GCOA Executive Director Melissa Gong Mitchell was featured in a webinar with the Silver Marketing Association addressing the unique preferences and needs of older travelers and how to capture the benefits of the silver economy in the travel sector. The expert speakers showcased three ground-breaking pieces of original research which decode the 50+ travel market.

Watch the webinar here.

Moderated by Debbie Marshall, Managing Director of the Silver Marketing Association, the speakers included:

• Jasman Ahmad –  Don’t Call Me Old! – this white paper challenges the conventional approach, offering a fresh perspective by examining these travellers’ unique motivations, psychologies, and preferences.
• Carolyn Ray – Invisible No More: The Ageless Adventuress – this study is the most in-depth of its kind. Over 1,630 women share their travel preferences, spending, preferred destinations, purchasing habits and more.
• Melissa Mitchell  – Leveraging Travel as a Catalyst for Healthy Longevity –  this report amplifies the relationship between travel and healthy aging and underscores the value it brings to the economy, workplace productivity and well-being, and retirement.

Jasman Ahmad, Strategy Director at Accord Marketing  

Having worked in various account management roles since joining Accord in 2006, Jasman was appointed Strategy Director in 2018 and to the Accord Board in April 2024.

Jasman is a dynamic marketing professional who is passionate about connecting with the over-50s demographic. With a deep understanding of this group’s complexity and diversity, he is driven by a mission to challenge outdated stereotypes and craft campaigns that reflect authenticity, inspire loyalty, and drive meaningful engagement.

Research is Jasman’s superpower. Utilising specialist media tools to undertake market research and audience analysis, his approach is rooted in empathy and insight – delving into the values, interests, lifestyles and aspirations that define this audience to uncover buying habits, expose brand loyalties, and identify growth opportunities.

Carolyn Ray, CEO at JourneyWoman  

As the CEO and Editor of JourneyWoman, Carolyn is a passionate advocate for women’s travel and living the life of your dreams. She leads JourneyWoman’s team of writers and chairs the JourneyWoman Women’s Advisory Council and Women’s Speaker’s Bureau. In 2023, she was named one of the most influential women in travel by TravelPulse and is the recipient of two SATW travel writing awards, most recently in May 2025. She published her first book “Never Too Late: How Women 50+ Travellers Are Making the Rules” in 2025, with co-author Lola Akinmade.

Carolyn has been featured in the New York Times, Skift, The Toronto Star and Conde Nast as a solo travel expert, and speaks at women’s travel conferences around the world. She is the chair of the Canadian chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), a member of Women Travel Leaders and a Herald for the Transformational Travel Council (TTC). Named a top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in Canada in 2012; she’s also a Co-Active Life Coach and proud mom of Alyxandra. Sometimes she sleeps. A bit.

Melissa Mitchell, Executive Director,  Global Coalition on Aging

Melissa Gong Mitchell is Executive Director of the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), the leading business voice on ageing policy and strategy, and Senior Managing Director at High Lantern Group, a strategic communications consultancy. At GCOA, she oversees operations, advocacy, communications and member engagement, bringing together corporations across industries to drive healthy ageing, policy innovation and growth in the silver economy.

With over 20 years’ experience in public affairs, Melissa is a recognised speaker on the ageing mega-trend and the role of business in leveraging longevity for economic growth. She has served on boards and working groups including Champions of Aging, Age-friendly New York City and the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Previously, she was Director of Industry Relations at the U.S. Travel Association, leading campaigns that influenced positive legislative outcomes, and Executive Director of the Travel Business Roundtable. She began her career at Prime Policy Group, a Washington-based government affairs firm.

Melissa holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a BA in Journalism and Psychology from the University of Mississippi.