Advancing visitor research uptake in policy and practice: a structural equation model

ABSTRACT

A great deal of visitor research is being produced, yet sub-optimal use thereof in practice raises concerns. This study is the first to measure actual levels of utilisation of visitor research in tourism and recreation management, using protected areas as context. It investigates seven potential drivers of use including the adaptation of research outputs; organisational context; dissemination efforts by researchers; engagement between practitioners and researchers; linkage mechanisms; skills, capacity and awareness of practitioners, and the timing of the research. A structural equation model was developed and tested using data collected from 252 producers of visitor research. The online survey results empirically confirm other scholars’ beliefs of the underutilisation of research in protected area policies and practices. Engagement between the researcher and practitioner communities and the potential absorptive capacity of protected areas contribute significantly to increased research uptake levels. The importance of both the interaction and organisational interest explanations in knowledge utilisation is confirmed. Managerial implications are discussed along with recommendations for future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Knowledge utilisation
• tourism
• research-practice gap
• visitor research
• absorptive capacity
• structural equation modelling

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all respondents for taking the time to complete the questionnaire. A special thanks to Dr Pohl for her assistance in the statistical analysis. Our gratitude goes out towards the University of Pretoria for the postgraduate funding support provided.

Disclosure statement

This paper forms part of a series of papers from an unpublished PhD thesis. It should be noted that the lead author is employed by a protected area agency which could have influenced the research design, and the analysis and interpretation of the results. It could also have influenced the way individuals responded to the survey. The positivist approach taken ensured that research was, as far as possible, conducted in a value-free way. This implies that the data was captured objectively and not influenced by the researcher’s interests. The study examined existing literature and theory to inform the selection of influencers investigated.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Pretoria.

Notes on contributors

Liandi Slabbert

Liandi Slabbert oversees tourism research at the South African National Parks. She alternates between the worlds of management and academic research in support of strategic, tactical and operational decision-making. Her research interests include protected areas tourism, visitor research, visitor management, human-nature interactions, strategic market development and knowledge utilisation.

Elizabeth Ann Du Preez

Elizabeth Ann Du Preez is a Senior Lecturer in the Department Marketing Management, University of Pretoria. Her research focuses on destination marketing and management, as well as consumer behaviour in varied destination contexts. Apart from academic research published in accredited journals she has also undertaken a number of industry-based research projects.