Host–guest interactions and senior residents’ well-being in rural tourism: a case study of Qiaoxiang village in China

Abstract As the global population ages, research on the well-being of seniors in tourism has gained traction. While much scholarly attention has been paid to the well-being of senior tourists, the well-being of senior residents in host communities remains underexplored. Adopting continuity theory and PERMA model of well-being, this study investigates how host–guest interactions influence senior residents’ well-being in a rural tourism context. Qualitative data were collected from Qiaoxiang village, China. Four interaction types (i.e., economic transactions, informal communications, personal narrative sharing, and reciprocal hospitality) were found to enhance senior residents’ positive emotions, engagement, and sense of life meaning. Crucially, these well-being gains are underpinned by residents’ perceptions of continuity—both in their external activities and social roles, and in their internal sense of identity and accumulated experience. This study not only enriches the theoretical discourse surrounding tourism, aging, and well-being but also offers practical implications for promoting active aging in rural tourism destinations.