TALKING POINT
Kath Hudson, journalist, Attractions Management
As Europa Park turns 40 this year, many of its original visitors will now be grandparents
What can we do to better accommodate older visitors? The 65-plus market is growing and this age group tends to be internet savvy with plenty of spending power. Is your attraction welcoming them? Kath Hudson reports
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here’s no escaping the fact that, as a population, we’re getting older. In developed countries especially, people are living longer and birth rates keep decreasing. The market is shifting dramatically, and that means every industry needs to start actively responding to the ageing population. In the EU alone, the number of elderly will almost double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million in 2060. The numbers are vast, but we must remember that each person will vary wildly from the next in personality, physical ability and financial situation. However, according to figures from the International Longevity Centre, over 65s in the UK currently spend £2.2bn ($3.4bn, €3bn) a week – that’s £114bn ($174bn, €156bn) per annum – on goods and services. Assuming their weekly spending rises in line with annual inflation of 2 per cent, they’re likely to be spending more than £6bn ($9bn, €8bn) per week – £312bn ($470bn, €427bn) per annum – by 2037. 38
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From now until 2037, the 15 to 64 age group in the UK will, on average, grow by just 29,000, compared to a growth of 278,000 in the over 65s group. In more economically developed nations, the proportion of over-65s will rise from 16 per cent to 26 per cent. The over 80s will rise from 4.3 per cent to 10 per cent.
Over-65s are a less budgetconscious market. They fund trips, make decisions and are available during off-peak hours
There are many compelling arguments for the attractions industry to do more to appeal to the older customer. This can be a less budget-conscious market and multi-generation days out and holidays are growing in popularity. Grandparents often fund these trips and make the important
decisions, and another advantage of this market is that they’re often available during off-peak hours. Furthermore, as the demographic is changing, culture and heritage has been identified by the EU as a way of stimulating mental health, which could potentially become another revenue stream for museums and galleries going forward. And it’s not just about having over-65s as customers – what about as employees? They bring experience, maturity, knowledge, memories and enthusiasm which can be a tremendous asset in this industry, as we have seen in the heritage sector. So what should your attraction be doing to ensure it’s welcoming to older age groups? Is investment in attractions aimed specifically at them necessary, or will aiming for the family market suffice? Should older people be reflected in the marketing and should there be discounts and memberships tailored around this age group? How about the design of parks and attractions? We ask the experts. AM 4 2015 ©Cybertrek 2015