The research process of this thesis

The research process involved in this thesis comprised two phases (Figure 3.2 below).

The first phase was qualitative in nature and served to develop a list of image attributes for British and Swedish tourism markets in Jordan. At this stage, the researcher employed the literature review and pilot testing of the questionnaire on small groups of British and Swedish respondents (60 each) to find out the possible attributes (attribute-based component of image) used by British and Swedish tourists.

More clearly, the researcher referred to past research on destination image attributes; a content analysis of some British and Swedish tour operators projected images about Jordan and the utilisation of open-ended questions of the pilot surveys. The final list was composed of different images that might be relevant to Jordan from the literature, British and Swedish tour operators‟ images about Jordan and the free elicitation of the three holistic images of Jordan during the pilot testing. More discussion about this is explained in section 3.6.1 below. Pilot surveys are used to test the questionnaire‟s wording, sequence and layout; to let the researcher be familiar with respondents; to test fieldwork arrangements; to estimate response rate; to estimate questionnaire-filling time; and to test analysis procedure (Veal 2006, p.276). Content analysis was used on brochures from some British and Swedish tour operators and travel agents to find the most commonly projected attributes of Jordan's image by those intermediaries. The second phase was qualitative and quantitative consisting of open-ended and scale questions, respectively (i.e. the questionnaire). In the design stage, specific attention was paid to the focus, phraseology and sequencing of the questions posed. The problems of misunderstanding and misinterpretation was minimised through expert pilot testing, and consulting a native Swedish speaker regarding the translation of the questionnaire for Swedish respondents.

Figure 3.2: Methodology for Jordan‟s tourism destination-image research (adapted from Jenkins 1999)

3.6.1 Development and selection of attribute list

Firstly, a review of the relevant destination image literature was conducted to develop a master list of attributes that theoretically measure destination image. Figure 3.3 below documents the final list of structured attributes relevant to British and Swedish tourists about Jordan as a tourist destination.

1. Qualitative Research

Literature review, content analysis and open-ended questions in the pilot surveys.

To find out the attributes used by British and Swedish tourists as well s the content of some brochures from some British and Swedish tour operators and travel agents who sell to Jordan.

To measure Jordan’s tourism destination image according to these attributes, and in particular, the

importance of religion as an image component.

2. Qualitative & Quantitative Research Organic/experiential surveys including open-ended questions and two rating scales (evaluative preference and attribute preference)

Relevant Attributes Generated

Functional (physical, measurable)

Figure 3.3: Final list of attributes developed for British and Swedish tourists (Primary research)

All studies conceptualise destination image as compromising such features as attractions, climate culture, host populations, recreation and scenery. Secondly, a preliminary phase of qualitative research was undertaken to determine the constructs or attributes most appropriate to the population being studied (Jenkins 1999).

Unstructured techniques; namely, open-ended questions (through pilot testing) and content analysis of tourist brochures, were used to derive the image attributes of Jordan, which are applicable to both British and Swedish travellers. During the pilot testing stage of the questionnaire, the researcher distributed 60 questionnaires in Bournemouth and the same number in Borlänge. There were 26 questionnaires returned in Bournemouth, representing a 43.3% response rate, and 23 in Borlänge, representing a 38.3% response rate. The purpose of the structured (pilot test) questionnaire, which incorporated the three open-ended questions from Echtner and Ritchie‟s study (1991, 1993, 2003), was to generate the holistic constructs (images) pertinent to both British and Swedish potential tourists. These would then be used as a basis to develop the final list of attributes of Jordan‟s image in the final version of the questionnaire.

To measure the functional holistic component of Jordan‟s tourism image, respondents were asked to write the first word or statement that come to their minds when thinking of Jordan as a holiday destination (in the pilot surveys and in the final questionnaire).

Answers were coded and grouped to similar categories, where 10 categories were identified: Jordanian people; weather; scenery; religion; history; safety; Petra; Dead Sea; Baptism Site; and King of Jordan. The second question was about the atmosphere and mood (i.e. psychological holistic component of image) that the tourist would feel or expect when visiting Jordan. Eight categories were identified; namely, relaxing, stressful, peaceful, welcoming, unattractive, attractive, predictable and surprising. In order to measure the unique component of Jordan‟s image, respondents were asked to mention three unique or distinctive tourist attractions in Jordan that they knew. These included Petra, King Hussein, the Holy Land, Lawrence of Arabia, River Jordan and the Bedouin culture. Free elicitation allowed respondents to describe Jordan as a tourist destination without any of the pre-determined constructs of the researcher. The elicitation of these attributes from the target population was an attempt to gain a truly accurate representation of the British and Swedish tourists‟

images of Jordan.

Analysing the content of brochures from British and Swedish tour operators/travel agents gave the researcher a broader view of how those tour operators/travel agents project Jordan in their promotional means. In Britain, Kuoni is one of the major tour operators selling to Jordan. Kuoni projects Jordan as „a rich inheritance from the bygone civilisations; the Rose Red City of Petra; friendly, hospitable people;

amazingly preserved Roman City of Jerash; the fine Byzantine Mosaic City of Madaba; and footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia in Wadi Rum‟. In Sweden, Jordan was included with Egypt in one brochure. The Swedish tour operator, „Jambo Tours‟, reflected Jordan in different attributes. Petra, for example, was expressed as „Moses and the holy family footsteps‟ as a sign of a holy trip from Egypt to Jordan where he died on Mount Nebo overlooking Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Apollo is running a weekly charter to Aqaba from Stockholm and envisions Jordan as „Kingdom of Jordan is characterised by endless desert landscapes, shimmering gold mountain ranges and fertile valleys. Here are some of humanity‟s great treasures and its history is both overwhelming and dramatic. Jordanians greet you with kindness and hospitality and you can be sure to hear the fascinating stories of times gone by‟ (Apollo 2010). The

final list of attributes, therefore, was based on past research on destination image, content analysis of certain British and Swedish tour operators and travel agents and the pilot testing of the holistic images of Jordan on two small samples of British and Swedish tourists.