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Primary Research
Secondary Research
Primary research consisted of an initial online survey and a user testing phase that contained questions and activities relating to people’s perspectives on exploring the city of Vancouver. The primary research focused mainly on the perspectives of both local residents and tourists living within the city. Participants for this study were between the ages 19 – 35 of both male and female, of various ethnicities, professions, interests, opinions, and lifestyles.
Along with investigations on the influence of user-generated content in terms of travel decisions, I also examined the influence of the general connotations that locals and tourists have on the city of Vancouver. The initial goal was to understand why residents and outsiders feel that there is a great sense of segregation within the city. My research began with an investigation on a documentary by Melissa James and Kate Kroll titled “No Fun City,” which is a film based on the numerous limitations on local bars, pubs, and music venues in Vancouver. Since its release in 2010, several articles were written by both locals and tourists, sharing their opinions as to why they agree or disagree with the films’ proposition. This lead me to explore both positive and negative insights that locals and tourists have on the city.
Douglas Coupland’s, “City of Glass” is one example of how the author navigates the city and through his exploration he provides categories as to what makes Vancouver so unique. The third section of my research involves analyzing the term “Responsible Tourism.” This term, which is defined by the Capetown Declaration 2002 and the Kerala Declaration 2008, “is an approach, which can be used by travelers and holidaymakers, accommodation and transport providers” that “seeks to maximize positive economic, environmental, and social impacts and to minimize negative ones.” Their objective is to minimize negative impacts of global tourism by promoting economic, environmental, and social responsibility, as well as building bridges between travelers and locals through more meaningful connections that provides a deeper understanding of local culture.