Understanding Tourists’ Movement via Survey Research

Abstract

One of the most significant gaps in tourism research is also one of the simplest questions to ask: Where do different types of tourists go? Surveys have played a very important role in this space. They have been used to determine the characteristics of travellers such as their behavioural preferences, their expenditure and the destinations that tourists have travelled to. Prior to the technological era, surveys were one of the few means by which tourists’ movement could be tracked. However, the advent of technology has exposed the weaknesses of survey research. While surveys perform a very important role in understanding some aspects of mobility, they must be viewed with caution. This chapter will explore the strengths, weaknesses and conceptual outcomes that have emerged from this method of tracking.