Tourist roles - Needs and the lifecourse

This study investigated the relationship between psychological needs and tourist role preference patterns for men and women over the adult lifecourse. A purposive sample of New England (USA) residents ranging in age from 17 to 91 years was surveyed. Three trends in tourist role preference over the lifecourse were observed: roles that decrease in preference, roles that increase in preference, and roles that demonstrate variability. Time series analysis revealed that roles engaged in while on vacation are a function of a complex interplay of satisfied and unsatisfied psychological needs which assert themselves at different stages in the adult lifecourse. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.