Many Australian families, especially in the school holiday periods, travel to mainstream ‘sun, surf and sand’ Asian destinations such as Bali and Phuket, but it is only in recent years that dedicated hotels and tours have begun to cater to their demands.
<[stk -4.5]>“Allowing for whatever problems may be affecting certain areas, we’re seeing consistent growth in family travel, and with that is improved family product,”Garuda Orient Holidays product manager Nick Deacock said. <[etk]>
Now properties such as the Mercure Pattaya in Thailand and the Bali Dynasty in Bali have created rooms and facilities aimed squarely at this sector.
“The Bali Dynasty is a really family-oriented resort with all its facilities designed to cater to family needs,” Deacock said.
The property offers family rooms with children’s suites, bunk beds, play stations, child-friendly menus and activities, and a kids club.
“They have also recently introduced what they call the Departure Lounge for late check-out and early arrivals,”Deacock said.
He said the lounge opened eight months ago with showers and games and other facilities to make it easier for families with late departures, which was “mainly Australians”.
Deacock said one of the newer trends was the development of villa-style accommodation that could cater for several families travelling together.
“There are dedicated staff,” he said of the villas, “and many also have their own kitchens and pools, as well as plenty of space for families to move.”
Deacock claimed the company had seen greater family interest in soft adventuressuch as white water rafting and bike riding.
Other wholesalers, such as Think Adventure, Travel Indochina, Selective Tours and Intrepid, offer tours aimed at the more adventurous family. Examples include cruises along China’s Yangtse River, stays with local families in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, tiger game drives in India, and visits to the hill tribes of northern Thailand.
Many of these “family-friendly” adventure tours are enhanced by experienced and child-friendly guides, shorter travel times between hotels, several nights in one place, the security of group travel, and activities that both parents and children can participate in.