Tourism could receive a £5 billion boost with more families holidaying together, according to an all-party parliamentary report.
The Giving Britain a Break report said quality time spent on holiday could help families as well as the economy, estimating that ensuring families can holiday together could be worth £5 billion to the UK’s domestic and outbound tourism industry.
It calls for holidays to be placed high on the political agenda in order to make the prospect of quality time away a reality for every family in Britain. The report won support from the Family Holiday Association and Thomson which published survey results showing that 42% of families do not spend enough quality time together.
The survey of families with children aged 8-12 also showed that almost half of youngsters in this age bracket felt they miss out on quality time with their fathers.
Also, 27% of parents said they spent less than a hour a day with their children in an average week, while two in five said that when they did set time aside, their children were busy doing other things.
UK and Ireland managing director of Thomson parent company Tui Travel David Burling said: “We believe everybody needs quality time together. For many people, the easiest way to secure that time is to go on holiday, to give ourselves the chance to reflect on what’s really important and valuable.”
FHA director John McDonald said: “We fully support the parliamentary group’s call for greater recognition of the advantages of more families getting a break.
“This would not only deliver real benefits for those families but provide a boost to the British tourism economy too.”