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The Continuing Growth of Family Travel… and the FTA

Week of May 16, 2016

This is the newsletter of the Family Travel Association, a new coalition of leading family travel experts, media and companies coming together to create an industry voice that will transform the way families travel — charting a path for future generations of travelers.

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Family Travel Association News

FTA Participates in Two Spanish-Language Market Events

At last week’s ETI Conference in Puerto Rico (the premier Caribbean event for travel agents and tourism destinations), Rainer Jenss, founder of the FTA, shared the stage with Danny Williams, the general manager of the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive, to discuss how travel agents can better serve the fast-growing family and multigenerational travel market. They described what today’s modern families look like, what’s important to them, and what challenges they face in planning their vacations. A copy of the presentation can be found here.

Rainer Jenss and Paul Muir, President & CEO of MSE Management, Inc.

Rainer Jenss and Stephanie Schneiderman, Founder of Tia Stephanie Tours

Rainer also attended the 41st annual Tianguis Turístico Mexico, in Guadalajara, as a guest of the Mexico Tourism Board to meet family-friendly suppliers and destinations from all over Mexico to discuss partnership opportunities. While there, Tia Stephanie Tours signed up as a new member, explaining how they are partnering with leading family travel expert Kirsten Maxwell, founder of Kids Are a Trip, to design programs to Yucatan that consider active and experiential elements, learning and curriculum elements, and interactive elements with children and families in the host country.

Family Ties: A PADI Story by Rainer Jenss

Not surprisingly, Rainer Jenss, founder of the FTA, believes that parenthood should not get in the way of travel. Au contraire, sharing the world with children is one of the best gifts you can give them. But scuba diving with children just didn’t seem practical. That quickly changed when he discovered how kids as young 10 can get PADI certified. But it took an interesting twist of fate to learn about it.

8 Indispensable Family Travel Websites

Ready for an unforgettable family vacation? Budget Travel here combined its know-how with intel from Rainer Jenss, founder of the FTA, to choose eight excellent websites that offer money-saving deals, useful advice and cool trips for your whole squad.

Sneak Peak of Perceived Limits, Stories from Cycling 7,000+ Miles with Kids

FTA Board Member Charles R. Scott, author of the recently released book, Daunted Courage, A Family’s Bicycle Adventure on the Lewis & Clark Trail, has posted a sneak peak of his video, Perceived Limits, about his bicycle travels with his kids. It will be screened at the Ciclismo Classico Bike Travel Film Festival in Arlington, MA, on June 1; Newburyport, MA, on June 2; and Danbury, CT, on June 17.

FTA Spotlight Shifts Focus to Volunteer/Philanthropic Family Travel

At the current stage of our FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family campaign (download overview) we are searching for great resources about Volunteer and Philanthropic Travel Opportunities for Families.

One way to prepare your children to be socially responsible citizens is through the potentially powerful combination of travel and service: transformational learning experiences for the entire family. However, it can be challenging and confusing to find meaningful and responsible volunteer placements.

Do you have strong feelings about this? We want to hear from you!

FTA Is Social - Share with Us

We’re busy on social media sharing about family travel. Join the conversation on Facebook (/familytravelassociation) and Twitter (@FamilyTravAssoc) and be sure to use the #familytravel hashtag!

Did you miss yesterday’s #Africhat Twitter chat about family travel, co-hosted by us and several of our members? Here’s an overview of the questions asked, with links to the archived answers.

Family Travel Association Membership

The Family Travel Association membership base continues to expand, drawing in new associations, media outlets, destinations, tour operators, corporate entities, cruise lines, lodgings and travel specialists.

Who Are Our Newest Members?

