As the world’s population is growing older, the tourism industry will have to adjust, meaning that tourism should be more accessible and inclusive for this category of travelers. More specifically, segments in the tourism sector should adapt and offer more pleasant experiences for this demographic that will soon become the leading group. Adapting, according to Kelly Torrens, the vice president for Kensington Tours, could include more breaks, slower walks, offering assistance for different activities, and selecting less difficult terrains.

The Administration for Community Living’s research has revealed that nearly one-fifth of senior citizens reported they had difficulties with hearing, seeing, communication, memory, mobility, or self-care, with the most problematic being mobility, which indicates that this group of people has enhanced issues to walk, representing 39 percent of the total number of respondents reporting such issues.

Moreover, many highly-ranked hotels in the best destinations throughout Europe don’t have elevators that can fit more than two persons. Hotels can adapt by investing more to become more accessible and take the example of other countries that are familiar with this kind of tourism, such as Costa Rica, which, thanks to a high number of retired American arrivals, has adjusted to this group of tourists.

In general, the number of older people is increasing worldwide, as the United Nations data show that this is the world’s fast-growing age group, and for the first time in 2018, there were more old people than children under the age of five in the whole world. Moreover, older people are expected to outnumber youngsters between 15 and 24 years, while one in six people will be over 65 years.