Family Travel Forum Gives Birth to FTFc Consulting Company

Media Only, July 15, 2003: Travel & Tourism Businesses Gain Access to Consumer and Trade Expertise On the Family Market.

(New York, NY) – Family Travel Forum, Inc. is proud to announce the birth of Family Travel Forum Consulting (FTFc), the consulting division of the award-winning family travel resource.  Launched in response to travel industry demands for proven strategies in catering to the fast-growing family market, FTFc makes the insights and expertise of Family Travel Forum’s staff, market specialists and journalists available to the trade for the first time.

For several years, the tourism industry’s single strongest segment has been Family Travel.  Consumer surveys estimate that 40% of leisure travelers will be traveling with children in the summer of 2003, a growth of 25% since 2000, according to the Travel Plan for America report.

FTFc’s strategy, whether for prestigious multi-national chains or one-of-a-kind businesses, includes an evaluation of each client’s family assets and programming.  “Additionally,” says Kyle McCarthy, FTFc founder and editor at FamilyTravelForum.com, “we factor in trends, such as the growing number of single parents, step families and custodial grandparents, when developing sales programs.” She adds, “Fortunately, leaders in the hospitality industry recognize that giving away toys at check-in is no longer enough to attract this savvy and diverse group of well-traveled parents.”

 FTFc’s parent, Family Travel Forum Inc, publishes FamilyTravelForum.com, the Web’s premier family travel site, winner of the National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval in 2000 and 2003, Condé Nast Traveler’s “Essential Web Site” award, and the prestigious Forbes Best of the Web award in 2001, 2002 and 2003.  

In addition to the successful pay-for-content site, the FTFc staff has seven years’ experience fulfilling consumer requests; maintaining a research library on family-friendly destinations and travel tips; studying trends and niche markets; and reviewing travel safety, media and the latest gear; all contributing to the consulting division’s knowledge base and principal asset.

 The online consumer has become key to the revival and survival of the travel and tourism industry, and an estimated 30% of Internet travel bookers now travel with children.  According to FTFc consultant and family travel specialist Kaleel Sakakeeny, “From an industry vantage point, www.FamilyTravelForum.com is privy to crucial market research done with its frequent traveling members.  This appealing demographic of largely dual-income families, all Internet-savvy online purchasers and committed travelers, provides an invaluable resource to FTFc and its clients.”

 Family Travel Forum Consulting shares intelligence, consumer preferences, state-of-the-art children’s programming ideas, marketing expertise and “sound advice” with the trade to ensure success in the family market.  

To learn more, visit www.FamilyTravelConsulting.com, or contact Family Travel Forum Inc. at 891 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025 (tel. 212/665-6124; fax 212/665-6136.)