* As many Chinese born in the 1960s reach retirement age, a new generation of healthy and vibrant retirees has emerged.
* The country is so vast that the climate varies greatly from place to place, leading many health-conscious retirees to periodically move to cooler places in the summer and warmer places in the winter.
* The increase in elderly “migratory birds” is bringing new momentum to the silver economy.
KUNMING, July 20 (Xinhua) — Wearing a backpack half the size of himself and a huge camera slung over his shoulder, 61-year-old He Ping trekked through the marshes to the perfect spot for photographing birds.
Ms He, a retiree from Beijing, loves photographing birds and travels all over southwest China’s Yunnan province, where she lives for several months each year with her husband, in search of the best viewing spots.
The retired but active amateur bird photographer belongs to a group known as “senior migrants” – older birds who make the seasonal migration in search of better climates and more comfortable habitats.
As a new generation of Chinese adults — healthier, more energetic and more affluent — reach retirement age, the number of older “migratory birds” is growing, breathing new energy into the silver economy.
According to official data, there will be 297 million people aged 60 or older in China by the end of 2023, accounting for 21.1% of the country’s total population. With a rapidly aging society, China issued guidelines earlier this year to strengthen its silver economy.
The current size of China’s silver economy is estimated to be around 7 trillion yuan (approximately US$982 billion) and is expected to reach around 30 trillion yuan by 2035.
Speaking at a press conference on the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee on Friday, Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, said China will step up the development of the elderly care industry.
Wang Jianxin, director of the Yunnan Provincial Association for the Development of Aged Health Industry, said that with many Chinese born in the 1960s reaching retirement age, a new generation of healthy and vibrant retirees is emerging.
As a generation that witnessed China’s reform and opening up, they have better education and employment opportunities than previous generations, and generally have stronger purchasing power, a stronger desire to travel and more diversified leisure needs, Wang added.
Attracted by Yunnan’s mild climate and pace of life, He Ping and her husband bought a courtyard house in the border city of Tengchong, where they stay for several months each year. “Prices are low here, and we can enjoy the hot springs as much as we want without worrying about the cost,” He says.
Most seasonal migration is driven by a desire for more comfortable climates. The country is so vast that the climate varies greatly from one part to the next, so many health-conscious retirees periodically move to cooler areas in the summer and warmer areas in the winter.
Wang Qingchun, 64, fled the scorching heat of his hometown Changsha, known as the “furnace city,” for Qujing city in Yunnan province, where average summer temperatures hover around 20 degrees Celsius.
“The weather is indeed much cooler here, so we plan to stay here for two months this time,” said Wang, who said she and her husband have been living in the elderly apartment since early July, paying 3,580 yuan per person per month.
The apartment offers amenities such as free meals, shuttle service, a cinema room, karaoke room, a gym and massage chairs. “It has everything except air conditioning,” Wang joked, happy with the amenities and the relief from the scorching heat of his hometown.
The 100-room apartment building underwent renovation and began accepting guests from outside Yunnan last year, said Yang Xiaohong, an employee at the building, adding that most of the residents are from areas affected by the heatwaves, such as Hunan, Sichuan and Chongqing, and the building is fully booked.
Elderly guests like Wang are helping Qujing attract more tourists: In the summer of 2023, Qujing is expected to welcome a total of 2 million tourists, generating tourism revenue of about 23.6 billion yuan, up more than 22 percent from the previous year, according to data from the Qujing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.
The influx of these “migratory birds” has also boosted local small and medium-sized businesses. In 2023, Zhang Xiaowai, who lives in the suburbs of Qujing City, renovated his two six-story homes into a 40-room villa to meet the living needs of the elderly.
All of Zhang’s suites were booked by April, so with her daughter’s help, she used the Chinese social media platform Little Red Book to post photos of the different suites to attract customers.
“These days, many young people are using social media platforms to find vacation homes for their parents,” Zhang said. “With older guests coming, businesses at nearby restaurants, beauty salons and clothing stores have boomed.”
The picturesque Changbai Mountain scenic area in northeast China’s Jilin Province is another magnet for retirees looking to escape the heat. Seasonal seniors are helping to boost the local accommodation industry. In Erdao Baihe town near Changbai Mountain, the number of bed and breakfast establishments has boomed in the past two years.
Although more seniors are choosing to travel and live in different places, the “migratory bird” lifestyle is still considered luxury consumption, increasing demand for medical care and other supporting services, said Lin Mingwei, deputy director of the Civil Affairs Bureau of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan province.
Lin noted that cross-regional medical insurance reimbursement has become available in more areas across China, easing some of the medical concerns that have prevented older people from traveling and living elsewhere.
Experts say the silver economy plays an important role in boosting domestic demand and improving the welfare of the elderly. Yin Zhigang, chairman of the professional advisory committee of the Shanghai Elderly Care Industry Association, believes a coordinated and market-oriented approach needs to be adhered to in promoting seasonal migration for the elderly. ■
(Reporters: Tian Ying, Yan Yong, Wang Haofei, Wang Fan, Sun Min, Hu Chao, Zhou Wanpeng and Song Xinping; video reporters: Sun Min, Yan Yong, Wang Haofei, Wang Fan, Hu Chao, Zhou Wanpeng and Song Xinping; video editors: Zhang Li and Li Qin.)
