The power of travel: 80% of kids more excited than ever to go on holiday following lockdown 3.0
- 80% of British parents feel that their children suffered due to the change in their travel habits last year (1)
- 73% say that not travelling – or travelling less – had an impact on their families’ mental health and wellbeing
- And 8 in 10 say their kids are more excited than ever to go on holidays following the latest lockdown (3)
There is no question that the pandemic has had an enormous impact on Brits’ mental well-being. Regardless of gender, age or background, we’ve all been hit hard over the past year with our routines and plans altered time and time again – and children are no exception to this.
New research from Vrbo, a global expert in family holiday rentals, has found that two thirds of parents admit their kids have struggled more during the most recent lockdown measures than they did the first. A further, and significant, 95% agree this is due to being stuck at home.
However, aspirations of travel this year are giving children (and, of course, their parents) something to really look forward to. 4 in 5 agree that their kids are more excited than ever to go on holiday following the latest lockdown, and even more (84%) said they see improvement in their child’s mental health and overall wellbeing when they go on holidays exploring new locations and spending time outside (3).
Rather heart-warmingly, after being locked up together, 41% of British kids still most look forward to time spent together as a family when on holiday, whilst 38% are excited to explore new places and 35% can’t wait to cannonball into the pool of their holiday home.
Travel and holidays really do work wonders for children, and 34% of parents say their kids are more relaxed when away than at home. Almost a third say they are occupied by curiosity and exploration and 28% of kids seem braver in a new environment.
A third of those surveyed want to spend more of their holidays with family and friends and have high expectations of their long-awaited and much needed 2021 holidays. Half (47%) can’t wait to relax and de-stress after an incredibly challenging year; 43% are ready to create new memories together and 38% simply want to have as much fun as possible together as they can.
(1) An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 2001 adults aged 18+ from the UK, with at least one child under 15, who had travelled as a family in the past 5 years. The research fieldwork took place on 15-19 January 2021. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to MRS code.
(2) All prices and rankings shown are based on demand and prices actually paid by Vrbo UK customers per person/night between 1st January-31st December, 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, calculated by dividing the average nightly price of the property by the maximum number of people it sleeps.
The prices shown are inlocal currency, reflecting both movements in currency and holiday home pricing. All prices are rounded to the nearest pound sterling and the percentages are rounded to the nearest percentage point.
(3) An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 2001 parents with kids under 15 years old from the UK. The research fieldwork took place on 3 – 7 December, 2020. A subsequent online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 1003 parents with kids under 15 years old from the UK. The research fieldwork took place on 1 – 6 April, 2021.