Tourism Research: It's Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Chapter 7
Tourism Research
Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

John Walker
Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

publishing as Pearson [imprint]
Objectives
After reading and studying this
chapter, you should be able to:
Know why tourism research is necessary
Realize the importance of research
goals
Explain the types of research
Describe the research process
Design a questionnaire
John Walker

Introduction
Imagine you want to open a resort
You must consider:
Where would you open the resort?

Is the location seasonal?
What type of resort will it be?
Will the resort have a theme or concept?
Who will potential guests be?
Who will be your competition?
Where are they located?

John Walker

Introduction (contd.)
Tourism research:
Aids tourism entities in the journey to
finding the answers to these questions
As well as the many other questions that are
sure to arise

John Walker

Why is Research Necessary?

World Tourism Organization:
Reports that tourism has become a
major source of foreign exchange
International tourism has grown rapidly in
recent decades
Ranks second only to oil in world trade

John Walker

Why Research? (contd.)

Tourism research provides
information
Facilitates the decision-making process
Now supported by:
More than 40 academic journals
Several conferences
Many organizations

John Walker

Research Goals
General goals for businesses:
Identify market trends
Unveil economic impact, occupancy
trends, and general consumer behavior
Aids in creating additional sources of
possible profits
Uncovers preexisting sources that are not
profitable

John Walker

Research Goals (contd.)

Examines performance of certain areas
in an operation
Monitors guest satisfaction
Assists in drawing attention to potential
problems

John Walker

Research Goals (contd.)

For consumers:
Aids in the decision-making process
Rating systems are used as a guide
American Automobile Association (AAA) five
diamond rating system

John Walker

Categories of Research
Descriptive research (i.e., statistical
research)
Aims to answer who, what, where, when,
and why?
Used to describe characteristics
Focuses on a particular variable (e.g.,
consumer habits)
Does not aim to uncover causation
Does not influence variables
John Walker

Categories (contd.)
Analytical research (i.e., explanatory
research)
Seeks to uncover causation
Once a pattern has been uncovered:
Hypothesis may be derived
Influencing factors are examined further
Not generalizable
Specific to the circumstance

John Walker

Categories (contd.)
Predictive research
Aims to make a prediction about an
occurrence
Based on past behaviors, attitudes,
demographics, and generalized
phenomena

John Walker

Categories (contd.)
Normative research (i.e., applied
research)
Aims to uncover facts
Seeks to provide recommendations for
future improvements
Less concrete
Requires a subjective point of view

John Walker

Types of Research
Qualitative research
Subjective or humanistic techniques
Quantitative methods use mathematical
models
Quicker to conduct than quantitative

Takes unique feelings into account
Much tourism research lends itself to
qualitative techniques

John Walker

Types of Research (contd.)

Quantitative research
Statistical analysis
Researcher gathers data and evaluates
them to locate trends or correlations
Begins with null hypothesis (supposes no
patterns exist)
Using situational analysis, the researcher
may uncover possible relationships

John Walker


Survey method
Most frequent type of research
conducted
Gathers information about human
populations by asking questions of
respondents
Representative sample should reflect

the characteristics of the population

John Walker


Survey types
Opinion surveys
Based on personal opinion, attitude, or belief
Interpretative surveys
Ask respondents to answer why they chose
a particular course
Factual surveys
Concrete questions
Answers based on fact alone
John Walker


Survey administration
Mail surveys
Low cost and eliminates bias
Low response rate and assumes literacy
level
Electronic devices
Transmitted via e-mail messages, websites,
distributed on public computers, etc.
Fast, low in cost, and provides anonymity
Difficult to obtain a representative sample
John Walker


Interview types:
Structured interviews
Least flexible
Includes prearranged interview questions
Close-ended (e.g., yes/no, scaled, or multiple
choice)
Often use codes for responses

Restricts questions and responses
Quick to administer and easy to analyze

John Walker


Semistructured interviews
Allows follow up questions
Has a schedule to follow
Ensures topics are covered
More time consuming, but less limiting
Unstructured interviews
No prearranged format
Open-ended questions
Primarily used in sociological contexts
John Walker


Telephone surveys
Questions are asked over the telephone
from a questionnaire
Answers are recorded into a computer
database
Fast to conduct and less costly
Type and number of respondents are limited
Respondents may skew answers

