Finnish Senior Tourists

Abstract

Population aging is a global phenomenon that not only causes changes in demography, it also forces industries to adapt to the changing markets. The cohort of 65+ is rapidly increasing and due to better physical health and better general wealth of older people, this aging cohort will have a huge impact on global tourism as they are more experienced in travelling than the same age cohorts before them. Yet, there are not many researches that has studied this cohort’s motivation and travelling behaviour in Finland before.

This study will take part in the academic discussion on travelling motivations and tourism behaviour of older adults as tourists. This research aims to understand the role of aging in tourism related decisions and practices and what travelling means for them as an activity. This study will also try to identify issues older people might face in tourism because of their age.

This study was conducted as qualitative research by conducting focus group discussions with middle or upper middle class representatives of studied age cohort (65+). The data was then analysed with thematic analysis.

The main themes that emerged from the data were the respondents’ ability to travel and traveling in their own terms comfortably. Older travellers is a diverse group hence one single theory or strategy is not suitable for them.