Silver Economy in the Areas of Sport and Tourism

12 December, 2022

The Horizon Europe project Senior Eco-Nect is having a very busy pre-Christmas season! Following close on the heels of the successful partner meeting in MTU Cork, hosted by the Hincks Centre on the 8th and 9th December 2022, the partners assembled online on Monday 12th December to showcase the silver economy in the areas of Sport and Tourism - two key sectoral ecosystem elements that may well benefit from interconnectivity and innovation. Senior Eco-Nect networking partners ENAT (European Network for Accessible Tourism) and EPSI (European Platform for Sports Innovation), promised, and delivered, an informative and thought-provoking agenda.

The webinar was launched by ENAT President Anna Grazia Laura, and the first focus was on accessible tourism, with excellent presentations by ENAT directors, Ivor Ambrose, Katarina Papamichail, and Treasurer Emiliano Deferrari. An introduction to accessible tourism for all was followed by a presentation that explained the value and volume of senior tourism and what / how universal design principles underpin linkages of active and healthy ageing with senior tourism. Good environment design practices were provided to illustrate the 7 principles of universal design and the significant effect of the Covid pandemic on the (senior) tourism businesses was highlighted with excellent statistics available from the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation). The dramatic changes in 2019 have been followed by a very slow recovery, with Europe still 26% lower in tourist arrivals in 2022 compared with 2019.

Currently, many factors are hindering the recovery of tourism including:

recessionary economic environments;
higher costs for transport and accommodation;
travel restrictions with uncertainty about pandemic and vaccination regulations;
low consumer confidence;
travel congestion;
delays and cancellations and
staff shortages in travel and tourism sectors.

However, as Ivor pointed out, investment in accessibility pays dividends as greater numbers of seniors travel off-peak, tend to stay longer, have more disposable income, make repeat visits and are happy to travel overseas, with many older Europeans taking multiple trips (average 6-7) within a single year. In fact, 65% of the accessible tourism market comprises senior tourists aged 60 years or older and those with accessibility needs demonstrate a tourism multiplier effect as they travel with companions.

After the excellent overview of senior tourism, the focus of the webinar shifted to Sport. EPSI Executive Director, Alberto Bichi indicated the importance of sport across the lifespan to maintain social links and to promote good mental as well as physical health, with the aim of “trying to create an environment where ageing people can continue to be active within the sports ecosystem”. The presentation by Antonello Marega, President of ESPI, listed the risk factors and challenges of ageing - with effort required to remain physically active to maintain social connectivity, wellbeing, and active participation. EPSI Project Manager Panos Papageorgiou emphasised the social aspects of wellbeing, with avoidance of physical barriers allowing better access to connect and listen to others. Physical activity through sport can promote wellbeing in older adults with regular exercise bringing many health benefits and enhancing active ageing.

The final presentation featured CEO of 50PLUS Hellas, Myrto Maria Ranga. This not-for-profit organisation was founded in Greece in 2005 to highlight the positive and active roles older people play in society. The NGOs work rests on scientific and research findings as well as confronting stereotypes and ageism. The organisation provides an app, education, and active ageing festivals, among other offerings, all based on active ageing.

The webinar closed with a lively discussion based on the themes of supporting the tourism and sports sectors to transition to accessible tourism and sport. This excellent webinar concluded with Ivor Ambrose outlining the next project steps with further webinars planned for 2023, a mapping exercise to promote awareness of stakeholders within the silver economy and culminating in an action plan that addresses the needs of emerging ecosystem sectors for the silver economy and interconnecting them to offer products and services to maximise the potential in the silver economy.

To learn more about the Senior Eco-Nect project, click here to visit the project page on our website.