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]