On a gorgeous day in late October last year, the Baishawan area on the northern coast of Taiwan was bustling to an unusual degree with visitors advanced in years. As the temperature dropped and the young people who are often seen on the sands of Baishawan in summertime started to head elsewhere, 18 gray-haired tourists took their place, exploring a trail that was opened to the public at the end of 2013 by the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration under the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. “The path is easy to walk on, with no abrupt drops or stairs, which makes it perfect for seniors or those with disabilities,” says Chiu Hsuan-wei (邱宣瑋), a specialist in the administration responsible for promoting travel for the elderly and those with physical impairments.
In August 2012, the Tourism Bureau set up a task force consisting of public sector officials and representatives from nongovernmental organizations for the purpose of creating barrier-free environments within the 13 national scenic areas on Taiwan proper and its offshore islands. “Life expectancies are rising across the globe. By offering barrier-free access, we also hope to attract elderly people from abroad,” says Chang Shi-chung (張錫聰), deputy director-general of the Tourism Bureau.
The day trip for the elderly to Baishawan last year was funded by the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration to illustrate the government’s efforts to encourage senior citizens to explore Taiwan’s increasingly accessible tourist sites. On that same trip, during which the elderly travelers took easy walks and had ample time to rest, visits were also arranged to several other destinations recommended by the administration, such as a Buddhist monastery, a hot spring resort and a restaurant serving light, healthy set meals.
Duofu Care & Service Co. initially focused on providing transportation for the elderly and disabled, but later began offering tourist services, too. (Photo courtesy of Duofu Care & Service Co.)
“The quality of medical services is ever-improving, which means we’ll see more healthy elderly people in our society and therefore greater potential for the development of the senior citizen tourism market,” Chang says. “And in Taiwan the elderly are usually accompanied by younger people, which means this emerging sector offers greater economic benefits than you’d think.” The deputy director-general says the government wants to encourage older people to travel and take up leisure activities, which can help keep them both mentally and physically healthy. This can lessen the burden on their families and help reduce government spending on health care.
Chang’s comments are echoed by Kuo Hsiao-i (郭曉怡), an assistant professor in the Department of Golden-Ager Industry Management at Chaoyang University of Technology (CYUT) in central Taiwan’s Taichung City. “The majority of government and social resources for the elderly focus on the seriously ill and the bedridden, but if we can encourage beneficial activities such as traveling, as is being promoted in Japan, then we can help people age gracefully and ease the pressure on state coffers,” she says. The scholar adds that her department at CYUT concentrates on the design and development of health-enhancing services, as opposed to most geriatric studies departments at Taiwanese universities, which primarily focus on how to care for the sick and disabled.
Beyond the public sector, private enterprises are also benefiting from an increase in senior travelers. Lion Travel Service Co., the largest travel agency in Taiwan, established a section targeting the elderly under its Special Interests Tour Department three years ago. “This is definitely a trend, as the elderly are more willing now than ever before to travel around and enjoy life,” says Andy Huang (黃信川), a general manager of Lion. The section does not set an age limit for customers, and arranges tours on weekdays, which appeal to an older demographic. “The tourism sector normally sees low business on weekdays, but our older customers are usually retired and can travel throughout the week. This has helped us narrow the sales gap between weekdays and weekends,” Huang says.
Lion Travel designs a variety of tours that cater to the elderly, such as visits to organic farms and other facilities that produce common cooking ingredients. Other popular destinations are tourism factories, where visitors get the opportunity to make items like paper and soap. “Retired people love to learn through different travel experiences, as much of their lives has been spent in a single profession,” he explains. To help ensure the safety and well-being of its elderly customers, the company lends them an easy-to-use piece of wearable tech. The device sends a signal displaying a person’s location to the smartphones of tour guides or family members in case of emergency.
