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Travel Trends, October 1, 2009: Five years after first examining family hotels and family resorts, FTFc discovers even more investment in themed hotel rooms and children's programs around the world.

In 2005 Family Travel Forum’s FTFc consulting division reported on the trend of forward-thinking hotels catering to the needs of tiny travelers. Nearly five years later -- after tsunamis, hurricanes, H1N1 and the Great Recession -- the staff at FTFc decided to revisit the topic. We discovered that kid-friendly amenities are more popular than ever with family vacationers and, despite a dismal economy, continue to expand in variety and scope.

According to a 2009 YPartnership report, 43% of U.S. adult travelers took one or more trips with kids in 2009, up from just 26% in 2000. That sea change in leisure travel demographics has led marketers to reach beyond parents to target their young audience directly, in recognition of the universal truth: If the kids aren’t happy, no one’s happy.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2009 leisure travel has declined just 2.2% despite a much larger loss in the average family's savings. That’s good news for family hotels and family resorts throughout the U.S., Canada, and around the world who have invested in increased family facilities such as children’s programs, welcome gifts and themed family suites.

The trend is even more apparent at upscale and luxury hotels. And unlike WiFi at mid-priced hotels, or widescreen TVs and in-room coffeemakers at upscale brands (expenses which hotels have had to absorb as clients become more demanding), kid-pleasing amenities are something many hoteliers have figured out how to charge for.

A positive sign for these and other hotels like them is that nearly 60% of family travelers take advantage of the children’s services offered (USTA), with kids meals or menus and hotel discounts being the most utilized. In this difficult economy, hotels and airlines are marketing a variety of child-appealing perks directly to family travelers because they know they will get a response.

Since FTFc's 2005 report, most of the family hotels and family resorts with expensive kid-friendly themed rooms have flourished, and several have incorporated new organized activities and family-together programs into their roster.

Others, like Howard Johnson's who had partnered with the Crayola art supplies brand, have remodeled their Crayola Kids Rooms. According to a spokesperson from Wyndham Worldwide, owner of HoJo, since the hotel chain caters to a variety of travelers ranging from business and seniors to families, kid-themed rooms were not always appropriate, so they were removed from all locations. However, each individual property can choose to reinstate the Crayola rooms, says Wyndham, if owners feel their location has an active demand for them.

In summary, because the trend of reaching out to a younger audience has proven a success, hoteliers are becoming more sophisticated in their family and kids' offerings, and in their ability to charge for them.