Using Panels for Travel and Tourism Research Chapter 40 Research Methodologies

Introduction The method of using panels for research offers enormous potential for improved understanding of travel market trends and tourism promotion analysis. The method of using panels for research offers enormous potential for improved understanding of travel market trends and tourism promotion analysis. Panels of consumers and of producers of travel are discussed from four specific research objectives: trend monitoring, test marketing, impact assessment, and future assessment Panels of consumers and of producers of travel are discussed from four specific research objectives: trend monitoring, test marketing, impact assessment, and future assessment

Panels for Trend Marketing Panels are commonly used for sensitive monitoring and in-depth studies of factors such as attitudes, interests, etc Panels are commonly used for sensitive monitoring and in-depth studies of factors such as attitudes, interests, etc Panels are superior for providing in-depth answers to questions of why market shifts and trends are taking place Panels are superior for providing in-depth answers to questions of why market shifts and trends are taking place Panels of tourist businesses are more common than panels of changes in business volume and profitability. Panels of tourist businesses are more common than panels of changes in business volume and profitability.

Panels for Test Marketing While most panels exist with full knowledge of panel members, it is also possible that most people have served on informal test marketing panels without knowing it. Example: mailing lists, etc While most panels exist with full knowledge of panel members, it is also possible that most people have served on informal test marketing panels without knowing it. Example: mailing lists, etc Both formal and informal panels of travelers and tourist are unlimited- every registration, reservation, travel tickets, etc., can contribute to a master list for sampling and promotional targeting Both formal and informal panels of travelers and tourist are unlimited- every registration, reservation, travel tickets, etc., can contribute to a master list for sampling and promotional targeting

Panels for Test Marketing cont… While there has been an emphasis on long-term trend monitoring, the value of panels for short term studies should not be overlooked: entry and exit surveys at recreation areas or cruise ships While there has been an emphasis on long-term trend monitoring, the value of panels for short term studies should not be overlooked: entry and exit surveys at recreation areas or cruise ships Because of their stand-by capability, panels are valuable for assessing the social impacts of unforeseen events Because of their stand-by capability, panels are valuable for assessing the social impacts of unforeseen events

Panels for Future Assessment The Delphi Technique is one approach used to develop probable future scenarios The Delphi Technique is one approach used to develop probable future scenarios Two major national surveys have used panels to estimate future consumer impacts on the economy: The Consumer Buying Expectations Survey and the Index of Consumer Sentiment Two major national surveys have used panels to estimate future consumer impacts on the economy: The Consumer Buying Expectations Survey and the Index of Consumer Sentiment Future insights can also be generated through imaginative use of producer panels Future insights can also be generated through imaginative use of producer panels

Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages: Advantages: –Panels are often credited with being more economical than resurveys because sampling is only done once, and secondary contacts are often by mail –Panels can tell a lot about the non-respondent, as members drop out, they leave behind a useful file of their characteristics and pre-dropout purchasing/participation patterns –They are ideally suited to minimizing the error in social surveys that result from faulty memory recall

Advantages and Disadvantages cont… Disadvantages: Disadvantages: –Concern that the panel may lose its representivity as it becomes sensitized to the objects of the survey –Because panels are considered sensitive social- measurement instruments, undetected errors can have serious consequences –Long-term panels require considerable maintenance effort on the part of the researcher and are subject to a variety of sources of error: non-response, panel conditioning, initial selection bias, and under reporting

Design and Maintenance of Panels Panels are a powerful technique for understanding the process of social change and should be designed to take maximum advantage of that power Panels are a powerful technique for understanding the process of social change and should be designed to take maximum advantage of that power In designing panel studies it is essential to consider: In designing panel studies it is essential to consider: –The kinds of changes that may be taking place –The measurement units of change that are appropriate to describe that change

Design and Maintenance cont… –The factors that can affect change –The period of time in which it is realistic to expect the change to occur –The natural variation that exists within the population Ignoring any one of the four Ms of panel design- methods, measures, meaning, and maintenance will compromise the panels utility Ignoring any one of the four Ms of panel design- methods, measures, meaning, and maintenance will compromise the panels utility

Conclusions Panels are an extremely potent means for understanding social change, for test marketing new services and products, for assessing the impact of unforeseen events, and for short-term forecasting Panels are an extremely potent means for understanding social change, for test marketing new services and products, for assessing the impact of unforeseen events, and for short-term forecasting Panels are very appropriate to the problems of travel, tourism, and leisure research Panels are very appropriate to the problems of travel, tourism, and leisure research