Is the travel industry failing single parents?
In today’s world, there are many variations to the “traditional” family holiday consisting of two married parents and their children.
New research from Comparetravelinsurance.com.au has shown nearly 60 per cent of parents say they would continue to travel with their children in the aftermath of a separation.
To find out more, Travel Weekly sat down with Compare Insurance Associate Director Natalie Ball to chat about out why single parents are so often forgotten in the world of travel, and what can be done in the future to make options accessible to every type of family.
For Ball, just as the definition of a traditional family is changing, so too is the way we travel as families.
“If you’re an average Australian family of two adults and two children, things are relatively simple when it comes to booking travel, yet when it comes to a single-parent family, stress levels can soar as the holiday season approaches,” Ball said.
“In addition to worrying about how to fund the holiday and the extended time away from work, separated parents have to consider the other parent’s plans and seek consent when taking the children interstate or overseas,” she added.
So why are single parents forgotten?
The ever growing demographic of lone-parent families are often ignored when it comes to travel services and advertised deals.
Amongst hotels and restaurants, the popular catch phrase ‘kids eat free’ or ‘kids stay free’ is usually based on a two paying adults, rendering the deal less attractive when you’re having to pay for the non-existent other half.
When it comes to tourist attractions, family passes are also based on a ‘traditional’ family structure, rendering the deal unaffordable for lone-parents.
Single parents are also somewhat alienated when it comes to the imagery used to portray an ideal family holiday, we’re all too familiar with the holiday image of the overtly happy couple on a white sandy beach tossing a toddler or two in the air.
How is their travelling behaviour different to couples?
Travelling with kids in tow is going to be a challenge no matter what, but even more so without an extra hand.
Couples generally have an extra set of hands, a second disciplinary voice and can act as a tag team to allow some individual downtime.
This generally means that a single parent travelling with kids will need to be better prepared, be less inclined to travel far or get off the beaten track, and will have a tendency to stick to resorts with kids clubs to allow for some self retreat and recharge.
The difference of a single income compared to a dual income in peak holiday season, will generally mean that budgets are tighter.
What are companies doing to change policies for single parents?
Hotel and accommodation booking platforms have upped their game in recent years by asking preferred room configurations upfront before showing room prices.
Historically, it was common practice to advertise a room rate based on two people, which would then double when you realized that it was based on two people being in the room.
Travel insurers have adapted their policy wording so as to not discriminate against varying family structures.
Whilst nearly all insurers offer cover for singles travelling with their children, many tend to offer a discount on a ‘family policy’.
New player in the market Zoom travel insurance ignores the concept of ‘family travel insurance’ altogether and identifies their travellers as adults and dependant children.
Rather than offering a discount to a traditional nuclear family, kids travel free of charge with any adult whether there is one or two. 1Cover travel insurance, Budget Direct and Travel Insurance Direct also take this approach.
It would be great to see other travel service providers making improvements to accommodate family structures beyond the traditional ‘nuclear’ family.
What can be done to accommodate single parents?
Holiday companies and tour operators could certainly benefit from being a bit more inclusive in their approach.
Multiple person discounts, as opposed to family passes based on a two-by-two mould would go a long way to cater for the struggles of lone-parent travel, and assist in making one-on-one time away with your children affordable.
Another example, is where room rates are advised as including breakfast, however if you’re one adult down perhaps a discount could be applied.
Most of all, Ball recommends to be organised and think about the kids.
“All the research tells us that children’s outcomes are improved in every regard when parental conflict is minimised and a child’s needs are prioritised.
“It may be difficult but try to put your feelings aside and take comfort in the knowledge that your children can only benefit from your shared cooperation.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.
Exactly 99.
& why does most of the world, think every family has 2, 4 or 6 kids & not 1, 3 or 5 ? the odd person out, usually gets to sleep on a good old sofa bed. Great !!!