Thomson, the UK-based holiday company, has announced plans to expand its Couples collection after a survey found that stressed-out parents increasingly prefer holidays without their children.
Research by the holiday company revealed a 46 percent rise in bookings in its Couples collection in the last two years. Over 34 percent of parents of children under 18 already take child-free holidays, leaving the children with their ex-partners or other family members. Of those who currently holiday with their children, 57 percent said that given the chance, they’d go away without them.
Shared parenting between divorced and separated mums and dads and hands-on grand-parenting are also on the rise, allowing adult tourists child-free time to holiday with friends or a new partner.
Of those surveyed, 43 percent said that they chose child-free holidays to spend more quality time with their partners, and a further 34 percent said they needed a rest from family life. Nearly 55 percent said they enjoy the calm and quiet of an adults-only holiday, and nearly one in three confessed that they don’t like other people’s children.
Mark Hall, Director of Product, said; ‘Family holidays are undoubtedly a great way to spend time together, but even the most dedicated of parents need time away from their children sometimes. An adults-only holiday can allow couples to reconnect with each other and have a well-deserved break.’
Thomson Couples is a range of contemporary, adults-only hotels aimed at couples and friends who want to spend time abroad in a laid-back environment.
Thomson has added three new properties to its Couples programme for summer 2015, bringing the collection to 55 hotels. The new additions include the hotel 4T+ Palm Beach Palace in Djerba, Tunisia and 4T+Sensimar Side at Antalya, Turkey – both good for lovers of the beach. Also announced earlier this year for summer 2015 is the adults-only Hotel Atlantic Palace in Italy, in the Neapolitan Riviera near Sorrento and offering panoramic views of Mount Vesuvius.
