Conceptualising local perceptions of research‐related tourism in an indigenous village in Fiji

Abstract

AbstractDespite increasing academic interest concerning host perceptions of tourists and tourism, local perceptions of research tourists—whether this includes students, consultants, scientists, or volunteers—have attracted little attention. The study conceptualises and examines perceptions of Research‐related Tourism (RrT) in the context of an indigenous Fijian village. Qualitative research was conducted, involving talanoa, observations and semi‐structured interviews. An inductive and thematic approach was employed to analyse data, where research findings reveal the socio‐economic and environmental benefits of RrT for the host community: increased income, enhanced infrastructure, and improved quality of life. Findings also indicate negative impacts: unequal benefit sharing, lack of reciprocity between hosts and research tourists, and lack of transparency in developing and managing RrT. Moreover, the results indicate the formation of a hierarchisation of RrT types, helping to further conceptualise tourism impacts. Finally, recommendations are developed to advance appropriate forms of research tourism that benefit the community.