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

Family Life Cycle Analysis: An Applied Example in a Tourism Setting

Researchers have utilized the concept of family life cycle to better understand leisure behavior. In fact, it has been proposed as a potentially useful variable for both recreation product companies and recreation administrators to use in segmenting markets and predicting demand . (9) The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences between couples who traveled either with or without children. In all, 2,700 surveys were mailed to persons who had requested the North Carolina Travel Information Packet. A total of 1,887 (69.9%) were received. A factor analysis was performed on 26 reasons (benefits sought) for taking a trip. Four factors or benefit scales resulted. Significant differences were found between couples who had traveled either with or without children as to the types of benefits sought and a number of trip-related behaviors

The Focus Group Interview: An Untapped Resource

Focus groups have become a popular method of research for firms in the private sector who want to learn more about the attitudes and feelings their potential and actual customers have about the firm\u27s products and services. The technique has also been useful in determining a company\u27s image and possible new products and services that various companies might develop. Focus groups can provide the same kinds of information to practitioners in the field of recreation and parks, regardless of whether it is a public or private sector operation. This paper describes why the focus group technique has become so popular, the various steps that are involved in conducting a focus group, and some traps that might be avoided if it is to be used successfully

Comparison of Perceived Travel Constraints to Travel Behavior Characteristics of College-Educated Mature Adults: An Exploratory Study

Given that by the year 2,000 the number of mature adults (55-69 years of age) will increase by 23% (Josephson, 1989), the number of individuals having the capacity to travel for pleasure is staggering. According to Rosenfeld (1986), mature adults travel more frequently, go longer distances [and] stay away longer ... than any other segment of the population (p. 38). Although mature adults travel, few studies have been conducted on their perceived constraints to pleasure travel. Research conducted by Blazey (1986), Richardson (1986), and Sheldon and Mak (1987), found availability of time, absence of information or travel companion, and lack of money to be examples of constraints to travel. However, not one of the three research efforts specifically focused on mature adults. In addition, they did not sample college-educated mature adults-a population more likely to travel for pleasure than those with lower levels of education (Josephson, 1989). Furthermore, Frechtling (1987) argues that . analyzing the mature adult market as a whole is problematic because there is no common mature adult market. The travel-related needs of persons 55- to 69-years old differ and may be observed when subgroups (i.e., 55-59, 60-64, 65-69) are compared (Foster, 1988). Thus, in an attempt to enhance leisure service providers\u27 understanding of travel-related needs of subgroups of college-educated individuals 55-to 69-years old, the relationship of perceived pleasure travel constraints and travel behavior characteristics was investigated

Front Matter

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

MEANINGS ASSOCIATED WITH TAILGATING: A UNIQUE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

We examined how individuals describe the meaning of one type of travel experience— tailgating—which takes place within a unique cultural environment. Results showed that individuals associate four meanings with their tailgating experience: “Nostalgic Journey,” “Camaraderie Trip,” “Belonging Tour,” and “Voyage of Support.” These meanings either originated from individuals’ past memories (e.g., nostalgia), or were emotionally connected with their feelings (e.g., camaraderie, belonging) and personal growth or renewal (e.g., support). These findings provide a glimpse into how tourism marketers can create even more meaningful experiences for consumers, and increase the economic benefit to the community

The Influence of a Spouse or Partner in Travel Decision-making

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent a spouse or partner influences the decision-making process in travel to a historic destination. Individuals were asked to indicate to what extent their spouse or partner was involved in five different decisions. Results indicated that all of the travel-related decisions were influenced to some degree by a spouse or partner. Additionally, a significant difference was found between decision making behavior and trip type. The results of this exploratory study indicate that the role played by a spouse or partner in pleasure travel decision-making, especially that which is related to heritage travel, needs to be incorporated into future research