Older visitors travelling outside summer could help distribute tourism away from Barcelona's busiest sites and the Catalan coast, according to tourism trainer Óscar Bilbao in an interview published by Diari ARA on 17 August 2026.

For residents and tourism workers, the proposed benefit is fewer visitors concentrated around places such as Park Güell in August, alongside steadier business in inland towns during quieter months. Bilbao describes “silver tourism” as visitors generally aged over 55 or 60, many with substantial spending power.

Visitors seeking quieter stays

Bilbao said older travellers often take several trips each year and are more likely to return to destinations they know. He said Catalonia attracts international visitors seeking an alternative to northern Europe's colder, wetter climate.

“They avoid crowded environments, prefer personalised attention and calm experiences. They do not compete for the same resources that saturate Park Güell in August and redistribute pressure to other territories.”Óscar Bilbao, head of the VIVAENT senior-tourism training programme, speaking to Diari ARA

According to Bilbao, mayors have told the VIVAENT programme that these visitors help bring activity to villages during off-peak months. He presented senior tourism as a way to reduce the sector's reliance on the summer season, which he said can leave workers on insecure contracts.

Hotels, homes and staff training

Diari ARA also cited a 2026 CaixaBank Research sector analysis saying older tourists allocate a larger share of their spending to hotel accommodation than non-senior visitors. The newspaper said this pattern could reduce demand for tourist flats, although it did not establish a direct effect on housing prices.

The same analysis, as reported by Diari ARA, found that travellers over 65 spend 6.5% of their tourist budget through travel agencies, compared with 3.3% among non-seniors. Their restaurant spending is lower, while supermarket spending is similar to that of other visitors.

Bilbao said Catalonia needs staff who can adapt services to older visitors rather than using a standard sun-and-beach tourism approach. He said this applies to regional tourism technicians and reception staff at three-star hotels.

Reported by en.ara.cat, Diari ARA.