Where do retirees move to when they decide to live overseas?

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With 10,000 people retiring every day in the US, the retiree population is projected to reach 72 million nationwide by 2030. The pattern is similar in Europe and other parts of the world. In the UK, for example, over 600,000 people turn 65 every year, with over three million people poised to reach state pension age in the next five years. An increasing number of these new-age retirees are looking to retire outside of their country of residence. In response, destinations are proactively reaching out to potential retirees, recognizing that the infusion and re-circulation of retiree in-migrant dollars generates new jobs, especially in real estate, leisure, healthcare and financial services, and raises a region’s tax-revenues more than local government expenditures. International retiree migrants also record a high incidence of community participation, volunteering and holding positions of responsibility in community groups and activities. Many are ‘digital nomads’, who leverage technology and continue to work after retirement by outsourcing their talents internationally as freelancers or consultants, while embracing a cheaper quality of daily life abroad.

Drawing on a growing body of knowledge in the area of international retirement migration, the new book - A Worldwide Guide to Retirement Destinations - explores in more depth the reasons behind this growing phenomenon, and then focuses on the efforts of destinations seeking to attract this growing niche segment of the world’s population. South American countries, for example, are wooing the North Americans with simple-to-obtain residency status, low medical costs, and discounts on flights. Tourist hotspots in the Mediterranean are reaching out to the British, Scandinavian and German retirees with generous tax breaks, incentives to start new businesses, and the opportunities to engage in charitable activities. And the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines are targeting Japanese and Australian retirees with dedicated retirement visas with no restrictions on entry and exit, no minimum age requirements, and healthcare discounts - just a few of the incentives being dangled as carrots to attract new retirees, who in turn are motivated by a sense of adventure, pleasant climates, improved accessibility, low cost of living, and growing communities of like-minded retirees.

The book can be purchased at: