TOURISM & HOSPITALITY
The over-65s are not a niche market in tourism. Many older travellers have the time, travel experience and spending power to stay longer and travel outside the peak season. Those who win them over often gain loyal customers – and benefit from a target group that recognises quality and actively recommends positive experiences to others.
At the same time, they are barely visible in glossy brochures, on booking platforms and in marketing campaigns.
There is a second, strategically important dimension to this: Family events. Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, multi-generational holidays – occasions where people aged between 5 and 85 celebrate and travel together. Venues, hotels and restaurants that are easily accessible and comfortable for older guests and people with reduced mobility are actively preferred. Those who fail to meet these standards often fall by the wayside during the research phase of the booking decision – without even realising it.
The market is there. So is the demand. What is missing is a precise understanding of what these guests really need. In this segment, we collaborate with experts from Germany and Austria on accessible construction and renovation concepts.
Common mistakes we see:
#1 – A lucrative target audience remains invisible in marketing
Many hotel websites, travel brochures and Instagram feeds still mainly feature young, athletic people. The over-65s, on the other hand, often remain invisible – even though they are a highly relevant target group for tourism: They are experienced, more flexible in terms of time, often travel for longer periods and are important for the off-season. The unintended message is: ‘We’re not talking to you.’ Anyone wishing to attract these guests does not need flashy senior discounts, but rather communication that takes their real-life circumstances, expectations and travel motivations seriously.
#2 – Accessibility is treated as a niche topic
Steps at the entrance. Doors that are too heavy. Menus in 8-point font. Toilets without grab rails. What is regarded internally as a ‘special case’ actually affects a growing proportion of guests – directly or indirectly. After all, when booking a family event, people choose the venue based on whether their 80-year-old grandmother can attend without any problems.
Accessibility is not a social project, but a booking criterion.
#3 – Digital booking processes exclude older guests
Complex booking forms, a lack of telephone options, confusing cancellation policies, tiny buttons – what comes naturally to younger users is a real hurdle for many over-65s.
What’s more, older travellers are less likely to book via platforms and more likely to book directly – provided they are allowed to and are offered a good experience in the process. Those who neglect this channel are missing out on direct bookings and handing over commission to digital booking platforms.
Why now: The market is changing
The baby boomer generation has time, money and the desire to make the most of both. While seniors used to be retired for an average of around a decade, that figure is now 22–25 years. And this is the first generation of retirees to have grown up travelling – and one that isn’t lowering its standards simply because it is getting older. On the contrary: Comfort, quality and personal service become more important with age, not less so.
At the same time, the composition of travel groups is changing. Multi-generational holidays are on the rise. More and more families are looking for destinations, hotels and restaurants that work for everyone – from grandchildren to grandparents. Those who have a suitable offering here and make it visible will become the preferred destination for precisely these occasions.
Added to this is the trend in health tourism: Prevention, recovery, exercise and mental health are not just wellness extras for the over-60s, but key reasons for travelling. The aim is to be able to live independently in one’s own home for as long as possible, while remaining as healthy as possible. Offers that take this seriously and do not package it as a ‘senior citizens’ programme’ strike a chord.
And anyone searching today for “barrier-free hotel in Austria” or “restaurant for family celebrations with wheelchair users” – is increasingly turning not just to Google, but also to AI systems. Whether your business features in these results is decided today.
What I can do for you
Target audience analysis
Who are your older guests really? What makes them decide to book – and what holds them back? I analyse their reasons for travelling, their decision-making processes and blind spots in your approach to this target group.
Positioning
I assess whether your offering is suited to the everyday realities of older guests – and highlight specific areas where adjustments are needed: In the product, in communication, in the booking process and in your public image.
User-Feedback
I organise structured feedback from older guests and families through interviews, guided stays or targeted surveys. This allows you to identify early on where your business excels – and where it falls just short of the expectations of its most important guest group.
Understanding the target groups
In workshops, we work together to develop ways in which your staff – at reception, in customer service and in the events department – can better understand, engage with and assist older guests, families and people with reduced mobility.
Communication & Content
I develop content and communication strategies that actually reach your target audiences – for direct bookings, family events and partnerships with tour operators. Both online and offline, using the right language for the right people.
GEO & SEO
Nowadays, older travellers and their families are also turning to AI systems for recommendations – for accessible hotels, accessible restaurants and suitable event venues. Together with a specialist partner, I’ll show you how to boost your visibility on search engines and AI systems – with content that gets found and a positioning strategy that works well with algorithms.
Let’s talk.
The generation of travellers with the greatest spending power expects more than just a senior’s discount. If you want to understand how to truly win them over – and inspire them – I look forward to an initial chat.
Fill in the form – or write directly to anja@owl-lab.at.