Adult children enjoy luxury holidays paid for by parents and in-laws

Marianne Iversen, 66, is funding a nine-person family trip to Mallorca, covering her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren. The total cost, she estimates, will reach 80,000–90,000 Danish kroner once airport parking is paid.

“I love having all my gold gathered around me,” she says. “At some point, the money will end up with them anyway. I’d rather travel with my children, share experiences with them, than leave it in a bag for when I’m gone.”

Her family has already travelled to India, Borneo, Cuba, and on a long weekend in Paris—all on her dime, reports Danish broadcaster DR.

Iben Stokholm, her 40-year-old daughter, calls it “mega luxury” to have holidays paid for, though she admits it feels “a bit strange” as an adult. “But she really wants to do it, and we love being together. That feeling of her giving to us—we wouldn’t want to be without it.”

Iversen, a retired teacher with a solid pension, says her own parents never had such opportunities. “They’d never even heard of pension savings. We simply have a better economy than older generations did just 20 years ago.”

Industry figures confirm the trend. Spies travel agency reports a 128% rise over five years in multi-generational group bookings, typically paid for by the older generation. FDM Travels has seen growing demand for the same.

“It’s often about quality time,” says Lasse Grunstrup, product chief at FDM Travels. Some customers redirect funds earmarked for milestone birthday parties toward a week of shared experiences with close family.

For Iversen, the perks include quiet mornings with her grandchildren—serving them gummy candy for breakfast before the adults wake up.