DSA Vacations
"DSA Vacations is excited by the opportunity to showcase our family vacation packages to all of our destinations. We are strong believers in traveling with family."
– Terry von Guilleaume, Founder and CEO

Family Twist
"We are happy and excited to join the FTA simply because we share the same objectives. Families should travel more (not less!) and create unforgettable memories through both educational and fun activities while spending time together. Cities should become educative and inspirational playgrounds. Getting the word out is a priority, and the FTA is the best way to do it!"
– Magali Dechelette, Founder

Motherland Travel
"I am excited to be a part of the FTA and their commitment to educating families about the benefits of travel. It has long been a priority of mine and in the small niche of experiential adoption travel in which my company has a place, this effort has monumental effect. Imagine being an adoptive family and exploring your child’s birth country for the first time. That’s what I create for my adoptive community!"
– Bambi Wineland, Executive Director

ROW Adventures
"ROW has been family-owned and -operated since its inception in 1979. My own children, Mariah and Jonah, have been instrumental in teaching me how to create and run the best family vacations in the world. We are proud to have shared lifelong memories with families on our trips for nearly four decades, and look forward to the memories to come!"
– Peter Grubb, Founder and President

Scott Dunn
"Scott Dunn is proud to be a member of the FTA, believing passionately in the power of travel to expand minds, open hearts, foster understanding and bring people closer together."
– John Spence, President

South Africa Airways Vacations
"FTA provides a great opportunity to showcase our family vacation packages, which are perfect for those who wish to travel to Southern Africa."
– Cheryle Velsor, Director of Agency Sales and Industry Relations

Tia Stephanie Tours
"It is a true honor to be part of the FTA 'family'! We believe family travel can result in life-changing experiences and enriching learning opportunities for parents and kids alike. This travel segment is not a fad or a trend; rather it lies at the core of why we travel and family dynamics."
– Stephanie Schneiderman, Founder

Travel with Kids TV & Tours
"Traveling the world with our family while filming for our television series has taught a lot: an appreciation for other cultures, a perspective on history, awe of nature, the importance of flexibility and a sense of humor. It's what inspires us to encourage other families to explore the world. Joining the FTA is a natural progression of that. We believe the FTA will change conversations and the definition of family travel, and it aligns with our mission."
– Carrie Simmons, Host

Visit Anchorage
"Alaska has long been a ‘bucket list’ destination, but it’s not a one-time trip. The national parks, glaciers, mountains, wildlife and culture of the Last Frontier offer new experiences for families to explore visit after visit. Joining the FTA is an important way to connect the growing family travel market with Southcentral Alaska."
– Jara Haas, Tourism Sales Manager

Family Travel Association Member News

Do Millennial Families Travel Differently Than Everyone Else?

Millennials are reshaping the highly lucrative family travel landscape, whether they're driving an RV, sharing a local's apartment or on an exotic adventure. Millennial families are also more diverse, likely to travel farther, seek out new destinations and spend more than their peers without children. Attendees of the fourth TMS Family Travel Summit learned this and more.

The Best Family-Friendly Hotels for 2016

Family Vacation Critic has released the winners of its third annual Favorite Hotels Awards. Over 600 hotels received the honor, representing the top 11% of hotels on the site. The hotels have met a set list of criteria, based on reviews from the site's editors and community of family travelers.

Tauck CEO Says Family Focus Continues for Tour Operators

While new technology and customized experiences are du jour in leisure travel right now, some traditional tour operators are sticking to an established formula. Dan Mahar, CEO of Tauck, spoke to Skift about embracing Tauck’s roots and the importance of family travel in the tour operator space.

5 Tips for Family Adventure Travel

Did you miss the Journeys International webinar, with special guest Chez Chesak from the FTA, on planning your transformative (and fun!) family vacation? Don't worry! Here are five top tips that came out of it for getting started on your family adventure travel trip, plus a link to the full webinar.

FTA Spotlight: Volunteer/Philanthropic Family Travel

This week, several people shared important information in response to our call for contributions to the current FTA Spotlight topic: Volunteer and Philanthropic Travel Opportunities for Families. Four of them follow here.

Volunteer Vacations with Kids: 7 Factors to Consider

A volunteer vacation is a fun and meaningful way to travel with your family. But how do you know if a family volunteer vacation is right for your family? What should you think about before planning such a trip? From Global Family Travels, here are seven important factors to consider.

