The time has come: a systematic literature review of mixed methods research in tourism

The existing literature mapping the state of mixed methods research in tourism does not provide in-depth information concerning the number and type of mixed methods studies published in tourism, or the paradigmatic beliefs informing the mix of quantitative and qualitative studies in the same project. By conducting a systematic review of articles published between 2005 and 2016 in tourism journals, this work seeks to answer four main research questions: (1) how have different tourism scholars employed mixed methods in their studies?; (2) what approaches have been utilised in mixed methods studies?; (3) how are paradigm(s) conceptualised in mixed method designs?; and (4) how is reflexivity operationalised in mixed method designs? Overall, the findings show that the majority of mixed methods tourism studies have not declared their epistemological, ontological and axiological stances. Also, the studies tended to privilege sequential mixes over concurrent approaches, and reflexivity was rarely contemplated.     

Innovative techniques in tourism research: an exploration of visual methods and academic filmmaking

While visual methods have long been utilised as legitimate research techniques in the social sciences, within mainstream tourism research these techniques are rarely employed. This paper thus seeks to question current research practices in tourism by focusing on academic filmmaking as an innovative visual method which can be used to approach tourism research in a new way and to create tourism knowledge which is widely accessible. Two case studies explicate these points: an ethnographic documentary about tourism impacts in Crete, and a doctoral project which explored the construction and consumption of images of Greekness by visitors to the Athenian Acropolis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Progress on outbound tourism expenditure research: A review

ABSTRACT

This study aims to identify how the paradigm of outbound tourism expenditure (OTE) research transforms from economic to social concern. It also explicates the evolution of OTE from an advocacy platform to a sustainability platform. This study adopts a hybrid of narrative and systematic reviews to study OTE as a complex social phenomenon. This hybrid review is complemented by a thematic review and semantic network analysis on gaps and future directions of relevant studies. The results reveal that the paradigm of OTE research is directed from economic toward social thinking. This study proposes an application of socially related antecedent configurations, social theories, pragmatic methods, and various scales of study contexts as promising solutions to address the complexity and heterogeneity of OTE. The study concludes that the conceptual structure of OTE is premised on a sustainability platform, which is influenced by socio-cultural, environmental, economic, and political issues. This study provides a road map that enlightens the current state of OTE, prevailing topics, and pathways for further research.     

Exploratory study in tourism: designing an initial,qualitative phase of sequenced,mixed methods research

Exploratory studies in the social sciences are being increasingly advocated, particularly in relation to new research themes or when addressing an existing issue from a new perspective. Although exploration is usually the starting point, it is frequently part of a sequence of research stages. However, until recently the actual process of conducting such exploratory research within the leisure and tourism field has received little attention. This is due not just to perceptions that exploration is merely the initial step in a longer research process, but significantly, because there is a lack of guidance on how to conduct such research. This paper argues that when the overall tourism research study involves the use of mixed methods, an initial exploratory stage conducted as part of a sequential research process, requires a systematic approach to achieve a reliable platform for further investigation. The paper shows how and why a systematic research design process in the exploratory stage can enhance the value of studies, when the initial qualitative stage is to be followed by a quantitative phase. Three phases of an exploratory qualitative research design process are identified: preparation, development and refinement. Criteria for assessing the suitability of qualitative data collection techniques are proposed. It is argued that careful attention to the process of designing the initial exploratory qualitative stage constitutes the necessary condition for achieving results that will form a sound basis for the next quantitative sequence of research. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ethnography: a research method in practice

This article discusses the ethnographic methods employed for a doctoral study focusing upon heritage tourism and English national identity. It explains the fundamental principles behind the research and how the field work was conducted. In addition, it examines the issues of practicality which emerged during the research process and discusses how these were resolved. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of ethnography as a tool for understanding and interpreting visitor behaviour. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distorted representation in visual tourism research

Tourism research has recently been informed by non-representational theories to highlight the socio-material, embodied and heterogeneous composition of tourist experiences. These advances have contributed to further reflexivity and called for novel ways to animate representations. On this background, this article develops the notion ‘distorted representation’ to illustrate that blurred and obscure photos can in fact be intelligible and sensible in understanding tourism. Through an exploration of the overwhelmed and unintended practices of visual fieldwork, distorted representation illustrates how photographic materialities, performativities and sensations contribute to new tourism knowledges. While highlighting the potential of distorted representation, the article posits a cautionary note in regards to the influential role of academic journals in determining the qualities of visual data. The article exemplifies distorted representation through three impressionistic tales derived from ethnographic research on the European rail travel phenomenon: interrail.     

