Exploring memorable tourism experiences of senior tourists: An embodied cognitive perspective.

This article investigates senior tourists' memorable tourism experiences (SMTEs) through the lens of embodied cognition theory, emphasizing the interaction of body, cognition, and situational factors. Based on in-depth interviews with 26 senior Chinese tourists aged 60 to 77, the study identifies six key components shaping SMTEs: sensory enjoyment, embodied barriers, emotional experiences, identity, control, and serendipity. Findings reveal that seniors' bodily states both challenge and enhance their travel memories, with sensory enjoyment and physical limitations interacting harmoniously or contradictorily to form vivid, lasting experiences. The research highlights the importance of considering seniors' unique physical and cognitive characteristics in tourism product design and destination management to foster positive, memorable experiences and revisit intentions. Limitations include the homogeneous Chinese sample and the need for further exploration of SMTEs' variability across cultures and individual differences.