The Role of Tourism in Enhancing Domains of Health for Seniors: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: Old age is one of the critical stages of human life, encompassing a significant portion of people's lives in society. During this period, the elderly face various challenges, such as health conditions. As one of the important sectors, the tourism industry has gained considerable popularity among the elderly for promoting health. Therefore, this review study was conducted to examine the role of tourism in the health status of the elderly.

Methods: This scoping review was conducted according to Arksey and O'Malley (2005). In this scoping review, a systematic search was conducted for studies with any type of design on the role, impact, and consequences of tourism on the elderly. The search covered studies in both Persian and English languages from 1984 to 2023 across databases and search engines-including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IranMedex, IRANDOC, Google Scholar, MAGIRAN, and SID-using the keywords "tourism, old person, senior, aged, aging, elderly, older adults, old age" and their Persian equivalents.

Results: Out of 7454 studies identified in the initial search, 23 articles on aging and tourism were finally reviewed based on the inclusion criteria. The studies investigated the role and impact of tourism on health in 3 ways: mixed methods, quantitative, and qualitative. In qualitative studies, the experiences of elderly people with tourism were examined, while quantitative studies explored tourism's predictive role as an independent variable and its correlation with various dimensions of health. The results of the quantitative studies showed that tourism improved the physical health of the elderly. The mean scores for cognitive function, daily activities, and vitality were reported to be higher among elderly tourists compared to nontourists. Additionally, the quality of life and well-being scores of elderly individuals who engaged in tourism were significantly higher compared to those who did not. Tourism experiences for the elderly were often associated with better life satisfaction, a sense of peace, and purpose in life.

Conclusion: Based on the results, tourism can improve the health and quality of life of the elderly. Given the importance of tourism, it is recommended that the tourism industry and its marketing for the elderly be prioritized as a target group. Additionally, to promote the tourism industry, special attention should be given to the specific needs and welfare issues of the elderly.