New Zealand Sees Surge In Multi-generational Tourism As Families Choose Shared Travel Experiences Over Inheritance

Published on August 23, 2025

New Zealand’s tourism industry is witnessing a shift, pinch expanding numbers of travelers opting for multi-generational aliases legacy tourism experiences. This increasing trend, wherever families of each ages recreation together, is being fueled by a alteration successful mindset, peculiarly among older generations who are prioritizing experiences complete worldly wealth. Instead of leaving ample inheritances to their descendants, much grandparents and elder family members are investing successful unforgettable holidays pinch their loved ones. This displacement is not only changing nan measurement families recreation but besides benefiting New Zealand’s tourism operators, who are seeing a emergence successful bookings from these extended family groups.

What is Legacy Tourism?

Legacy tourism, besides known arsenic multi-generational travel, refers to nan inclination wherever older family members, specified arsenic grandparents, take to walk their wealthiness connected creating lasting memories done family vacations alternatively than leaving a ample inheritance. The increasing fame of this type of tourism has go progressively evident, pinch aggregate surveys, including Booking.com’s Travel Predictions report, showing important liking successful multi-generational travel. For New Zealanders, this displacement has led to an accrued request for family-friendly holidays that cater to a wide scope of ages and interests.

In a caller study conducted by Booking.com, which surveyed complete 27,000 group globally, astir half of Kiwi travelers (45%) indicated they would alternatively walk their money connected a trip of a lifetime successful 2025 than time off it arsenic an inheritance. This increasing desire for family-oriented vacations speaks to nan deepening value of shared experiences among different generations.

The Appeal of Multi-Generational Travel

The reasons down nan rising fame of multi-generational recreation successful New Zealand are clear. According to Melissa Ellison, Booking.com’s area head for New Zealand, nan inclination is not conscionable astir walking pinch family but astir fostering connections. For 57% of New Zealanders, nan astir appealing facet of multi-generational trips is nan measurement they bring families person together, while 51% bask nan lasting memories created during these trips. For others, for illustration 24% of respondents, nan joyousness comes from nan opportunity to study from different generational perspectives.

The benefits of multi-generational travel spell beyond conscionable nan shared experiences. For galore families, it is simply a chance to walk value clip together, distant from nan pressures of regular life. With galore group moving agelong hours and surviving successful abstracted cities, these trips connection a uncommon opportunity to reconnect. Additionally, walking pinch children and aged relatives allows families to create memories that past a lifetime, making it an finance successful relationships alternatively than worldly goods.

Tourism Operators Seeing a Surge successful Bookings

Local tourism operators person reported an uptick successful multi-generational bookings. For example, Ann Gregor, nan wide head of On The Point – Lake Rotorua, has noticed a important summation successful bookings from Baby Boomers, who are progressively embracing legacy tourism. Gregor explains that families, particularly grandparents, are opting to create meaningful experiences pinch their children and grandchildren alternatively than accumulating wealthiness for inheritance purposes.

As a luxury lodge offering a scope of experiences for families, On The Point – Lake Rotorua is well-suited to accommodate these extended family groups. With its backstage estate, petting zoo, and adjacent proximity to nature, nan lodge caters to divers family interests, ensuring everyone, from children to grandparents, tin bask their stay. This inclination has led to a 19% increase successful bookings from erstwhile years, arsenic families activity opportunities to “unplug and reset” during their stays. Gregor highlights that this displacement has been peculiarly noticeable post-pandemic, pinch families progressively valuing shared experiences complete worldly wealth.

Legacy Tourism’s Global Appeal

This inclination of multi-generational travel is not constricted to New Zealand residents alone. International visitors, peculiarly from North America, Canada, and Europe, person besides embraced this shift. The maturation of off-peak tourism, driven by initiatives from Tourism New Zealand, has brought high-value world guests, particularly successful cooler months specified arsenic May and June. These guests often take New Zealand for its expertise to supply some luxury and relaxation while escaping nan hustle and bustle of their location countries.

In summation to high-end lodges, tour operators for illustration Ziptrek Ecotours successful Queenstown person seen a noticeable emergence successful multi-generational family bookings. Trent Yeo, nan executive head of Ziptrek, emphasizes that nan entreaty of specified tours lies successful nan expertise of families to prosecute successful participatory experiences. Activities specified arsenic ziplines and eco-tours supply nan cleanable level for families to link and person nosy together, sloppy of age. The added bonus, Yeo notes, is that Baby Boomers are much physically progressive and comfortable pinch adventurous activities than ever before, making them an perfect demographic for specified tours.

Destinations Popular for Multi-Generational Travel

Some of New Zealand’s astir beloved destinations are becoming hotspots for multi-generational travel. Rotorua, Queenstown, and Taupō guidelines retired for offering a operation of nature-based experiences, family-friendly accommodations, and activities suited for each ages. According to Booking.com, these destinations are particularly celebrated for family trips, acknowledgment to nan assortment of attractions and accommodations that cater to different generational needs.

Family-oriented accommodations, specified arsenic holiday homes and villas, person go peculiarly sought after, arsenic they connection multiple bedrooms, kitchens, and laundry facilities to make longer stays much comfortable for extended family groups. The elasticity of these accommodations is basal for families walking pinch children aliases aged relatives, arsenic it allows them to bask home-like comforts while exploring caller places.

The Future of Legacy Tourism successful New Zealand

As nan fame of multi-generational travel continues to rise, it is clear that New Zealand’s tourism assemblage is well-positioned to cater to this increasing demand. The displacement towards experiential tourism and family connections is reshaping really group recreation and walk their money. The attraction is nary longer solely connected luxury but besides connected creating lasting memories and fostering deeper familial bonds.

Tourism operators successful New Zealand are already adapting to these changes by offering a scope of services and experiences tailored to multi-generational groups. Whether it is luxury accommodations, adventure-filled tours, aliases relaxed quality experiences, New Zealand has overmuch to connection families of each ages. This inclination is expected to proceed to grow, pinch Booking.com highlighting nan expanding request for family-friendly recreation experiences successful New Zealand and worldwide.

Legacy tourism is proving to beryllium a valuable opportunity for some New Zealand’s tourism operators and families seeking to create meaningful experiences together. As much families take to put successful shared vacations alternatively than inheritance, New Zealand stands retired arsenic a premier destination for multi-generational travel. With its beautiful landscapes, unsocial experiences, and family-friendly accommodations, nan state offers nan cleanable mounting for families to reconnect and make lasting memories.