The role of quantitative and qualitative research in industrial studies of tourism

Many areas of research in tourism concentrate on quantitative or qualitative studies. Some even discuss the complementarity between the two types of studies. Hardly considered are the possibilities for combining such works within an integrated framework that also considers the business environment in which tourism operates. The purpose of this paper is to return to long neglected possibilities by reinvestigating areas of methodology and epistemology concerned with the generation of a framework that embraces both quantitative and qualitative research. A hypothetical example, in terms of industrial organisation and strategic decision making, is introduced discussing the possibilities for the triangulation of methods and paradigms and the role of the business environment. The conclusion is that an improved understanding of the tourism business requires a broader research methodology than presently exists. Both types of research and the dynamic context of tourism are important and need to be combined within an integrated framework. It has been concerned with the construction of integrating frameworks that embrace an alternative logic of inference and the context of the tourism business environment. This requires refinements of existing approaches together with a broader research methodology. Only by establishing such frameworks will an improved understanding of the tourism industry be achieved. The suggested framework presented here, with particular reference to industrial organisation and strategic decision making by tourism suppliers, is not offered as a panacea. For future work, the validity and choice of framework rest squarely on how the world and ‘truth’ are viewed. However, within this, the contribution of triangulated quantitative and qualitative research should help understanding by studying phenomena in their natural setting and in terms of the meanings people have of them. This should lead to a ‘truer analysis’ of business behaviour and hence a more purposeful investigation of hotels, tour operators, travel agents and the business of tourism in general. It is in seeking to produce this ‘truer analysis’ that future research activities need to concentrate. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Gente di Roma: an exercise of dérive by Ettore Scola

This article seeks to contribute to the understanding of the city film Gente di Roma by Ettore Scola [Roma Cinematografica (Production), & Scola, E. (Director). (2003). Gente di Roma [Motion picture]. Italy: Istituto Luce] through a combined focus which mingles tourism studies and cultural studies, in particular through theories on psychogeography formulated by the Situationist International, Erving Goffman's idea on front and back regions and Rojek and Urry's process of indexing and dragging. In the movie, the representation of travel aims at depicting the identity of Rome through an exercise in ‘dérive’ and a long journey by bus. This is aimed at exploring the identity of the metropolis, which here is considered in its postmodern version, revealing its fluidity and mutability. The changes that are affecting Rome have to do with the contribution of immigrants, suggesting how the mobility of people is currently provoking mobility in identity too.     

Informal tourism entrepreneurs’ capital usage and conversion

ABSTRACT

This article examines informal entrepreneurs’ capital usage and conversion in the Thai tourism sector. On the Bourdieusian assumption that people perpetually transform tangible and intangible forms of capital, this study seeks to answer how informal tourism entrepreneurs transform intangible capital into tangible capital, and vice versa, at different stages of their development process. A visual dataset of 78 filmed interviews and of 426 photographs of informal entrepreneurs in three tourist-island destinations in Thailand was compiled and analysed using thematic qualitative analysis. The results show the importance of diversification of capital mix at informal entrepreneurs’ different development stages. Whereas cultural and symbolic capital are more salient for freelancers and small-size entrepreneurs, economic and social capital are more important for mid-size and large informal entrepreneurs. Furthermore, this study introduces dream capital as a new form of capital. Developing countries are recommended to introduce a policy on profiling informal tourism entrepreneurs so that the appropriate level of regulation can be applied in order to maintain or increase their benefits to society.     

