Can online surveys substitute traditional modes? An error-based comparison of online and on-site tourism destination surveys

• Autores: Namhyun Kim, Xiaojuan Yu, Zvi Schwartz
• Localización: Tourism review international, ISSN 1544-2721, Vol. 17, Nº. 1, 2013, págs. 31-45
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Given the rising popularity of online research in tourism and hospitality, an imperative question is whether it can substitute or complement the more traditional survey modes. By measuring and controlling for coverage, sampling, nonresponse, and measurement errors, this study explores the validity of the online survey mode, comparing responses to a visitor survey across the following two modes: online and the frequently used tourism research tool of on-site, face-to-face survey. The results reveal a lower response rate to the online survey, and differences between the two tested modes in demographics (gender, travel party size, and age composition), tripographics, and travel behaviors. The findings support the notion that a mixed-mode survey has the potential of increasing response rate, mitigating the nonresponse error, and can be used to target certain segments for bet- ter representation