Exploring well-being outcomes and influenced mechanism of senior tourists: evidence from an embodiment and continuity perspective

ABSTRACT

This study explores the relationship between mind and body interactions and continuum theory perspectives on senior tourism, active aging, and well-being. Through representative picture interviews with 12 elders in Study I and in-depth interviews with 8 elders in Study II.z the positive psychology model PREMA was applied to the well-being outcomes of senior tourists in study I, the findings identifying positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievements in the presentation of senior tourists’ wellbeing. In Study II, the findings are the effects of mind–body interaction and continuity on senior tourists through narrative analysis, then the role and influence mechanism of sensory interaction, linkage, physical and mental tuning outcomes, and tourism continuity value pursuit constitute the process path of well-being in senior tourism. It will deepen the potential significance of the positive energetic dimension of continuity theory and the dynamic dimension of physical to mental interaction, thus it highlighting the responsibility and practical revelation of society and tourism enterprises in creating well-being outcomes in senior tourism.

KEYWORDS:

• Senior tourism
• positive psychology
• embodiment
• continuity
• wellbeing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Scientific Research and Creation Project of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (No. 2021KYY025); National Social Science Fund of China Foundation of China, (No. 21BGL282).