Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Typology of senior travellers as users of tourism information technology

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Information Technology & Tourism Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The importance of senior travellers as a travel segment for the tourism industry is continuously increasing as the number of pensioners increases in the Western world. These new senior travellers differ from earlier generations in many ways, one of which has to do with the increasing use of information and communication technologies as part of their information search process. This study examines senior travellers as users of tourism information technology. A qualitative approach was adopted to provide insights into the topic, and nine Finnish seniors were interviewed. The results were analysed using content analysis. The results show that senior travellers comprise a quite heterogeneous market with respect to the use of tourism information technology. However, there is no special marketing or website design that senior travellers really need: a good website will cater to both the needs of younger as well as older consumers. The study also presents a tentative typology of three different types of senior travellers based on their use of online travel services: Adventurous Experimenters, Meticulous Researchers and Fumbling Observers. This typology contributes to our understanding of the heterogeneous use of tourism information technology by senior travellers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Canada)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alen E, Losada N, de Carlos P (2015) Profiling the segments of senior tourists throughout motivation and travel characteristics. Current Issues Tour. doi:10.1080/13683500.2015.1007927

    Google Scholar 

  • Amadeus (2007) Future Traveller Tribes 2020. Report for the Air Travel Industry. Developed by Henley Centre Headlight Vision in partnership with Amadeus. http://www.amadeus.com/amadeus/documents/corporate/TravellerTribes.pdf

  • Backman K, Backman S, Silverberg K (1999) An investigation into the psychographics of senior nature-based travellers. Tour Recreat Res 24(1):13–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benckenforff P, Sheldon P, Fesenmaier D (2014) Tourism information technology, 2nd edn

  • Buhalis D, Law R (2008) Progress in information technology and tourism management: 20 years on and 10 years after the Internet—the state of eTourism research. Tour Manag 29(4):609–623

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Czaja S, Sharit J, Ownby R, Roth D, Nair S (2001) Examining age differences in performance of a complex information search and retrieval task. Psychol Aging 16(4):564–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daintith J (2012) A dictionary of physics. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinet J, Brangier E, Michel G, Vivian R, Battisti S, Doller R (2007) Older people as information seekers: exploratory studies about their needs and strategies. Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Coping with Diversity. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4554. Springer, Berlin, pp 877–886

  • Eriksson P, Kovalainen A (2008) Qualitative methods in business research. SAGE Publications, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Eskola J, Suoranta J (1998) Johdatus laadulliseen tutkimukseen. Vastapaino, Tampere

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurostat (2015) Internet use and activities. http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do

  • Faranda W, Schmidt S (2000) Segmentation and the senior traveler: implications for today’s and tomorrow’s aging consume. J Travel Tour Mark 8(1):3–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy (2006) Suomen matkailustrategia vuoteen 2020 and Toimenpideohjelma vuosille 2007–2013. Elinkeino-osasto. KTM Julkaisuja 21/2006. http://julkaisurekisteri.ktm.fi/ktm_jur/ktmjur.nsf/All/3D61DB118241A034C22571800022FEC4/$file/jul21elo_2006_netti.pdf

  • Fodness D, Murray B (1997) Tourist information search. Ann Tour Res 24(3):503–523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gitelson RJ, Crompton JL (1983) The planning horizons and sources of information used by pleasure vacationers. J Travel Res 21(3):2–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gummesson E (2000) qualitative method in management research, 2nd edn. Sage Publications, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman J, Qu H (2007) The senior travel market. J Qual Assur Hosp Tour 8(2):67–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horneman L, Carter RW, Wei S, Ruy H (2002) Profiling the senior traveler: an Australian perspective. J Travel Res 41(1):23–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Javalgi R, Edward T, Rao SR (1992) Consumer behavior in the U.S. pleasure travel marketplace: an analysis of senior and non-senior travelers. J Travel Res 31(2):14–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson M (1990) Age difference in decision making: a process methodology for examining strategic information processing. J Gerontol 45(2):75–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamakura W, Kim B-D, Lee J (1996) Modeling preference and structural heterogeneity in consumer choice. Mark Sci 15(2):152–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kau AK, Tang YE, Ghose S (2003) Typology of online shoppers. J Consum Mark 20(2):139–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim J, Wei S, Ruys H (2003) Segmenting the market of West Australian senior tourists using an artificial neural network. Tour Manag 24(1):25–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein L, Ford G (2003) Consumer search for information in the digital age: an empirical study of prepurchase search for automobiles. J Interact Mark 17(3):29–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kohijoki A-M, Marjanen H (2012) Choice orientation segments of ageing grocery shoppers—an age-related comparison. In: 19th Recent Advances in Retailing & Services Science Conference (EIRASS), July 9–12, 2012. Vienna, Austria

  • Kotler P, Keller K (2006) Marketing management, 12th edn. Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurniawan S, King A, Evans D, Blenkhorn P (2006) Personalising web page presentation for older people. Interact Comput 18(3):457–477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert-Pandraud R, Laurent G (2010) Why do older consumers buy older brands? The role of attachment and declining innovativeness. J Mark 74(5):104–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laslett P (1987) The Emergence of the Third Age. Ageing Soc 7(2):133–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lohmann M, Danielsson J (2001) Predicting travel patterns of senior citizens: how the past may provide a key to the future. J Vacation Mark 7(4):357–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo M, Feng R, Cai L (2004) Information search behaviour and tourist characteristics. The Internet vis-à-vis other information sources. J Travel Tour Mark 17(2–3):15–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manafy M, Gautschi H (2011) Dancing with digital natives: staying in step with the generation that’s transforming the way business is done. CyberAge Books, Medford

