Development Guidelines for Tourism Components Responsive to Senior Tourists’ Behavior: A Case Study of Mueang Prachinburi District, Prachinburi Province

Abstract

This quantitative research aimed to: (1) investigate the health conditions and travel behavior of senior tourists in Mueang Prachinburi District, Prachinburi Province; (2) examine their needs regarding tourism destination components; and (3) propose development guidelines for destination components that respond to their behavior and needs. The sample consisted of 400 Thai senior tourists aged 60 and above, selected using accidental sampling. The research instrument was a structured questionnaire, with content validity index ranging from 0.67 to 1.00 and a reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s Alpha) of 0.858. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The findings revealed that (1) 48.10% of elderly tourists reported having chronic health conditions, with hypertension being the most prevalent. However, most respondents perceived such conditions as not hindering their travel. The majority preferred nature-based tourism, particularly mountain and scenic travel (28.50%), and favored accommodations in hotels and resorts (50.00%). (2) The overall demand for tourism destination components was rated high to very high. The highest mean score was found in the activity component (M = 4.50), followed by service provision (M = 4.41), and accommodation (M = 4.36). (3) The proposed development guidelines include: providing health-related facilities, adopting universal design principles in spatial planning, and designing activities aligned with the physical capacities of older adults. These approaches can enhance the readiness of tourism destinations in Prachinburi to accommodate an aging society in a sustainable and inclusive manner.