Assessing Elderly Tourists’ Satisfaction Based on Infrastructural, Social, and Environmental Factors Using Structural Equation Modeling (Case Study: Khabr, Baft County)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mehri Jahansoozi

Neda Dehghani

University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.

10.22067/jrrp.v15i2.2512-1155

Abstract

Purpose- Population aging has increased the importance of senior tourism as a distinct and growing segment of the tourism market. However, elderly tourists may have specific requirements related to accessibility, social interaction, safety, comfort, and environmental quality. This study aims to examine the relationships between infrastructural, social, and environmental dimensions and elderly tourists’ satisfaction and to assess these relationships within an integrated structural framework in Khabr District, Baft County, Kerman Province, Iran.
Design/methodology/approach- The study employed an applied, quantitative, descriptive-analytical research design. The statistical population consisted of elderly tourists aged 60 years and above, with the individual tourist serving as the unit of analysis. Data were collected from 375 elderly tourists through a structured questionnaire using random sampling. The measurement model comprised three latent constructs—infrastructural, social, and environmental dimensions—measured through nine observed indicators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The reliability and validity of the measurement model were assessed using standardized factor loadings, Composite Reliability (CR), Average Variance Extracted (AVE), and discriminant validity.
Findings- The results demonstrated that all three dimensions had positive and statistically significant relationships with elderly tourists’ satisfaction. The social dimension showed the strongest effect (β = 0.38, C.R. = 5.76, P < 0.001), followed by the infrastructural dimension (β = 0.31, C.R. = 4.82, P < 0.001) and the environmental dimension (β = 0.24, C.R. = 3.91, P < 0.001).
Originality/Value- The findings indicate that elderly tourists’ satisfaction is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by the interaction of social, infrastructural, and environmental conditions. The study’s originality lies in integrating these three dimensions into a unified SEM framework rather than examining them independently. The findings provide empirical support for age-sensitive tourism planning and suggest that developing senior-friendly destinations requires coordinated attention to social participation, accessible infrastructure, and safe, clean, and attractive environments.

Keywords

Senior tourism

Leisure

Satisfaction

Tourism development

Khabr District

Subjects

• Rural Studies

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