Exploring Optimization Strategies for Exhibition Services Targeting the "New Elderly": A Case Study of Shanghai AID

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmsd.202612402

Author(s)

Wang Yuwen1, Yang Rui1, Lu Yiyou2

Affiliation(s)

1Wuhan Business University, Wuhan, Hubei, China 2Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China

Abstract

By the end of 2024, China's population aged 60 and above reached 310.31 million, accounting for 22.0% of the total population, as the process of moderate aging continues to accelerate. Among them, the younger elderly population aged 60–74 numbered approximately 207 million, constituting 65.7% of the total elderly population and forming the main body of the current elderly demographic. This cohort, mostly born in the 1950s and 1960s, is characterized by relatively higher educational attainment, more stable income, ample leisure time, and stronger demands for spiritual enrichment, social networking, and self-actualization. The industry commonly refers to them as the "New Elderly." This paper takes the New Elderly as the research subject and Shanghai AID (Shanghai International Exhibition on Aging, Assistive Devices and Rehabilitation Medical Expo) as a single case study. After defining the two core concepts of "New Elderly" and "exhibition and convention services" and reviewing three theoretical frameworks—Active Ageing, Hierarchy of Needs, and Experience Economy—it analyzes the exhibition service demand structure of the New Elderly. It then uses AID as a lens to identify common shortcomings in current elderly-oriented exhibition services across four dimensions: information accessibility, on-site experience, content design, and intelligent interaction. Finally, optimization recommendations are proposed from five aspects: content, scenarios, facilities, information, and operations. The study concludes that elderly exhibition services need to shift their value orientation from "elderly care services" to "quality of life," regarding the New Elderly as co-creators of participation rather than mere service recipients, thereby achieving sustainable supply-demand matching.

Keywords

New Elderly; Exhibition and Convention Services; Age-Friendly Adaptation; Shanghai AID; Service Optimization

References

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