The “silver tourism” market is a big opportunity. It can boost the economy and help the growing number of older people have a good life.
A recent study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) shows that people are living longer, and there are fewer kids being born. This is making the global population age faster. In 2020, one billion people worldwide were 60 or older, and 727 million were 65 or older. By 2050, these numbers are expected to go up a lot, reaching 2.092 billion and 1.6 billion, respectively.
Changing demographics
Countries like Japan, South Korea, and Italy are already dealing with this aging trend. Even though people are living longer, they’re not necessarily staying healthier. This is where the idea of “silver tourism” comes in. It’s not just a way to grow the economy but also a chance to improve the quality of life for the increasing number of older folks.
“Rapid aging is already one of the most significant trends of the 21st century, and this demographic shift poses enormous challenges for society. There is a community-wide effort to promote healthy aging, but the role of tourism as an important service industry in this process has been underappreciated,” the researchers explain.
“Tourism and hospitality, one of the largest industries globally, is duty-bound to participate in initiatives to support healthy aging. Although extant tourism and hospitality research has identified this niche market, attempted to understand its travel behaviors, and proposed senior tourism, silver tourism, and geriatric tourism to accommodate the aging population, the industry is still far from creating age-friendly destinations.”
A sizeable group
The older generation is a noteworthy tourist group due to their strong buying power, ample free time, and eagerness to travel. However, researchers highlight that discrimination in services and tourism disparities persist against older adults.
While the increased leisure time and disposable income of the aging population make them a crucial and rapidly growing tourist segment, their greater vulnerability and diverse needs complicate their travel behaviors. This complexity results in higher demands for products and services tailored to their specific requirements.
To ensure that this niche market can fully enjoy tourism, it is essential to conduct more thorough research and put in extra efforts. The researchers emphasize that significant investments in infrastructure and training are necessary for the tourism industry to fully benefit from silver tourism.
“The training is especially important for frontline service employees. They currently don’t have the knowledge and experience needed to interact with people living with certain health conditions,” the researchers explain.
Unfair biases
The researchers point out that society often sees the aging population as needing a lot of support, leading to various challenges like discrimination, elder abuse, violence, stigma, and exclusion in different situations. These issues not only violate their basic human rights but also make it difficult for them to fully become part of society.
Even with progress, discrimination in services and tourism disparities against older individuals are still ongoing issues.
“While the aging population represents a crucial and rapidly expanding tourist segment, with more leisure time and disposable income, their vulnerability complicates the understanding of their travel behaviors,” they conclude.
