Turning Children into the World’s Most Influential Travel Critics

Kids Recommended redefined family travel marketing in the Middle East by placing children, not parents, at the centre of the story. Grounded in a global research study of more than 7,000 children aged 5–12 and their parents, the campaign challenged traditional parent-led messaging and instead asked children what truly makes a great holiday. The insight was clear: beyond attractions and logistics, kids value shared family moments, making friends, and experiences inspired by imagination and play. Rather than filtering these findings through an adult lens, Experience Abu Dhabi let children lead. Their ideas shaped a seven-day itinerary designed by kids, for kids, a hero film, creator storytelling, and a real-world Kids Passport that allowed families to experience the itinerary on the ground. Launched with an earned-first approach and sustained through creators and experiential participation, Kids Recommended delivered 3.18 billion global reach, an 81.6% engagement rate, and over 3,000 pieces of coverage. In a region where travel is multigenerational and centred on togetherness, the campaign was both culturally intuitive and strategically disruptive – repositioning Abu Dhabi as a family-first destination children actively recommend.