Older Adult Tourism to Older Adult Sojourn: A New Discuss Based on the Life-Span Theory of Control

The autonomy and travel conditions for older adult tourists have significantly improved, leading to a diversification of their tourism activities. Among these, the concept of a free and comfortable sojourn has gained popularity. Despite the complex concept of older adult sojourns being established in related research, the concepts often overlap and are fragmented, leading to a disjointed understanding of the phenomenon. This study aims to incorporate the life-span theory of control and its optimization strategy framework from a life-span development perspective in older adults. By deeply connecting research on older adults with tourism research through life-span development thinking, we aim to explore methods of coordinating and analyzing older adult sojourns. This approach will allow us to systematically reshape existing conceptual knowledge. Based on the results of this coordinated analysis, we aim to gain a systematic understanding of older adult sojourns and propose future research directions. The study revealed that older adult tourism exhibits strategic traits consistent with the life-span theory of control, where resource allocation and willpower investment are crucial elements. This forms a resource-willpower investment framework that categorizes 16 different older adult tourism behavior patterns. Using this framework, by comparing the characteristics of older adult travel with the 16 classification results, the resource and willpower investment framework is focused on the amount of resources invested in the destination and the distance of the trip. This further refines the corresponding older adult travel patterns into four types: relatively high investment in travel to distant areas, relatively high investment in travel to nearby areas, relatively low investment in travel to distant areas, and relatively low investment in travel to nearby areas. The study reveals that the four categories represent varying lifestyle demands and participation limitations for older adults. Those who invest more and travel longer distances tend to face greater participation challenges, have fewer companions, require more from their destinations, and have limited choices. Conversely, those who invest less and travel shorter distances experience the opposite. The four categories of older adult travel display different scene transitions and state changes, each with unique participation challenges, social choices, and destination requirements. Overall, the categorization of older adult tourism types and the comprehensive analysis of older adult travel types constitute a process of knowledge creation. The research employs deductive methods for progressive exploration, building a comprehensive classification framework. This framework lays a cognitive foundation for future research and provides key directions. The innovative research approach, in conjunction with the life-span theory of control, provides a method for pattern analysis to understand ongoing tourism behaviors and phenomena that are constantly evolving and enriching. Older adult sojourn is one of the few forms of tourism that is notably age-friendly. The prospects for research and industrial development of this phenomenon are promising, but there is currently a lack of discussion about the phenomenon itself. Future research can build upon this initial understanding to further investigate behavioral characteristics, values related to aging, and local response needs. By examining behavior, subject, and space, a study can be conducted on behavior, motivation, space, and their interactive results, leading to more systematic findings and enhancing the practical value of the guidance.