Jokes build community: Mature tourists’ positive emotions

Studies have suggested that positive emotions may occur in mature adult tourists’ experiences, but the processes linking participants’ social contexts and positive emotions are unknown. The study used an interpretive ethnographic approach with participant observation and conversations with key informants to document positive emotions in two mature adult tourism experiences, an educational tour of a Civil War battlefield and a model airplane contest. Interpretive thematic analysis revealed amusement from humor, warmth of friendship, interest in activities, and sublime reactions to loss. These processes explain how participants’ social contexts produced positive emotions, and why particular emotions occurred. Furthermore, findings show the importance of positive emotions to building a sense of community among participants, fostering regular repeat participation.

► Four processes link the social contexts of older adult tourists to positive emotions.
► Social contexts in mature adult tourism experience produce positive emotions.
► Amusement, warmth, interest, and sublime reactions occur in older adult tourists.