Group 1 - The primary obstacle for elderly individuals in tourism is the "age threshold," which has become a significant barrier to their travel experiences [1] - Travel agencies are implementing differentiated restrictions for elderly travelers, such as refusing high-age tourists, requiring family accompaniment, signing liability waivers, and providing health certificates, which has become a norm in the elderly tourism industry [1] - The practice of using age as a hard criterion for risk management may lead to consumer discrimination against the elderly, violating the principles of fair trade in the market [1] Group 2 - The government has emphasized the need to replace age constraints with health status assessments, as outlined in the State Council's opinions on developing the silver economy and enhancing the well-being of the elderly [2] - Travel companies are encouraged to develop refined and diversified products tailored to the needs of the elderly, focusing on areas such as health care, cultural experiences, and photography [2] - Financial innovation is essential to support the elderly tourism market, including the development of suitable insurance products that provide adequate coverage at reasonable prices [2]

Group 1 - The primary obstacle for elderly individuals in tourism is the "age threshold," which has become a common practice among travel agencies to impose restrictions based on age, such as refusing high-age customers, requiring family accompaniment, signing liability waivers, and providing health certificates [1] - Travel companies are setting barriers due to the higher health risks associated with elderly travelers, which complicates issues like trip interruptions, medical care, and liability [1] - Using age as a sole criterion for service provision constitutes discrimination against elderly consumers and violates the principles of fair trade, as it fails to establish a scientific risk assessment mechanism or provide alternative solutions [1] Group 2 - The directive from the State Council emphasizes replacing age constraints with health status assessments, requiring health departments to focus on elderly individuals' physiological functions and chronic disease management to create a scientific health risk assessment system [2] - Travel companies need to develop refined and diversified products tailored to the elderly market, addressing the gap in supply for this demographic by focusing on areas like health and wellness, cultural experiences, and photography [2] - Financial innovation is essential to support elderly travel, encouraging the development of insurance products that cater to elderly travelers, optimizing pricing mechanisms, and expanding coverage to provide adequate protection at reasonable prices [2]

Core Insights - The elderly tourism market in Jiangsu Province has significant potential, but there are unmet consumer demands and various barriers to access [1][17] - The survey indicates that 86.55% of elderly travelers have a budget between 1001-5000 yuan, with a high demand for comfortable transportation and medical support [2][17] - Many travel agencies impose age restrictions and require health certificates, which creates additional hurdles for elderly travelers [3][5][6] Group 1: Market Potential and Consumer Demand - The elderly tourism market shows great potential, but the satisfaction level of consumer needs is low due to product homogeneity and service shortcomings [1] - A significant portion of elderly travelers (62.12%) prioritize comfortable transportation and accommodation, while 58.3% seek medical support during travel [2] - Over half of the elderly travelers reported insufficient medical support and inadequate facilities for disabled access at tourist sites [2][17] Group 2: Barriers to Access - More than 70% of respondents aged 70 and above reported being denied participation in tours due to age restrictions [3] - Common requirements include signing additional liability waivers (48.79%), mandatory accompaniment by family members (37.77%), and providing health certificates from higher-level hospitals (22.86%) [5][6] - Some travel agencies have vague age requirements, often only disclosing them at the time of booking or in small print [3][5] Group 3: Contractual and Legal Issues - A significant 34.01% of consumers faced disputes related to tourism, with contract issues being the most prevalent [12] - Many contracts contain unfair terms that shift safety responsibilities onto consumers, and some agencies do not allow refunds for cancellations due to personal reasons [12][13] - Complaints made after the end of the tour are often not accepted, which raises concerns about consumer rights [17] Group 4: Digital Service Challenges - Elderly travelers face difficulties with digital services, with 46.25% experiencing high failure rates in facial recognition and 42.62% finding smart device operations challenging [8] - Some online platforms continue to impose requirements for family accompaniment, and their liability waivers often transfer risk to consumers [5][8] Group 5: Recommendations for Improvement - The Jiangsu Consumer Protection Committee suggests enhancing collaboration among departments to build a robust elderly tourism protection system and promoting compliance among businesses [17][18] - There is a call for travel operators to better understand the elderly market and develop friendly digital services to ensure safe and enjoyable travel experiences [18]