John Walker


Focus groups
Gather 6 to 12 prescreened respondents
Prescreening ensures relevancy to the target
market
Focused questions are asked about the

topic
Qualitative; purpose is to develop a broad
and deep understanding
Usually takes between one to two hours
Often used to provide a basis for further
research and/or to uncover traveler
motivations
John Walker


Experimental method
Examines cause-and-effect relationships
under controlled conditions
Involves setting up a test, or experiment, to
simulate what happens in the real world
Two variables:
Independent variable (IV) is manipulated
Dependent variable (DV) is measured

John Walker


Experimental method limitations
Validity
Experiment truly measures construct of
interest
All variables not of interest must be eliminated
Confounding or extraneous variables

Hard to separate from the IV and DV
Can influence variables of interest
For this reason, rarely used in tourism research

John Walker


Observational method (i.e.,
naturalistic observation)
Examining constructs of interest in realworld conditions
Researcher observes and acts like a
shadow
Must be careful not to interfere with variables
Variables interfered with are reactive (no longer
valid)

John Walker


Observational method is more
objective and accurate
Eliminates bias and allows observation
of spontaneous behaviors
Limitations:
Cannot answer why something occurred
Can be costly
Circumstances may be limited
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Research Process
Primary steps:
1. Problem identification
2. Demand or situational analysis
All pertinent information is gathered
Demand and background information is
analyzed
3. Informal investigation
Hypothesis development begins

John Walker

Research Process (contd.)

4. Research design
Identification of variables, to be obtained,
and procedures that will be carried
Primary data: original data collected by and for
the research design at hand
Secondary data: previously collected data that
may be of interest
5. Data collection
6. Data analysis and interpretation
Data is coded, tabulated, and analyzed
John Walker

Research Process (contd.)

7. Research findings
Cross-tabulation reveals statistical data
Data is interpreted and written up in a report
Includes relevant background information,
research methodology, detailed analysis of
findings, recommendations, and copies of forms
used
Some use tables and/or diagrams
Abstract may be included at the beginning
(summary of objectives, findings, and
recommendations)

John Walker

Designing Questionnaires
Before starting to design a
questionnaire:
Researcher must clearly define and
clarify research goals
Length, complexity, and question
sensitivity must be weighed

John Walker

Questionnaires (contd.)
Selecting the answer format:
Multiple choice: fixed number of options
Likert scale: least to most agreement
Ordinal: rank
Categorical: choose one category
Numerical: asks for numeric value

John Walker

Recommendations
Travel and Tourism Research
Association (TTRA)
Provides sources of information
United Nations World Tourism

Organization (UNWTO)
Conducts research on various aspects
of tourism

John Walker

Recommendations (contd.)
Tourism Industries, U.S. Department
of Commerce Office of Travel and
Tourism Industries (OTTI)
Collects, analyzes, and disseminates
international travel and tourism statistics
U.S. Travel Data Center (USTDC)

Research division of the Travel Industry
Association (TIA)
John Walker

Conclusion
Tourism research
Vital asset to the industry
Assists in identification of market trends
Helps unveil economic impact of
tourism, occupancy trends, and
consumer behavior

John Walker

Conclusion (contd.)
Market research
Assists businesses in ascertaining the
need for new products
Aids in creating additional sources of
possible profits
Uncovers preexisting sources that are
not profitable

John Walker

Conclusion (contd.)
For the consumer:
Tourism research aids in the decisionmaking process
Tourism research is dependent on:

Clearly defined research goals
A thorough demand analysis
A well-developed research design

John Walker

Trends
Tourism will continue to be a fast
growing sector in research
Research will focus on:
Travelers taking shorter vacations and
Internet use
Increased demand for destinations that
protect authenticity and geographic
character
Baby boomers, Generation X and Y
Economy and consumer confidence
fluctuations
John Walker


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Chapter 7

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Where would you open the resort?

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Why is Research Necessary?

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Why Research? (contd.)

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Research Goals (contd.)

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Research Goals (contd.)

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Quicker to conduct than quantitative

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Representative sample should reflect

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Often use codes for responses

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

More time consuming, but less limiting

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Focused questions are asked about the

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices

Copyright 2011 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Types of Research (contd.)

Confounding or extraneous variables

Its Tourism: Concepts and Practices