Currently, the travel industry is undergoing significant changes directly related to demographic trends in society, particularly in Europe. These demographic trends are nothing more than the growth of the senior population (people aged 55 and older), which in turn has given rise to new and interesting concepts in tourism: senior tourism and the senior tourist.
Everyone who works in the tourism industry must stay up to date on these new trends, as they are expected to transform the tourism and real estate markets for at least the next 30 years.
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What Is Senior Tourism
Before discussing senior tourists, we need to define what senior tourism is. According to Antunes (2012), senior tourism can be defined as “the participation in activities and experiences by people over the age of 55, outside their daily lives, without dependent children, for a minimum period of 24 hours and for an indefinite period of time.”
The Senior Tourist
The main characteristic that defines a senior tourist is their age. This is what sets them apart from other tourists. In this regard, some authors define a senior tourist as someone who is over 65 years old. Others, however, define them as someone who is 55 years old or older.
The “senior” category is often divided into two subgroups: “younger seniors” aged 55 to 64 and “older seniors” aged 65 and older.
Profile of the Senior Tourist
Today, senior tourists are typically well-educated and adventurous. They also tend to be in better physical and mental condition. As a result, they are very eager to travel. Furthermore, this type of traveler is more tech-savvy. For example, according to 2017 statistics from Promotur, senior tourists booked their accommodations and flights online.
When it comes to travel, senior tourists are looking for a destination that helps them maintain their physical, mental, and social well-being, as well as enhance their personal growth, so that they can better cope with the challenges of old age (such as loneliness).
In addition, one of the main reasons older adults travel is to enjoy their vacations or retirement. Other reasons include visiting relatives, relaxing, and getting away from their daily routine.
Services Sought by Senior Travelers
Services are something every owner or investor in senior resorts must take into account . This is because there are certain services that senior tourists consider very important—especially when choosing accommodations.
These services include: safe medical care, direct and comfortable transportation, safe housing, meals tailored to their needs, means to facilitate communication, trained staff to assist them, and a wide range of recreational activities.
The activities most in demand among senior tourists are those related to recreation, relaxation, culture, and religion.
European Senior Tourists
Now, when it comes to European senior tourists, there has been a high propensity to travel abroad. This is especially true for travelers from countries such as Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria. However, in countries such as Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal, the propensity to travel abroad is low.
Another very important factor to consider—especially for owners and investors in the senior resort sector—is that there is a trend among people in Northern Europe to travel to countries along the Mediterranean coast, particularly Spain.
On the other hand, the top source countries for senior tourism in Europe are Germany and the United Kingdom.
The “Senior Resort” Concept
Finally, there is the concept of a senior resort. This term refers to a tourist-residential complex designed specifically for people over the age of 65. Senior resorts consist of individual units, which may be apartments, villas, bungalows, farmhouses, or cottages. They generally have one or two bedrooms.
These housing units are built near or around one or more central buildings that provide medical services, as well as dining, recreational, and security services for seniors.
Most of these complexes are equipped with special sports facilities and green spaces for seniors to enjoy.
The senior resort operates as a vacation facility or a rehabilitation center for a specified period of time.
They are also designed for retirees who want to stay for extended periods. Or even for people who want to stay permanently. In the latter case, the person can purchase the property or enter into a lifetime lease agreement.
For more information about senior tourism and accommodations designed for this demographic, please feel free to contact us. At IHCS, we specialize in the tourism and hospitality industry.
