Types of Experiences that Tourists Like to Encounter while Visiting Attraction Sites - Research Proposal Example

Types of Experiences that Tourists like to Encounter while Visiting Attraction Sites Name Student Number Southern Cross University MNG00415 Dr. Dianne Dredge Date of Submission Declaration I have read and understood the Rules that relates to the Awards (Rule 3.17) as per the University Handbook. I fully comprehend the penalties that accompany plagiarism offence and agree to be bound by these rules. The work I am submitting electronically is solely my own, and has not been presented before to any institution for examination purposes. Signature: …………….………………. Date: …………………….………………. Outline Declaration ii Outline ii Introduction iv Background Information iv Significance of the Study v Scope vi Problem Statement and Research Objectives vi Literature Review viii Tourist Attraction Sites and Visitors Experiences viii Factors Promoting Attraction Sites ix Improvement of Attraction Sites and Destinations ix Research Design and Data Collection Methods xii Conclusion xiii Reference List xiv Appendix xvi Introduction Background Information This research study seeks to evaluate the types of experiences visitors generally like to experience when they visit a given attraction site. It is a fact that tourists are motivated to visit a given place based on the experiences they will encounter subsequently the level of satisfaction to be realised (Chen and Chen 2010). Thus, the attraction sites which are considered highly and are conceived to be the very interesting ones receive more visitors at any given time. In the light to this fact, any given tourist attraction sites ought to meet given standards to ensure that the level of experiences are high and thus, more traffic to the site (Morrison 2010). Consequently, it is evident that better and enticing experiences makes tourists to keep coming to the same attraction site whenever they tour the given area and subsequently give referrals to their friends and relatives to try visiting the site. The Australian tourism sector is working strategically to achieve greater potential, as well as improve growth and competitiveness within the tourism sector by 2020 through focusing on six strategic areas (Tourism Australia 2013). To greatly enhance the realisation of the strategic measures, understanding the attraction sites experiences and how tourists are satisfied will go a long way in ensuring that tourists numbers increases tremendously. Having concrete understanding of the types of experiences that visitors like to encounter will raise the statistics of tourism from international destinations and create a competitive bar in region and beyond (Oppewal, Huybers and Crouch, 2010). Significance of the Study Improvement of attraction sites is an investments process that involves planning strategic measures which promotes a site in respect to the experiences encountered by a given individual. On the same note the tourist marketers ensure that their sites meet the demand of visitors to ensure higher numbers of traffic to the sites (Wilde and Cox 2008). In context, marketing will be backed by a site meeting the strategic interests of a given individual. The dream destination of any given tourist is motivated by the types of experiences they will encounter. This is also supported by any research done either online, stories and referrals by relatives and friends on sites with great experiences. Cheal and Griffin (2013) indicate that the type of experiences realised ensure that a person relays positive or negative information pertaining to the attraction site. In context, this means that owners and managers of a given sites should create a site management plan which ensures that certain merits are met, and hence the site competes with others, not only at a national, but also at the international level. This study will ensure that strategic measures are put in place to promote sustainable tourism through enhancing tourist attraction experiences. Due to the fact that visitors satisfaction arise from the experiences they encounter, ensuring attraction sites meets customers demand and expectations will go a long way into ensuring continuous visiting and hence sustainable tourism is promoted. Through evaluating opinions from guides, sites management, this research study will try to come up with findings that will enhance the management and marketing of tourism attraction sites in Australia at international level, thus enhancing competitiveness. Scope The scope spans individuals and sites that contribute towards expounding on the types of experiences that tourist like mostly during their expeditions. Geographical The research study is based on the geographical locations pertaining to attraction sites of visitors within Australia. In specific, various tourists’ attraction sites exist in Australia promoting the tourism sector and consequently enhancing the experiences by visitors. Major tourist attractions sites which give a great impression include the Great Ocean Road, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Great Barrier Reef among others (Karen 2014). Temporal and Demographic: The temporal scope of this research involves the tourists themselves and sets to establish their opinions pertaining to what types of experiences attracts them to a higher degree and the factors promoting the same. The demographic scope will span the tourists’ guides, site managers and employees that interact with visitors within the sites. Utilising a random sampling strategy, the scope will cover individuals that interact with tourists visiting the attraction sites and thereby come up with findings to enlighten on the types of experiences visitors yearn for while making their visits. Problem Statement and Research Objectives Australia remains a land of dreams for many tourists due to its scenic attraction sites. Nevertheless, increased competitiveness in the tourism industry prompts the improvement of packages being marketed by the industry. This study looks into the aspect of tourist attraction sites, and the experiences that mostly entice visitors, thus ensuring that there are strategies to raise the standard of Australian tourist attraction sites to compete at the international level. The research objectives to this study are: 1. To establish the specific experiences that tourists like to encounter during any given visit. 2. To evaluate factors necessary for improving attraction sites to bring out lasting experiences upon visitors. 3. To come up with ways of improving attraction sites to enhance visitors’ experiences. The research questions of this study are: 1. What are the specific experiences that visitors like to encounter during a visit? 