| According to the China’s seventh national census data,the population aged60 and above has reached 264 million（18.7% of the total population）,the aging is accelerating.In light of the “Interim Measures of the State Council on Retirement and Retirement of Workers”,the minimum retirement age for ordinary workers is 50 years old.Retired elderly people who are "rich and leisurely" have been an important customer group for travel agencies.The tourism demand of the elderly have become more personalized and diversified.Since the outbreak of the COVID-19（Corona Virus Disease 2019）,people’s tourism intention has been significantly affected,the tourism and the related industries are suffering.The COVID-19 has changed people’s tourism intention and the way of traveling.People are desired to get a safe and convenient way of "tourism".The virtual tourism,a new type of tourism experience,can be free from constraints such as epidemics and physical conditions and also meet people’s tourism intention.To sum up,this paper presents the virtual tourism intention of the elderly based on the theory of planned behavior.Based on the theory of planned behavior,this paper builds the hypothetical model by analyzing the attitudes,subjective norms,perceived behavioral norms,and intentions of the elderly towards virtual tourism.On this basis,we have six hypotheses: H1: The elderly behavioral attitude regards to virtual tourism positively affects the behavioral intention of virtual tourism.H2: The elder’s subjective norm of virtual tourism positively affects the behavioral intention of virtual tourism.H3: The perceived behavioral control of the elderly on virtual tourism positively affects the behavioral intention of virtual tourism.H4: The subjective norm of the elderly towards virtual tourism positively affects the behavioral attitude of the elderly towards virtual tourism.H5: The elder’s perceived behavioral control of virtual tours positively affects their attitudes toward virtual tours.H6: The elderly with different individual characteristics（including gender,age,educational background,income,occupation,and health status）have significant differences in their attitudes,subjective norms,perceived behavioral control and behavioral intentions towards virtual tourism.This paper draws on the Likert five-point scale to design the questionnaire.Through the research of a large number of questionnaires on the theory of planned behavior,the most representative questions were selected to form this questionnaire.The data on the virtual travel intentions of the elderly were collected through online platforms,friend circle and acquaintance recommendations.The data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software,the hypotheses were tested by SEM structural equation model,and used descriptive analysis,reliability and validity analysis,significance of difference analysis,structural equation model analysis,mediation effect,and correlation analysis.After a series of mathematical analysis,it is concluded that the hypotheses of H1,H2,H4,and H6 are established.In view of the above,this paper draws the following conclusions:Conclusion 1,the elderly behavioral attitudes and subjective norms towards virtual tourism positively affect the behavioral intention of virtual tourism;Conclusion 2,the elder’s subjective norm of virtual tourism positively affects the behavioral attitude of the elderly to virtual tourism;Conclusion 3,the elder’s perceived behavioral control of virtual tourism positively affects the behavioral intention and behavioral attitude of virtual tourism,the hypothesis does not hold;Conclusion 4,virtual tourism attitudes play an intermediary role in the transformation of subjective norms into virtual tourism intentions;conclusion 5,subjective norms of virtual tourism among the elderly with different individual characteristics（including gender,age,educational background,income,occupation,and health status）,there were significant differences in perceived behavioral control.The last part of this article puts forward suggestions on the development of virtual tourism from the perspectives of government,industry and family,to jointly develop virtual tourism and let more elderly participate in virtual tourism.It is hoped that this paper can have reference value and application value for the promotion of virtual tourism,and also hope that virtual tourism can bring more choices and happiness to the elderly. |