Moving best practice forward: Delphi characteristics,advantages, potential problems,and solutions

In the last 30 years, there has been increasing application of the Delphi technique to tourism research. However, mystification regarding Delphi characteristics and procedures is evident in the literature. Through critical examination, this paper seeks to demystify the Delphi and advance understanding of the technique, contribute to the evolution of methodological guidelines, and provide further guidance to tourism researchers. A generic Delphi procedure is introduced, a critical review of its advantages and potential problems is presented, and critical design decisions are identified. Expert panel design and management are emphasised through example and critical review. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A call for renewal in tourism ethnographic research: the researcher as both the subject and object of knowledge

Our critique of tourism ethnographic research argues that too much existing published work tends to cite preceding studies as methodological precedents without stating how particular approaches were operationalised. Moreover, findings are often presented as individual cases with limited utility in terms of theory-building or wider understanding of contextual phenomena. We argue that closer attention first to current developments within anthropology which seek to overcome researcher naivety and, second, greater philosophical reflexivity would elevate both the rigour with which such work is undertaken and the seriousness with which it is received in the wider academy. We call for a double-reflexivity in ethnographic research in tourism that accepts both the specific situational nature of individual studies and the wider discursive frames within which they are embedded. We call for constant reflection on, and acknowledgement of, this duality in ethnographic research where, after all, the researcher is so intimately embedded in empirical and subjective terms.     

The next frontier in tourism emotion research

Emotion is emerging as a central concept in tourism research, critical for the delivery of memorable tourism experiences. However, existing approaches in tourism do not adequately explain the process by which emotions are elicited. Recent advances in cognitive and neuropsychology demonstrate that emotions are elicited through an appraisal process, which occurs in the cortex of the brain. These processes produce chemical monoamine neurotransmitters that lead to bodily feelings, which in turn enable our brain to recognise emotions. This research note draws on Lövheim’s Cube, a self-report scale that provides a proxy indicator of the likely presence of monoamine neurotransmitters of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. Six images of the Great Barrier Reef were used as a stimuli in an online panel survey (n?=?1249). Results demonstrate that images used by tourism stakeholders are likely to produce stronger neurological reactions than images from an environmental non-governmental organisation. Combining recent advances in self-report methods with a neurocognitive approach has the propensity to offers additional insight into emotional reactions to visual stimuli. Further research should focus on the efficacy of utilising self-report measures with cutting edge psychophysiological techniques, such as ambulatory electroencephalography (EEG) to open the door to the next frontier in tourism emotion research.     

Bibliometric visualisation: an application in tourism crisis and disaster management research

A limited number of studies have applied bibliometric visualisation to explore the network structure of scholarly tourism knowledge. This study uses CiteSpace to analyse and visualise the intellectual structure of the tourism crisis and disaster management (TCDM) field. The use of new bibliometric visualisation techniques makes a methodological contribution to the mapping and presentation of bibliometric data in tourism research. Potentials for using these methods to provide new insights into research patterns and gaps are illustrated with an analysis of the TCDM literature. The study demonstrates how bibliometric visualisation can provide new insights into an area of literature by better communicating key findings, facilitating the exploration of data, and providing rich information to readers. Findings indicate that TCDM research has moved from broader topics to more specific issues, with a more recent focus on resilience and economic crises. The visualisation of co-authorship networks reveals that major collaborative networks are based on geographic and institutional proximity, dominated by scholars in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Seven major research clusters are identified from the visualisation of a co-citation network. The identification of structural holes and bridging papers draws attention to research gaps and future research opportunities in the TCDM field.     

Power,social exchanges and tourism in Langkawi: rethinking resident perceptions

A study was undertaken among the residents on Langkawi Island, Malaysia to explore the utility of a combination of social exchange and power theories to explain residents' attitudes toward tourism and to examine how residents' evaluation of the impact of tourism influences their attitudes. In‐depth, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 46 residents. The study concludes that the combination of social exchange and power theories is more useful than social exchange theory alone in understanding residents' attitudes concerning the impact of tourism. However, residents' general values, dependence on tourism, and ability and willingness to adapt moderate the influence of power on residents' evaluation of the impact of tourism. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A review of Delphi forecasting research in tourism

