Travel Research & Evidence-Based Practice 5

Question 1

A travel researcher is comparing tourist satisfaction across five countries using surveys translated into different languages. What is the primary methodological concern?

Accepted Answer

Translation equivalence — questions may carry different meanings across languages and cultures

Answer

Survey questions translated across languages may not carry identical meaning or cultural connotations, threatening the comparability of responses across countries.

Question 2

What is 'purposive sampling' and when is it appropriate in travel research?

Accepted Answer

Deliberately selecting participants who have specific characteristics relevant to the research question

Answer

Purposive sampling intentionally selects participants with relevant characteristics (e.g., adventure travelers only), appropriate when studying a specific subgroup rather than the general traveling public.

Question 3

An airline publishes on-time performance data showing 88% of flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. What additional information is needed to evaluate this claim fairly?

Accepted Answer

How 'on time' is defined, which routes are included, and how this compares to industry benchmarks

Answer

Without knowing the definition of 'on time,' which routes are included or excluded, and industry averages, it's impossible to determine whether 88% represents good or poor performance.

Question 4

What distinguishes primary research from secondary research in travel planning?

Accepted Answer

Primary research collects original data firsthand; secondary research analyzes data someone else already collected

Answer

Primary research involves collecting new, original data through surveys, interviews, or observation; secondary research analyzes existing datasets, publications, or reports.

Question 5

A travel blogger's post claims a certain airline 'always loses luggage.' This claim is best characterized as:

Accepted Answer

Anecdotal evidence that cannot be generalized to the airline's overall baggage performance

Answer

A single person's repeated negative experiences represents anecdotal evidence that, while real to that individual, cannot be generalized to conclude how the airline performs for all passengers.

Travel Practice Test

Travel Practice Test

Travel Research & Evidence-Based Practice 5