A 'family vacation' for two: Why more parents are taking trips with one child at a time

Sonja Prokopec took her son on their first "solo" trip together when he was six years old.

They went to Rome, and it was so memorable that Prokopec said she's now planning their second trip this summer.

"I really enjoy one-on-one time which we have when travelling alone," she said. "There are no distractions, no arguments among the siblings, time spent together is of high quality... My son still talks about our time in Rome and can't wait for [our] London trip this June."

Prokopec and her husband have three children — her son who is now 10, plus two younger daughters. They travel together, but time away with just one child and one parent has perks that family trips don't often provide, she said.

"Travelling with only one child allows you to focus on the needs of only that child," she said.  "Also, as I am not stretched from managing different demands, I feel like I am a better parent — more patient, more playful and more in the moment."

Plus, "my son loves all the attention and loves that we get to explore together, just the two of us," she said.

Prokopec's husband — who "always insisted on doing things together, including travelling" — is now a proponent too, she said.

"My husband has also taken my son alone to Turkey and really loved it … even he sees the value in it," she told CNBC Travel.

Prokopec hasn't taken solo trips with her two youngest children, mostly because of Covid-19, she said. But that may soon change.

"I will definitely do more," she said.

The luxury travel company Scott Dunn named "parent-child bonding holidays" one of 2023's top travel trends.

Mother-and-daughter trips in particular are on the rise, though father-and-child trips are also becoming more popular, according to the company.

"Parent-child duos often