Practical Tourism Research

Training in research methods is increasingly important for students of tourism, and this broad, accessible textbook outlines the concepts and tools essential to understand, manage, and conduct research. Taking a practical approach throughout, this new edition provides advice on the use and cautions associated with some of the more common research designs and tools used by tourism researchers.

Covering questionnaire design, sample selection, and interviewing, it also reviews analytical tools such as the development of scales and indices, assessment of advertising performance, benchmarking, market segmentation, case studies, and content and visual analysis. Fully updated throughout, with fresh real-world examples and focus boxes reviewing new aspects of research such as blogs, narrative analysis and GIS, Smith retains his approachable, personal writing style. Also including an increased use of handy pedagogical features, this new edition is an essential overview for undergraduate and postgraduate students of tourism research, as well as a useful resource for researchers, consultants and managers.