The middle-aged and elderly tourism market is warming up

After the National Day holiday, the decline in airfare and hotel prices has provided a great opportunity for elderly tourists with time freedom to travel during off peak period, and the silver tourism market is showing unprecedented vitality. According to data from Qunar Travel Network, after the National Day holiday, the number of flight bookings for the elderly has significantly increased, with travelers aged 55 and above accounting for about 10%. According to data from Tuniu Tourism Network, from October 8th to 31st, users aged 50 and above accounted for nearly 40% of the group travel users, and the silver tourism market is showing unprecedented vitality. According to data from Qunar Travel Network, "young" elderly people aged 55 to 65 are the absolute main power for travel. They have long travel time, long travel distance, strong purchasing power, and a high frequency of boarding per capita. Based on the flight booking situation in the first half of this year, the average number of flights per elderly passenger has reached 2.14, an increase from previous years. This means that many elderly people travel at least twice a year, and the potential of the silver tourism market cannot be underestimated. The latest release of the "2023 National Aging Development Bulletin" shows that the population of elderly people aged 60 and above in China has exceeded 296 million, and the population of elderly people aged 65 and above has exceeded 216 million. Ma Yiliang, the chief accountant of the China Tourism Research Institute, pointed out that with the continuous increase of the elderly population and the extension of life expectancy, as well as the continuous improvement of the social security system for the elderly, the prospects of the elderly tourism market are broad. It is worth noting that the consumption needs of the elderly are also undergoing profound changes. Xiao Peng, a researcher at Qunar Big Data Research Institute, analyzed that from the platform's booking situation, the number of elderly people joining group tours is gradually decreasing, while independent travel is constantly increasing. Now 'young' older people are very skilled in Internet applications, and their ability to obtain information has been significantly enhanced, so they are more willing to choose more free and personalized free travel and customized small group tours. Source: 经济日报