The Family Travel Revolution: Airbnb’s Push For More Family Friendly Tourism In Europe – Travel And Tour World

Amid surging family travel across Europe, Airbnb has unveiled new data which highlights where families are travelling, both domestically and internationally in the region. The new findings reveal all this against a backdrop where the European Commission is seeking feedback from the public on sustainable tourism. These practices reflect a broader transformation in how families travel, as growing numbers opt to get away from crowded cities and head for quieter sites in the countryside.

In 2024, nearly 60 percent of guest nights on Airbnb were booked in non-urban destinations, with people favoring rural, seaside, and mountain destinations over the bright lights of the city. The numbers underscore that families are increasingly turning to Airbnb for the space, privacy, and economy that traditional hotels cannot provide, particularly for travelers with children. That shift is particularly pronounced in rural Europe, where Airbnb bookings from families have jumped more than 200 percent in the five years from 2019 to 2024.

Airbnb’s Family-Friendly Travel Market Continues to Expand

As families seek more laid-back and affordable travel, Airbnb is one of the top options. Over 80% of homes on Airbnb in Europe are now labeled as family-friendly, offering the amenities families need when away from home. Usually with several bedrooms, a private garden, and facilities to ensure children are happy and secure.

Characteristics of family-friendly houses:

Space: More than 85% of family-friendly homes on Airbnb have at least two bedrooms, and over 65% offer outdoor spaces such as gardens and backyards.

Amenities: High chairs are available in more than 50 percent of listings, cribs in 55 percent, and free parking in 70 percent. In addition, 80% have a washing machine, and 30% have board games for children.

Cost: On average, families save about 30% on their stay and only 10% for 7 nights or more, compared to hotel bookings. This makes Airbnb super appealing to large families on the hunt for cheaper travel alternatives.

This move towards family-focused accommodation demonstrates the changing face of the travel industry. Airbnb has managed to become the market leader in providing family accommodations when the family needs a bit more flexibility, space, and comfort, and for places not right in the thick of touristy crowds.

The Disappointments of City Stays for Families

“A lot of families are facing time, distance, and expense challenges to be here,” explained Varen Nordberg, who says despite the surge of Airbnb’s in the countryside, the problem is yet to be fully addressed head-on. Nearly 50% of households in six European countries have already ditched the idea of heading to large cities because they can’t find where to stay, according to a Verian survey. Among the most important reasons that city stays are especially difficult, families say, are a few key issues:

Unfriendly accommodation for families: 47% of the respondents cited the issue of finding family-friendly accommodation.

Expensive: 67 percent of families said it was too expensive to stay in cities, with the cost of a hotel room being a barrier for families with more people.

Amenity shortage: 42% of families said that cities did not have enough things to do, or elsewhere to play, for children.

Decreasing Spaces Segregated Kids Spaces: 54% of families feel that cities are becoming less child-friendly, causing them to worry that their children will enjoy the experience offered.

Fear of disturbing other guests: 27% of parents feel that their room being close to other guests in a hotel would cause their children to feel anxious or scared about keeping other guests awake.

These issues are exacerbated by limitations on short-term rentals in urban centers. In Amsterdam, for example, when the city placed limitations on Airbnb, short-term rental supply decreased by 54% and hotel prices went up by 50%. Barcelona, for example, experienced a 24% decrease in short-term rentals, and hotel prices increased by 35%. That’s why for many families, city vacations have become less and less affordable.

The Impact on Families of Such Restrictions

City restrictions on short-term rentals are pricing families out of places they once considered, forcing them to re-evaluate their travel plans or to stay in more expensive hotels. Airbnb has raised fears that restrictions are producing a situation where only wealthier tourists are able to pay to visit large cities, at the expense of families with children. The lack of affordable, family-friendly accommodation options has had an impact on the trend of families looking for places to visit elsewhere.

Airbnb’s EMEA Public Policy Director, Juliette Langlais, highlighted the platform’s dedication to offering affordable, family-friendly options during a period of heightened demand: “Airbnb is the first accommodation choice for families searching affordable, spacious, private, and amenity-rich stays, particularly in rural communities. “If families are priced out, then they can’t take dream vacations to these cities, and since they can’t afford multiple rooms and don’t want to be separated in a hotel, they can’t visit,” Haley said.

The Need for Family-Friendly Policies

With family travel on the rise, policymakers should reconsider what it would take to make a place family-friendly in the first place. Karoline Iwersen of the European Large Families Confederation said, “Travel is increasingly difficult for families, and families with many children especially, due to a lack of both suitable and affordable accommodation, such as in large cities in popular tourist destinations. A truly family-friendly society is one where families can be seen, recognised, and learn from the world alongside each other.”

The urgency of family-friendly policies in cities has never been greater. Airbnb is pushing for policy reform that enables every family to access urban and rural destinations, without any economic or logistical barriers standing in their way. As Airbnb remains an affordable, flexible hospitality option for families, cities must address these roadblocks to keep their doors open to all travelers, including families.

Conclusion: A More Family-Friendly Tourism as a Cry of Hope

At a time when the trend of family travel has grown and more and more families want to travel without “breaking the bank,” the demand for family-friendly accommodation has never been higher. Airbnb’s data underscore the increasing demand for cheaper and roomier accommodations, especially in rural and suburban areas. But the problem, of course, is that the majority of major cities are yet to evolve from the places that make it at all possible for families to also experience the magic of urban travel, without either being priced out or ending up in some ridiculous, kid-disconnected hotel room.

For cities to contribute to a family-friendly Europe, they have to make the needs of families a priority, providing the possibility to travel with children easily and with pleasure. By collaborating with accommodation providers similar to Airbnb, governments have the opportunity to build a travel marketplace where every family can get together and see the world, no matter its size.

(Source: Airbnb, European Large Families Confederation, Verian Survey, European Commission, tourism industry reports)