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Family Travel Association Launches Campaign Urging Parents to #TakeFamilyTime

Last updated 27th January 2020
Family Travel Association #TakeFamilyTime Pledge

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Here’s a scary fact: more than half of parents don’t use all of their paid time off every year. In fact, according to the 2019 FTA/NYU Family Travel Survey, 55% of parents with paid time off, and children under 18 in their household, don’t take all of their paid vacation days.

The Family Travel Association (FTA) is on a mission to change that. Their launching a national advocacy campaign, #TakeFamilyTime, to encourage parents to take all of their vacation days and invest in traveling with their kids on family vacations.

Want to get involved? The FTA is asking parents to take their  #TakeFamilyTime pledge at the FTA Website in an effort to get parents to think about the value of their vacation days not just for themselves but for their children and boldly proclaim their intention to prioritize family vacation time in the coming year.

Taking the pledge also comes with a pretty great incentive to get family getaways going. By signing up, families will be eligible for a free, 4-night stay for 4 guests at one of three FTA member Arizona dude ranches, including lodging, meals and activities. To help members keep their pledge, the FTA will also send reminders for live discussions happening on the FTA Facebook page, where the organization will interview FTA members and other experts about a variety of topics to help families plan their travels.

“Being a modern family is hard on vacation planning, and our research indicates the challenges families face are only getting more difficult,” said FTA Founder and President Rainer Jenss. “We consider this a wake-up call for the family travel industry.”

Further insights gleaned from the FTA/NYU Family Travel Survey highlight some of the biggest hurdles for parents when it comes to planning and taking vacations with the kids. According to survey, the largest obstacles included:

  • Affordability, 32%
  • Other demands on the family budget, 26%
  • Difficulty taking time off work, 13%
  • Think their children are too young, 12%
  • The hassle of air travel, 11%

Sound like familiar challenges you’ve faced? Family Traveller strongly believes in helping all families plan extraordinary trips near and far. Find advice on taking an affordable family vacation whether it’s a cruise, Caribbean resort, undiscovered beach town or all-inclusive stay. We’ve also got tips on flying with babies, the best travel gear for toddlers and the best airlines for families to make your trips as smooth as possible.

So what are you waiting for? Take the pledge today, put in a request to use those vacation days and start making unforgettable family memories.