Seniors turn off-peak season into tourism niche

More elderly travelers, especially women, embark on trips for Spring getaways

Elderly consumers in China are seeking high-quality travel experiences in March, a traditional off-peak season for travel, thereby boosting the growth of the country's silver economy.

Since last year, among all age groups of women, those aged 50 and above have recorded the fastest growth in booking volumes for travel products, with their bookings more than doubling year-on-year, according to Qunar, a Beijing-based online travel agency.

Zhang Han, a female traveler from Beijing who is in her 50s, has more leisure time now that her daughter has just started college. As she no longer needs to synchronize her schedule with those of her husband and daughter, Zhang and two of her female friends intend to take road trips across the country, and recently pooled in money to buy a recreational vehicle.