Web design for mature-aged travellers: readability as a design issue

Forecasts predict the internet will become the principle means for senior people to research, plan and book holidays. Tourism web sites are particularly interesting as the industry was one of the first to enter the world of online business and has reached a significant level of maturity. This study looks at factors web designers should consider when encouraging access by mature age travelers. A meta-study of contemporary research was conducted along with an empirical analysis of a focused group of web sites. Findings indicate that web sites resulting in transactions have incorporated better reading ease than those produced by non-commercial tourism bureaus.