2. What factors are necessary for improving attraction sites to bring out lasting experiences to visitors? 3. What ways can be utilised to improve attraction sites to enhance visitors’ experiences? Literature Review Tourist Attraction Sites and Visitors Experiences Destination NSW (2014) indicates the extensive contribution of tourism in the development of business resources associated with the sector. The contribution is collective and continuously being updated, and raised to a new level in relation to the tourism and events industry squarely determined by the nature and type of attraction sites that bring up experiences among visitors. The tourism industry creates significant wealth in Australia with states like Victoria documenting tourism as contributing 5.2% of Gross state product in its economy (Culture and Heritage Tourism n.d.). The specific experiences among visitors in a given attraction site involves learning new things like culture, eating new dishes and drinking new beverages, achieving body and mind relaxation, viewing scenic topography and vegetation, visiting historic sites among others. Management of tourist attraction sites involves ensuring that they meet the standards of visitors to ensure that last impressions are made. This in turn promotes satisfaction and makes the sites more appealing and attractive to more clients (Alonso and Liu 2010). Tourism Research Australia (TRA) has identified that above 60% of visitors coming into Australia from foreign countries look out for cultural attraction sites like museums, art galleries and theatres coupled with places that are considered of high heritage value (Tourism Australia 2013). The uniqueness in a given sites triggers specific experiences among visitors which is the key concept of analysis in this research study. Factors Promoting Attraction Sites Factors that enhance improvement of attraction sites involve availability of research to establish strategic ways of improvement, resource availability, technical and human capital presence, as well as policy formulation and regulation where necessary (Chen and Chen 2010). The promotion of attraction sites not only involves improving the standards, but also ensuring that the needs of visitors are inculcated in the strategic steps towards promoting experiences within tourists attracting sites in Australia (Tourism Australia 2013) Tourists’ attraction sites have the potential of creating lasting experiences based on the impressions they make upon the visitors. It is evident from research studies that attraction sites are core pillars of tourism innovation and sustainability (Getz 2008: Buhalis 2000). In order to improve on the protection and conservation of the heritage coupled with safeguarding the qualities of the given site, it calls for clear understanding of the specifics that keep the given site to have lasting or touching experiences among visitors. In this regard, the aspect of improving and promoting a tourist attraction site is pegged upon the fact that there is the need to understand the given traits and features that makes the site memorable. Improvement of Attraction Sites and Destinations There are various studies looking into destinations and strategic measures pertaining to improvement of tourist number. However, there lacks substantive studies with factors promoting types of tourists experiences after visiting given sites thereby prompting policy evaluation and effectiveness of strategic measures to promote the aspects with the tourism industry. According to Hall and Rusher (2004, p. 229), there are relatively little research analysis pertaining to the political context of events and means by which they can be developed and hosted within the community context. Some attractions sites are found with the precincts of the rural communities and thus, to safeguard their heritage, it is imperative to inculcate the contribution of the local people as well as individuals manning the attraction sites to ensure that full awareness of the factors maintaining and raising visitors’ experiences and the hype maintained subsequently promoted to more appealing prospects (Cheal and Griffin 2013). The improvement of attraction sites involves well researched strategic measures to raise the level of standard and render effective services to visitors creating a lasting impression. In context, the aspect of having greater supply of effective attraction sites with high profiled experiences, development of sites and facilitation of human capital involved in the management of the sites promotes sites to meet the goals that will not only attract visitors, but also act as catalysts to attract more tourists even during off-peak seasons (Chen and Chen 2010). This is a critical aspect in the development and promotion of a positive site which eventually creates a destination for touring, promoting other human and natural phenomena. This in turn fosters a better place for visiting, living, investing and eventually animating given specific attraction sites with unique attributes. The authorities also have a substantive role to play in the overall management and maintenance of public utilities considered as attraction sites. This involves through policies by local authority towards safeguarding attractions sites and events that promotes tourisms. Whitford (2004) indicates that Australia stands out as one of the few to address local authority policy in respect to events and tourist attraction sites. Nevertheless, there is the need for more collaborative measures to promote proactive site attraction features and enhance experiences by visitors, while at the same time recognising the specific features that maintain the types of experiences acquired. Whitford (2004) further opines that improvement of destination sites is a legitimate economic development measure; thus, working positive in the overall promotion of the national economic policy. Sites attractions are spatial-temporal phenomenon having uniquely designed settings among features that come out exceptionally to distinguish a given site from its surrounding (Getz 2008). On a clearer perspective, the appeal of site attraction and subsequent experiences are interconnected happenings that solely depend upon the physical, aesthetic and human interaction factors evolving around the site (Hankinson 2004). Maintenance of any given site comes first, be it by policy formulation, regulation or restriction. Visitors’ experiences arise from the need to explore, and arouse special interests for more analysis and exposure (Cheal and Griffin 2013). An intriguing and thrilling site has the potential of selling itself out through referrals since visitors who experience the site spread the