Silver lining of an aging population

Travel pioneers

"You're never too old to learn" is a saying that Li Guizhi frequently quotes.

The 67-year-old retired doctor from Laixi, Shandong province, tours the world to expand her horizons and enrich her knowledge.

"Every year, I visit several places. It is really a good way to learn history, civilization and folk customs by visiting cities around the world," Li said, "touring keeps us in a healthy state."

Last year, she and her husband wanted to see the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

"I was always curious about how the bridge works linking the three metropolises. Is the undersea tunnel part of the bridge safe? All of my questions were answered after visiting the bridge, it is really amazing," Li said.

This year, Li plans to visit Europe."Most of us lived a hard life when we were young, so why not enjoy your later years and make your life more meaningful?" she said.

Li also organized a group of 10 seniors to learn how to play the cucurbit flute. To ensure her fellow students have permanent memories of the joy of learning the flute, Li has photographs of their performance printed. "The photos record wonderful moments of our lives as elders, which are much more precious than the money I spend," Li said.

A survey by the China National Committee on Aging showed that elderly tourists in China now account for more than 20 percent of the country's annual tourist numbers.

According to a report on the travel habits of elderly people by online travel agency Ctrip, 65 percent of elderly travelers take more than three trips a year. A growing number of elderly people are making online reservations independently, the survey said.

The stereotype that older travelers only sleep or take photos is also out of date. Their main concerns are about the comfort of hotels, the ease of travel and reliable Wi-Fi access.

Beijing resident Zhu Hongying, 56, has been to the United States, Germany, Italy and Austria. Last year, she and her family lived in the US state of Hawaii for a month and Seattle, Washington, for the same period of time.

"It is quite obvious that in recent years, my friends have been traveling a lot more," she said.

"In addition to traveling with family, some people also organize trips with old friends. After retirement, we have plenty of time."

Zhu said traveling broadened her vision and enabled her to experience the world, which helped her not let "trivial things" annoy her.

Expanded horizons

The rise of tourism, entertainment and other markets for the elderly highlights the increase in the spending capacity of older people. Many seniors now have both money and leisure time, allowing them to pursue fashion, high-tech products and luxury items.

The elderly are also finding time to expand their minds through education.

A government-run community college for the elderly in Beijing's Dongcheng district has enrolled more than 4,000 students. Although the college offers more than 100 classes, it is still hard to gain admission.

But the situation is not uncommon in today's China.

According to the China Association of Universities for the Aged, there are more than 70,000 learning institutions and schools for the elderly in China, with more than 8 million students on campus.

Despite the high number of classes for the elderly, educating older people in large numbers for free does not necessarily meet the needs of society.

"The classes are good for elderly people to develop their hobbies with no or little tuition fees, but they might not be financially sustainable," said Wang from the Institute of Population and Labor Economics.

She suggested that retired people pay tuition fees and study at regular universities for proper degrees."Making the elderly pay for their tertiary education should be put on the agenda," she said.