A life course perspective to understanding senior tourism patterns and preferences

Abstract

Abstract This paper explores the relationships between life course transitions and seniors' tourism behaviour with a focus on social–psychological factors. The study employs a qualitative research approach and applied biographical interviews with 23 participants (older than 60 years) from Germany. Five themes are identified and presented in this paper: “role transitions,” “the loss of partners,” “stressful situations and illness,” “travel saturation,” and “perception of age.” A model is developed that integrates the impact of life course transitions, the collections of travel experiences, and the perception of age on tourism behaviour. Research findings are discussed in light of existing literature and theories on human development and ageing.