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Purpose Families represent a large and growing market for the tourism industry. Family tourism is driven by the increasing importance placed on promoting family togetherness, keeping family bonds alive and creating family memories. Predictions for the future of family travel are shaped by changes in demography and social structures. With global mobility families are increasingly geographically dispersed and new family markets are emerging. The purpose here is to discuss the trends that shape our understanding of families and family tourism. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines ten trends that the authors as experts in the field identify of importance and significance for the future of family tourism. Findings What emerges is that the future of family tourism lies in capturing the increasing heterogeneity, fluidity and mobility of the family market. Originality/value The paper contributes to our understanding about the changes taking place in family tourism and what it means to the tourism industry in the future

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Abstract:The focus on individuals in tourism research has led to limited and fragmented research on family groups and their leisure experiences away from home. This article extends conceptual and theoretical understandings within family tourism research by offering a threedimensional framework inclusive of group perspectives. A whole-family methodology was used with 10 families (10 fathers, 10 mothers and 20 children) in New Zealand as a more critical and holistic approach to tourism concepts. Empirical findings illustrate group dynamics along with the underrepresented generational perspectives of children and gender perspectives of fathers to provide insights into family functioning. This resulted in a threelayered model of family holiday experiences inclusive of group sociality. The collective intentionality of family togetherness on holiday is contrasted with more balanced modes in own time, highlighting the complexity of socialization within tourism theory and practice.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it highlights the emergence of Generation Z and the interface of its members with the tourism system. Second, by way of a theoretical model, the paper provides a more holistic approach to understanding Generation Z travel experiences in which the emphasis is shifted from the destination to the traveller. This is in keeping with the trend which lays more emphasis on people rather than landscape.Design/methodology/approachThis is qualitative research founded on an interpretive (constructivist) paradigm. Selecting Generation Z as the subject locates this study under generational theory and assumesprima faciea socially constructed reality. The paper is based on research conducted in New Zealand aimed at understanding the travel experiences of inbound Generation Z travellers. Data were collected from 12 semi-structured interviews lasting about 30 min each and from 5 blogs. Nvivo 11 programme was used in analysing data and developing themes. Core categories and related themes were generated forming building blocks of a theoretical model.FindingsFindings revealed interplay of multiple factors in Generation Z’s travel experiences at a destination. The factors are global in nature, destination centric and those which are immediate or proximate to the individual. To fully grasp the notion of experience requires the gestalt of the three as well as pre-trip, during-trip and post-trip factors.Research limitations/implicationsThe impact of significant events upon participants is assumed. A specific analysis of the events and the magnitude of their influence on the individual participants may be necessary.Practical implicationsDestination marketers tend to concentrate on psychological aspects to appeal to the traveller. The focus, in this case, is creating an attractive image in the mind of travellers to get them to come to the destination. This research suggests shifting the focus to understanding the evolving traveller.Social implicationsGovernments and tourism purveyors may require an ever-increasing budget to map out strategies to meet the continuously morphing needs of the future traveller. The constantly evolving global environment necessitates greater flexibility in institutional framework with less bureaucratic bottlenecks.Originality/valueGeneration Z is a relatively new entrant into the tourism market which makes this research relevant and timely. The paucity of academic literature on a generation which is contemporaneously in its “highly influenceable” period of life and entering adulthood in an increasingly changing world is further credence for this research. A more holistic theoretical model to understanding Generation Z travel experience is proposed.

Families traveling with children represent one of the largest markets for the tourism industry. Methodological approaches to family tourism research are underdeveloped as the study of families requires a more holistic and critical approach. This article addresses this shortcoming by introducing whole-family research—a qualitative methodology used in family research that is inclusive of the group and individual perspectives of all family members. An application of this method to domestic family holidays in New Zealand is presented and associated methodological and theoretical issues are examined. The discussion is conceptualized within the family holiday experience literature and recent developments in qualitative tourism research. It introduces a triangular family group perspective that is inclusive of sociality and three-dimensionality rather than relying on one-dimensional (individual) or two-dimensional (dyadic or gendered) perspectives. An analytical framework that transcends the complexity and multidimensionality of the current whole-family study is presented. Methodological issues considered include access to families, diversity of family forms, ethical considerations with children, inclusion of fathers, and projective techniques. Included are three examples from the findings to illustrate the merits of whole-family research: the perspectives of the fathers, children, and group dynamics. The potential of this research methodology in exploring gender, generational, and group dynamic dimensions in tourism are highlighted.

The most common stated reason for taking a holiday has been found to be 'to reduce stress'. However, for families, particularly those with young children, holidays may create rather than reduce stress. Often the source of stress is derived from accommodation in destinations not having adequate facilities. Using online questionnaires that allowed in-depth open-ended responses, the findings from 71 respondents within Australia's State of Victoria in 2011 revealed that in many cases, accommodation facilities that purported to be suited to the family failed to deliver, and created stress. Often this was caused by not providing inexpensive basic provisions. Typical examples included insufficient cutlery and crockery, or poor laundry facilities. Such deficiencies either added to parents' workload or made basic tasks more difficult, which was not conducive to relaxing. In many cases, the family holiday resulted in an increase in unpleasant tasks and irritations, and was therefore not a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Jn fact, for 35.2% of respondents, their stress levels were either unchanged (19.7%) or had increased (15.5%) after going on their last family holiday. Family holidays then provided less of an escape from the everyday.

un)conditional hospitality: The host experience of the Polynesian community in Auckland ABSTrAcTThere is an increased attention to the visiting friends and relatives phenomenon for destinations, yet the hosting experience is still neglected. One group of prolific hosts comprises the Polynesian families in Auckland, New Zealand, who are the focus of this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven Pacifica people in Auckland to understand the experiences associated with hosting family from the Islands. Hosting relatives from the Pacific Islands is embedded in the cultural responsibilities of belonging to the Polynesian community and diaspora. The findings highlight the more unconditional nature of Polynesian hospitality with its emphasis on cultural connectedness, generativity and reciprocity as part of social capital formation. The contribution of providing hospitality through hosting deserves more attention for its integral role in social life. There are also obligatory aspects of reciprocity, inconveniences and responsibilities within Polynesian hospitality adding strain to an already vulnerable and marginalized population in New Zealand. More debate is needed about the sustainability of this notion of unconditional or obligated hospitality within modern society.