To mark the International Day of Families which comes up on May 9, British Airways has revealed a list of emerging destinations for intrepid family travel.

From backpacking in Cambodia, to selfies in the eco-forests of Sweden and desert treks in Dubai, destinations once considered ‘off-the-beaten-track’ are increasingly becoming popular for family holidays.

Recent research conducted by the airline reveals the average family will take three holidays a year, two of which will involve visiting historical sites, learning different skills or immersing themselves in new experiences.

According to British Airways, some of the emerging destinations to travel to with a brood are:

Johannesburg, South Africa

For a rewarding holiday, there’s a number of volunteer animal centres in Johannesburg that welcome families. A short flight on to Cape Town opens up even more to discover, including Table Mountain and Robben Island – a UNESCO heritage site.

British Airways flies daily from Heathrow to Johannesburg, including flying on its new A380.

Kalamata, Greece

Ideal for beach lovers, foodies (home to the olive) and little explorers - towards the southern tip of Greece, Kalamata offers much more than just sea and sun. It’s a great exploring point for the Peloponnese peninsula with ancient cities waiting to be discovered

British Airways’ new route to Kalamta operates twice a week from Heathrow.

Dubai , UAE

For kids (and big kids) stay at the adventureland that is The Atlantis, with an entire Aquapark on site and impressive indoor aquarium. There are day trips out to the dunes with desert safari tours and off-road riding. It also has its very own KidZania at the Sharjah Expo Centre too.

British Airways operates daily flights from Heathrow to Dubai.

Visit ba.com to find out more and book your family travel.