Buses carrying elderly travelers to suburban destinations in Shanghai.
With flowers presenting a kaleidoscope of colors and gentle spring breeze bringing pleasant weather, it’s perfect time for travel.
On Tuesday, 11 buses carrying more than 350 energetic senior travelers departed from the Shanghai South Long-Distance Bus Terminal, heading to destinations in the Pudong New Area and Songjiang, Qingpu, and Chongming districts for trips ranging between two and three days.
To stimulate consumption potential of the senior tourism market, a series of tourism packages have been launched by the city’s tourism and civil affairs authorities with tourism enterprises.
The inaugural offerings include 17 customized routes, all within Shanghai’s suburban areas.
The routes prioritize a “slow travel” approach, connecting multiple attractions via direct bus service and focusing on high-quality, comfortable, and safe travel experiences.
Information provided on the itineraries
The routes cover core scenic spots, rural landscapes, Jiangnan (the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) towns and gardens, and leisure wellness retreats. Additional highlights include historical architecture tours, opera performances, intangible cultural heritage bazaars, food culture experiences, and industrial heritage displays.
Among these routes, one strings Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, Shanghai Daguanyuan (Grandview Garden), Yuandang Slow-traffic Bridge, and Qushui Garden, one of the city’s five classic gardens in Qingpu District, while another takes travelers to the Dongtan Wetland to observe birds, as well as Mingzhu Lake and Wisteria Corridor in Chongming District.
Specific transportation service launched for elderly citizens
The trips also emphasize deep cultural experiences, allowing elderly travelers to engage with local traditions and folk customs, catering to their needs for physical and mental well-being and social interaction.
Wellness packages feature age-friendly luxury resorts, low-sodium healthy meals, and activities like chess, VR film viewing, and traditional Chinese medicine wellness. Tourists can also participate in sports like golf, Taichi, and yoga.
The silver-haired demographic, characterized by a large population, strong purchasing power, ample free time, and vibrant cultural tourism demand, has driven rapid market growth. By creating dynamic and stylish silver tourism products and upgrading service functions, the goal is to enable more seniors to explore Shanghai with joy.