“Silver Tourism” is linked to the “longevity economy”, which refers to the opportunities and challenges arising from the aging of the population. According to the study “The role of the longevity economy in the tourism sector”, carried out on behalf of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism, older tourists have plenty of free time, a stable income and a strong desire to explore new destinations, seeking experiences such as spa and cultural tourism. In particular, travelers of this age prefer less crowded trips and focus on activities that enhance well-being and quality of life.

The study states that tourism for older people, known as “Silver Tourism”, is important for two reasons:

Improving health and quality of life: It helps older people maintain their health and improve their quality of life. In this way, they remain active for longer, contributing to work or participating in daily activities such as leisure trips. As a side positive effect, the relief of national health systems is also recorded.

Mobilization of the economy: It enables the elderly to spend the savings they have accumulated, strengthening the economy. This money returns to the market, benefiting various sectors related to tourism. At the same time, when the elderly travel abroad, money is transferred from one economy to another, which may benefit some countries more.

The prospects of “Silver Tourism” in Greece

Greece has all the conditions to benefit from “Silver Tourism”. According to diaNEOsis, by 2050 over 1/3 of tourism expenditure in Greece will be linked to the “silver economy”. According to estimates by SETE, KEPE and IOBE, our country can attract 1 million additional senior tourists, with potential revenues of 1.5 billion euros, which will contribute 3.7 billion euros to the Greek economy in GDP and create 60,000 new jobs.

Senior travelers can be the basis for mitigating the seasonality of tourism, as they prefer periods of low demand.

Furthermore, the European study on the “longevity economy” reports that rural tourism is gaining popularity among the elderly. Spain, Romania and Portugal emerge as top EU countries, while rural tourism is quite popular among older adults in Poland as well. “‘Silver Tourism’ can help rural areas by bringing a new source of income to households, allowing older adults who cannot effectively engage in agricultural work to work in the tourism sector. However, these older people lack some necessary skills, such as the ability to speak foreign languages, which can reduce the attractiveness of international tourism in rural areas. At the same time, however, older people living in rural areas often have specific knowledge of local historical, cultural and natural values, which they can exploit,” the study points out.