Children are ‘wearing the trousers’ when it comes to deciding where to go and what to do on holidays, a Holiday Inn survey has found, as parents admit ‘keeping the kids happy’ makes for a more memorable and enjoyable holiday.

A resounding seven in 10 respondents of the Holiday Inn ‘Do More of What You Love’ survey, which saw travellers across the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region offer insights into family holidays, say it is important to get their little one’s input when choosing how and where to spend precious family breaks.

Over 80 per cent of mums and dads in almost every country surveyed always, or at least frequently, chose holiday destinations based on making sure their kids will be occupied and happy because it meant a greater possibility of getting more ‘me-time’ for them.  In particular, it was Indonesian, Saudi and Thai parents who say choosing a destination catering to their children’s interest each and every time they holiday makes for a better, more relaxing break for themselves.

Lee Lin Teo, head of Brand Management for the Holiday Inn Brand Family across Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) said: “It’s clear travellers around the region are balancing several factors when making holiday decisions; wanting ‘me-time’ for themselves to unwind, finding the right holiday spot that allows their family to spend time together and reconnect as well as ensuring their kids will be kept occupied and entertained. Whatever our guests want from their break, at Holiday Inn we provide all the facilities, clubs and programmes for the entire family to recharge, refresh and do more of what they love throughout their stay,” Lee Lin concluded.

While trying to find this balance can be hard, it seems it’s certainly worth it in the end with over 60 per cent of respondents saying their children often, or very often, talk favourably about their holidays - the fun times together, activities and new friends made - and of these, just over a half (51 per cent) say their family holidays are some of their children’s greatest memories.

Delving deeper into what makes for a fun, more memorable break, parents are instinctively spot on when it comes to knowing what makes their kids happy on holidays. When asked, mums and dads listed these activities as the top three things their kids love to do most on their breaks:

1. Swimming in the pool or ocean;
2. Playing at the beach; and
3. Visiting nearby theme or waterparks

Kids (regardless of age or gender) agree, listing the same activities in the same order as the top things they love doing on holidays.

When it’s time to wrap up the trip, for most travellers the best holiday souvenirs are the memories made and the way we remember good times on holidays doesn’t change dramatically across the region, with social media, unsurprisingly, the preferred choice for displaying holiday photos on their return home. - TradeArabia News Service