Travellers aged 65 and over continue to be one of the most important and engaged groups in the travel market. Many still have a big appetite for adventure and exploration, and they have both the time and the means to travel well.

Yet, despite often being the more experienced travellers, new research from the Safer Tourism Foundation shows that while this group gives serious consideration to safety when initially planning a trip, they pay much less attention to risk when they are preparing for, or experiencing, their holiday. This can expose older travellers to an increased likelihood of serious harm and travel agents can play a critical role in helping them manage that risk.

Every year Safer Tourism collects and analyses anonymised safety incident data from a wide range of UK tour operators (representative of more than 10 million trips), with the aim of preventing future harm. We combine this with our own consumer research to build an in-depth understanding not only of what happens to travellers, but why. We call it the Travel Risk Behaviours Index.

There is some good news. The over 65s are more likely than average to consider “big picture” risks when choosing a destination. Fifty-five percent say they want to know about medical infrastructure where they’re going (vs 48% average) and 53% are concerned about political turmoil in the destination (vs 42% average).

They are the demographic most likely (52%) to consult the Foreign Office’s (FCDO) travel advice, especially compared to 18-24 year olds, only one-fifth of whom said they felt FCDO warnings were important. Agents can play a crucial role at this stage in helping older travellers interpret official advice and translate it into practical decisions. Over 65s are also more likely to take out travel insurance (82% vs 66%) and book through established tour operators (54% vs 45%). 

But this seems to be the extent of safety considerations for many in this group, with older travellers less likely than other age groups to think about safety when preparing for travel. They still want to let their hair down when they travel, with over a quarter telling us they want to try an activity they’ve never done before. For example, one in 12 tell us they would ride a motorbike or quad bike on holiday, yet over 65s are less likely (one in seven) than other age groups (one in five overall) to get fit for the activities they plan to do on holiday. 

And although the Holiday Head applies across all age groups, over 65s experiencing a safety related incident are the most likely (two-thirds) to admit that this was because they had over-estimated their own physical fitness or capability to do an activity. There's a clear opportunity here for agents to add value – not by discouraging adventure, but by helping clients align ambition with capability and encouraging common sense preparation.

Travel agents can use gentle questioning techniques during the booking process to get a good understanding of a customer’s real capability, without asking overly sensitive questions. Simply asking about someone’s day to day life at home, and what they want from their holiday, can reveal so much without seeming intrusive. A fun and suitable itinerary can then be created that doesn’t incur unnecessary risk or put customers into situations beyond their capabilities. While not always considered part of the agent’s role, sharing practical pre-travel safety information can make a real difference. In our research, travellers aged over 65 were the least satisfied with the safety information provided before their trip (46%, compared with 58% overall).

It’s critical to remind older travellers about the importance of having travel insurance that is genuinely right for them. While most travellers aged over 65 tell us they purchase suitable cover, nearly one in five remains unprotected — a significant concern when more than a quarter of this age group report living with a long-term medical condition. Agents can play an important role in encouraging appropriate insurance, particularly for clients travelling with a health condition.
This is especially important given the rise in heat-related illness, which can have more serious consequences for older travellers and those with existing health conditions. 

A quarter of travellers aged over 65 told us that they or someone they were travelling with had experienced heat-related illness while on holiday. Yet more than half of those affected in the past 12 months said they would make no changes to future trips. As heatwaves are becoming more frequent across Europe and beyond, agents can help by talking through simple contingency plans and practical adaptations.

Overall, the tendency by older travellers to downplay risk is evident in the Travel Risk Behaviours Index. Yet some of the worst injuries and a large proportion of fatalities occur in this age group. By understanding how older travellers perceive risk, and how that perception translates into real-world decisions and travel behaviours, we can help to ensure they have the very best possible travel experience.