The Spanish silver tourism opportunities are connected to the aging population. By 2055, 30.5% of Spanish people will be over 65 years of age according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Older population has greater purchasing power, which makes it an attractive market for tourism. CaixaBank Research released a report, which discusses potential opportunities connected to the growth of the aging population. Using aggregated and anonymized data, the report analyzes trends of card payments and cash withdrawals of seniors as tourists. The report focuses on all senior tourists, not only those who participate in programs such as Imserso.
Although there is no unity among these travelers, several trends can be identified. Senior travelers tend to be domestic tourists who spread their visits throughout the year. Furthermore, senior visitors prefer some inland destinations to coastal areas and have stronger tendencies to use travel agencies and book hotel accommodation. Finally, cash is more prevalent as a source of payment for these tourists.
Demographic and Economic Trends
Spanish seniors are a considerable part of the population. In 2025, 21.1% of the Spanish citizens are seniors, which is more than double the percentage of seniors in the early seventies. Furthermore, seniors have greater purchasing power than the general population. In 2024, the net annual income of a person from this group is 16.2% higher than the national average.
Although their share of the population is considerable, their share in tourism spending is lower. Overall, 15.6% of tourism spending by Spanish travelers belongs to senior tourists. When considering only the domestic destinations, the share of seniors is slightly higher, at 16.4%. The report states that the potential of the silver tourism market is excellent. There is a considerable scope for satisfying demand. Moreover, creating the right offer for seniors in terms of products and services for different ages will prolong their stays.
Preference for Domestic and Inland Travel
Senior citizens have a considerable preference for domestic travel. Nearly 87% of their annual tourism spending is done in Spain, and only 13% is spent in other countries. In other age groups, the tendency is opposite. Whereas middle-aged tourists reserve 17.4% of their tourism spending for overseas travel, young people (ages 16-29) leave as much as 24.2% of their tourism budget for international destinations.
The analysis shows that senior tourists tend to favor inland destinations. The provinces with the highest share of senior tourists are Barcelona, Madrid, the Mediterranean coast, and the Canary Islands. In different inland provinces, the importance of seniors is also considerable: over 20% of the tourist spending in Soria, Zaragoza, and Teruel belong to senior tourists. The report connects this trend to family ties: seniors value family connections and prefer quieter and less crowded destinations.
More Evenly Distributed Travel Throughout the Year
As seniors have more free time, they can visit tourist destinations more often and throughout the year. In 2025, 22.1% of the holiday spending of seniors went to the two peak months, which is lower than the 24.6% average for other Spanish travelers. As such, seniors contribute to the de-seasonalization of the Spanish tourism economy.
More Travel Agencies, Hotels, and Cash Payments
Senior tourists have stronger tendencies to use different travel agencies and book hotel accommodations. Older people allocate 6.5% of their tourism spending to travel agencies, nearly double the amount spent on average by non-senior visitors. At the same time, seniors spend a higher percentage on hotel accommodation: 34.1%. Although people between the ages of 65 and 70 have the highest share of second home ownership, this share drops considerably for the over-70 age group.
Conversely, senior tourists spend less money on eating out and have similar tendencies in terms of spending on grocery shopping. Furthermore, cash payments are still popular with seniors: 37% of the spending of tourists over 65 involves cash, compared to 26.3% of non-senior travelers.
Outlook for the Sector
The report identifies silver tourism as a relevant opportunity for the Spanish tourism industry. Demographic trends suggest that seniors will become a considerable part of the population. Furthermore, they have considerable purchasing power, which makes them an attractive tourist market. Their spending patterns suggest that they favor domestic over overseas travel, inland destinations over coastal ones, and the use of professional touristic services such as travel agencies and hotel accommodations. Furthermore, the report provides evidence that seniors contribute to the de-seasonalization of tourism. Given the opportunities that silver tourism provides, there is considerable scope for creating new products and services. Targeting visitors over 65 years of age would be beneficial for the Spanish tourism economy.
