Three generations, one vacation: How to survive and enjoy a family holiday

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SWITZERLAND – “Huat ah!” shouted my parents excitedly, hoping to win the top prize of 27.8 million Swiss francs (S$41.4 million) after buying their first Swiss Lotto in Lucerne, a picturesque town famous for its mediaeval Chapel Bridge in central Switzerland.

 

This was one of many memorable moments of my trip in Europe with my parents, brother, sister and her family of four in December 2023.

 

After post-Covid-19 travel restrictions were lifted in 2022, I travelled to destinations such as Germany, Taiwan and Turkey – each time feeling a little guilty for leaving my parents behind.

 

So my siblings and I decided to take our parents on a 13-day tour of Italy, Switzerland and France, as part of a package tour with Chan Brothers Travel. Our last family trip was a week-long self-drive holiday in Kyushu, Japan, in 2019.

 

These days, more travellers are embarking on multi-generational trips to make up for lost time during the pandemic, say tour companies and organisations.

 

According to Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024 report, more than 64 per cent of Singapore travellers have taken group trips with family members and friends to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries.

 

Both traditional and online travel agencies have noted this trend. Chan Brothers Travel reported a 20 per cent increase in multi-generational family tour bookings in 2023, compared with the year before. Meanwhile, online travel agency Klook observed a 36 per cent rise in multi-generational trip bookings in 2023.

 

And the Taiwan Tourism Administration Singapore office received 50 per cent more walk-in inquiries about family holidays after Taiwan – a popular destination among travellers here – reopened its borders in 2022, compared with before the pandemic.

 

Here are some tips I have gleaned from travelling with my family of eight.

 

1. Plan your trip early

 

A multi-generational trip requires more resources and planning than usual. Factor in time for the family to agree on a destination and align travel dates.

 

When I booked my family’s Europe tour in April 2023, more than seven months before our departure date, the tour was more than 50 per cent filled. Tour package pricing is tiered, so early bookers enjoy the best discounts.

 

For free and easy travellers, air ticket prices are lower and hotel options more plentiful when you book ahead.

 

Look for discounts at the Natas Travel Fair, where prices are competitive. It usually takes place twice a year, with the next instalment in August.

 

2. Keep the itinerary relaxing and flexible

 

Focus on quality, not quantity when planning the itinerary.

 

“There has been a significant increase in the number of Singapore travellers who wish to spend time with family through travel, especially post-pandemic, and they are travelling more, deeper and longer,” says Mr Joseph Cheng, director of Taiwan Tourism Administration’s Singapore office.

 

Similarly, Switzerland Tourism’s director of South-east Asia Batiste Pilet says Singaporeans are opting for longer stays and travelling at a more leisurely pace in Switzerland.

 

To prioritise slow and purposeful travel, arrange for a maximum of two or three main sights or activities a day that cater to all ages.

 

Minimise one-night stays as shifting hotels daily can be tiring. Leave time open in the itinerary for rest, down time or spontaneous activities.

 

3. Outsource trip planning

 

Planning a big family trip can be a massive undertaking, so consider engaging a travel planner. Travel companies offer a wide range of standard package tours and trip customisation services.

 

Ms Alice Chia, director of bespoke and luxury travel company Joy of Japan, travels with her children and grandchildren regularly.

 

She says the key to a perfect family holiday is that children must be happy. There should be no stress for parents and grandparents, adds Ms Chia, who strives to create similar experiences for her guests.

 

Her company provides travel-planning services and creates customised itineraries offering in-depth and unique experiences for travellers.

 

Alternatively, independent travellers can engage local guides or drivers. Budget analyst Tham Leng Cheng, 47, hired a local driver, who was recommended by a family friend, for a multi-generational family holiday in Taiwan in November 2023.

 

Mr Tham’s family of seven shared their travel preferences with the driver, who also served as the ad-hoc planner, designing the road trip itinerary and helping with hotel bookings.

 

He paid $6,400 for the 11-day service, which included transport in an eight-seater vehicle, airport transfers, guided tours and some meals.

