Improving Travel Research

<body><table dir="ltr" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td valign="top"> <div align="center"><center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="8" width="98%"> <tr> <td align="right" valign="top" width="20%"> </td> <td width="15"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="80%"><font size="5" face="Arial">Improving Travel Research</font><p><font size="5" face="Arial">By: David J. Wardell</font></p> <hr> <p align="center"><script language="JavaScript"></script><script language="JavaScript"></script><a href="online_entertainment.htm" language="JavaScript" onmouseover="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav1'].src=MSFPnav1h.src" onmouseout="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav1'].src=MSFPnav1n.src"><img src="_derived/back_cmp_watermar010_back.gif" width="100" height="20" border="0" alt="Back" align="middle" name="MSFPnav1"></a> <script language="JavaScript"></script><a href="./" language="JavaScript" onmouseover="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav2'].src=MSFPnav2h.src" onmouseout="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav2'].src=MSFPnav2n.src"><img src="_derived/home_cmp_watermar010_home.gif" width="100" height="20" border="0" alt="Home" align="middle" name="MSFPnav2"></a> <script language="JavaScript"></script><a href="publicat.htm" language="JavaScript" onmouseover="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav3'].src=MSFPnav3h.src" onmouseout="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav3'].src=MSFPnav3n.src" target="_top"><img src="_derived/up_cmp_watermar010_up.gif" width="100" height="20" border="0" alt="Up" align="middle" name="MSFPnav3"></a> <script language="JavaScript"></script><a href="where_are_the_trade_groups.htm" language="JavaScript" onmouseover="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav4'].src=MSFPnav4h.src" onmouseout="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav4'].src=MSFPnav4n.src"><img src="_derived/next_cmp_watermar010_next.gif" width="100" height="20" border="0" alt="Next" align="middle" name="MSFPnav4"></a></p> <p align="left"><font face="Arial" size="3">© 1999 By: David J. Wardell.  Reproduction or redistribution in any form without written permission is strictly prohibited.<br> </font></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="20%"><a href="#Broaden the Base"><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong>BROADEN THE BASE</strong></font></a><font size="3" face="Arial"><br> </font><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong><br> <a href="#Seek Wide Input">SEEK WIDE INPUT</a></strong></font><font size="4" face="Arial"><br> </font><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong><br> <a href="#Focus On Quality">FOCUS ON QUALITY</a></strong></font><font size="3" face="Arial"><br> </font><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong><br> <a href="#Analyze">ANALYZE</a></strong></font><p><a href="#Validate"><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong>VALIDATE</strong></font></a></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial"><strong><a href="#"Guru" Mentality">FORGET "GURU MENTALITY"</a><br> </strong></font></td> <td width="15"></td> <td valign="top" width="80%">At the start of 1999 the latest round of what passes for industry research has made its way into view over the last few months. Although notoriously over-surveyed, the travel industry remains awash in bad data, ill-conceived and poorly executed research projects, and self-serving studies that are relevant more to the next round of funding or the next newsletter sale than to developing a real understanding of markets and trends.<p>Eventually the industry may get better at labeling useless research for what it is, but for now the very few good studies routinely drown amidst the hyperbolae of research that cant connect with real insightor those that connect all too well because the result was fairly evident before the process began.</p> <p>Nowhere is the problem more acute than in online travel sales. High-priced research typically reinforces conventional wisdom and assumptions while key customer and behavior questions remain unresolved.</p> <p>Ive wondered aloud previously why the major trade groups show such slight interest in these issues. If the "Interactive Age" has such monumental consequences (encouraging commission cuts being just one), what precisely could be more important to their members?</p> <p>Here are a few suggestions for modeling a new research project. Hopefully it will help you to appreciate the limitations of todays travel research and be positioned to improve it in the future. Im especially interested in your comments and observations on this topic.</p> <ul> <li><a name="Broaden the Base">Broaden the Base</a></li> </ul> <p>Successful studies need wide participation and sponsorship. Those funded and controlled by a single company or clique are not necessarily bad, but this adds complexities and concerns that are avoidable through planning and execution that strives to include more viewpoints. Addressing the needs of a broad constituency increases both value and integrity.</p> <ul> <li><a name="Seek Wide Input">Seek Wide Input</a></li> </ul> <p>Limiting control over a study to its sponsors or other "insiders" cannot but color the result as self-serving. Enlightened researchers learned along ago that the "best and brightest" often dont work for them and they seek such talent out wherever they can find it.</p> <ul> <li>Dump Hyperbolae; <a name="Focus On Quality">Focus On Quality</a></li> </ul> <p>The industry doesnt need another round or praise describing how great the opportunity of the day may be. Whats needed is thorough research and careful answers to key questions that relate to real business concerns and allow the reader to reliably take action. This simple definition disqualifies most of the fluff-laden e-commerce studies of the past few years. There are people who know how to do real researchits a mystery when their input is so clearly lacking in the major reports of today.