Planning for Senior Friendly International Trips

Trip Types and Duration

Depending on your parents’ travel style and preferences, you must carefully curate an itinerary that aligns with their individual choices without compromising on savings and activities. 

For affordable family travel abroad, the first step is selecting the type of trip you want to take and the duration for the same. Some of the options include the following - 

Beach Destinations​​​

When travelling abroad with one parent or both parents who love being around water and sunshine, you must book destinations that offer numerous beaches and water activities, giving a good glimpse into island life. 

For parents especially, the choice should depend on the accessibility of the location, the accommodation options, the food joints around, and so on. Moreover, the duration for such destinations should be between 7 and 10 days. 

Some suggestions include - 

• Lively beach towns like Cascais in Portugal, Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, and Essaouira in Morocco.

• Clearwater beaches in Florida, Vietnam, Spain, and Thailand.

• Luxury beach vacations at Maldives, Koh Samui, and the Dominican Republic.

Wildlife Excursions

If your parents love animal encounters and are fascinated by wildlife, it is recommended that you book international trips to countries with a wide variety of wildlife excursions for them.

The trip length should be around 5 to 10 days, depending on the types of activities and tourist attractions available at the chosen location. Prioritise locations that offer comfortable commuting options and senior citizen assistance when required. 

Some suggestions include - 

• Marine wildlife in Alaska with whale watching, Indonesia with Raja Ampat, and Australia with snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef.

• Day and Night Safaris at Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, Etosha National Park in Namibia, and Kruger National Park in South Africa. ​​

​​C​ruises

Cruises offer a good mix of relaxation, comfort, sightseeing, and cultural learning. You can explore a wide range of cruises curated for different locations, covering numerous international destinations in one itinerary. 

However, when choosing a cruise exploration, you must choose carefully between short cruises (3-7 days) and longer ones (10-15 days) based on your parents’ comfort and capacity. You must also be mindful of seasickness, as that directly impacts the overall trip experience. 

Some suggestions include - 

• Southeast Asia offers cultural cruises on the Nile River, the Caribbean Sea, and different island cruise options. 

• Any of the river cruises in Europe

• Mediterranean island cruise trips that take you around Croatia, Italy, France, Greece, and so on.

Guided vs Independent Tours

One of the most important decisions regarding the trip itinerary is whether to choose a guided and fixed trip itinerary with a group or a flexible, independent trip.​

• Guided tours offer the convenience of a fixed plan for every day, complete assistance with logistics, and an overall informative trip experience. However, at times, these tours might be too fast-paced for your parents, limiting their enjoyment and freedom to explore as they want.

• Independent tours, on the other hand, allow you and your parents to explore at your own pace without the rush of quick shifts from one place to another. This is ideal for parents who love walking and exploring new places and tourist attractions, with proper breaks in the middle if required. 

Understanding Different Needs of Senior Travellers

The first step in planning for senior-friendly international trips is to evaluate the various limitations that can be a potential problem when exploring new destinations. 

Whether it be a small concern like walking discomfort or a more significant medical issue, taking note of them helps with better planning. Here is all you need to evaluate. 

Health Limitations​​

Parents of all ages might have a set of health conditions or risks that must be taken care of before planning their international trip. 

With the right supervision and precautions, these health limitations can be addressed and resolved. Let's discuss some of the potential health limitations below. 

Pre-Existing Conditions​

One of the most common and stressful concerns when travelling with your parents is their pre-existing conditions. If not addressed correctly, these health conditions can cause significant discomfort during the international trip. 

The common list of these conditions includes the following - 

• Heart Disease - Many times, high altitude and frequent altitude changes, long journeys, and trip activities can cause stress on the heart, leading to immediate discomfort and an increased risk of heart fatalities. 

• Arthritis - Several international destinations offer guided tours, long lanes for pedestrians, and other excursions that require long hours of continuous walking. However, parents with arthritis can find it very difficult to complete such activities without straining their joints. 

• Respiratory Issues - Often, allergies caused by climate change, air pollutants, and other particles in the environment can cause nasal congestion and irritation, resulting in instant aggravation of many respiratory issues. 

• Diabetes - People with diabetes require extra attention at all times and need to complete their prescribed medication on time to avoid adverse effects. Moreover, their food intake has to be monitored as well to prevent sudden hikes or drops in their blood sugar levels.

Sensory Concerns​​

Another health limitation that should be an important consideration when planning senior-friendly international trips is sensory concerns. With age, health concerns like poor eyesight or hearing impairment are common. However, these issues can significantly impact trip planning. 

Moreover, these health limitations also require proper equipment and personnel support to maximise your parents’ convenience and give them a memorable experience.

Stamina Issues

Going to any international destination requires flight bookings based on your arrival and departure locations. However, people with stamina issues might find it difficult to endure long flights, extended trips, and other stamina-demanding activities.

