of the family travel industry, have teamed up to produce a new profile of family travel in the United States. Their study, released today, is called the Profile of the American Family Traveler. It taps into Longwoods ongoing Travel […]
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More than 20 holiday operators have signalled their commitment to improving safety on holidays by signing up to contribute their accident and fatality data to the Safer Tourism Foundation (STF). Last week Telegraph Travel launched its campaign for safer, fairer and better travel in 2018, arguing that only when operators agreed to pool their statistics […]
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The thrills (and spills!) of parenting seem to be amplified when you’re on vacation. Like, your kid isn’t just crying because she’s tired—she’s crying because she’s jet-lagged and thinks day is night. And she has an audience of 250 people on a plane, with no exit strategy. It’s enough to make parents want to turn […]
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Over the past decade, as most U.S. airlines have begun charging extra for choice economy seats, it has become more complicated for those traveling as a party to secure seats together without paying an up-charge. It was for that reason that in July 2016, Congress instructed the DOT to review and determine if new airline […]
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Travel agents definitely have an opportunity when it comes to selling to families who are craving information and price transparency. According to a new study by the Family Travel Association (FTA) and the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality and Tourism, opportunity is being left on the table in […]
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The annual FTA Summit is a trade-only, conference-style event that brings together the leading players and key influencers in family travel, including top suppliers, A-list media and travel agents who specialize in this important market segment. Come prepared to network with fellow FTA members and industry professionals while gaining key insights and learning about best practices from […]
Continue Reading StoryFTA members have been invited to take part in the first Travel/Culinary Auction on Charity Buzz (see link with details). This online marketplace offers experiences and incredible luxury packages bene?ting charitable organizations. They provide access to the largest community of high net worth (median of $3M), philanthropic individuals “shopping” for themselves, family and friends (the […]
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The New York Times has announced that its annual Travel Show reached a new record of 32,398 participants—the highest attendance in the Show’s history. Attendance included 10,268 travel trade and 22,130 consumer attendees during the three-day event that took place from Jan. 26-28, 2018 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The FTA was the […]
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With over 300 days of sunshine, warm temperatures year-round and known as a water sports haven, Portugal’s Algarve coast is already a firm favorite beach destination for travelers in the know. For spring getaway far from the crowds, a stay at Martinhal Sagres Beach Family Resort Hotel offers families the perfect beach escape with cultural […]
Continue Reading Story‘Grandma, would you please pass the incredible adventures?’ As fall settles in here in the Northern Hemisphere, the minds of your clients are inevitably starting to turn toward the holidays. Now is the time to add to your social media campaign plans a generous helping of #TravelSauce. Inspired by an initiative by FTA Member OARS, […]
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The FTA exists to serve its members. After all, if there are no members – there is no FTA, right? To that end, we’d love to have you use us. Seriously. Did you join to connect with the 80+ vetted freelancers and bloggers in our Media Center? Want to reach more agents? Need to connect […]
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The cabin block for the Family Travel Association (FTA) Summit is filling fast. So register now to ensure your ability to network with the best of the family travel industry (including media and agents)! The event is October 23-27 on Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas and it is your conduit to family travel industry influencers and key decision makers. […]
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There are plenty of things to do in with kids in San Diego. Here are 10 of the best things to do, from Legoland to the zoo and beyond.
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Preferred Hotel Group introduces Preferred Residences, a worldwide collection of exceptional villas, bungalows, condominiums, and other idyllic units available at renowned luxury hotels and resorts.
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