By Flytographer

Some of the most meaningful trips your clients will ever take won't be a solo adventure or a couple's getaway. They'll be the ones where three generations pile into a villa, someone's grandparent tries snorkelling for the first time, and the whole family ends up in tears laughing at dinner. Multi-generational travel is having a major moment, and travel advisors are in the best position to make it happen beautifully.

This guide is brought to you in partnership with Flytographer. Since 2013, Flytographer has connected travellers with trusted local photographers in 350+ destinations worldwide. They've captured over six million memories for 100,000+ travellers who wanted more than a phone snap. When your clients book a multi-gen trip, recommending a Flytographer shoot is an easy, meaningful add-on that captures the whole family together in a wall-worthy way.

Jump in:

1. Why is multi-generational travel on the rise right now?
2. Best destinations for all ages
3. Activity ideas for a large family trip
4. Best tips and poses for a large family photoshoot
5. Planning your client’s next multigenerational journey
6. Frequently asked questions

1. Why is multi-generational travel on the rise right now?

Multi-generational travel has become one of the defining travel trends of 2026, and the reasons go deeper than wanderlust. For starters, the shift from physical gifts to shared experiences has reshaped how families celebrate milestones. Adults increasingly request quality time together over extravagant presents, and a well-planned family trip has become the ultimate gift. Travel advisors selling multigenerational travel should lean into this emotional driver: you're not booking flights and villas, you're helping families prioritize each other.

Families are also more geographically spread out than ever before. Cousins live in different cities, grandparents are in another country, and finding a window where all the family members can gather takes real planning. A structured multi-gen trip solves that problem by giving everyone a reason to show up at the same time, in the same place.

The older generation is also a significant factor. Today's grandparents are healthier, wealthier, and more adventurous than previous generations. According to the Family Travel Association, bonding with family and spending time with grandkids are the biggest motivators for more than three in five grandparents to take a multigenerational trip. They're increasingly the ones initiating and funding these getaways, which means travel advisors should be speaking directly to this demographic when pitching multi-gen itineraries.

2. Best destinations for all ages

Choosing the right destination is the most important decision in any multi-generational vacation. The sweet spot is a place that offers multiple "speeds": enough activity for the energetic teenagers, enough culture for the curious adults, and enough ease and comfort for grandparents. Look for strong villa or residence-style accommodation options, walkable areas, reliable healthcare infrastructure, and a range of family-friendly dining. Here are five destinations that consistently deliver.

• Tuscany, Italy is a perennial favourite for multigenerational family trips, and for good reason. Private villas allow the whole family to stay together with space to breathe, while still sharing meals and evenings. Tuscany offers cooking classes, wine tastings for the adults, village walks, and day trips to Florence or Siena that appeal across age groups. It's also ideal for milestone celebrations like landmark birthdays or anniversaries.
• Hawaii is arguably the easiest family vacation destination for North American families. Beach resorts and family-friendly residences simplify logistics, national parks and snorkelling please the adventurous, and there's no language barrier or complicated paperwork for Canadian and US travellers. Maui and the Big Island are particularly well-suited to larger groups.
• Costa Rica, and Guanacaste in particular, punches above its weight for multi-gen travel. Wildlife watching, zipline tours, beach days, and eco-lodges offer something for every activity level, and English is widely spoken throughout the country, which eases navigation for older travellers.
• Japan may not be the first destination that comes to mind, but Kyoto and Tokyo are exceptionally safe, clean, and easy to navigate. The opportunity to stay in a traditional ryokan is a once-in-a-lifetime bucket-list experience for every generation. Cultural immersion, incredible food, and world-class public transport make Japan a surprisingly seamless destination for a large family.
• South Africa is the trip to recommend when your clients want genuine milestone energy. Cape Town offers city culture, extraordinary food, and breathtaking nature. Safari lodges designed with families in mind mean even young children and grandparents can experience the African bush comfortably together.

For a deeper dive into each of these destinations, including more destination options and what makes them work for different family dynamics, visit Flytographer's guide to the best multigenerational travel destinations.

3. Activity ideas for a large family trip

Planning activities for a group that spans 70-year-old grandparents and 7-year-old grandkids requires both creativity and flexibility. The golden rule: not everyone needs to do everything together. Build in a mix of full-group moments and smaller sub-group activities so nobody feels railroaded.

• Boat or train tours are ideal for multigenerational groups because they're low-effort, high-reward, and accessible to all activity levels. A scenic train through the Swiss Alps, a boat day along the Amalfi Coast, or a river cruise through the European countryside gives everyone a shared experience with minimal physical demand.
• Wildlife watching or safaris are a universal crowd-pleaser across age groups. Whether it's spotting humpback whales off the coast of British Columbia, a game drive in South Africa, or turtle nesting on a Costa Rican beach, these experiences create the kind of stories that get retold for decades.
• Food tours are another excellent all-ages activity. Shared experiences around food are deeply connecting, and a well-guided culinary tour of a local market or neighbourhood suits curious eaters of every generation. Bonus: they're a great low-energy, walker-friendly option for days when the group needs to slow down.
• Picnics in scenic settings shouldn't be underestimated. A picnic in the Tuscan countryside or on a beach in Hawaii gives everyone space to relax, the little ones room to roam, and grandparents the chance to sit comfortably and soak it all in. These are often the moments families remember most.
• Book a vacation photoshoot. This is one of the highest-value additions a travel advisor can recommend for a multi-generational trip. A professional shoot with Flytographer captures the whole extended family together in a destination that means something to them. Families who would never coordinate a portrait session at home will jump at the chance to have beautiful photos in Tuscany or on a Hawaiian beach. It's an easy, commissionable add-on that clients genuinely thank you for.

