The University of Maturity and relationships with the tourist experience in Bioparque Pantanal, Campo Grande, MS

Abstract

Leisure and tourism play an important role in society, mainly as instruments for promoting an active, emotionally satisfying, and culturally enriching life for the elderly population. In this sense, this article aims to identify the memorable elements of the tourist experience with two groups of students from the University of Maturity during their visit to Pantanal Biopark to contribute to the market segmentation of tourism aimed at maturity. For this study, semi-structured questionnaires were applied based on three thematic axes of analysis: 1) Feelings regarding the attraction; 2) Experiences learned during the tour; 3) Evaluation of the visitor's experience and their expectations. After collection, the data was systematically analyzed using Iramuteq software through textual data analysis. Finally, content analysis was used based on the software's responses. The results showed that, despite the grandeur of the Biopark and its scenic beauty on the outside and inside, the best experiences were in terms of the knowledge acquired and the happiness of being in such a remarkable environment.

Keywords:
leisure and tourism; older age; experience tourism