Lena Eskilsson
Deputy vice-chancellor
Experimenting with experiments 2.0: using mixed methods to learn about information search behavior
Author
Summary, in English
This presentation discusses an ongoing research project that aims to collect data about the practice of information search. It seeks to learn more about different ways in which tourist information is collected at different stages of a journey.
Speaking to tourism planners and reading tourism research, it seems as if the digitalization of information has completely changed tourists’ information search behavior. But is this really the case – have analog sources become irrelevant to tourists?
In order to capture these processes we set out on a mixed methods approach, investigating Germans’ information search behavior on their way to and through Sweden.
Interviews are combined with questionnaires and experiments.
We initially interviewed tourists visiting the municipalities of Ystad and Vimmerby, and asked about the information sources that were relevant for the choice of place.
In a second stage, we sent out questionnaires about information search behavior before and during travel, respectively. In a third stage, we include an experiment in which potential tourists plan a trip to Sweden via their computers at home. The task is to prepare a two-day-visit to Ystad or Vimmerby. The experiment enables us to both see the subjects’ movements, and to hear their comments. By this, we can learn how information search in the Internet is actually done. We argue that in a rapidly changing world, we also need a change and broadening use of methods in tourism research, and this experiment is one way of doing this.
Speaking to tourism planners and reading tourism research, it seems as if the digitalization of information has completely changed tourists’ information search behavior. But is this really the case – have analog sources become irrelevant to tourists?
In order to capture these processes we set out on a mixed methods approach, investigating Germans’ information search behavior on their way to and through Sweden.
Interviews are combined with questionnaires and experiments.
We initially interviewed tourists visiting the municipalities of Ystad and Vimmerby, and asked about the information sources that were relevant for the choice of place.
In a second stage, we sent out questionnaires about information search behavior before and during travel, respectively. In a third stage, we include an experiment in which potential tourists plan a trip to Sweden via their computers at home. The task is to prepare a two-day-visit to Ystad or Vimmerby. The experiment enables us to both see the subjects’ movements, and to hear their comments. By this, we can learn how information search in the Internet is actually done. We argue that in a rapidly changing world, we also need a change and broadening use of methods in tourism research, and this experiment is one way of doing this.
Department/s
- Department of Service Studies
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Department of Strategic Communication
Publishing year
2017
Language
English
Links
Document type
Conference paper: abstract
Topic
- Social and Economic Geography
Conference name
26th Nordic Symposium of Tourism and Hospitality Research
Conference date
2017-10-04 - 2017-10-06
Conference place
Falun, Sweden
Status
Published
Project
- Besöksanledningens vara eller icke-vara: informationsspridningens betydelse för attraktioners framgång