Wanderland London Releases first-of-its-kind Kids Hospitality Report

Wanderland Think Tank, the research and analytics arm of Wanderland London, released the first ever kids hospitality global report featuring over 150 insights on trends as they relate to what kids and teens care about, how they influence travel decisions and how families want to stay, play and pay.

The inaugural Kids Hospitality Report is the brainchild of pioneering kids and teens hospitality consultancy Wanderland London, in partnership with leading experts and market research companies from across the kids and hospitality sectors, such as Data Think Lab and Kids Know Best™. It’s the first report that intersects both the hospitality and kids and teens consumer industries, analyzing travel trends as they relate to video gaming, board games, toys, publishing, media and more. The report examines the offerings for kids and teens at city hotels, looking at the good, the bad and the ugly of how the world’s finest hotels welcome younger guests, and how employing tricks-of-the-trade from the game and toy industries can add experiential value to families, and commercial value to hotels.

Kids and teens should no longer be invisible in the hotel guest journey. They have a major influence on family travel decisions and will one day soon be leisure and business travelers themselves. Wanderland Co-Founders Alicia Zur-Szpiro and Saar Shai.

Building generational relationships, brand loyalty, repeat visits, longer stays and higher spend have never been more important to hotels. The report is meant to shed light on this growing kids and teens segment, helping hoteliers understand the importance of investing in this space. Best practices from across the kid’s economy is uncovered and translated into actionable steps for financial and creative impact in the hospitality sector.

Some key findings include:

Family travel accounts for 30% of global outbound tourism.

• According to STR, it’s one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry compared to all other forms of leisure travel. Accommodation searches for families have increased by 8% in 2024 alone, while 85% of parents are very likely to travel with their children and are planning to increase (or maintain, at minimum) their level of travel spending.

Adult hospitality is maxed-out while kids are seeking connection.

• The kids' economy is worth $850 billion, a lucrative segment for hotels to tap into. Most five-star hotels offer three-star level kid’s amenities and don’t even realize it. They’re doing more for pets than they are for kids.

Happy kids = happy families = happy reviews

• 77% of parents are influenced by their children about their vacation activities, with more than 50% stating that they included their children's wishes in their holiday planning
• 85% of parents reveal their teens' happiness is a key factor in choosing a vacation destination.

Luxury and upscale city hotels can earn big wins with very small tweaks, compared to most other investments in differentiation, guest satisfaction and loyalty.

• Research by Deloitte, STR, Phocuswright, Euro- monitor, US Travel Association, Family Travel Association, as well as TripAdvisor and Expedia surveys, show families stay longer at hotels than other guests, require larger or more rooms, consume more food and beverages at the hotel, and spend more on on-site services and amenities.
• A study by Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration found that hotels with targeted family amenities reported a 12% increase in overall revenue compared to those without such amenities.

Buy the Report

This is one of the largest and most overlooked, and yet lucrative, commercial opportunities for hotels today and going forward. By integrating kids' hospitality practices into the existing guest experience, the hotel industry can capitalize on this segment that is very influential, growing and in the near future will become autonomous decision makers - kids and teens. Utilizing insights and borrowing tools from these kids’ industries, hotels can add immeasurable (and measurable) emotional and commercial value.

ABOUT WANDERLAND LONDON

Wanderland is the world's first and only kids and teen-focused hospitality consultancy. Led by toy, gaming and publication industry veterans Saar Shai and Alicia Zur-Szpiro, the company is on a mission to transform the young guest experience with imagination, whimsy and originality. The London-based firm designs amenities, activations and innovative experiences that differentiate hotels, lock in loyalty and create remarkable and memorable stays for families. For more information, visit wanderland.london or follow on LinkedIn. 

Jason Pirock
(330) 921-1798
WANDERLAND LONDON