Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
changes in society from longitudinal data, thus identifying and forecasting
social and consumer trends that are relevant across Western societies.
Changes That Will Shape the Future of the Family
Changes in social structures tend to be slow-moving. Many of these gradual
changes that have been taking place in those countries comprising the mem-
bership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) are likely to continue and in some cases intensify their impact on
the traditional family (OECD, 2008). These include increasing longevity
leading to stronger multigenerational ties; trends to smaller families leading
to stronger social networks outside the immediate family; and increasing
blurring between various forms of partnerships. From another perspective,
family relations may in the future be reconfigured on new, more sustainable
foundations. Society may increasingly see networks of loosely connected
family members from different marriages, partnerships and generations
emerging, who devise fresh approaches to cohesion and solidarity. Growing,
better-integrated ethnic communities may help to instil more positive
family values (old and new) into mainstream society. This section identi-
fies the key trends that are shaping families in the UK before the following
section assesses what it all means for the tourism businesses.
The decline of the nuclear family
The most noticeable and well established trend in British family life has been
the decline of the nuclear family and the rise of the household comprising a
single person under pensionable age. It is predicted that in the 60 years from
1961 to 2021 (Figure 3.1), households consisting of a couple with children
will have declined from about half of all households to around a fifth.
During the same time period, single-person households will have increased
from less than 5% to nearly a 20%. However, other types of household, such
as couples without children, lone parents and single persons over pension-
able age, are forecast to remain relatively steady. Hence, it is clear that the
decreasing number of nuclear families is due not to a decline in partnerships
but to people remaining childless for various reasons. For a growing segment
of society, having children is increasingly thought of as a lifestyle choice; as a
result of our 'have it all' society, a growing proportion of women who aspire
to have children are postponing childbirth until later or indefinitely (Future
Foundation, 2006). Additionally, financial pressures may have deterred some
couples from having children. What is certain is that the nuclear family is
certainly in decline as a result of shifting priorities, at least within among
those in early adult life. Basically, in the future the number of households
will grow but there will be fewer households with children.
