Travel Questionnaire Analysis - Case Study Example

Part 2 Questionnaire Analysis A study has been conducted to determine the opinions of travel agents on promoting responsible tourist behaviour to their clients. Responsible tourist behaviour was defined as acting in manner that was beneficial to the local economy, the local culture and the natural environment. 200 questionnaires were sent out to travel agents, out of which 75 were independent travel agents, and 125 were multiple travel agents. Figure 1. Types of Travel Agents Profile of Respondents Figure 2. Respondents Summary 36 percent of independent travel agents responded. 9.6 percent of multiple travel agents responded. Overall response among both types of travel agents was 19.5 percent. 39 questionnaires were returned. 27 (69.23 percent) were independent and 12 (30.77 percent) were multiple travel agents. Figure 3. Type of Respondent 49 percent respondents had 1 branch. 20 percent respondents had 2-4 branches. 18 percent had 5-10 branches, and 13 percent had more than 10 branches. Figure 4. Number of Branches Among the respondents, 16 (41 percent) were owned by a parent company, and 23 (59 percent) were not owned by a parent company. Figure 5. Ownership In a survey to determine the opinions of travel agents on promoting responsible tourist behaviour to their clients, 200 questionnaires were sent to travel agents, out of which 75 were independent travel agents and 125 were were multiple travel agents. 36 percent of independent travel agents and 9.6 percent of multiple travel agents responded to the survey. The overall response among both types of travel agents was 19.5 percent. The majority (69.23 percent) of respondents were independent travel agents. 59 percent travel agents were not owned by a parent company. Among travel agents, 49 percent had a single branch, 20 percent had 2-4 branches, 18 percent had 5-10 branches, and 13 percent had more than 10 branches. Importance of Issues to the Organisation 31 percent respondents felt that contributing to the local economy was very important, 49 percent respondents felt that contributing to the local economy was somewhat important, 8 percent respondents felt that contributing to the local economy was of little importance, 10 percent of respondents felt that contributing to the local economy was of no importance, and 2 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 6. Importance of Contributing to Local Economy 33 percent of the respondents felt that protecting the local environment was very important, 41 percent of the respondents felt that protecting the local environment was somewhat important, 15 percent of the respondents felt that protecting the local environment was of little importance, 8 percent of the respondents felt that protecting the local environment was of no importance, and 3 percent respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 7. Importance of Protecting the Natural Environment 61 percent of the respondents felt that understanding the local culture and customs was very important, 18 percent of the respondents felt that understanding the local culture and customs was somewhat important, 10 percent of the respondents felt that understanding the local culture and customs was of little importance, 8 percent of the respondents felt that understanding the local culture and customs was of no importance, and 3 percent respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 8. Importance of Understanding the Local Culture and Customs The majority of respondents felt that contributing to the local economy, protecting the natural environment, and understanding the local culture and customs were issues that were important to the organisation. 8 percent respondents thought it to be very beneficial to promote responsible behaviour to the organisation, 54 percent respondents thought it to be somewhat beneficial to promote responsible behaviour to the organisation, 33 percent respondents thought it to be of very little benefit to promote responsible behaviour to the organisation, 2 percent respondents thought it to be of no benefit to promote responsible behaviour to the organisation, and 3 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 9. Benefit of Promoting Responsible Behaviour to Organisation The importance of issues to the organisation have been summarised in table 1. Table 1. Importance of Issues to Organisation Responses to Issues Importance of Contributing to the Local Economy Importance of Protecting the Natural Environment Importance of Understanding the Local Culture and Customs Benefit of Promoting Responsible Behaviour to Organisation Very Important/beneficial 12 31% 13 33% 24 61% 3 8% Somewhat Important/beneficial 19 49% 16 41% 7 18% 21 54% Little Importance/benefit 3 8% 6 15% 4 10% 13 33% No Importance/benefit 4 10% 3 8% 3 8% 1 3% No Response 1 2% 1 3% 1 3% 1 2% The majority (over 74 percent) of the respondents felt that issues such as contributing to the local economy, protecting the natural environment, and understanding the local culture and customs were issues that were important to the organisation, and 62 percent of the respondents believed that promoting responsible behaviour would be beneficial to the organisation. A small number (less than 23 percent) of respondents held the view that issues such as contributing to the local economy, protecting the natural environment, and understanding the local culture and customs were issues that were of little or no importance to the organisation, and 36 percent of the respondents believed that promoting responsible behaviour would be of little or no benefit to the organisation. Attitudes towards Different Promotional Methods 36 percent respondents were currently giving personal advice about responsible behaviour, 31 percent respondents would consider giving personal advice about responsible behaviour, 28 percent respondents would not consider giving personal advice about responsible behaviour, and 5 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 10. Personal Advice about Responsible Behaviour 38 percent respondents were currently using reference to responsible behaviour printed in brochures, 44 percent respondents would consider using reference to responsible behaviour printed in brochures, 15 percent respondents would not consider using reference to responsible behaviour printed in brochures, and 3 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 11. Reference to Responsible Behaviour Printed in Brochures 10 percent respondents were placing travel agency flyer in brochures, 49 percent respondents would consider placing travel agency flyer in brochures, 31 percent respondents would not consider placing travel agency flyer in brochures, and 10 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 