Tourism Trends Shift as Travellers Opt for Relaxed Family Holidays

The travel trend in Indonesia is said to be shifting toward smaller groups, described as multi-generation trips or cross-generational holidays. People now prefer to travel in small groups, not in large numbers as in the past when coach-loads of travellers were common. And there are many multi-generation travellers—parents, grandparents, their children and grandchildren. Travel by large coaches is now more often used for other activities, such as school study tours and corporate events. According to Pauline Suharno, the chair of the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (Astindo), people now place a much higher value on time spent together. Gathering the entire family becomes a very precious moment for them. This trend of travelling with extended families has been evident since the COVID-19 pandemic. An interesting aspect regarding financing for this type of holiday is that it usually requires funding or donors, typically provided by parents who are financially well-off. This phenomenon is not only widespread in Indonesia; a similar trend is also happening around the world. Travel itineraries must be able to adapt to the physical pace of each generation. Each age group has different energy levels and habits. “The older generation can no longer walk until late at night, and the children may wake up a bit later too. For them, holidays are no longer like the old days of waking at 6 or 7, having breakfast, leaving the hotel at 8, and hurrying back to the hotel after dinner. It’s no longer like that; it’s more about experiencing it for themselves,” Pauline explained. In choosing travel destinations, there are several priority criteria. Travellers currently tend to choose destinations with affordable transport access and comfort for all ages. Furthermore, destinations must be easily reachable by public transport.