Skift Take
The tourism industry still treats amenities catering to seniors as another customer preference, not as a necessity. A lot of tourism businesses likely won't get serious until they see and hear about their failures to serve this lucrative demographic shift.
While the share of the global population over the age of 65 continues to grow, the tourism industry remains behind when it comes accommodating, supporting and providing equitable access to them.
People over the age of 65 are the world’s fast growing age group, according to the United Nations. For the first time in 2018, older persons outnumbered children under the age of five. By 2050, older persons will outnumber those ages 15 to 24, and one in six people will be over 65.
Tourism businesses will have to adapt to this demographic that will inevitably form a greater part of the customer base. On tours, this group may need more breaks, walk at a different pace, find hot temperatures more difficult to walk through, need assistance getting into vehicles and not be as mobile on rougher terrains, according to Kelly Torrens, vice president of product for Kensington Tours, for which the over 55-age group is its core demographic.
Those with disabilities will make up a larger portion of older tra