Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet four Japanese seniors – two couples – who were visiting Singapore. One couple’s last visit to Singapore was 40 years ago and, of course, their impression is, “It’s completely changed.”

They stayed at the Marina Bay Sands, dined and wined at the best restaurants – Wolfgang Puck and Ke De Ta among them (I haven’t even been to either) – and loved the view from the rooftop. In fact, she said the view from there, of the Singapore skyline, was even better than that from Table Mountain, Capetown.

While I did not quite agree with the comparison – one’s manmade, one’s natural – I was impressed with the foursome’s knowledge of the world and how much they have travelled. They are travel buddies, late 60s-early 70s, and they make up to four big trips a year together. They’ve been to more places than I have – Scandinavia, Africa, New Zealand, China, the list went on. They take cruises, and they always buy from Japan Travel Bureau.

They did not speak English, I do not speak Japanese yet we spoke with the language of travel and found common ground in discussing the world. One of them asked me how Japan could improve its facilities for the foreign visitor. I said, more English signs. She said airports should reflect the culture of the place you’re visiting and she said Japan could do a better job there. She likes Charles De Gaulle because it’s got a French flavor to it, and she likes Bali – you know you’re in a special place the minute you land.

As I was talking with them, it reminded me of the presentation given at the WIT Conference by Kim Walker (left), CEO of the Silver Group, who said that in designing products, services and websites, if you include the old, you include everyone – that statement made so much sense.

Why would you exclude such a huge part of humanity from your market and as much as Asia is young, a large proportion is ageing and getting old. And guess what, everyone gets old – it’s a fact no one can run away from never mind the Botox, creams or supplements.

Walker’s presentation showed us that 30% of the world population will be 50+ by 2018. Japan, Korea and Hong Kong are among the most rapidly ageing societies. And it is the fastest growing demographic in APAC – over 50s will rise by 33% between 2008 and 2018.

And they are among the wealthiest – the annual spending power of the +65 in APAC is US$2 trillion and 54% of the APAC HNWI’s are over 56 years old, according to CapGemini/Merrill Lynch APAC Wealth Report.

They also represent huge customer segments for products – consumers over 50 account for 46% of Apple users, 50% of facecare/cosmetics, 49% of consumer packaged goods and 80% luxury travel.

There were lots more statistics on the size of this market but data on their online behaviour was interesting. Among the 50+ age group, they account for 42% of all travel industry purchases online, 68% use Facebook and spend an average of $7 billion online.

Only 20% feel that sites are designed for them and only 17% feel that online ads are designed for them. They account for 27% of comments on TripAdvisor and according to Brand Karma, which helped Walker gather data for his presentation, “The older you are, the more positive you tend to be.”

Walker called for a different approach to ageing travellers because he said the ageing process is complex, relentless and universal. Rethink your imaging, your products – shampoo bottles with words so small no one can read them in the shower and your support staff.

“Design for the young, exclude the old. Design for the old, include everyone,” he said.

And there’s one thing older travellers have – and that’s time. As I said goodbye to my new-found Japanese friends, I watched them take their time – they had hired a private car for their visit and they were off to a high-end Chinese restaurant for dinner before catching their flight home.

They looked like they had all the time in the world. Me, first, I arrived late to meet them and second, I had to rush off in the rain for another meeting.

Ah, things I have yet to learn even though I am definitely in the older category. I must take a leaf from their book. And you, you out there, heed Walker’s words.