Our mission: make travel better
for kids everywhere
We research and recognize kid friendly travel,
starting with Hotels & Resorts.
Guided by the past, looking toward the future of family travel.
Our Mission
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what IKFT does now
At International Kids Friendly Travel (IKFT), we exist so that every trip can become a memory for a child, from babies and toddlers to teens, regardless of ability or family structure.
To help families and guardians to choose child appropriate travel with more clarity and less time.
Also helping travel operators understand what families need in practice through independent, structured IKFT recognitions. Separately, IKFT Advisory Services offers private consultancy to help operators implement practical, feasible improvements.
Our vision
what IKFT aims to help build over time
A world where family travel information is clearer, more consistent, and more inclusive, so families can compare options confidently across ages, needs, and hotel categories, and businesses improve using practical, transparent signals. Kids first is NOT indulgence it’s thoughtful design, practical service, and inclusive planning that allow families to travel with confidence and peace of mind.
Born from Experience
IKFT wasn't created in a boardroom. It grew out of decades of real world travel, from childhood adventures across cities and coastlines to navigating the realities of family trips with children of our own.
Driven by Expertise
At International Kids Friendly Travel (IKFT™), our evaluations draw on a diverse international team of experts. This work forms the foundation of the IKFT Kidmetrix™ framework and our recognitions.
"Why This Matters":
Families don’t travel for checklists, they travel for moments:
a first splash in a pool, a bedtime story in a welcoming room, a meal that’s calm when a toddler is tired, a properly fitted stair gate, a friendly staff member who understands a child’s pace... For parents, guardians, and grandparents, the difference between a trip of a lifetime and a trip of stress lies in the details. But finding trustworthy information in a sea of sponsored posts and generic reviews is a challenge. We exist to work to replace that uncertainty with genuine confidence. We design our checks and advice to create more of those moments... and to remove the invisible frictions that make travel stressful.
Multi‑generational trips are rising, and International Kids Friendly Travel considers the practical needs of parents and grandparents, not only children.
Beyond social content: Social media, travel creators, and online reviews are fantastic sources of inspiration but they’re naturally subjective, and what works beautifully for one family may not suit another. IKFT doesn’t replace these stories; it complements them by providing a structured, comparable baseline of publicly available facts.
From those insights emerge our three guiding principles
Kid first: Every decision starts with the child’s wellbeing and delight.
Inclusive: We assess accessibility, multi generational needs and universal design.
Actionable: Our recognitions give operators clear signals about what kids value most helping to prioritize practical, high impact improvements.
What we do
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We scan publicly available information to award IKFT Recognized™ status.
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We create a searchable directory for kids-friendly travel so families can find the right stay for their needs.
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We publish family travel insights and practical guidance to help the industry improve.
All evaluations are independent of commercial influence.
HOW?
1. Integrity First: International Kids Friendly Travel recognitions are based entirely on independent desk research of publicly available information. No hotel pays for a badge.
2. Child-Centric: IKFT Kidmetrix™ structured comfort and inclusion checks, applied by hotel category (3★/4★/5★).
3. One public recognition system: IKFT Recognized is the sole public recognition system, with four tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Every hotel is assessed using the same publicly available information and methodology.
Accessibility & Inclusion: Our Commitment.
We aim to consider accessibility and sensory signals with the same practical lens as the rest of IKFT Kidmetrix™. Features vary and can change, so families should confirm specific requirements directly with the property.
Meet Our Team
And a Word from Our Board of Directors...
Sterling Hawke
Chief Details Officer
Portia Keyes
Director of Third Impressions
Dr. Alma Weaver
Head of Comfort & Cuddles
Our true north is guided by the most demanding board in the world: the children themselves. Their needs set our agenda. Their comfort and joy are our key performance indicators.
Our team prefers and needs to stay behind the scenes letting our work speak for itself!
Our work brings together independent analysts, accessibility advisors, and editorial support across our starting markets.
IKFT operates independently from any hotel group.