Recently, the reporter contacted a number of travel agencies as a tourist. When the inquiries were for people aged 70 and over, most of the responses received were that they were unable to accept them. Some travel agencies that can accept them have additional requirements for elderly visitors, such as signing an exemption agreement and supplementary agreement, being accompanied by an immediate family member, and purchasing additional insurance. In response, Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Culture and Tourism Industry Research Institute at the Beijing Second Foreign Languages Institute, said that solving the difficult situation requires a multi-pronged approach to establish a risk-sharing mechanism rather than simply refusing customers. Relevant departments need to strengthen market governance, limit age discrimination among travel agencies, and encourage enterprises to launch “silver-friendly” services; insurance companies should develop more insurance products for elderly tourists to reduce the burden on travel agents; travel agencies should provide more travel products and routes suitable for people with silver hair, improve the safety and comfort of the entire travel process from various perspectives such as catering, lodging, and medical care, and promote the transformation of travel agencies.

Recently, the reporter contacted a number of travel agencies as a tourist. When the inquiries were for people aged 70 and over, most of the responses received were that they were unable to accept them. Some travel agencies that can accept them have additional requirements for elderly visitors, such as signing an exemption agreement and supplementary agreement, being accompanied by an immediate family member, and purchasing additional insurance. In response, Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Culture and Tourism Industry Research Institute at the Beijing Second Foreign Languages Institute, said that solving the difficult situation requires a multi-pronged approach to establish a risk-sharing mechanism rather than simply refusing customers. Relevant departments need to strengthen market governance, limit age discrimination among travel agencies, and encourage enterprises to launch “silver-friendly” services; insurance companies should develop more insurance products for elderly tourists to reduce the burden on travel agents; travel agencies should provide more travel products and routes suitable for people with silver hair, improve the safety and comfort of the entire travel process from various perspectives such as catering, lodging, and medical care, and promote the transformation of travel agencies.