ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the book by focusing on the origins of the study of ageing within the visitor economy and the contributing disciplines and subjects. We introduce the ageing domain of knowledge and how it has evolved to produce a multidisciplinary knowledge base around the concept of ageing. The chapter outlines the significance of research that addresses the ageing population and tourism nexus, then outlines the research questions that the book seeks to address, namely:
What is ageing from a social science and science perspective?
What is the significance of the ageing population as a global process and what are the implications for the visitor economy?
What measures can be taken to develop a more age-friendly visitor economy and how can these be implemented?
Next we consider the methodologies we employed to examine these questions before outlining the way in which the book is structured and the key features of each chapter
