Think holidaying with your mum is daggy? Not any more
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Many Aussies might consider travelling with their mother a bit daggy. But forget dysfunctional mum daughter Kath and Kim-style dynamics, it’s actually a hot trend to holiday with your mum.
Event co-ordinator Lauren Major, 30, and her mother, Gayna Major, 62, who works in healthcare admin, have been doing it for years.
Event co-ordinator Lauren Major, 30, and her mother, Gayna Major, 62, travel together often. Supplied/Lauren Major
And while the Sydney pair both also travel with their own partners, and Gayna holidays with her other daughter too, she and Lauren like to do special trips together.
“Mum is a really good travel partner. She has a lot of travel knowledge,” Lauren told nine.com.au.
“We know each other’s personalities well, so because of that, we know how to travel together and also when we need some time apart.”
But forget laying on sun loungers, Gayna is an avid hiker and diver and Lauren is happy to be encouraged to give it a go.
“One day we can hike, the next day we will be underwater diving,” Gayna said. “I can throw her into anything, and she’s happy.”
Lauren is in charge of technology and directions, while the pair will split the planning and booking.
They have just returned from Jordan and Oman in the Middle East. They’ve also been to Canada and Alaska where they saw the Northern Lights.
Lauren Major is happy to holiday with her mother, Gayna. Supplied/Lauren Major
Next, the pair are planning a trip to the five ‘Stans’ in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
“We want to get in before it becomes too popular,” Gayna said.
Contrary to what many may think, Lauren reckoned there’s nothing uncool about travelling with her mum.
“I would encourage it. Travelling with your partner can be fun, but it’s comforting knowing your family is always there,” she said.
And like many mothers, Gayna is happy she is able to do it.
“If my girls want to travel with me, I will grab hold of it. It’s special for mums,” she said.
Uzbekistan is an emerging hotspot the pair want to visit next. iStock
In the era of Artificial Intelligence, travel experts think personal knowledge and experience is becoming key.
Hilton’s 2027 Trends Report flagged ‘mother knows best’ as a key trend.
“Even as digital tools take on more of the travel planning journey, Hilton’s 2027 Trends Report shows that human expertise still matters deeply to Australian travellers. It often starts with family, with one in five non-parents saying their mum is their most trusted source of travel advice,” Paul Hutton, Hilton’s Area Vice President and Head of Australasia said, dubbing the trend the “travel trust equation”.
Getting into nature is a big holiday trend. iStock
Other travel fads which emerged in the survey included what experts have dubbed “the rise of -ish”.
It reckons Australian travellers are letting go of the pressure to live up to someone else’s idea of the “perfect” trip based on external validation and social currency.
The report also listed “growth getaways”, where Aussies might discover a hobby on holiday as becoming popular.
Wellness and nature-based trips remain a big deal. Plus short ‘micro’ holidays remain a hit amid the cost-of-living crisis.
According to the data, 58 per cent of Australians like to plan trips that allow them to experience a lot in a short amount of time.