 

4. Travel as a team

 

Family travel is a team sport – everyone has to play his or her part to make the trip a success.

 

Delegate roles to give everyone a sense of ownership during the trip. Tap your family members’ interests and strengths when assigning roles and responsibilities.

 

For my family’s Europe trip, I juggled travel logistics and coordination with the tour guide, while my siblings oversaw other aspects of the tour. My brother took care of our parents, while my sister watched over her kids aged 12 and eight.

 

Communicate effectively as a team before and during the trip. Use tools such as Google Drive and WhatsApp group chats to share information, such as the trip itinerary, budget and packing list.

 

Check in with family members about their energy levels and preferences to take stock of their well-being, and be ready to make adjustments on the fly. Include younger family members and empower them with fun roles such as choosing ice cream shops for snack breaks.

 

5. Create bonding moments

 

Based on Klook’s 2024 Travel Pulse report, nine in 10 travellers intend to pursue trips with loved ones as travel builds connections and creates shared memories.

 

For Mr Tham, highlights of his family trip include flying a light aircraft in Hualien, a coastal area in the eastern part of Taiwan, and riding the forest train at Alishan mountain, which both the young and old enjoyed.

 

“The trip is a renewal of family bonds. It is nostalgic to relive childhood memories of my family holidays when I see my daughter travelling with their grandparents,” he says.

 

My sister Shirley Ng, a 41-year-old investment professional, says: “I enjoyed the family bonding time. It was a good break to recharge and celebrate the end of my daughter’s Primary School Leaving Examination.” 

 

6. Prepare for the unexpected

 

Even the best-laid plans will go awry. Manage expectations and adopt an easygoing approach towards any hiccups.

 

For my family, the coldest segment of our trip was at Jungfraujoch – famous for having Europe’s highest railway in the heart of the snow-capped Swiss Alps. But when we reached the alpine region, we were shocked to discover that my eight-year-old nephew was not wearing his outermost layer of pants. In the morning rush, he had slipped into the tour bus wearing only thermal tights.

 

His parents had to pay more than €80 (S$116) for a pair of waterproof pants at the souvenir shop. The “pant-less” incident became the running joke of the trip, as we learnt to laugh at mishaps.

 

7. Be open about budgets

 

The cost of a family holiday can be substantial due to high travel demand and rising global inflation. So it is wise to have early conversations about your travel budget to avoid disagreements.

 

My siblings and I offered to pay for my parents’ Europe tour fees, which cost $5,800 a person, when we first floated the idea of a family trip.

 

My parents, who appreciated the gesture, covered their own in-destination expenses, such as shopping. They also picked up the tab for some family meals.

 

Be inclusive and make cost-friendly decisions that everyone can afford. On our free day in Paris, we opted not to join the optional tour to Versailles, the former residence of French royalty, as it would cost an extra €90 a person.

 

Instead, we opted to explore Paris on our own, taking public transportation and eating at a local bistro that served budget set lunches.

 

8. Savour each moment

 

“Ichigo ichie” – this Japanese idiom, which originates from a Japanese tea ceremony custom, directly translates to “one time, one meeting”, and describes an encounter that takes place only once in people’s lives.

 

Likewise, travel experiences are based on a combination of place, people and emotions that cannot be replicated.

 

I can revisit Italy, but will never again enjoy the shared experience of our family’s first gondola ride together and seeing my parents’ eyes sparkle with childlike wonder as we glided through Venice Grand Canal.

 

Being on the road together for more than a week inevitably brought on minor squabbles, and the occasional grousing about the lack of food options and cold weather. And sometimes, the itinerary did not please everyone.

 

On our free day in Paris, I tried to squeeze in the top highlights of the city, including seeing the Mona Lisa together at the Louvre museum. However, my parents and the children were not impressed. My parents said that they would rather have spent the morning shopping at Galeries Lafayette, a majestic department store.

 

But this is all part of being a family.

 

Savour every moment, even the difficult ones. Cherish seeing the world with people who mean the world to you, and take lots of photos to capture the memories.

 

Wendy Ng is a freelance travel writer who documents her work at whywendywrites.com

 

 

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.

 

 

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