A final tip to pass along to your clients: build personal space into the itinerary. A mix of structured group time and unscheduled downtime keeps everyone's energy up and prevents the tension that can come from spending too many consecutive hours as one large unit.

4. Best tips and poses for a large family photoshoot

When clients book a Flytographer shoot on their multi-generational trip, a little preparation goes a long way. Share these tips to help them get the most out of their session.

• Coordinate outfits, don't match them. Rather than dressing the whole family identically, suggest a colour palette or theme: navy and white, warm earth tones, or soft pastels all photograph beautifully. This gives each person some flexibility while ensuring the group looks cohesive, not costumey.
• Book early in the trip and early in the day. The first morning of a trip is when everyone is most rested, most excited, and least sun-tired. Energy is higher, the light is better, and nobody has had a chance to get sunburnt yet. Encourage clients to resist the temptation to schedule the shoot for the last day as a treat.
• Let the kids be kids. A Flytographer photographer is skilled at capturing genuine moments, not just posed shots. Telling the little ones to run, jump, or play tag during the shoot produces the joyful, candid images that become family favourites.

For poses that work beautifully with large multigenerational groups, here are three that Flytographer photographers return to again and again. The hold hands and walk pose is a classic: line the family up and have them stroll toward or away from the camera. It's relaxed, inclusive of all ages, and lets the destination shine as a backdrop. Stacking generations by height works wonderfully for groups of two to eight. Start with the tallest or most senior family member and layer others around them, including little ones at the front. It creates a visually dynamic composition that highlights every generation. The grandparent huddle gathers the grandparents at the centre with grandkids tucked in around them. It's often the most emotionally resonant shot of the whole session.

Want even more inspiration for wrangling a large group in front of the camera? Flytographer's family reunion ideas and large group photo tips guide is a great resource to share with clients before their shoot.

5. Frequently asked questions

What is the ideal group size for a multi-generational trip? 

Most multigenerational families travel in groups of six to sixteen people across three generations, though there's no hard rule. The key is choosing accommodation that keeps the group together without crowding, such as a villa or multi-room residence.

How do we handle the budget and split costs fairly? 

The most common approach is to have grandparents or the trip initiator cover shared accommodation and a few group experiences, while individual families handle their own flights and personal spending. A travel advisor can help structure this clearly in the planning stage to avoid awkward conversations later.

What are the best destinations for toddlers and seniors alike? 

Hawaii, Tuscany, and Guanacaste in Costa Rica consistently work for the full age spectrum, offering beach access, easy walkability, excellent medical infrastructure, and a range of activity levels to suit everyone from toddlers to travellers in their eighties.

How far in advance should we start planning? 

For a group of eight or more, twelve months ahead is ideal, especially if you're targeting peak travel periods or hoping to secure a private villa. Six months is workable for shoulder-season travel with some flexibility on dates.

How do we keep everyone happy when the group has very different interests? 

Build a mix of structured group activities and free time into each day. Shared anchor moments, like a group dinner, a wildlife excursion, or a Flytographer shoot, give the trip cohesion, while unscheduled hours let individuals pursue their own pace.

What should we look for in accommodation for a large family group? 

Private villas and residence-style properties are generally far better suited to multigenerational travel than hotel room blocks. Look for a shared common area for group meals, multiple bathrooms, and ground-floor rooms or lift access for older family members.

Is hiring a photographer worth it for a multi-generational family trip?

For most families, it is one of the highest-value things you can add to a multi-generational trip. Getting three generations in the same place, at the same time, in a destination that means something to everyone, is genuinely rare. A professional photographer captures the whole group together in a way that no one person holding a phone ever can, and the images become the ones that end up framed and passed down. Flytographer photographers are experienced with multigenerational groups and typically return a full gallery of edited images within five days. 

Planning your client’s next multigenerational journey

Multi-generational travel is one of the most rewarding niches a travel advisor can build expertise in. The logistics are more complex, yes, but the emotional payoff for your clients is immense, and a well-executed multi-gen trip tends to generate some of the most enthusiastic referrals in the business. When you're building out your clients' itineraries, consider adding a Flytographer photoshoot to the package. Sign up as a Travel Advisor Partner today to get 10% commission on every booking and share perks with your clients. With photographers in 350+ destinations worldwide, it's a seamless addition that helps your clients bring home something more lasting than a selfie: wall-worthy photos of the whole family, together.