Off-season travel gains popularity among Chinese elderly people

With declining flight and hotel prices, off-season travel has become an increasingly popular choice, particularly among middle-aged and elderly travelers who enjoy more flexible schedules and higher disposable incomes.

As autumn has set in, people averting overcrowded destinations during public holidays have rebooted their itineraries. The Nanjing Lukou International Airport in east China's Jiangsu Province is bustling with travelers, many of whom are seniors taking advantage of the off-peak season.

"We're heading to Jiuzhaigou. An eight-day tour package that includes accommodation and meals cost just over 3,400 yuan (about 480 U.S. dollars). It's less crowded now, and the prices are fair and reasonable," two elderly travelers said.

Booking data from online travel agency giant Ctrip showed that elderly people making up about 64 percent of weekday travelers following the National Day holiday.

The number of flight bookings among travelers aged 55 and above has surged, accounting for around 10 percent of total reservations, according to Qunar, one of China's largest travel platforms.

Offline travel agencies are also reporting substantial increases in senior group tours.

"The off-peak travel is now gaining popularity among the elderly. We organize about 8 to 10 group tours a day, with 200 to 300 participants. [Flight prices] now are roughly half of what they are during the National Day holiday. Air and other major travel options are quite cost-effective for elderly travelers," said Xu Wei, operations director at the Jiangsu subsidiary of China International Travel Service.

Data from online travel platforms showed that travelers aged 55 to 65 are leading the surge, who tend to stay out longer, travel farther and spend more. Silver-haired travelers mainly come from major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as emerging metropolises like Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Xi'an, collectively accounting for over half of the total.

Unlike previous years, elderly travelers now are opting for more independent trips and customized small group tours instead of budget packages.

Hotel bookings in remote scenic areas of Sichuan, such as Ganzi and Jiuzhaigou have increased significantly, thanks in part to the expansion of high-speed train services.

"According to data of our platform, each elderly passenger took 2.14 flights on average in the first half of this year, recording increases from 2019 and 2023. The proportion of seniors traveling during the summer vacation and National Day holiday also exceeded that of previous years," said Liu Ting, a researcher at Qunar's big data research institute of Qunar.

In addition, with lower hotel prices during the off season, bookings for high-end and luxury hotels among senior tourists have jumped over 60 percent year-on-year. Overall, middle-aged and elderly travelers are seeking greater comfort and enjoyment in their trips.

Off-season travel gains popularity among Chinese elderly people

A Chinese medical team from Tianjin Eye Hospital has officially launched a free cataract surgery campaign at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Under the name of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey, the Chinese medical team consisting of 10 senior ophthalmologists and nurses is set to conduct cataract surgery for more than 500 eye patients, with 80 of them having already enjoyed successful operations as of Friday. This round of the China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey will run for more than 20 days.

Amsale Belay is among the beneficiaries of the project. With help from the Chinese medical team, her vision has finally been restored.

"I'm so indebted to the medical team. I have been seeking treatment for more than two and a half years at various hospitals, but I found no solution. I was told there was no hope. But now, I have full hope," she said.

Local medics are also gaining invaluable experience in advanced treatment methods.

"We have been using manual machines for cataract surgeries. We lacked training and skilled personnel to perform surgeries with modern equipment. Now, as you can see, we are gaining high-level technological expertise and experience from the Chinese experts," said Yilikal Berhanu, a senior ophthalmologist.

"So far, we have conducted surgeries for four days. We are also actively training local doctors, hoping that they will be able to perform surgeries by themselves before we leave," said Wei Yinjun, deputy chief physician of the China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey Expert Group.

Speaking at the launch event of the project on Friday, Ethiopian Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said that the project offers far-reaching benefits.

"We will be building skills for healthcare professionals in here because through the procedures, through the one-to-one lessons, one-to-one interactions that we have, our community will have an additional shared experience, hands-on experience. We really, deeply value this project and the support that we are getting," said Daba.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai stressed that the project is a demonstration of the friendship between the two countries.

"As a concrete step toward the goal, the "Bright Journey' project shows vividly our all-weather strategic partnership and traditional friendship," he said.

In Ethiopia, cataracts are the main cause of blindness and low vision. Data from the country's health ministry shows more than five million Ethiopians are affected by various eye disorders.

Chinese medical team provides free cataract surgery in Ethiopia