Qualitative research in leisure, recreation and tourism.

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter includes the broad family of techniques called qualitative research methods. Although the specific techniques may vary, some over-arching themes unite qualitative methods into one larger family. Qualitative research focuses on descriptions based on kind rather than on quantity. It emphasizes the meanings people construct surrounding events in their lives. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding those meanings as they are embedded in context. The perspective is emic rather than etic. As such, text rather than numbers is its primary data source. Finally, its approach is inductive and interpretive rather than deductive. Qualitative methods take extensive training to master and can be very tedious and time-consuming to conduct. However, the effort to conduct such research can be engaging and exciting, as one frequently feels on the edge of discovery. Indeed, qualitative research is a powerful and engaging tool for understanding the local, lived experience of a person's meaning making.