Senior Tourism: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Aging, Social Change, and the Well-Being of the Chinese Elderly

Abstract

A large portion of the older population constitutes a substantial market for a range of sectors since they have much greater buying power than younger groups. The People's Republic of China, one of the world's populous superpowers, has joined the aging society. In recent years, China's population has been aging at a pace that has never been witnessed before, with the country's elderly population forecast to reach 418 million by 2035. With an aging population, a significant number of older persons will need assistance in improving their functional capacities to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age. Travel as a component of well-being has been the subject of increased study, leading to the development of the idea of senior tourism. Because of the growing importance of senior tourism around the world, as well as the numerous serious issues that are impeding its growth, it is critical to understand the underlying challenges associated with senior tourism, as well as the opportunities for the tourism industry to cater to the global emerging market of senior tourists. By understanding these challenges and developing policies and programs that promote senior tourism, the tourism industry can contribute to the growth of the global economy. Specifically, the objective of this study is to analyze the issues and possibilities that senior tourism faces, with a specific focus on the Chinese elderly and how an aging population impacts the tourist sector in general. Senior tourists' motivations for leisure and travel, as well as the obstacles they experience, are discussed in detail in this article. The study also discusses the possibility for the tourist sector to solve these concerns, paving the way for more research into the elements that impact the tourism business, both positively and negatively, today and in the future.