Beaches Resorts’ Make an Island Impact

Created by Beaches Resorts and facilitated through Island Routes Caribbean Adventures, Island Impact gives full-time students the opportunity to earn up to 10 community service hours while vacationing at Beaches Resorts with their families in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos.

Top Considerations for Volunteering Overseas… with Your Kids

Volunteering overseas is a chance to see beyond typical tourist attractions and to act as a global citizen in our interconnected world. Given the outsized impact family vacations can have on children, it’s no wonder that more and more parents are considering adding in a volunteer experience.

Crowdsourcing Global Change: Why Voluntourism Matters

Costa Rican Vacations works with Give a Day Global, which helps link travelers to day-trip volunteer experiences in places they are already planning to visit, rather than entire trips. Here’s what a Give a Day Global co-founder thinks about voluntourism.

17 Tips for a Healthy and Happy Family Adventure in India

If you plan it properly, a family trip to India could be the adventure of a lifetime. To prove it, a friend of Intrepid’s travelled to India with her kids and made this wonderfully inspiring video. Along with it is a written elaboration of the key points.

Five Great Places to Stay with Children in Kenya

For families traveling in Kenya, good accommodation needs to be safe, educational and exciting to children. Both lodges and tented properties need room types that allow children to share with adults or in interconnecting rooms. Here are ARP Travel Group’s top five places you should consider.

Water Country USA and SeaWorld® San Antonio’s NEW Discovery Point Open on May 21

Texas Discovery Point is the only interactive dolphin experience in Texas, and a revolutionary new area of the park that will double the size of the existing dolphin habitat. Meanwhile, in Williamsburg, Virginia, sun, slides and savings are ready for the taking when Water Country USA opens.

Family Travel Thoughts from the FTA Media Center

Read some of the latest writing from the experienced and knowledgeable voices in our Media Center.

Managing Family Travel on a Budget
These days, there are a lot of misconceptions about family travel. Matt Villano reveals one of the biggies: That traveling with kids is expensive.

You Could Stay in a Castle — For Real
Amy Tara Koch tells us how, for families, the notion of resting one’s head where nobles once slumbered is a powerful attraction.

Taking the Kids — to Cuba on the First U.S. Cruise to Sail There in 50+ Years
Eileen Ogintz made the journey with the new Carnival brand, called Fathom, the hope of which is to encourage younger non-cruisers — especially families — on board for a different kind of vacation experience.

Overland Family Adventurers Appear at Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, AZ
Someday I’ll Learn will be running a booth that demonstrates how kids can fit into the rugged world of four-wheel-drive and off-road adventuring.

Family Travel Industry News

For Mother's Day, JetBlue Rewarded Passengers Every Time a Baby Cried Onboard

In honor of Mother’s Day and in a bid to gain more empathy for parents flying with babies, JetBlue launched its first ever “FlyBabies” flight, during which fliers received 25% off of their next ticket every time a baby cried. It was the very first flight where crying babies was a good thing. Check out the video.

New Lonely Planet Titles for Kids

This spring, Lonely Planet launched 10 new titles in its Lonely Planet Kids offering, from its first-ever pop-up book series to fun-filled activity books, new Let’s Explore sticker activity books and even a free family travel ebook about 25 City Adventures for Families. Check out the full catalogue.

Sally Jewell Hopes to Change Lives by Bringing Children to National Parks

Sally Jewell, 51st U.S. Secretary of the Interior, sees outdoor experiences as critical to humans, so is concerned that today’s children are not getting out into the wild enough. She sees the White House’s “Every Kid in a Park” program as a way to decrease the time children spend in front of video display screens.

Five Ways to Promote Multiculturalism Through Travel

Being a global citizen involves more than simply respecting and knowing about other cultures; it requires skills, experiences, and attitudes that help a person engage with and cherish a variety of cultures. Traveling with your kids can help them gain these skills, experiences, and attitudes.

How Parents Are ‘Held Ransom' for Family Holidays - Cost Soars by 115% from July

According to new research, as schools break up for summer in the UK, families face paying twice as much for package holidays to popular destinations. On average, the cost of holidays rose by 35 per cent but the biggest hike was a staggering 115 per cent increase.