Segmenting the retired travelers market: an approach based on travel barriers

In a context of intensive demographic ageing, older travelers make a strategic target for tourism professionals. The latter need to understand their travel behavior well, including what might prevent them from travelling as often as they wish they would. This research identifies travel barriers at old age, presents a travel barrier measurement scale and applies it to the French senior travelers’ market. The resulting segmentation is presented, and recommendations made to help tourism professionals adapt their offers to this specific target.