Methodological innovation in Asia Pacific tourism research

Abstract

As tourism research expands globally and in Asia in particular, there is a potential value in exploring innovation in both conceptual and methodological approaches. Initially, this paper identifies current methodological practices in a sample of Asia Pacific tourism research publications. The results arising from this investigation suggest that Asian based researchers rely more than Western based counterparts on survey and questionnaire methods. Qualitative approaches by way of contrast are less often the means to understanding tourism in the publications of Asian based researchers. Four areas for fostering methodological innovation are considered. These areas are new technologies. the growing international acceptance of qualitative studies, cross-cultural topics and research linked to commercialisation pressures. Examples from each area are presented together with a specific focus on four promising techniques. It is argued that innovation in both techniques and theoretical approaches are required if Asian tourism research is to have a global influence in tourism studies.