Research Methods in Tourism Studies

Explore the science of research methods in relation to analysing the travel and tourism industries. Discover how to conduct research into the travel and tourism industries. On this course you’ll explore travel and tourism research methods and techniques. You’ll learn the difference between quantitative and qualitative research methods, and explore data analysis and collection. You’ll examine the current trends of tourism research, and ultimately write your own thesis or consultancy project. Overall you’ll come to understand the basic methods of academic research in relation to hospitality, whether you’re a new learner or someone with professional experience of the travel and tourism sectors who wants to analyse their industry further. What topics will you cover? Week 1: How to Start Good Research Week 2: Qualitative versus Quantitative Approach Week 3: Research Design I Week 4: Research Design II Week 5: Emerging Issues in Tourism and Hospitality Research Week 6: Research Ethics What will you achieve? By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to... Understand how to raise good research questions Discuss different research approaches to tourism studies Perform specific data collection and analysis techniques Apply a particular research method into research thesis or consultancy project Who is the course for? This course is designed for anyone interested in understanding the fundamentals of research into the tourism industry — the different kinds of approaches, how to collect data, and how to get published. You don’t need any specific professional or academic background to take this course. But as it’s centered around tourism and hospitality, a basic understanding of tourism studies is an advantage. The course is also useful for anyone with experience of working in travel or tourism, looking to study the sectors analytically, or anyone with general business experience wanting to improve their problem-solving skills.