Active sport tourists are part of an increasingly specialised sector of the tourism industry. However, at present we know little about these people whose primary purpose for taking vacations is to engage in their favourite sport activities. The purpose of this study, therefore, ivas (i) to identify and explain the patterns of participation in sport tourism over the life course for men and women; (ii) to identify the characteristics of sport tourists during early adulthood (17—39 years), middle adulthood (40-59 years) and late adulthood (60-91 years), and (iii) to propose strategies for marketing sport tourism at different stages in the life course. A purposive sample of 1,277 New England residents completed a fixed choice questionnaire measuring tourist role preference (activities and behaviour while on vacation), socio-psychological needs and demographics. Of these 1,277 individuals, 621 are sport tourists (279 males and 342 females) ranging in age from 18 to 91 years, with a mean age of 41.92 years (SD 16.8). The results indicate that while active sport tourism is most popular among individuals in early adulthood, a sizable number of both men and women choose sport-oriented vacations in middle and late adulthood as well. Throughout the life course, active sport tourists tend to be healthy, prioritise the play element in their lives, and are relatively affluent and well educated. Changes which occur over the life course relate to choice of companion(s) while on vacation. I n early and late adulthood, many sport tourists report travelling with groups of friends while those in middle adulthood tend to travel with their families. The results are interpreted within a Levinsonian framework, and, implications for segmenting the active sport tourist market using a life-span approach are discussed.
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