</p> <ul> <li><a name="Analyze">Analyze</a></li> </ul> <p>As there are competent researchers there are also competent interpreters who can make connections between abstract numbers and real business situations. Their work ought to by key to any research project. A study lacking informed, usable conclusions should be first into the worthless bucket.</p> <ul> <li><a name="Validate">Validate</a></li> </ul> <p>Theres a saying that teaches thus: "premises that are absurd when projected into the future were absurd to begin with." Researchers and readers alike need to apply logical tests in order to understand the validity of a studys conclusions.</p> <p>For instance, most predictions about the fantastic growth of online travel purchases assume a level of personal computer use and literacy throughout society that is simply absurd within the time-frames the studies consider.</p> <p>Clearly studies are failures when they cannot withstand the test of reasonableness.</p> <ul> <li>Forget <a name=""Guru" Mentality">"Guru" Mentality</a></li> </ul> <p>Research is ongoing and the "final word" on most travel topics will likely never be written. Successful research projects are willingly subject to critical review and are revised in light of new viewpoint and data. A premise holding that the oracle has now spoken and nothing further may be added only highlights the underling weakness of the research in question.</td> </tr> </table> </center></div>  </td></tr></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td> <p align="center"> </p> <div align="center"> <table border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="center"><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica"> <a target="_top" href="search.htm">Search</a> | <a target="_top" href="info/_weklqwl_40420-lftfvpZ.htm">Contact Us</a> | <a target="_top" href="partners.htm">Partners</a> | <a target="_top" href="travel_pr.htm">Travel PR</a> | <a target="_top" href="bookstore/bookstore.htm">Bookstore</a> | <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wardell.org/hosting/index.html">Hosting</a> | <a target="_top" href="http://www.dw-jotd.com">Joke of the Day</a></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="center"><font size="1" face="Arial"> <a target="_top" href="consulting.htm">Consulting Services</a> | <a target="_top" href="government.htm">Government</a> | <a target="_top" href="biography.htm">Biography</a> | | <a target="_top" href="positivespace/ps.htm">PositiveSpace</a> | <a target="_top" href="subscriptions.htm">Subscriptions</a> | <a target="_top" href="technotes/technotes.htm">TechNotes</a> | <a target="_top" href="presentations.htm">Presentations</a> | <a target="_top" href="publicat.htm">Library</a> | <a target="_top" href="http://www.wardell.org/conference/index.html">Seminars</a></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center"> <applet code="fphover.class" width="150" height="10"> <param name="hovercolor" value="#FF6633"> <param name="target" value="_blank"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"> <param name="font" value="Helvetica"> <param name="fontstyle" value="regular"> <param name="effect" value="glow"> <param name="fontsize" value="9"> <param name="text" value="| Interactive Business Card |"> <param name="textcolor" value="#3333CC"> <param name="url" valuetype="ref" value="http://www.e-business-card.net/tech/index.html"> </applet> </td> </tr> </table></div> <p align="center"> </p> <div align="center"> <table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" style="border-style:groove; border-collapse: collapse; padding-left:4; padding-right:4; padding-top:1; padding-bottom:1" id="AutoNumber1"> <tr> <td align="center" rowspan="5"> <p align="center"><img border="0" src="images/ribbon.gif" width="61" height="100"></td> <td align="center"><em><font face="Arial" size="1" color="#3333CC">Copyright © 1974 - 2008 by David J. Wardell.  All Rights Reserved</font></em></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><em><font face="Arial" size="1" color="#3333CC">Revised: Monday, May 19, 2008 11:17:30 AM </font> </em></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <applet code="fphover.class" width="200" height="10"> <param name="hovercolor" value="#FF6633"> <param name="effect" value="glow"> <param name="font" value="Helvetica"> <param name="fontstyle" value="regular"> <param name="fontsize" value="10"> <param name="text" value="| Terms and Conditions of Use |"> <param name="target" value="_blank"> <param name="url" valuetype="ref" value="info/terms_and_conditions_of_use.htm"> <param name="textcolor" value="#3333CC"> </applet></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <applet code="fphover.class" width="100" height="10"> <param name="hovercolor" value="#FF6633"> <param name="effect" value="glow"> <param name="font" value="Helvetica"> <param name="fontstyle" value="regular"> <param name="fontsize" value="10"> <param name="target" value="_blank"> <param name="url" valuetype="ref" value="info/privacy_notice.htm"> <param name="text" value="| Privacy Notice |"> <param name="textcolor" value="#3333CC"> </applet></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <applet code="fphover.class" width="100" height="10"> <param name="hovercolor" value="#FF6633"> <param name="effect" value="glow"> <param name="font" value="Helvetica"> <param name="fontstyle" value="regular"> <param name="fontsize" value="10"> <param name="target" value="_blank"> <param name="text" value="| Contact Us |"> <param name="url" valuetype="ref" value="info/_weklqwl_40420-lftfvpZ.htm"> <param name="textcolor" value="#3333CC"> </applet></td> </tr> </table></div> <p align="center"> </p> </td></tr></table></body>