With a young spirit, we will be young forever: Exploring the links between tourism and ageing well in contemporary China

This research explores the entangled relationships between tourism, ageing and well-being in later life. We challenge the universal connotations of old age and ageing well and see their relationships with tourism as dynamic processes, in which older people are continuously producing different meanings and fulfilling personal quests over life courses. Using the contextualist and temporal lens, four scenarios of the evolving relationships between tourism and ageing well were identified from the lived experiences and travel histories of 48 Chinese senior travelers. The results demonstrate that how tourism affects ageing well are shaped by senior travellers' early life and travel experiences, the personalised conceptions attached to tourism and well-being, which are indeed complex responses to their personal, social and cultural contexts. This research unveils vivid pictures of Chinese older adults' leisure lives, and highlights the urgency to develop relevant tourism policies and marketing strategies to cater for their changing needs.

Automated summary

This research explores the intricate relationships between tourism, ageing, and well-being in later life using a contextualist and temporal lens, identifying four scenarios of evolving relationships based on the experiences of 48 Chinese senior travelers. It highlights the complex responses of older adults to tourism and well-being shaped by their personal, social, and cultural contexts, emphasizing the urgency of developing relevant tourism policies and marketing strategies to meet their changing needs.