'To mix with new people': the surprising day trips of mature Germans.

Abstract

Abstract This chapter presents a case study measuring positive emotions in two day trips organized for mature German adults. The study examines how positive emotions developed as a function of time before, during and after each day trip, and how they were affected by processes such as relationship building, novelty, and other mechanisms of positive emotions uncovered in previous research. Findings in general show that mature Germans' day trips are quite similar, in terms of positive emotions and their causes, to other tourism experiences studied. Echoing results from previous research, positive emotions are highest during the day trip compared to before and after. Mature adults clearly enjoyed meeting new people on their trips, although this did not change the trajectory of their emotions in either a positive or a negative way. Furthermore, findings show that high levels of novelty and positive attitude toward co-travellers broke the persistent pattern of positive emotion decline that tends to occur after a tourism experience. Based on these findings, management implications and best practices are discussed.