The Delphi technique is the most popular judgemental forecasting method in tourism studies, but theoretical and empirical developments in this area (especially for forecasting purposes) have been slow. This paper analyses published research on Delphi forecasting in tourism and hospitality, explores how the Delphi forecasting method has progressed over the past four decades in terms of topical areas, empirical applications, and issues of reliability and validity, and is thus expected to advance understanding of the Delphi technique, providing topical and methodological recommendations for researchers and industry practitioners for producing accurate forecasts. The literature concerning the qualitative and quantitative applications of Delphi forecasting in tourism is mainly divided into three research themes: event forecasting, forecasting tourism demand, and forecasting future trends/market conditions (the most popular application). Issues of accuracy, reliability, and validity, as well as a group of Delphi-specific characteristics, such as panel size, panel selection, consensus measures, and analysis of results, are summarized and discussed. This study also examines the accuracy of Delphi forecasts as well as exploring the role of the Delphi approach in integrating human judgement into quantitative forecasts.     

Tourism and social capital in Malaysia

This article explores the relationship between social capital and tourism in Malaysia. Social capital is a concept that has received particular attention within the social sciences. Despite this, scholars have relatively neglected whether and how tourism contributes to enhance levels of social capital. This is particularly true if non-Western societies, such as Malaysia, are referred to. Malaysia is a plural society that consists of three main ethnic groups, namely Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Considering the country's diverse socio-cultural fabric, social capital is a highly debated topic in Malaysia. Yet, there exists a paucity of data on how specific social practices, such as tourism, strengthen social relationships within Malaysian society. In an attempt to fill this gap, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 Malaysians from the three main ethnic groups. The findings reveal that tourism is an experience that creates and strengthens social relationships among people irrespective of ethnic background. Overall, this article's contribution to our knowledge is twofold. First, the work on which this article is based contributes to the ongoing debate concerning the nature and meaning of tourism and post-tourism experiences. Second, it provides empirical material on non-Western tourists, who have been relatively neglected by tourism scholars.     

Easing the adoption of agent-based modelling (ABM) in tourism research

Agent-based modelling (ABM) is an emerging approach in tourism research. Despite the natural fit between theories of tourism as a complex, interconnected system, and the generative approach supported in ABM, there has been only limited integration within mainstream tourism research. This research letter reports on a recent gathering of tourism ABM researchers to define the main challenges that face the adoption of ABM in tourism research. These include technical, communications, and novelty issues. In response to these challenges, three potential strategies to ease adoption are outlined: education, awareness, and interdisciplinary teams. These findings are framed as a call for increased attention to the fit of ABM within tourism research, and a framework for negotiating constraints to adoption of this technology.     

Lack of progress in tourist information search research: a critique of citation behaviour and knowledge development

ABSTRACT

Knowledge construction is a crucial factor in the development of any field of study. While empirical papers sustain knowledge development in a field, systematic analysis of the literature and critiques of influential papers are core components of high-level knowledge construction. The aim of this paper is to critically evaluate Fodness and Murray’s ([1999]. A model of tourist information search behavior. Journal of Travel Research, 37(3), 220–230.) seminal paper on information search and to assess how the model has been developed by the subsequent literature. A critique of the model highlighted that the original work had a number of shortcomings, particularly given recent advances in information technologies. The method consisted of a meta-analysis of 575 studies that cited Fodness and Murray’s work. The meta-analysis demonstrated that none of the subsequent studies attempted to further develop this well-cited model. The analysis also highlighted that many of the citations to the original study were superficial, and in some cases, incorrect, raising serious questions about citation practices in the tourism field more broadly. The main implication is that, in order to advance our understanding of tourism, we need robust studies that confirm and build on past research efforts to move the field forward.     

New directions in the sociology of tourism

This review article starts with an examination of the shifting nature of tourism discourse from the 1960s up to the present, and then focuses on seven topics that we consider to be on the forefront of current developments in the sociological study of tourism: emotions, sensory experiences, materialities, gender, ethics, authentication and the philosophical groundings of tourism theories. We find that in recent years the sociology of tourism was marked by three general trends: the growing application of specific novel theories from other fields to tourism, the examination of new facets of touristic phenomena and an intensified inquiry into the status of tourism as an intellectual or cultural project. We conclude that while the application of a range of novel theoretical perspectives and facets largely reflects the postmodern move away from binary thinking and concepts, the sociology of tourism still makes little contribution back to the discipline of sociology, and will need to address important emergent topics such as deglobalization and current nationalistic movements towards isolationism, to do so.