magnificent and memorable experiences to other through the word of mouth, as well as sharing through the current social media platforms which have enhanced interactions among humans. Wilde and Cox (2008) opine that tthrough research and analysis, understanding the experiences that make visitors enjoy visiting given sites would enhance increasing demand through improvement of the site. In regard to this, the demand side approach would result into assessment procedures initiated by site managers and marketers to come up with strategic measures to improve, as well as promote tourist attraction sites within Australia. This is achieved by developing positive destination images as well as complimenting the same by having sites meeting the standards sets or even surpassing the expectations of many visitors to have a starling experience. Thus, place marketing in general and co-branding of destinations is directly connected to attraction sites and experiences that attached to the same (Buhalis 2000). Research Design and Data Collection Methods The research study will utilise an explorative design to evaluate the types of experiences which visitors like to encounter from attraction sites. This will provide a guide towards establishing the logical link of the data to be collected and the research problem. According to Dawson (2002), utilising this research design will ensure high credibility through utilisation of the concept of triangulation that is, approaching the research problem from different angles simultaneously. By utilising both primary and secondary sources, the researcher will outsource qualitative and quantitative data which will come up with findings crucial in the hospitality industry and subsequently enhance tourist traffics in the Australian attraction sites. In order to achieve this, data will be availed from diverse independent sources and then cross-checked to ensure accuracy. Primary data will be collected through the use of a survey tool which will be administered to various individuals working in the attractions sites and have direct contacts with visitors. Further, secondary data will be availed from already existing academic materials, touching on the research objectives. The two sources of data will complement each other to achieve concrete and accurate data to meet the study objectives. The reliability of this research is perceived as the consistency in measurements. In order to establish reliability of visitors experiences evaluation in the survey instrument, the reliability coefficient: Cronbach alpha (α) will be verified through SPSS 22.0. In respect to the validity, which gives the extent of the research instrument, measures the construct being analysed; extensive literature will be reviewed to enhance validity. This generally refers to the validity of the content material and basically, it is the subjective agreement utilised by professionals to establish logical scale in the findings and eventually reflects the accuracy of the purported data obtained (Creswell, 2012). Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that there exists various experiences among visitors of attractions sites and; thus, establishing the exact types of experiences tourists like to encounter would contribute in the overall improvement of the sites to meet customer requirements. This is strategic measure that would help raise the standard and level of engagements among site managers and tour guides and thus, improve customer satisfaction. Reference List Alonso, A. and Liu, Y., 2010. Wine Tourism Development in Emerging Western Australian Regions. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 245-262. Buhalis, D., 2000. Marketing the Competitive Destination of the Future. Tourism Management, Vol. 21, pp. 97-116. Cheal, F. and Griffin, T., 2013. Pilgrims and Patriots: Australian Tourist Experiences at Gallipoli. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 227-241. Chen, C. and Chen, F., 2010. Experience Quality, Perceived Value, Satisfaction and Behavioural Intentions for Heritage Tourists. Tourism Management, 31(1): 29-35. Creswell, J., 2012. Educational Research: Planning Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative research. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Culture and Heritage Tourism, n.d. Understanding the Issues and Success Factors. Queensland: Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd. Dawson, C., 2002. Practical Research Methods. New Delhi: UBS. Destination NSW, 2014. Welcome to Destination NSW, Accessed on December 4, 2014 from . Getz, D., 2008. Event Tourism: Definition, Evolution, and Research. Tourism Management, Vol. 29, pp. 403-428. Hall, M. and rusher, K., 2004. Politics, Public Policy and the Destination. In I. Yeoman, et al. (Eds.). Festivals and Events Management: pp. 217-231. Oxford: Elsevier. Hankinson, G., 2004. The Brand Images of Tourism Destinations: A Study of the Saliency of Organic Images. Journal of Product and brand Management, Vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 6-14. Karen, H., 2014. 12 Top-Rated tourist Attractions in Australia. Accessed December 5, 2014 from . Morrison, A., 2010. Hospitality and Travel Marketing, 4th ed. Clifton Park, New York: Delmar Cengage. Oppewal, H., Huybers, T. and Crouch, G. I., 2010. How Do Australians Choose Holiday Destinations and Experiences? Modelling Consumer Choice. Queensland: Sustainable Tourism Pty Ltd. Tourism Australia, 2013. Tourism 2020: What is Tourism 2020? Accessed December 5, 2014 from . Whitford, M., 2004. Regional development through Domestic and Tourist Event Policies: Gold Cost and Brsibane, 1974-2003. UNVL Journal of Hospitality, tourism and Leisure Science, Vol. 1, pp. 1-24. Wilde, S. and Cox, C., 2008. Linking Destination Competitiveness and Destination Development: Findings from a Mature Australian Tourism Destination. Proceedings of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) European Chapter Conference Competition in Tourism: Business and Destination Perspectives, Helsinki, Finland: TTRA: pp. 467-478. Appendix Turn-it-In Originality Report In line with the academic requirements of zero plagiarism, I made sure that standard Harvard referencing style was utilised effectively to ensure originality. In respect to borrowed quotations, page numbers were included to highlight on the source of the direct information from the relevant source to ensure proper acknowledgement of borrowed texts. The use of my own words to convey certain concepts was applied in order to ensure that standard research proposal was achieved. Finally, a reference list has been included to acknowledge and highlight the source of information utilised in coming up with the research proposal. Read More