|
Look Kids: Big Ben, Parliament! Majority of Parents
Think It's Important to Expose Children to History and Culture on Vacation
British Airways Survey Finds London is #1 Most Desirable European
Destination for Families
Summer is just around the corner and U.S. families are showing a desire to
travel abroad. According to a new British Airways survey conducted by
Harris Interactive(R) two-thirds of U.S. parents are planning a family
vacation this year and nearly half (46%) of parents either have or would
like to take their children on an international vacation in the future.
London ranked as the #1 most desirable European destination for families,
followed by Rome and Paris.
Parents are looking for more than just the "same old" family summer
vacation. The British Airways survey found 61% of parents think it's
important to expose their kids to history and culture on vacation and almost
half (46%) believe that exposing children to other parts of the world
through travel is a priority. An overwhelming majority of parents also
consider traveling as an important opportunity to build memories (77%) and
bring the family together (68%).
"International travel provides a great opportunity for parents to connect
with their kids," says Marybeth Bond, travel expert and adventure editor for
Travel Girl Magazine. "London is especially desirable; I have taken my kids
there three times. Historical landmarks, kid-friendly attractions and the
convenience of the same language make it one of the best places to travel
with your family."
According to the British Airways survey, 54% of parents would like to take a
family vacation to London and half of those would prefer to visit London in
the summertime.
An overwhelming (72%) of family travelers would be interested in staying in
an apartment where they had the option of cooking their own food to save
money.
Marybeth offers the following tips for making a London family vacation both
affordable and memorable:
-
Plan Ahead, Done -- Research and make your travel plans as
far ahead as possible to ensure the best value on your trip. Involve your
children in the planning -- they will appreciate having a say in developing
an itinerary.
-
Museums and Parks -- Take advantage of the many London
museums that offer free/discounted admissions. Research ahead and
incorporate them into you itinerary.
-
Kids Stay Free -- Renting a flat can run as low as $150 per
night, and kids can often stay for free. Freedom to cook can help save money
on food, and travelers can enjoy the excitement of living like a local
Londoner.
-
Pack Lunches -- Vendors at popular sites aren't the only
food option while traveling. Pack some tasty sandwiches to feed the family
after a few hours of site seeing, and also remember to pack plenty of water.
"We have found that summer bookings to London are up
significantly this year and family travelers are making up a lot of that
demand," said Elizabeth Weisser, Vice President of Marketing North America
for British Airways. "Factors such as BA Holidays' kids stay free hotels
and apartments, family-friendly amenities on board and a variety of
affordable kid-friendly cultural attractions make London increasingly
attractive for American families."
In addition to culture and history, convenience and family friendly
amenities are important to family travelers. Half (50%) of parents like
airlines that recognize that family travelers have special needs (e.g. kid-
friendly meals, place to change diapers, etc.), while 39% of parents say it
is very important that an airline know how to entertain their youngest
passengers (e.g., movies music, games, etc.)
WEB SITE:
BA.com
To obtain more information or to view details of services for
children on British Airways Go to British Airways' Policies and Services for Children
|
WEB SITE:
BA.com
British Airways Introduces Toddler
Seats
See Travel News:
Port of Seattle issues Press Release - Do Your Part- Pack Smart - remove "innocent but inappropriate items from Carry-on Luggage
As our Family Prepares to Fly, We Will Adjust to Changes in the Sky
For more information on Kid Friendly
Planes & Trains go To
For more information on Air Travel with Children Click
Below:
For Air Travel Tips Click Below:
For FAA (US) requirements for on Child
Restraint Systems on airplanes Click Below:
Air Safety News
For Travel Tips for Unaccompanied Minors
Click Below:
To Return to Travel News for Planes &
Trains Click Below:
Also Visit these other sections of Travel News:
To view Travel News about Hotels and
Resorts Click Below:
To view Travel News about Family
Attractions Click Below:
To view Travel News about Destinations
Click Below:
To view Travel News about Ski Resorts
Click Below:
Click here to return to Travel News
|
