Exploring Senior Tourists' Technological Experiences: Based on Embodied Cognitive Theory

Abstract

The global aging population brings a growing senior tourist market. This study applies embodied cognitive theory and grounded theory to explore how senior tourists' technological experiences are formed in three travel stages. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with senior tourists aged 55–82. Three main components of embodied technological experiences were found, namely the characteristics of senior tourists, tourism contexts, and technological cognition. Characteristics affect technological cognition and how seniors react in specific tourism contexts. Tourism contexts play a stimulating role in motivating senior tourists to participate in different tourism activities. Technological cognition reflects personal characteristics and factors that influence technological usage. It proposes meaningful insights that can inspire tourism suppliers to enhance senior tourists' overall technological experience.