Voices of the Fisher King: Narratives of older travellers’ religious journeys

Abstract

Older adults in countries with a relatively high standard of living are regarded as a highly influential consumer segment. However, the economically disadvantaged, invalids and lone travelers all face a variety of external and internal barriers to travel and social interaction. By contrast, “quest archetype” journeys, such as religious tourism and pilgrimages, provide opportunities for companionship, whilst also helping to alleviate an individual’s negative perceptions of ageing and later life. The main objectives of the research were to explore how older adults report their archetypal experiences and how they are perceived by the young. The generic purposive sampling comprised 345 Hungarian respondents. In the multi-generational sample, in-depth interviews were carried out with the youngest (23%) and the oldest (21%) age groups to explore the different perceptions of ageing. Narrative segments were analyzed within the framework of one particular archetypal quest, the legend of the Holy Grail. The study here attempts advances knowledge of the best approaches to assessing those travel narratives which employ archetypal legends. At the same time, service providers in the field of religious tourism can also benefit from the results in their management of holy sites with the needs and wishes of the older generation in mind.