The College-educated Older Adult Traveler: A Travel-specific Psychographic Profile

The potential number of individuals in older age groups who may have the capacity to enjoy travel as a leisure pursuit is staggering. Yet, little is known about a subgroup of this population, college-educated individuals 55 to 64 years of age (older adults), specifically with respect to their attitudes, interests and opinions towards pleasure travel. In addition, little attention has been devoted to international travel which is of interest to 28% of the 55 and older market. Thus, this investigation identified whether college-educated older adults who travel internationally differ from those who do not with respect to their attitudes, interests and opinions towards pleasure travel. A random sample of individuals 55 to 64 years of age was taken from the alumni list of a large northeastern university. The results indicated that college-educated older adults who travel internationally were more inclined to agree that travel for pleasure is intrinsically appealing

Front Matter

Includes front cover, editorial board, table of contents, and issue introduction by Deborah L. Kerstetter

The Real Price

This article examines the component of time and psychological price in consumer decision making. Social pricing is a critical element that determines consumer satisfaction and offers another element on which to segment the audience

An Examination of Children\u27s Outdoor Time, Nature Connection, and Environmental Stewardship

Abstract This study examined the relationship between children’s time spent outdoors, nature connection, and environmental stewardship. It was hypothesized that time spent outdoors predicted a feeling of connection to nature, and that connection to nature, in turn, influenced environmental stewardship. A total of 218 fifth-grade students from central Pennsylvania participated in the study. Baron and Kenny’s (1986) method was used to establish mediation using ordinary least squares regression. It was found that nature connection partially mediated the direct effect of time spent outdoors on environmental stewardship and increased the amount of variance explained. In other words, a feeling of connection to nature explained a portion of the effect that time spent outdoors has on environmental stewardship behaviors. Future studies that examine predictors of nature connection, including direct experience with nature, environmental education programs, and underlying personality characteristics, are warranted

Natives and Non-Natives: Do They Care about the Same Thing in Tourism Development?

Using Multiple Group Analysis, the authors examined whether native and non-native residents in Huangshan, China attach different levels of importance to four tourism impacts (i.e., environmental degradation, loss of tradition and norms, sociocultural expansion, and economic development) when evaluating tourism development. The results revealed significant differences between natives and non-natives in terms of how environmental degradation and loss of tradition and norms affect their satisfaction with tourism development, suggesting that future studies need to assess the potential heterogeneity of residents when interpreting the effects of tourism impacts

The Importance of Onboard Features in Cruise Decision Making: A Comparison between Cruisers and Potential Cruisers

An important task for the cruise industry is to convert potential cruisers to cruisers, which may be best accomplished by acknowledging the different features of a cruise that influence the decision making of cruisers and potential cruisers. Using a sample of cruisers and potential cruisers with similar demographics, the researchers found that cruisers and potential cruisers perceive six dimensions of onboard features, but attach different importance to some of the dimensions. The results support the theoretical prediction based on the motivational and knowledge differences between cruisers and potential cruisers

Visitor Perceptions of Benefits of Local Park

Recent research regarding the perceived benets of local parks has been limited, posing a problem for recreation and park directors who must promote the value of and gain support for aging park facilities. To collect evidence concerning the value of local parks and the impact of park upgrades, we conducted a study with one local park to (a) document behavioral changes that have occurred as a result of renovation, and (b) determine the perceived benets of having a community park. Two-thirds of respondents reported visiting the park more frequently since renovations were completed. When asked why they visit the park and what makes it an attractive or appealing place to visit, they indicated that the park has a great atmosphere, is a great place to play, is a “third place,” is a safe play space, reduces playground fatigue, and has meaning for individuals of all ages

AN EXPLORATION OF HUMAN TERRITORIALITY IN FOREST RECREATION

Abstract: Previous studies in human territoriality have focused largely on behavior in urban settings. It is only recently that researchers are examining this construct in the context of forest settings. This study was designed to assess the territorial responses of visitors to Bald Eagle State Forest in central Pennsylvania and explore the structure and predictive validity of a proposed territoriality scale. Results indicated the sample was relatively homogenous in terms of demographics but included consumptive as well as non-consumptive forest visitors. Further analysis demonstrated only limited support for an exploratory territoriality scale and suggested the need for further research into the meaning and structure of human territoriality in forest recreation settings