Travel for Better Living: The Tourism-Active Aging Multidimensional Model (TAMM): A Systematic Review

Population aging represents one of the major demographic challenges of the 21st century, driving the need for strategies that promote active aging and overall well-being. In this context, tourism has been identified as a potentially relevant activity associated with quality of life in older age, as it integrates physical, psychological, and social components. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the scientific evidence published between 2015 and 2026 on the relationship between tourism participation and active aging in older adults (≥60 years). Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, identifying 1187 records, of which 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the evidence indicates associations between tourism participation and improvements in functional physical health, psychological well-being, and social participation, with no consistent evidence of adverse effects. As a theoretical contribution, the Tourism-Active Aging Multidimensional Model (TAMM) is proposed as a conceptual framework that integrates the key mechanisms identified in the literature into three interrelated dimensions, behavioral engagement, emotional processes, and social interaction, all of which are influenced by individual and contextual factors. The evidence obtained suggests potential of tourism as a complementary strategy to promote active aging.