The Thousand Years in She County, Huangshan, Anhui Province In the ancient city of Huizhou, the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year is still continuing in the first month. In the ancient Doushan Street, three old houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties swept the courtyard to entertain guests under the reflection of big red lanterns. This Hui style B&B is about to welcome a new batch of silver-haired tourists.
Mingtang, corridor, flower window, garden... This intangible cultural heritage homestay has been carefully renovated and is the first batch of health-care themed homestays in She County. It relies on the cultural and tourism resources of the traditional Chinese medicine Xin'an medical school, combined with Huizhou The natural environment and historical culture mainly provide tourism experience and medical and health care services for middle-aged and elderly people living in the country. "Xin'an Medicine originated and inherited in She County. We will regularly invite representative doctors to the homestay to provide customers with medical lectures and traditional Chinese medicine physiotherapy and other health management services. At the same time, we will also provide traveling to the ancient city and traditional villages of Huizhou that are more suitable for the elderly. Travel services such as medicinal diet therapy." said Wu Zenghe, a B&B operator.
Guests experience free medical care services in a health-care themed homestay in She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Xinhua News Agency reported that Wu Zenghe, who has more than ten years of experience in B&B experience, has increasingly felt in recent years that the enthusiasm for cultural and tourism consumption among the elderly has continued to rise. "Our B&B just opened for a year and attracted many retired customers from first-tier cities to come." He said that the demand for health care and travel for middle-aged and elderly people in the cultural tourism market is increasing, "Health care and travel consumption". The group is about to welcome the '60s' and '70s'. They have the ability and willingness to consume for health and wellness and better tourism experience. "
The silver-haired economy is emerging year by year in the cultural and tourism market Huge consumption of energy. According to data released by the China Tourism Research Institute, the number of silver-haired tourists aged 60 and above in 2023 has reached 1.16 billion, accounting for as much as 20.6% of the total number of domestic tourists. It is estimated that by 2028, the size of the silver-haired tourism market will reach about 1.16 billion. 2.7 trillion yuan shows strong growth momentum. Ctrip statistics show that in 2024, the travel orders of silver-haired people over 50 increased by more than 22% year-on-year, and the frequency of travel for 31% of silver-haired people reached twice that of 2019. Data from China National Railway Group shows that in 2024, the tourist trains organized by the China Railway Group transported more than 1 million tourists, of which the proportion of elderly tourists was close to 80%.
On April 20, 2024, Yinhai passengers took a special train to travel at Shanghai South Station. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Liu Weixing)
As the living standards steadily improve, healthy expectations continue to grow, the consumption concepts, demands and abilities of the elderly population are continuing to upgrade, and the cultural and tourism product design exclusively for silver-haired tourists is also We are constantly innovating, paying more attention to personalization and differentiation, and fully considering factors such as their interests and hobbies, physical condition and other factors. Tourism products such as health and wellness vacation tourism, rural leisure tourism, senior study tourism, health and medical tourism have emerged, providing more diversified choices for the elderly.
The Ministry of Commerce and nine other units recently issued the "Action Plan on Increased Yinfa Tourism Trains to Promote Service Consumption Development", focusing on increasing the supply of Yinfa Tourism Trains, strengthening the guarantee of elderly-friendly facilities, and improving the service level of Yinfa Tourism Trains , optimize the development environment of Yinhai Tourism Train, and put forward a series of specific and powerful measures. By 2027, a silver tourism train product system will be built with a wide range of routes, a variety of themes, and a comprehensive and thoughtful service. The train service standard system has been basically established, forming a number of themed tourist train brands.
The growth of the market size of the silver hair group has also promoted the upgrading of the accommodation industry. The hotel industry in many places has launched "silent floors" and anti-slip bathrooms and other elderly-friendly designs. Data from Huazhu Group shows that the elderly-friendly house types are very popular in 2024, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%. In Tankou Village, Yi County at the foot of Huangshan Mountain, 12 houses have been transformed into health care homestays with 45 rooms. Not only have the rooms been renovated for aging, but also specially equipped bedside callers, infrared monitors, and chips for elderly tourists. The quilts and other medical duty services have been added, and you can call the homestay housekeeper with one click at any time.
The silver-haired tourism market has also injected a steady stream of vitality into the development of local economics, not only promoting the coordinated development of related industries such as accommodation, catering, agricultural and sideline products, and special cultural and creative industries, but also creating more for local residents. Employment opportunities can increase income and become rich at your doorstep, becoming an important force in promoting the economic development of the county.
Health and wellness B&B in Tankou Village, Yi County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Xinhua News Agency issued a report by "We connect with about 40 communities in Shanghai to health and wellness tourism services. In addition to organizing tourism routes for scenic spots in Yi County, we also link with surrounding villages to provide intangible cultural heritage skills experience, traditional Chinese medicine physiotherapy, original Special cultural and tourism products such as ecological pastoral experience." Jin Shunfang, Party Branch Secretary and Village Committee Director of Tankou Village, said that the 12 health care homestays developed in the village have driven villagers to get rich together. "Many villagers are eager to try and ask Can you transform your own house in the future Houses, join related tourism operations. "
"The rural environment is good and the scenery is good. In addition, the accommodation conditions for newly built health and wellness vacations are getting better and better, and there are medical services. We live once a day Time, body and mood are very comfortable." Sun Tian, a tourist from Shanghai, said that he and his wife always meet with several old friends every year, and stay in the health resort in the Yangtze River Delta region for a period of time. After returning to Shanghai, they still I often shop the original ecological agricultural products of the resort online.
From "superior care" to "enjoying old age", the rise of the silver economy is reshaping the logic of the cultural and tourism industry, not only becoming a new engine of economic growth, but also a symbol of social progress.
Reporter: Liu Meizi, Zhu Qing, Zhou Mu
Poster: Liu Xufeng, Xia Yuanyuan
