Travel and Tourism Research

Travel and Tourism Research18LEARNING OBJECTIVESRecognize the role and scope of travel research.Learn the travel research process.Study secondary data and how it can be used.Understand the methods of collecting primary data.Know who does travel research.TYPES OF TOURISM RESEARCHThe economic impact of tourismAwareness and image researchVisitor satisfaction researchCompetitor researchSWOT AnalysisConsumer/Tourist behavior researchFutures researchDestination vision researchSocial impact researchPromotion conversion studiesOperations researchHousehold surveys and en route surveysHuman resources researchBrand studiesProduct researchRIO (return on investment) researchCustom researchTYPES OF TOURISM RESEARCH (CONTINUED)THE TRAVEL RESEARCH PROCESSIdentify the problemConduct a situation analysisConduct an informal investigationDevelop a formal research designCollect the dataTabulate and analyzeInterpretWrite the reportFollow upSOURCES OF INFORMATIONSecondary DataSaves time and money if the data is related to your problem and is relatively current.The following criteria may be use to appraise the value of information obtained from secondary data sources:The organizations supplying the dataThe authority under which the data was gatheredFreedom from biasAdequacy from the sampleThe nature for the unit in which the data are expressedAccuracy of the dataPertinence to the problemCareful workSOURCES OF INFORMATION Primary DataWhen not possible to get the information you need from secondary sources, turn to primary sources—original, firsthand sources of information.If you need information on travelers’ attitudes, go to that population and sample it.As stated earlier, collect primary data only after exhausting all reasonable secondary sources of information.BASIC RESEARCH METHODSFocus Groups The Survey MethodInternet surveysFactual surveysOpinion surveysInterpretive surveysPersonal interviewsTelephone surveysMail surveysElectronic devicesObservational methodExperimental methodQuantitative methodQualitative methodQUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODSRequires random samplingTypically tests specific hypothesisTechniques includemodelingscalingfactor analysisstatistical analysiscovariance analysisMAJOR TRAVEL RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONSGovernmentEducational institutionsConsultantsTrade associationsHotels and motelsAirlines and other carriersAttractionsFood service organizationsLEADING ACADEMIC RESEARCH PUBLICATIONSJournal of Travel ResearchAnnals of Tourism ResearchTourism ManagementTourism Review (AIEST)Turizam (now Tourism)World Leisure JournalThe Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration QuarterlyJournal of Leisure Research