New data reveals a strong return for senior travelers is expected in 2023, a demographic that had been largely dormant in previous years due to the pandemic.
According to travel insurance marketplace squaremouth.com, senior travelers comprised nearly half of all customers in 2019, before dropping to just 16% of travelers in 2020.
Now, Squaremouth’s share of travelers aged 60+ has more than doubled, rising by 125%.
Older Generations Return to Traveling
- Travelers ages 60+ account for the largest travel demographic for the first time since the start of the pandemic, reflecting pre-Covid travel trends
Percentage of Travelers Across Age Groups
| % of Travelers | ||||
| Age Band | Dec. 1, 2022 – Jan. 31, 2023 | Dec. 1, 2021 – Jan. 31, 2022 | Dec. 1, 2020 – Jan. 31, 2021 | Dec. 1, 2019 – Jan. 31, 2020 |
| 0 – 34 | 28.12 % | 35.93 % | 40.37 % | 23.22 % |
| 35 – 49 | 19.39 % | 25.69 % | 27.54 % | 15.24 % |
| 50 – 59 | 15.55 % | 16.53 % | 15.64 % | 15.21 % |
| 60+ | 36.93 % | 21.86 % | 16.45 % | 46.32 % |
Older Travelers’ Concerns Are Changing
As the travel landscape continues to evolve, so do the concerns of travelers.
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- Seniors remain the most concerned demographic when it comes to contracting Covid-19 while traveling, despite a 21% drop in searches for Covid-related coverage over the past year
- Senior travelers search more for policies with medical coverage than any other age demographic
Comparison Of Search Filter Usage Across Age Groups
| % of All Searches | ||||
| Filter Name | 60+ | 50-59 | 35-49 | 1-34 |
| Coronavirus Pandemic | 31.15 % | 28.71 % | 25.57 % | 25.24 % |
| Emergency Medical | 17.38 % | 14.92 % | 11.74 % | 11.26 % |
| Medical Evac | 13.96 % | 11.62 % | 8.71 % | 7.86 % |
| Trip Interruption | 13.83 % | 13.41 % | 10.03 % | 9.77 % |
| Cancel For Any Reason | 11.68 % | 13.80 % | 13.28 % | 13.00 % |
Methodology: Squaremouth analytics compared travel insurance policy sales for insured trips purchased between Dec. 1 and January 31 from 2019 to 2023, to establish senior travel trends.
[Source: Squaremouth Press Release]