7 in 10 families have taken grandparents on holiday, poll suggests

Booking as a group spreads cost, meaning access to further-flung destinations, more luxurious accommodation and more exciting or off-the-beaten-path activities

Seven in 10 families have taken a "multi-generational holiday" – by travelling with their relatives, a new survey has suggested.

The trend of relatives pooling their resources to spend time away together emerged in a survey carried out among 1,000 parents and 1,000 grandparents.

More than half of respondents had jetted off to sunnier foreign climes with their nearest and dearest and a quarter admitting they enjoyed the break far more than the would have done if they went solo.

The poll found the main perceived benefit of taking an inter-generational holiday is that everyone gets to be together.

Many parents also admitted they like having extra people around to help with the kids, while one-third think it is a more cost-effective way to travel - by splitting the cost across parents and grandparents.

“Multi-generational travel is on the rise, with time-poor families looking to maximise the experiences they have together," said a spokesperson for Virgin Holidays, which commissioned the survey. ''We first saw the trend emerge a few years ago and this year we are seeing more families than ever looking to travel in large groups.”

Around half of grandparents said they thought their grandchildren would find it "cool" to take a trip with the "oldies".

Nearly half of those surveyed believed parents rule the roost on a multi-generational holiday and are most likely to shoulder the majority of the decision-making and responsibility.

But the biggest challenge is finding activities which everyone, young and old, are guaranteed to enjoy.

Most thought a beach holiday was the best way to keep everyone entertained, with more than a quarter saying they would book a tour of a famous landmark during their trip.

Nearly two-thirds of parents surveyed said they wished they had more time in their lives when the whole extended family could get together.

“Far from being a more stressful or stuffy option, modern families are seizing the opportunity to travel together to maximise their quality time and make the most of their holidays," the Virgin spokesperson added. “Booking a trip together can have the benefits of spreading the cost, and pooled funds can mean access to a further-flung destination, more luxurious holiday accommodation and more exciting or off-the-beaten-path activities.”

SWNS