The senior segment of the Korean population is rapidly becoming an attractive
target market for leisure destinations due to its increasing rate of growth and
the level of income available. While this is a potentially attractive segment
for the tourism industry, the impact of traditional Confucian philosophy
represents a constraint which may deter senior Koreans from travelling for
leisure purposes. Through a self-completion survey of 200 Korean residents over
the age of 60 years, conducted in 2002, this paper explores the attitudes of
this market towards leisure travel. The constraints which may restrict the
travel propensity of senior Koreans and the types of travel experiences they
demand are revealed.
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