2022 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
On being community members: exploring psychological mechanisms of community identity construction through Community-Based Tourism
| Project/Area Number |
21K17983
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| Research Institution | Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University |
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Principal Investigator |
YOUN SeungHo 立命館アジア太平洋大学, サステイナビリティ観光学部, 准教授 (80804757)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2025-03-31
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| Keywords | community-based tourism / Identity motivations / Identity construction / Identity resilience |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In 2022, the researcher conducted Grant-in-Aid research in South Korea and the UK. While at the University of Surrey, the researcher worked with colleagues in the School of Psychology and Tourism and Hospitality. He successfully established a scientific collaboration with renowned professors. The details are as follows.
1) Hearing from experts and academics / Field study and Data collection: The researcher carried out field studies in both South Korea and the UK. The researcher visited communities where community-based tourism has been actively employed. These sites include rural communities, community tourism education centres, fishing villages, historical attractions, local markets, community centres and associations, the local volunteer group, and local museums. The researcher interviewed community leaders, tourism researchers, local tourism consultants, academics in sustainability and well-being studies, and local government tourism advisers.
2) Research: The researcher was able to catch up on the literature on community identity in environmental psychology and social psychology. The identity resilience perspective and relevant measurement indexes have been explored in the literature.
3) Presentation: The researcher presented at the EPRG Seminar at the University of Surrey, UK. The topic presented was ‘Exploring psychological mechanisms of community identity construction through Community-Based Tourism’ based on the Grand in Aid research. The researcher had the opportunity to engage with many faculties and students.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
By the second quarter of 2022, the pandemic triggered severe disruption of research activities including field study, data collection, and field activities. However, since the pandemic has been downward since the third quarter, the researcher was able to elaborate theoretical framework and research methods by conducting field studies in both South Korea and the UK. By collaborating with international researchers and practitioners, the researcher could catch up on the issues of community-based tourism in academia and practice and elaborate research methods (e.g. measurement scale and items). The literature on community identity in environmental psychology and social psychology was also updated in the research. The researcher disseminated the current research to the scientific community in the UK.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Based on the research in 2022, quantitative research (i.e. questionnaire) and qualitative research (i.e. in-depth interviews) with community members will be conducted to explore their identity creation through engagement with local community-based tourism initiatives. The data collection by questionnaire will be carried out in May and June in the Japanese and South Korean context. The researcher also plans to interview community leaders about the current implementation of community-leading tourism initiatives and whether the implementation has been effective. Since one international conference proceeding has been accepted, this research’s timeline would involve an international conference presentation in the UK in July 2023 (Surrey 2023 Conference: Bringing Hospitality, Tourism, Transportation and Events Back for Good, 5-7 July).
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| Causes of Carryover |
Due to the pandemic, the research fund for the previous years (i.e. AY2021, 2022) has not been fully executed as planned. In 2023, the researcher plans to execute the funds to conduct data collection in the Japanese and South Korean contexts. The fund helps the researcher: 1) to travel to the research sites where preliminary data would be collected, 2) to prepare and conduct the data collection (e.g. printing materials, hiring part-time researchers, and compensation for the research participation), and 3) to update secondary data for data analysis. Moreover, the research fund will be used for preparing and disseminating research findings to the scientific community by publishing academic journals and presenting the research findings at conferences, symposiums, workshops and other professional meetings.
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Research Products
(1 results)
