Marketing Travel Services to Senior Consumers

International audiencePurpose The purpose of this study is to identify the profiles of current senior travelers using accurate segmentation criteria based on ageing and behavioral tourism variables, shown to be useful in gerontology, marketing and tourism marketing literature. Design/methodology/approach A self-complete questionnaire was administered to a work status-based quota sample of 300 senior consumers (retired people aged 50 - 76). Using behavioral variables, cluster analysis was performed. The clusters were then profiled using a discriminant analysis, involving demographic, ageing, and also some behavioral variables not included in the initial analysis. Finally, the current tourism offers were studied, considering the segments characteristics revealed. Findings Four distinct segments have been identified. Each segment differs considerably from one another on a set of variables, including consumer behaviors' variables. Research implications This paper fills a research gap, outlined by several previous researchers in the senior consumer field, by identifying the current senior travel motivations and the role of the subjective ages towards the tourism consumption