They crowd the museums, they put themselves in line for hours in order to visit the exhibition of the moment, they enroll in the most disparate associations for the most unusual hobbies, regardless of the ailments try in the discovery of remote and inaccessible naturalistic sites, even extreme trekking and curtained fields in the deserts do not scare them. They have become experts in the web who crosses in search of the most convenient flight, of the lesser known destination, driven by an indomitable desire for discovery. The years have not mocked the spirit of adventure, indeed perhaps a renewed awareness that the time available is lower than that already experienced, has developed in them an unstoppable dynamism.
Only ultra-65-year-olds, global tourism engines. They cross at airports around the world, usually in small groups, perhaps created by one of the many associations born as mushrooms on the internet, sometimes they have never met before, accompanied or not by a guide, not at all disoriented by the barrier of a different language, by the unknown of an unknown country. They have a full portfolio, from years of savings, from a pingue pension as only the old salary social security system knew how to give, have children already more or less professionally arranged (and if they are not, it is the time that if they see it on their own) and have also matured that pinch of healthy selfishness that has disassembled them from the exclusive role of “grandparents-porcheggio-nipoti”. And so now they enjoy it. Many have also filed a wedding and now savor the taste of a future that still see promising of sentimental surprises.
Of course, let’s talk about healthy people who, Between 60 and 70 but also with a few years more, they are not a marginal slice of the population, thanks to a largely free health system, the progress of medical science and a food and life education that has permeated their lives.
Thus, while the thirty-four-year-olds debate between precarious work or underpaid employment, mortgage or rent that strangles and family to maintain, their parents can finally afford some luxury. The total heritage of Italians amounts to 5,732 billion euros, with an increase of 270 billion (+5 percent) compared to 2023 and over a thousand billion (+22 percent) compared to the end of 2019. 1,120 billion euros are currently deposited on current accounts.
And let’s not forget that Italians are also the major real estate owners. A treasure that for a large part is in the hands of the “mature” population that has learned to enjoy it. “You are not obliged to leave an inheritance, you can spend everything” and then: “Do not give anything to your children, they will abandon you, better to spend everything” was the advice launched by the well -known marriage lawyer, Annamaria Bernardini de Pace, who pulled an avalanche of criticism from some fundamentalist, but also many favorable comments from those who saw the generational chain of the bequests. What’s better, after a life of sacrifices, than traveling the world and taking all that tourism offers on the fly is the new ideal of those who access the pension.
This army of “viveur” of the third age are increasingly numerous. Over one person in five in Europe is more than 65 years old and Italy is in first place with 24 percent of the elderly population. According to Istat data, senior tourism in our country is worth € 22 billion.
The Institute of Forecast Oxford Economics believes that by 2030 the expenditure capacity of the ultra-65-year-olds at a global level will be 5,500 billion dollars. The sectors in which the demand will focus are in addition to health, technology, home and precisely tourism. The reports of the OECD, the organization for economic cooperation and development, indicate that the expenditure for consumption between the seniors grows faster than that of forty -year -old adults, thanks to sturdy pensions and tendency to focus their interests on well -being and entertainment among which travel the travels have a primary place.
The World Tourism Organization has estimated that by 2030, 35 percent of international travel will be “senior”. Preference goes to cruises, wellness centers and group tours even if there is great interest in personalized circuits. Senior tourism could generate, according to the organization, from here to five years, 520 billion dollars of turnover, with cruises to do the lion’s part, with 30 million passengers over 65 by 2030.
The latest longevity report, created by the Silver Economy Network, estimates the tourist spending of Italian Senior around five billion euros to which are added further seven billion for recreational services, entertainment and culture. Other aspects also emerge from the research. A study by the Booking reservations platform found that the ultra-65-year-olds are great familiar with technologies, preferably use the web for reservations even if the relationships with physical agencies resist, but only because you have the feeling of being sheltered from the scams, not for little familiar with the network. Furthermore, there is a marked ecological sensitivity like the younger generations, which leads to prefer to prefer destinations in to which tourism has positive repercussions on local populations and poor impact on the environment.
Another commonplace to dispel is that only “comfortable” destinations are chosen. “There are more and more customers who ask us for holidays with trekking, excursions and with particular experiences such as sleeping in an ancient temple or sitting at the dining table with local families” says Maurizio De Palma, CEO and founder of Cocooners, platform dedicated to active senior, as the site says, with over 60 thousand members. «Our travel, but also the simple midweek events such as courses specialized in photography, languages, yoga, visits to exhibitions and museums, aperitifs, are aimed at 60-70 year olds with even higher tips. The preferences go to group tour to have the opportunity to take new friends ». More men or more women? «60-70 percent of adhesions are of women, who are the most dynamic. Men often go to the towing of wives and girlfriends, they are a little slippers. The economic level is medium -alal and are increasingly number of those who want to travel two to three times a year without paying attention to expenses ».
And, as Marco Peci, commercial director of Quality Group commentsTour Operator Consortium, are not satisfied with going to Paris or Berlin. “There is a growing interest in less conventional travel experiences, destinations less beaten by mass tourism such as Botswana, Bhutan, Bolivia, Nepal, Tasmania, New Zealand, Algeria and others”.
Just take a quick ride on the web and there is confirmation of how the offer for those who are retired is increasing. There are those who as a tour of tour operators, have a large section dedicated to the ten best destinations for sixty -year -olds with particular attention to singles “ensuring the possibility of sharing experience with people of the same age”. And to demonstrate that the oldest are not technologically illiterate at all, there are blogs dedicated to them with advice, curiosities and stimuli for destinations of all types and for all budgets. One of the many is adventure grandparents, created by Gianni Odasso and Teresa Torsello who tell that despite some health problems, they have not lost the desire to travel. “My heart problem does not prevent me from enjoying new businesses, as well as Gianni’s back pain is not a problem while we are around the world,” Teresa writes on this fun digital chatter exchange platform, where he makes a rundown of the countries visited and experiences with many advice.
The demand has become increasingly sophisticated and varied. In addition to the declines of travel, from the super relaxing one in a wellness center to the most eventful and adventurous one with trekking or curtained fields in the desert (offers them Kel12), there are also stays abroad combined with dance, yoga, cuisine and foreign languages. Finally, stays related to voluntary forms. Volunteering Solutions takes care of the senior programs in over 20 destinations in Asia, Africa, South America, Europe and Australia. They range from support services to students in schools or non -profit organizations, to the care of the environment and to the safeguarding of protected species, to the protection of archaeological sites. For those who have an initiative, curiosity and desire to get back into the game, it can really be said that life starts again at 60 years old.
