The reservations for organized trips to commemorate special dates, such as golden weddings, special birthdays, or retirements, have rebounded by 35% compared with the same period of the previous year, according to a study by Pangea The Travel Store based on more than 100,000 travel requests and their linked bookings between January 2025 and October 2026.
This type of getaway requires more detailed planning than conventional vacations, since it is necessary to coordinate the preferences of large groups and different generations. For this reason, families usually book an average of four and a half months in advance, and in many cases it is the children who prepare the surprise for their parents, or the grandparents who invite the whole family.
Regarding destinations, Egypt and Japan stand out as the most in-demand international options for this kind of celebration, followed by the United States, Italy, Mexico and Tanzania. The alternatives range from city breaks to nature trips and safaris.
The choice of location is also adapted to the calendar. In summer, Japan and the United States stand out, while during Holy Week they share the spotlight with Egypt.
At Christmas, Egypt is consolidated as the preferred international destination, chosen by one in five families, followed by Finland, which appeals to one in eight thanks to its proposal in Lapland.
The weight of family trips
Pangea’s figures also show the relevance of family tourism among its customers. Among those who specify who they travel with, 38% do so with their family, compared with 41% who travel as a couple.
The school calendar determines much of these choices: August concentrates more than a quarter of family departures and, if July, August, Holy Week and Christmas are added, these periods bring together almost seven out of every ten trips. The most frequent group consists of four people and one in three travelers whose age is specified is a minor.
In addition, families with children usually finalize their bookings with about a three-month lead time, around two weeks earlier than the average of the rest of the clients.
To make the organization of these trips easier, Pangea has launched the campaign "La abuela viaja gratis", through which it covers the cost of one of the seats on family trips of more than ten people.