12. Travel Agency Flyer Placed in Brochures 15 percent respondents were placing travel agency flyer in ticket wallets, 62 percent respondents would consider placing travel agency flyer in ticket wallets, 15 percent respondents would not consider placing travel agency flyer in ticket wallets, and 8 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 13. Travel Agency Flyer Placed in Ticket Wallet 5 percent respondents were placing travel agency flyer at front desk, 57 percent respondents would consider placing travel agency flyer at front desk, 28 percent respondents would not consider placing travel agency flyer at front desk, and 5 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 14. Travel Agency Flyer Placed at Front Desk 8 percent respondents were using sign or notice, 43 percent respondents would consider using sign or notice, 44 percent respondents would not consider using sign or notice, and 5 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 15. Sign/Notice 5 percent respondents were using video or CD ROM information, 39 percent respondents would consider using video or CD ROM information, 51 percent respondents would not consider using video or CD ROM information, and 5 percent of respondents did not respond to the question. Figure 16. Video/CD ROM Information Methods for promoting responsible tourist behaviour have been illustrated in table 2. Table 2. Methods for Promoting Responsible Tourist Behaviour Currently Using Would Consider Would Not Consider No Response Personal Advice About Responsible Behaviour 14 36% 12 31% 11 28% 2 5% Reference to Responsible Behaviour Printed in Brochures 15 38% 17 44% 6 15% 1 3% Travel Agency Flyer Placed in Brochures 4 10% 19 49% 12 31% 4 10% Travel Agency Flyer Placed in Ticket Wallet 6 15% 24 62% 6 15% 3 8% Travel Agency Flyer Placed at Front Desk 2 5% 22 57% 11 28% 4 10% Sign/Notice 3 8% 17 43% 17 44% 2 5% Video/CD ROM Information 2 5% 15 39% 20 51% 2 5% Among the various methods for promoting responsible tourist behaviour, reference to responsible behaviour printed in brochures, and personal advice about responsible behaviour were the methods currently used by the majority of respondents. These methods were used by 38 percent and 36 percent of the respondents respectively. Over 44 percent of travel agents responded that they would consider methods, including travel agency flyer placed in ticket wallet, travel agency flyer placed at front desk, travel agency flyer placed in brochures, and reference to responsible behaviour printed in brochures respectively. The least likely methods for promoting responsible tourist behaviour were the use of video/CD ROM information or sign/notice respectively. Part 3 Interview Analysis Analysis of Workshop Transcript Descriptive Codes Lack of control over climatic conditions casing lack of continuity and/or consistency indicates adversity. Current climatic conditions indicate ordeal. Recurring conditions causing loss of continuity or consistency indicate unrelenting circumstances. Schools not taking responsibility for sites indicate seclusion. Schools not providing support despite the School Sports Coordinators (SSCO’s) programme indicate lacking support. Schools not responding to requests indicate lack of response. Lack of proper reason for not providing support indicate lack of rationale. Descriptive codes have been illustrated in table 1. Table 1. Descriptive Codes Adversity “We provide the delivery of a service, out on site, in poor weather, without a great deal of protection in the winter. In these circumstances you can’t always have continuity and consistency.” Ordeal “We are suffering now because of the winter period many of the sites can’t be used.” Unrelenting Circumstances “Whether you are looking at diversionary or ‘positive’ activity, or whatever you provide, if there is no continuity or consistency then you hit a brick wall every few months or whenever the problems comes up about conditions.” Seclusion “One of the main problems we have is where we link these sites to the schools, the schools will not often take on that responsibility.” Lacking Support “At the moment we have schools that will not let us use their playgrounds or sports halls and if they do they charge us, even though we provide for them through the School Sports Coordinators (SSCO’s) programme.” Lacking Response “As part of leisure, we provide consultancy, support, equipment, discounting facilities at the sports centres and pools, but when we actually ask the schools for something back the response is often poor.” Lacking Rationale “One of our coordinators that runs our Oasis Extreme, which looks at more challenging activities such as climbing, walking canoeing was asked by a school to provide sessions, but that same school would not allow us access to their sports hall, in a very fragile area with regards to young people, high crime, substance abuse. But that school would not let us have access because of the caretaker. It often comes down to the fact that it’s not the nuts and bolts ... it’s the washer.” Coding Chart of Findings A coding chart for findings has been illustrated in table 2. Descriptive codes have been illustrated as the lowest level. Descriptive codes include adversity, ordeal, seclusion, lacking response, lacking support, and lacking rationale. The interpretative code is the intermediate level in the coding chart. The descriptive code indicate impediment. The top level of chart indicates the theme. The theme is de-motivation. Table 2. Coding Chart De-motivation Impediment Adversity Ordeal Seclusion Lacking Response Lacking Support Lacking Rationale A transcript of a semi structured interview with a senior local authority manager of a sport and leisure intervention programs for the youth was analysed. The interview was designed to probe the perception of management across a range of current issues. Introduction of Multi User Games Areas (MUGAS) in the district and negotiation with stakeholders for access to facilities within local communities have been experiencing issues. The transcript was analysed for themes qualitatively. Descriptive codes, such as adversity, ordeal, seclusion, lacking response, lacking support, and lacking rationale were obtained from the transcript. Impediment was the interpretative code for the descriptive codes. De-motivation was found to be the theme of the transcribed interview. References Lewins, A. (2005). What is Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA)?. Available: http://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/Intro_QDA/what_is_qda.php. Last accessed 5 May 2009. Thames Valley University. (2009). Qualitative Data Analysis. Available: http://brent.tvu.ac.uk/dissguide/hm1u4/hm1u4text3.htm. Last accessed 5 May 2009. Read More