Children and social media decide where we go on family holidays

Wondering where to take your family on holiday this year? Why bother, when nearly a third  let children decide anyway.

Child’s choice:  Family holidays are decided by youngest members Image by Michael Heffernan

Almost one in three parents (29%) say their children decide where to go on the family holiday each year, and one in two (51%) have felt under pressure from their children to choose a particular location, research from Kayak.co.uk found.

TV shows like Flaked set in Venice Beach neighbourhood of LA can influence our holiday decision.

The poll of 2020 parents with children under 18 found 22% of children wanted to visit places their friends had been, 21% were influenced by television, and 19% wanted to go back to somewhere they had holidayed before.

It also found some 10% of children said their choice was influenced by social media.

Families are encouraged to stick to a holiday budget.  Image by Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Annie Wilson, travel expert at Kayak, says: “The research indicates that many parents are feeling under significant pressure to provide the holidays their children want and which allow them to ‘keep up’ with their school friends.”

Kardashians in Cuba: TV and celebrities can influence choice of holiday destinations. Image by Press Association

She added: “My advice is to be firm about your holiday budget and don’t spend more than you can afford – it is very hard to relax and enjoy a holiday if you’re worried about paying for it.”