Tourism industry eyes economic potential of elderly travelers

Older Chinese travelers are flocking to scenic destinations in the wake of the recent National Day holiday, taking advantage of lower airfares and uncrowded attractions, sustaining travel demand as the holiday rush subsides.

For hotels and tour operators, their flexible schedules offer a steadier stream of guests throughout the year. The challenge is developing trips that meet their expectations for comfort, service and a slower pace, industry researchers say.

Airfares on major domestic routes have fallen more than 30 percent from levels during the weeklong holiday from Oct 1 to 7, according to online travel platform Qunar. Flight bookings by travelers aged 60 and above for the two weeks around the Chongyang Festival rose 40 percent month-on-month, representing roughly 16 percent of total passenger volume — double their peak daily share during the National Day break.

Chongyang Festival, also known as the Double Ninth Festival, fell on Sunday this year and is traditionally associated with honoring the elderly and climbing hills to enjoy the autumn scenery.

China had 323.38 million people aged 60 and above at the end of 2025, or 23 percent of its population, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Their travel habits could change how destinations operate throughout the year, said Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism at Beijing International Studies University.

"Older travelers' preference for quieter periods could narrow both seasonal fluctuations and the gap between busy weekends and quieter weekdays, helping destinations develop a more balanced pattern of business throughout the year," Wu said.

A report about older travelers, released on Friday by Trip.com Group, highlights flexibility, stating that 65 percent choose midweek hotel stays. The number of older users on its platform has grown by double-digit rates for two consecutive years.

Its Laoyouhui brand covers a broader age range than Qunar's figures, with customers aged 50 to 59 accounting for 44 percent of its older travelers.

Demand is also spreading beyond major cities. Hotel bookings by Qunar users aged 60 and above living in third-tier cities and below rose 40 percent this year, outpacing growth among their counterparts in larger cities.

Wu described senior tourism as a market with substantial untapped potential, but said businesses were still constrained by outdated assumptions about their customers.

Many of today's older travelers have extensive travel experience and stable incomes, placing greater emphasis on comfort, quality and meaningful experiences, she said. Yet much of the industry remains focused on low-priced, low-quality sightseeing, with too few specialized products matching those expectations.

Some agencies even charge travelers more because of their age, Wu said, citing the practice as an example of businesses failing to adapt to an aging customer base.

Official policy has sought to ease such barriers. The opinions of the General Office of the State Council on the silver economy issued in 2024 called for health-based criteria to replace age restrictions on travel, wider insurance coverage and destinations catering to the elderly's extended stays. A plan issued in January this year also identified extended-stay tourism as a priority for expanding services consumption, calling for better infrastructure and coordination of public services across regions.

Wu said companies needed more leisurely cultural, nature and wellness itineraries that allowed travelers to explore and socialize. Retirement can bring loneliness and a loss of routine, making companionship and a sense of belonging important parts of a trip.

Better booking systems, accessible facilities, non-slip fittings, suitable meals and medical support were also needed, she said. Products should reflect differences in travelers' health, interests and circumstances.

For the wider economy, extended visitor stays generate lasting spillover effects on services that extend beyond the holiday season, said Gong Jun'an, an assistant researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, a think tank of the National Development and Reform Commission.

"Senior tourism is not a one-off purchase of goods, but the purchase of ongoing services," he said.

Those services include accommodation, health support and slower-paced guided activities. Senior travelers remain careful about prices, Gong said, and are less willing to pay the premiums charged during peak periods.

Holiday tourism and senior travel therefore play complementary roles, he said. The former can quickly lift spending, while the latter can help build steadier demand for services, supporting regular employment and reducing businesses' reliance on a few busy weeks.

Gong said an expanding older population, better health and changing attitudes toward travel could sustain demand over the longer term, provided businesses improve what they offer.

"What constrains senior tourism today is not a lack of vacation time, but a lack of age-friendly services," he said.