Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in improvements in family relations: between the parents and the children,
the adults as a couple or between siblings. In some cases, the holiday was
also used to allow the children to adjust to new family members or a new
family structure (McCabe, 2009).
The effect of the holiday on the well-being of the children is both an
important motivation and an often-reported outcome (Minnaert, 2008;
Minnaert
et al
.,
2010). It was reported that the ability to go on a holiday
allowed many children to gain confidence, make new friends and feel more
integrated into school life after the experience. Many parents commented
how on the first day of school, for example, the children would often be asked
to draw a picture or say a few words about their holidays. In many cases,
however, the children of low-income or disadvantaged families have not
been away, even on a day trip, and may feel a particular sense of exclusion.
The holiday experience in these cases can be a source of pride and happy
memories after the experience. In McCabe's (2009) study, the 'opportunity
for fun and happy memories for the children' was evaluated as the most
important benefit of the holiday, reported by 80% of the social tourism bene-
ficiaries. Parents also often emphasised that the inability to afford a holiday
resulted in feelings of shame and embarrassment for them, illustrating that
'poverty can seem like personal failure in a society that views success in
terms of conspicuous consumption' (Walker & Collins, 2007: 208).
Even though family holidays can be a source of stress and conflict, and
many families have arguments on holiday, in the study by Minnaert
et al
.
(2010) the holiday was often reported to result in lasting improvements in
the relationships between family members. After the holiday, many parents,
for example, reported that they spent more time with their children, played
with them more, or communicated with them better. One example was
that of a single father who noted a big improvement in the communication
with his teenage son after the holiday:
It's a lot better yeah. He's certainly opened up more, at one time he
wouldn't speak to anybody, like when you'd say, how was work. But
now he's like 'I am doing this today', 'I am doing that today'. He's
looking forward to go to college, and everything seems to be falling into
place. He's happy now. (Minnaert
et al
.,
2010: 135)
Another participant, who had a daughter with behavioural problems,
reported a similar improvement:
I am spending quite a lot of time with my little one now, quality time.
Maybe it's just sitting down at home doing a puzzle, or sitting in the
garden having biscuits together, at home. Or going out in the weekend,
we had a good time in the weekend. And I didn't do that. But I have
