Leisure, international retirement migration, and retirement adjustment: insights from the best exotic marigold hotel movies

ABSTRACT

International retirement migration (IRM) is a growing phenomenon linked to increased longevity, early retirement, and improved financial status. Encompassing both travel and leisure experiences, IRM is a topic relevant to both tourism and leisure studies. By analysing the fictional movie series The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) and The Second Best Marigold Hotel (2015) from psychological, gerontological, and sociological theoretical perspectives, this paper examines motivation, goal setting, continuity and change, and identity development in IRM experiences within tourism and leisure contexts. This paper (a) identified motivations for IRM as finance, romantic relationships, social relations, self-esteem, self-fulfilment, and social norms; (b) in turn, time perception and attitude influence IRM emigrants’ priority and emotional fulfilment; (c) innovation extricates IRM emigrants from role loss and facilitates role change; and (d) IRM emigrants experience various identity development processes. A conceptual framework for IRM is proposed that purports to explain the IRM experience process and indicates that such an understanding of IRM should incorporate psychological, gerontological, and sociological perspectives.

KEYWORDS:

• International retirement migration
• travel motivation
• identity
• retirement adjustment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yu Niu

Yu Niu is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management at the University of Florida. Her research interests include leisure and tourism experiences among older adults, especially focus on the influences of leisure and tourism on the health and well-being of older adults.

Heather J. Gibson

Heather J. Gibson, is a Professor in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management at the University of Florida. Her research interests include sport tourism (specialising in sport events and active sport tourism), leisure and tourism behaviour in mid and later life, women as tourists, and perceived risk in travel.