With spare time on their hands and a desire to connect with their peers through travel, the elderly are potentially a boon for the tourism sector. Early in 2014, when cabbage farmers in Yunlin County in southern Taiwan were worried about a drop in the price of their produce because of a bumper crop, Lion Travel collaborated with the Council of Agriculture to launch a tour that brought Taipei citizens to the region. As a result, more than 2,000 senior citizens traveled to Yunlin, purchasing about 7,000 heads of cabbage in a single day.
Smaller businesses are also realizing the potential of the senior citizen tourism market. Former documentary director Jeff Hsu (許佐夫) started to think about making it easier for the handicapped and the elderly to move around when his grandmother became wheelchair-bound after a fall at the age of 90 in 2008. He founded Duofu Care & Service Co. in Taipei City the next year with the aim of providing transportation services to those who find it challenging to reach destinations such as hospitals. “A couple of years later our customers asked us to provide leisure trips designed specifically for the elderly. They said they wanted to go somewhere fun,” he says. The company has since devised various tours and operates a fleet of accessible vehicles in which the seating can be changed according to the number of wheelchair-bound and able-bodied passengers.
Cheng Chang, right, visits Yehliu Geopark on Taiwan’s northern coast with friends and family members in February this year. The 80-year-old enjoys going on half-day trips featuring short, easy walks. (Photo courtesy of Cheng Chang)
“It would be impossible for me to travel long distances if it weren’t for this company’s services,” says Hsu Chiao-lien (徐嬌連), who at 63 years old is confined to a wheelchair. Last fall, she, her children and grandchildren boarded a Duofu van and embarked on a two-day trip to several scenic spots in eastern Taiwan including Taroko Gorge. “It’s so great to be with my family on a tour that takes me to these beautiful places,” she adds.
This summer, Duofu launched services designed to encourage the elderly to explore Taiwan. Called “Duofu 360,” the plan gives a 10 percent discount to customers if they travel together in one of the company’s eight-passenger vans and their combined ages reach a total of at least 360 years. “Elderly people might be unwilling to join their children on weekend getaways because they don’t want to be a burden, but they’ll feel they have value if the family participates in our innovative plan. By coming along, their age makes the trip more affordable,” Hsu explains. “If you want to encourage the elderly to go on a trip, you have to think from their point of view.”
A handful of travel agencies aside, most of the companies in Taiwan’s tourism sector have yet to realize the potential of the senior citizen market, Chang says. This is partially because when the elderly want to explore Taiwan, many choose the affordability of public transportation over a package tour arranged by a travel agency, he adds.
“Compared with their counterparts in the West, many older people in Taiwan are conservative in their travel spending. They still prefer to save money for their children or their costs of living in retirement, although such a mindset is less obvious in urban areas like Taipei,” Kuo adds.
Elderly people in Taiwan are increasingly devoting more time to travel, however, whether in the company of their friends or adult children, or as members of organized tours. According to the Tourism Bureau, people aged 60 and over made an average of 2.76 domestic trips in 2001. Due to the increasing size of the graying population, the bureau divided survey respondents into two age groups beginning in 2011, with last year’s study revealing that people aged 60 to 69 made between seven and eight domestic trips, and those aged 70 and over averaged 4.5 trips. “The elderly are increasingly becoming a major segment of the population. They certainly will be a pillar in the development of Taiwan’s tourism sector if travel packages and services tailored to their needs can be further developed,” Chang says.
Encouraging senior citizens to travel is a worthwhile endeavor, and much of society is poised to benefit. The economy improves through greater spending, and new infrastructure catering to the elderly creates jobs. Perhaps most importantly, travel can allow the older generation to spend time with their families. “Actually it doesn’t take much to make old people happy. We’re not as energetic as young people. A half-day trip featuring some short, easy walks is enough for me,” says Cheng Chang (鄭漳), 80, who loves to travel with his wife on weekdays and with his children and grandchildren on holidays. “And I’m not particular about what I eat when I travel. A great meal doesn’t appeal to me anymore. After all, I’ve tasted so much great food in my life.”
Write to Oscar Chung at mhchung@mofa.gov.tw