Last updated on November 20th, 2024
Featured image: JourneyWoman is inviting women 50+ to help shift outdated stereotypes about age in a global survey in October 2024 / Photo by SabrinaBracher via Envato.
Women 50+ invited to participate in a global study to shift stereotypes about age and ability
In an effort to bring more understanding to the needs of the older travellers, JourneyWoman is inviting women over 50 to participate in a global study to share their travel preferences, preferred destinations, preferred women-friendly companies, as well as concerns about the single supplement, mobility and accessibility and women’s safety. Through this research, JourneyWoman aims to bring greater awareness to this influential and growing market within the travel industry and showcase the vital role of women 50+ on transforming communities – creating jobs, fostering inclusion and strengthening local economies.
“For decades, the travel industry has been focused on younger travellers as the most profitable and trendy market, but it is becoming clear that women 50+ hold the true wealth and influence in travel,” says Carolyn Ray, CEO, JourneyWoman. “With 30 years of experience in female solo travel, we know how important women over 50 are to creating a sustainable future. This research provides women 50+ with the opportunity to be catalysts for change, and shift outdated stereotypes about age and ability, while addressing barriers to travel such as safety, mobility and the single supplement. I am thrilled that three of our partners from our Women’s Travel Directory are supporting this effort and visibly showing their commitment to women over 50.”
The research is supported by travel companies Collette Travel, Intrepid Travel and Aurora Expeditions, and will be used to adapt to the needs of women 50+ and create new products and services for the mature traveller. In addition, JourneyWoman has also conducted interviews with more than 25 CEOs and leaders from travel companies, airlines, insurance companies and booking platforms to understand their commitment to and investment in the women 50+ market. Allies of the research include Rise Travel Institute, Women in Travel CIC, Women Travel Leaders, Travel Unity, TourRadar, the Transformational Travel Council and The Travel Foundation.
The survey will close on November 22 and results will be shared publicly in January 2025. As with JourneyWoman’s previous surveys, all individual responses are confidential but participants must sign up to verify email addresses to ensure there are no multiple entries.
“Older women have been ignored by every sector, despite their representing a massive share of purchasing power and often a majority of the consumer base. The older consumer, especially Q3 women (age 50-75), are the future of many travel companies. Ignore them at your peril.” — Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO, 20-first
About women over 50
In 2022, JourneyWoman published its second global study, “The Influence and Affluence of the Solo Female Traveler Over 50”, which showed that 70% of women over 50 felt ignored and undervalued by the travel industry. In that research, women also expressed concern about the lack of age-appropriate and diverse photography, a desire to see more appropriate terminology to describe older women and more emphasis on mobility and accessibility. Solo women said the single supplement is the top barrier to travel, ahead of airline costs/fees.
Women over 50 represent over $15 trillion in purchasing power in the US alone, and are the fastest-growing demographic over the next 10 years, according to a recent study conducted in the US by the Coca-Cola Group and Mass Mutual. In the US, 50-plus women are the largest demographic with incomes over $100,000; they control 95 percent of household purchasing decisions and 80 percent of luxury travel purchases. (Source: U.S. Government Consumer Expenditure Survey and Nielsen). However, studies indicate that less than five per cent of travel spending in the US and UK is aimed at the over 50. Learn more about the Woman Over 50 Traveller here.
“50+ women ARE the market and we would like our buying power to be respected. I would like to see more travel companies putting as at the centre of the offer. We love new experiences, getting to know local people, travelling lightly and sustainably and adventure.” — Alice Morrison, Explorer and BBC Presenter
About JourneyWoman
Founded in 1994, JourneyWoman™ is the world’s first solo female travel resource and one of the most trusted women’s travel brands in the world. JourneyWoman hosts the world’s largest Women’s Travel Directory as a free service to women, providing hundreds of curated and vetted women-friendly tours, retreats, small ships and safe places to stay while supporting small tourism businesses around the world. To elevate women’s voices, the award-winning Soul of Travel Podcast joined JourneyWoman in 2023. JourneyWoman also launched the travel industry’s first Women’s Speaker’s Bureau to share wisdom from women over 50 and accelerate diversity and the JourneyWoman Awards for Women Over 50. To learn more, visit Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. JourneyWoman is a registered trademark of Journeywoman Enterprises Inc.
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I am a long distance walker and have hiked many trails in Britain, France, Canada and the US; having just reached 80, I would like to see invitations to the 70 and 80 year olds specifically to join various trips; some are fearful of traveling in groups or alone; I don’t see many of them on the trails with me and I miss them.
Hello Colleen!
I agree with you! I hope to see many more invitations as well.
Happy Travels!
~Wanda