The travelling
aged are discerning travelers. Most have time, money in saved funds, lots of
caring, institutional memory and have respect for resources they use including cultural
and natural. They also have some special needs and seek special facilities. All this augur
well for a quality tourism destination, for what is developed for the
travelling aged as tourists, may well serve to meet some of the needs of the
ageing local populace as well.
This column
written and published in April 2010 in the Financial Times, Sri Lanka, explored this phenomenon and I am
reposting it today for your critical evaluation and thought.
In
my column last week (yesterday), three key global mega-trends that will
impact on tourism were identified. They were; 1. Ageing of populations and the
opportunities it offers; 2. a multi-polar world where new and innovative
products are sought and presented and 3. Move towards a green future, where
alternative energy sources, food security and sustainable life styles will be
sought, with further developments in info-communications, robotics and nanotechnology
assisting to cushion the impact of that transformation.
It
is a truism that no region, activity area or destination with a vision for its
future development of international tourism could achieve the success it desired,
ignoring global trends. Destinations, like Sri Lanka, which has a unique
combination of attractions, need not follow the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore,
Hawaii or any other destination for that matter.
Attempting
to respond to ‘any’ demand, allowing ‘first-in-first build’ type of development
that comes our way would mean that we may be underperforming in the future. Although
rapid short-term gains may be seen, the destination will carry an environmentally
un-sustainable tourism plant (infrastructure, hotels, theme parks and events)
and make yields and profits far below its potential in the longer-term, unless
we are able to get it right, from the very outset.
We
also must remember that there is very little we can do, with energy guzzling
mega tourism plants in times of downturns in demand. They often remain as ugly
scars on otherwise beautiful vistas and landscapes that form the very base of the
attraction of the destination. We would do well now to plan, strategize and
develop our tourism offer to meet not just the current demand, but the
potential demand of our long-term future.
“Companies and governments are taking note; the
baby boomer generation is more likely to travel than younger demographics, and
they have the money to do so as well”, is how a recent Fox Business News
Service article on tourism described the aged group of the world’s population
and it’s potential.
It further stated that
“seniors are more likely to make longer trips and travel with an eco-conscious
mentality, rather than just enjoying the leisure activities of their preferred
destination. They often have more money than less affluent younger
demographics, and are among the wealthiest travelers in most generating countries”.
Marketing to the over-55s who like to travel will require an understanding of the changing attitudes held by boomers, according to a Standard Life study of perceptions cited in the UK newspaper the Daily Mail.
The data from Standard Life found that while stereotypical aging adults tended to be thought of as lonely and worried about money, the reality was that many of them saw their social lives and travel plans as key to their happiness, and that many had the financial freedom to focus on those two goals.
"Baby boomers are actually having the time of their lives. We have to address society's deep-rooted ageism and overcome the negativity associated with being older," psychologist Honey Langcaster-James told the same newspaper.
John Lawson of Standard Life agreed, adding "Baby boomers... are ambitious for an active future when they can travel more."
"Marketers will need to target this group carefully as their needs and preferences are not homogeneous and certainly not the same as those of younger generations," noted market research agency Focalyst in a report cited by Fox Business.
This is food for thought indeed, for Sri Lanka’s tourism planners. The statements above seem to sit pretty well with the type of demand that a destination like Sri Lanka can and should desirably attract. An ecologically caring tourism, generating higher yields and year-round demand with longer stays; placing less pressure on resources, interactive with two-way benefits to tourists and host communities alike, is what is proposed. Such tourism will mean that senior friendly facilities will be developed with homely care, much like the B&B concept found in many niche destinations around the world. Focus will be on comfort, human interactivity, authenticity of experiences and elderly friendly facilities, rather than glitzy buildings and mega-facilities.
As an offshoot of this demand comes the new combination of tourism and mind-body wellness of ‘Care Services’. The offer of ayurveda, meditation and our Sri Lankan hospitality; all make a potent combination for us to confidently develop this area tourism. Its development can also assist Sri Lanka reduce the need for mothers and sisters of our land to seek employment abroad, in unskilled jobs such as housemaids and other domestic help.
With the United Nations population experts predicting that there will be at least 60 per cent of the world’s population reaching the age of 60 and above, focusing our tourism to gain from this market will not be about a niche market segment. It can be a major market force by itself, which can sustain our tourism for the very long-term, with the least use of resources, minimizing many of the negatives of tourism, giving us the highest possible advantage in terms of earnings and savings providing better yields and profitability.
PS - In my search for an appropriate shared photo to
accompany this post, I came across this simple but excellent Blog post of “How
to travel with seniors” which I thought was worth sharing with you. The photo
is also from the same blog. The link is at: http://www.venere.com/blog/travel-with-seniors/
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