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris M, Venkatesh V (2000) Age differences in technology adoption decisions: implications for a changing work force. Pers Psychol 53(2):375–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moschis GP (1994) Marketing strategies for the mature market. Quorum books, Westport

    Google Scholar 

  • Moschis GP (2003) Marketing to older adults: an updated view of present knowledge and practice. J Consum Mark 20(6):516–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newbold KB, Scott DM, Spinney JEL, Kanaroglou P, Paez A (2005) Travel behaviour within Canada’s older population: a cohort analysis. J Transp Geogr 13(4):340–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen K (2014) Approaches to seniors’ tourist behaviour. Tour Rev 69(2):111–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niemelä-Nyrhinen J (2007) Baby boom consumers and technology: shooting down stereotypes. J Consum Mark 24(5):305–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norman W, Daniels M, McGuire F, Norman C (2001) Whither the mature market: an empirical examination of the travel motivations of neo-mature and veteran-mature markets. J Hosp Leisure Mark 8(3/4):113–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peacock SE, Künemund H (2007) Senior citizens and Internet technology. Eur J Ageing 4(4):191–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pesonen J (2013) Developing market segmentation in tourism: insights from a Finnish Rural Tourism Study. Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Social Sciences and Business Studies, No 69, Savonlinna

  • Porter C, Donthu N (2006) Using the technology acceptance model to explain how attitudes determine Internet usage: the role of perceived access barriers and demographics. J Bus Res 59(9):999–1007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reece W (2004) Are senior leisure travellers different? J Travel Res 43(1):11–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reisenwitz T, Iyer R (2007) A comparison of younger and older baby boomers: investigating the viability of cohort segmentation. J Consum Mark 24(4):202–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohm AJ, Swaminathan V (2004) A typology of online shoppers based on shopping motivations. J Bus Res 57(7):748–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Segdley D, Pritchard A, Morgan N (2011) Tourism and ageing. A transformative research agenda. Ann Tour Res 38(2):422–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Finland (2012a) Internetin käytön muutokset. Tieto- ja viestintätekniikan käyttö -tutkimus 2012. Tilastokeskus, Helsinki. http://www.stat.fi/til/sutivi/2012/sutivi_2012_2012-11-07_kat_001_fi.html

  • Statistics Finland (2012b) Verkkokauppa. Tieto- ja viestintätekniikan käyttö -tutkimus 2012. Tilastokeskus, Helsinki. http://www.stat.fi/til/sutivi/2012/sutivi_2012_2012-11-07_kat_002_fi.html

  • Statistics Finland (2012c) Internetin käyttö muualla kuin kotona tai työpaikalla 2012. Tieto- ja viestintätekniikan käyttö -tutkimus 2012. Tilastokeskus, Helsinki. http://www.stat.fi/til/sutivi/2012/sutivi_2012_2012-11-07_kat_003_fi.html

  • Statistics Finland (2012d) Yhteisöpalvelujen käyttö. Tieto- ja viestintätekniikan käyttö -tutkimus 2012. Tilastokeskus, Helsinki. http://www.stat.fi/til/sutivi/2012/sutivi_2012_2012-11-07_kat_004_fi.html

  • Sudbury L, Simcock P (2009a) A multivariate segmentation model of senior consumers. J Consum Mark 26(4):251–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sudbury L, Simcock P (2009b) Understanding older consumers through cognitive age and the list of values: a UK perspective. Psychol Mark 26(1):22–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thébault M, Picard P, Ouedraogo A (2013) Seniors and tourism: an international exploratory study on the use of the internet for researching recreational information. Int Bus Res 6(3):22–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Topo P (2008) Ikääntyminen ja teknologia [Ageing and technology]. In: Heikkinen E, Rantanen T (eds) Gerontologia [Gerontology]. Duodecim, Helsinki, pp 515–522

  • Vigolo V, Confente I (2014) Older tourists: an exploratory study on online behaviour. In: Xiang Z, Tussydiah I (eds) Information and communication technologies in tourism. ENTER 2014 proceedings. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 439–452

  • You X, O’Leary J (1999) Destination behaviour of older UK travellers. Tour Recreat Res 24(1):23–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Tourism Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Kuninkaankartanonkatu 7, P.O. Box 86, 57101, Savonlinna, Finland

    Juho Pesonen

  2. Business School, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonkatu 2, P.O. Box 111, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Raija Komppula

  3. JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Rajakatu 35, P.O. Box 207, 40101, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Annina Riihinen

Authors
  1. Juho Pesonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raija Komppula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Annina Riihinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juho Pesonen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pesonen, J., Komppula, R. & Riihinen, A. Typology of senior travellers as users of tourism information technology. Inf Technol Tourism 15, 233–252 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40558-015-0032-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40558-015-0032-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation

-