[Senior Trend] Most Desired Activities After Retirement: 'Travel' and 'Tourism'

There is a field where aging acts as a new growth engine. That is leisure-related activities. One easily accessible example is ‘exercise.’ These are activities aimed at maintaining physical health through various exercises such as yoga, Taijiquan, cycling, and swimming. Seniors are also actively engaged in creative hobbies like painting, crafting, and playing musical instruments. Through opportunities for self-expression, they experience mental satisfaction and often continue these activities, leading to exhibitions or performances. Alumni, local friends, and club gatherings are also lively. Based on a sense of belonging and emotional solidarity, these bonds are strong. Occasionally, seniors contribute to the local community through volunteer activities that practice intergenerational empathy and sharing. However, when we think of ‘leisure activities,’ traveling is usually the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, the ‘active seniors’ in their 50s and 60s chose ‘tourism’ as the activity they most want to do after retirement.

Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in interest in senior trends. Last week, seminars and forums related to seniors were held across the metropolitan area, and compared to last year, the number of event topics and interested participants increased remarkably. I attended the ‘Aging Boomers Domestic and Overseas One-Month Living and Active Leisure Seminar’ held at the Gangseo 50 Plus Center. The planner, Team Leader Minwoo Yoo, said, “It is important to convey that leisure activities like travel can be approached broadly with various meanings for seniors,” and that the program was designed to combine domestic and international regions with fun and social contribution. Kim Manhee, CEO of Pathfinder, opened the session with a talk on ‘Fansumer and Community Contribution Activities,’ and Third Age presented on ‘Ddanjung Diary, Local Tourism, and Interpretation.’ Other presentations included ‘Middle-aged Return to Farming, Returning to Rural Areas, and Fishing Village Planning Activities,’ ‘One-Month Living Travel in Japan,’ and ‘One-Month Travel in South America/Philippines.’

During the panel discussion and Q&A session, questions related to the increasingly popular ‘one-month living’ and ‘South America travel’ were the most frequent. Traveling to South America is not easy. Many people consider it a ‘bucket list’ item (a list of things to do or goals to achieve before dying). The flight alone takes 30 hours, and the basic itinerary requires at least two to four weeks, meaning a complete break from daily life, with expenses reaching tens of millions of won. Even considering the exotic landscapes and ancient cultures, local conditions such as altitude sickness, long travel distances, security, and natural disasters are challenging. However, after returning, travelers have a wealth of photos and stories. Senior travel expert Director Jaeyeol Ko said, “If the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) seeks ‘small but certain happiness (So-hwak-haeng),’ their parents’ generation, the seniors, seek ‘big and certain happiness (Dae-hwak-haeng)’ as a reward and recognition for the life they have worked hard for.” He also mentioned that overseas travel is preferred as a life trophy after retirement, something glamorous and shining.

On the weekend, I visited a department store cultural center. I wanted to see which cultural and sports classes are popular among seniors these days, but a large travel agency was using the consultation desk instead. Cultural classes were only partially visible on the walls, while all kinds of travel brochures were densely packed. Domestic travel included various island trips such as Jeju Island, Geoje Island, and Ulleungdo, as well as one-month living experiences. Overseas travel options were diverse, including golf trips to Southeast Asian countries, large cruise trips to Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, and even themed trips with celebrities. Looking at recent travel agency advertisements, although ‘seniors’ are a major customer base, they are not prominently featured. Hanatour plans to strengthen premium products themed around hobbies such as humanities and trekking, and Yellow Balloon Travel launched a product called ‘Youth is Now.’ Kyowon Tour also operates ‘Travel Easy’ as a senior-specialized travel product, avoiding terms like ‘filial tourism’ or ‘silver tourism.’

According to the Korea Tourism Organization’s Korea Tourism Data Lab, in the first half of 2024 alone, a total of 14.02 million Koreans traveled abroad. This is a 41.2% increase compared to the first half of 2023, with an average spending of about 1.3 million won (934 USD) per person. Statistics also show that those aged 50 and above travel domestically more frequently. However, there is a desire for more senior-tailored experiential and instructional programs, island tour-specialized products, and offerings that allow a deeper appreciation of local natural scenery and culture. Care travel for accompanying ultra-elderly parents is also sought.

Senior travel is changing. Whereas senior travel used to be about ‘doing what others my age do’ or ‘getting my money’s worth,’ it is now shifting toward ‘having experiences true to myself.’ For a longer and healthier third act of life, there is nothing better than travel to invigorate through new experiences and cultures. Through companions or local interactions, seniors also feel social connectedness and an increased sense of positivity toward life. Therefore, this trend remains a noteworthy topic in relation to seniors.

Boram Lee, CEO of Third Age