Necessary Medications

For most health concerns, specific medications are prescribed in the required dosage and frequency to prevent the conditions from getting worse. Moreover, these medications might not be readily available in most international destinations. 

Thus, it is crucial to have the right medicines in adequate quantity when travelling abroad with one parent who has a specific health condition. 

Physical Limitations

Other than the health limitations mentioned above, many physical body issues limit the type of trip itinerary and travel destination options you can explore when choosing family-friendly travel destinations for parent trips. 

Let's discuss some of the potential physical limitations below. 

Balance

Health conditions like arthritis directly impact an individual’s balance. This can be due to personal limitations, such as the inability to strain one leg over the other, increasing the chances of falling due to imbalance or leg coordination. Thus, to avoid this from happening, your travel itinerary must include places with flat terrains to help your parents walk better.

Coordination Mismatch

A mismatch in hand-eye coordination or a slower reaction timeline can also impact your international trip with your parents. Thus, when planning a travel itinerary, addressing these issues beforehand allows you to plan activities that are more self-paced or require minimal participation to maximise your parents’ trip experience.

Previous Injuries

Our injury healing capacity decreases with age, resulting in a long-lasting impact from previous injuries. These injuries, regardless of which body they affect, can reduce a person's overall ability to participate in simple activities like long walks, adventure sports, standing in queues, etc.

Dietary Specifications

Vegetarian vs Non-Vegetarian Requirements

Parents are very specific about their preferences when it comes to food. However, it can be a daunting task to find the most appropriate food options for your parents at international destinations, especially if they are vegetarians. Thus, when choosing the trip location, you must carefully consider their food preferences to ensure maximum choices are available.

Allergies and Food Aversions

With age, allergies to certain foods can aggravate beyond control, causing severe food aversions or increased intolerance for certain food groups. This can limit the food options available for your parents at different international locations. 

Therefore, when selecting some of the best places to visit with parents outside India, you must consider their allergies and food aversions.

Budget Tips for Affordable Family Travel Abroad

It is crucial to set aside a budget for your international trip with your parents to ensure you give them a memorable experience without exhausting all your savings in one go. 

With a planned budget, you know your limitations, and it allows you to explore hidden gems and have travel flexibility. 

Here is how you can properly plan your trip budget, keeping in mind your parents' preferences, your savings, and other factors.​​

• Plan out a potential trip budget with your parents to ensure they are well-informed.

• Ensure that the trip budget includes all planned trip expenses and has ample balance for additional on-spot expenditures like shopping, food adventures, etc. 

• Focus spending on activities and experiences instead of chasing luxury resort stays to meet your parents' preferences and requirements without the stress of going beyond the set budget. 

• Check for various senior citizen discount deals and offers at different tourist attractions and some accommodation options when pre-booking to minimise expenses without compromising quality.  

Accommodation Choices

Choosing the right accommodation for different pit stops on your international trip is crucial to ensure a comfortable and memorable trip for your parents. 

With increasing tourism around the world, accommodation options range from high-end hotels and service apartments to hostels, shared accommodations and Airbnb. 

The choice of which accommodation to book should depend on your parent's comfort requirements, location, amenities available, and trip budget. Here is all you need to know.​​

• Location is an essential factor impacting accommodation choices. Look for hotels, service apartments, or Airbnbs that are centrally located for easy accessibility to tourist attractions and public transportation.

• Focus on comfort and amenities available at the chosen accommodation instead of hotel name and popularity. 

• Ensure the accommodation you choose is well-equipped with elevators and room assistance, along with the assurance of senior citizen assistance and medical emergency support if required. 

Role of Travel Insurance for Family-Friendly Travel Destinations

In addition to assessing the various aspects of travelling with senior parents, you must also ensure that you invest in the necessary travel insurance plan. 

A travel insurance plan ensures you have a financial safety net in case of medical emergencies or other unforeseen circumstances during your international travel. 

Reliance General Insurance offers a range of travel insurance plans to cater to individuals' different travel needs. Our family travel insurance plan is suitable for exploring international destinations with parents.

In addition to the coverage for flight delays or cancellations, baggage loss, passport loss or damage, third-party liabilities, medical emergencies, and more, you can choose our senior citizens’ travel insurance for extensive coverage for critical illnesses and diseases.

Conclusion

Travelling with your parents is a bittersweet feeling, and thus, you must ensure the best travel itinerary for them by prioritising their needs and health. 

Whether you plan on spoiling them with shopping adventures in Dubai or Paris or taking them for a beach vacation to Greece or Maldives, understanding their travel needs and style to maximise their comfort is crucial. 

Moreover, when choosing the best places to visit with parents outside India, focus on destinations that offer convenient commute options, diverse food choices, and senior-friendly activities and adventures for a fun-filled international trip. 

Frequently Asked Questions