Every family is different, and so were the pitches for their next vacation by one cruise line and four land-resort companies at the Perfect Pitch: Multigenerational Travel panel event at CruiseWorld.
Whether a family is on a budget, money is no object or cultural experiences are a priority, sales directors from Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Club Med, Playa Hotels & Resorts, Sandos Hotels & Resorts and Margaritaville at Sea offered their ideas on products, specific resorts or experiences.
Moderators Nolan Flynn, the marketing and operations manager for LaMacchia Travel, and Brian Major, the managing editor of digital publications and guides for TravelPulse.com, came up with several family-travel scenarios; these are some of the suggestions that the panelists came up with:
For extended families who want rooms close together …
Francis Riley, Margaritaville at Sea’s chief commercial officer, pitched his cruise line as a product for a variety of family types, especially for multigenerational families who want to spend time together but also have space to do different activities. “Three days, two nights is probably the perfect combination,” he said. “Not too short, not too long.”
Margaritaville at Sea also offers a cruise-and-stay option: Its Bahamian cruise can be split into two portions with a two- to four-night resort stay on Grand Bahama Island in the middle, providing families with options to extend their trip.
When money is no object for a well-traveled family …
Marilyn Cairo of Karisma Hotels & Resorts pitched the Nickelodeon Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico. The resort has a Teenage Mutant Nina Turtle suite called the Turtle Lair Room along with other rooms with more of an adult vibe.
- Related: Editor in Chief Arnie Weissmann visited the Nickelodeon Resort in his report “Mexico East, Mexico West”
For parents with adult-aged children …
This family group needs a vacation to keep everyone entertained. Andrea Wright, Playa Hotels and Resorts vice president of travel industry sales, pitched the Hilton Playa del Carmen in the heart of downtown, which enables families to leave the property to immerse themselves in the local culture by day and go dancing at night.
Raul Villagran, Sandos Hotels and Resorts’ director of North American sales, suggested Sandos Cancun. The all-inclusive resort is a short drive from the airport and has great views of the sunset and sunrise, as well as entertainment and nightlife, including live music on the property. “Everything is just within reach,” he said.
For a family on a budget with teenage kids …
This clan would do well at Club Med Cancun, said Isabelle Bujold, Club Med’s national accounts manager. The resort has a kids club that prioritizes outside activities over video game consoles, enabling kids to learn with instructors and or alongside parents to create memories, she said. She added there are three beaches, where families can unwind.
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