Motivations of Elderhostel Participants in Selected United States and European Educational Travel Programs

Abstract

Abstract Elderhostel is an educational, travel and leisure oriented non-profit organization for the elderly, offering both domestic and international programs. Two-hundred and twenty-three participants in international Elderhostel programs and 223 participants in domestic Elderhostel programs completed useable surveys designed to identify differences in motivation for attendance. Logistic regression was used to specify the differences in motivations among these “education travelers.” Of the twenty-three motivations examined, five were more significant to international travelers and five were significantly more important to domestic travelers. International Elderhostelers were motivated more by the history and culture of the area where the program was held, safety provided by group travel, desire for travel, desire to socialize with locals, and visiting one's ancestral home. Domestic Elderhostelers were more motivated by the accommodations, word of mouth, program dates, the opportunity to escape personal problems, and the Elderhostel course topics.