Senior travellers should make sure they wear really comfortable shoes, avoid extreme weather, and do their homework before going on a tour.

That鈥檚 the advice of 91原创 retiree and frequent traveller Maria (who asked her last name be omitted), who recently returned from a seven-country tour that included Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary.

鈥淵ou need really good footwear,鈥� Maria told the 91原创 Advance Times. 鈥淵ou must invest in good, thick, padded footwear, otherwise, you will be sorry 鈥� and good, thick socks.鈥�

Check to ensure a tour doesn鈥檛 cram too much into a day, she further cautioned.

鈥淭ake a look and make sure that you鈥檙e not going to be ending up exhausted at the end of the day.鈥�

And avoid bad weather.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 like travelling in the winter, and I don鈥檛 like travelling in the summer, because depending on where you are, it鈥檚 too hot.鈥�

A government of Canada site for older travellers agrees, (), noting seniors are generally at less risk of altitude sickness, but have a higher risk of non-exercise-related heat stroke, and decreased ability to tolerate cold temperature.

It also advises doing some research in advance, pointing prospective travellers to the Canadian  page to find out about local safety and security conditions, and areas to avoid, local laws and culture, possible health hazards and health restrictions, and other important information.  

Tour companies that cater to older travellers are adjusting schedules to make their experiences less 鈥渇renetic,鈥� said Lise Hines, the owner of 91原创-based Chew On This Tasty Tours, who estimates a majority of the people who go on her company鈥檚 budget-friendly culinary adventures are 45 or older.

鈥淲e have hosted groups who are all in their 70s,鈥� Hines told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淭he walking tours that we have, its always kind of flat, accessible to many abilities, and its always punctuated by nice stops to sit and luxuriate. 鈥�

For example, a Chew On This  post about their 鈥淟ocal Flavour鈥� tour of Fort 91原创 estimates it will cover about 1.7 kilometres, or 鈥�2,371 steps.鈥�

While the number of seniors planning to travel fell during the pandemic, it is rising again.

A recent study conducted by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) found roughly half of all seniors surveyed reported a desire to return to normal leisure travel in 2024, compared to just eight per cent in 2023, and the same percentage ranked travel and vacation as their number one priority for discretionary income.

More Living 60+ Magazine articles can be found online at /e-editions.

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