“Let’s go to that hotel with the slides in the pool. I saw it on YouTube.”
If you think it’s just parents driving family vacation plans, think again. Today’s kids — Gen Alpha, born from 2010 onward — are digital natives with strong opinions, instant access to content, and surprising influence over what their families do and where they go. They might not be booking the flights, but they’re shaping the itinerary.
For travel brands and tourism boards, that’s a big deal. You’ve spent decades optimizing your messaging for parents, but there’s a new decision-maker in the mix — and they’re watching TikTok, not Travel + Leisure.
We've been tracking generational trends in consumer behavior for years, and this shift isn’t a blip. It’s the beginning of something bigger: a new era of family travel planning where kids don’t just come along for the ride — they help decide where the ride goes.
In this article, you’ll learn why Gen Alpha is quickly becoming the ultimate travel influencer in their households, what’s driving this shift, and how your brand can adapt to stay ahead of the curve — ethically and effectively.
The Rise of Gen Alpha: Who They Are and Why They Matter
Gen Alpha refers to the generation born from about 2010 to the mid-2020s — meaning the oldest members are just hitting their teens, and the youngest are still in preschool. They're the children of Millennials, and they’re growing up in a completely different world than any generation before them.
This is the first group of kids to be fully raised in the era of smartphones, smart speakers, and streaming. They’ve never known a world without YouTube, TikTok, or instant access to information. And while they’re young, they’re already developing strong opinions, shaped by the endless content they consume — and create.
So why do they matter so much to the travel industry?
Because even at a young age, they’re driving decision-making at home. According to a report by Expedia Group, over 80% of parents say their children have a say in vacation planning, and nearly half say that their children actively influence the final decision. For Gen Alpha, travel isn’t something they’re simply invited to — it’s something they’re curating.
They’re not passive passengers. They’re collaborators, co-creators, and sometimes, the ones pitching the destination in the first place.
How Gen Alpha Is Shaping Family Travel
It used to be that kids just came along for the trip. Now, they’re shaping the entire experience — from where the family goes to what activities they do once they get there. Gen Alpha’s influence shows up in a few key ways, and it’s already changing how families plan and book travel.
1. Content Consumption Turns Into Travel Inspiration
Gen Alpha is constantly consuming short-form content from platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. And what they see directly shapes what they want. A video of a rollercoaster at a theme park? Suddenly that park is on the family’s radar. A kid-friendly resort with a lazy river and in-room gaming? That’s going in the vacation group chat.
These aren’t just daydreams — they’re travel goals. Kids are bringing these clips to their parents and saying, “Can we go here?”
2. They’re the Family's “Chief Vibe Officer”
Gen Alpha may not handle the logistics, but they set the tone. Parents are increasingly looking to their kids for input on whether a destination is “fun enough.” In fact, many families will skip options that don’t tick the boxes for entertainment, tech-friendliness, or kid appeal — even if they’re otherwise ideal.
3. They’re Asking for Experiences, Not Just Destinations
Gen Alpha doesn’t just want to go somewhere — they want to do something. They’re experience-first. That means interactive museums, gamified walking tours, cooking classes, scavenger hunts, and wildlife encounters.
If your destination or service doesn’t offer something hands-on, immersive, or share-worthy, it might not make the cut.
What’s Driving This Shift?
Gen Alpha’s growing influence in family travel planning didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of several cultural, technological, and generational shifts coming together. Here’s what’s fueling their rise as the new decision-makers.
1. They’re True Digital Natives
Gen Alpha is the first generation to grow up entirely in a world of touchscreens, voice assistants, and algorithm-driven content. They don’t “go online” — they’ve always been online. Because of this, they’ve developed digital fluency at a young age, and they expect experiences to be personalized, visual, and instantly accessible.
That includes travel content. They're seeing exciting destinations in bite-sized, visually rich videos that make traditional brochures or parent-driven searches look flat by comparison.
2. The Power of Kidfluencers
Children and tween creators are now some of the biggest names in the content world. These “kidfluencers” rack up millions of views showing everything from toy unboxings to travel adventures.
When a Gen Alpha viewer sees someone their age enjoying a certain resort, city, or attraction, it creates a sense of trust and FOMO (fear of missing out). To them, it doesn’t feel like marketing. It feels like a recommendation from a friend.
3. Families Are More Collaborative Than Ever
Millennial parents tend to approach parenting with a more inclusive mindset. They value their children’s opinions and often involve them in decision-making, especially when it comes to family experiences. Travel, being one of the biggest shared experiences, is naturally an area where kids now have a say.
This isn’t about handing over control anymore! Now, it’s about recognizing kids as active participants, not passive tagalongs.
What It Means for Travel Brands and Tourism Boards
If Gen Alpha is shaping where families go and what they do once they get there, your marketing strategy needs to shift. This isn’t about running kid-centric ads or adding cartoons to your website—it’s about understanding how to connect with a generation that’s growing up fast, thinks visually, and expects to be heard.
Here’s what that means for your brand:
1. You Need to Be Where They Are
Gen Alpha lives on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Roblox. If your destination or experience isn’t showing up there in a fun, engaging way, you’re missing the conversation completely.
This doesn’t mean marketing to kids directly in a heavy-handed way — it means creating content that naturally shows up in their world and sparks their curiosity.
2. Rethink the Family Travel Message
It’s time to evolve past the standard “parents relax while kids are entertained” message. Today’s families are looking for shared experiences that everyone — especially the kids — can get excited about.
That means highlighting kid-led adventures, immersive learning, and playful discovery. Show families how they can explore together, not just in parallel.
3. Design With Kids in Mind (Without Losing Adults)
You don’t have to go to a full theme park to appeal to Gen Alpha. Even subtle tweaks to how you present your offering can make a difference. For example:
- Add a “kid’s eye view” video tour of your hotel or attraction.
- Let families preview experiences through gamified apps or interactive maps.
- Include real kids (not just actors) sharing their favorite parts of the trip.
Final Takeaways
Gen Alpha may be young, but they’re already shaping the future of family travel — one TikTok, YouTube short, and group chat at a time. They influence decisions. They drive excitement. And they’re setting new expectations for what travel should look and feel like.
For travel brands and tourism boards, this is your cue to rethink how you engage modern families. If your marketing strategy still assumes parents are the only ones choosing the trip, you’re missing a growing part of the picture — and a growing part of your audience.
The brands that will thrive in this new era are the ones that understand where Gen Alpha lives digitally, craft content that appeals to both kids and parents, and build experiences rooted in fun, curiosity, and connection.
You don’t need to talk down to kids or pander to parents — you just need to recognize that the decision-making dynamic has shifted, and it’s not shifting back.
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