Photo-Elicitation Using Q-Method to Extract Group Sense of Place for a Marine Park in Borneo

Abstract

This study identifies and interprets the experiences and relationships of a host community to a marine national park in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, as it transformed from a local recreation site into an international tourist destination. This chapter elaborates on an original and innovative amalgamation of qualitative methods used to collect data consisting of verbal and pictorial techniques, including focus group interviews, visitor employed photography, and an adapted Q-methodology incorporating photo-elicitation. The research design for data collection is provided as a guideline to illustrate how the study progressed through two essential parts. This study contributes to a gap in method on how to extract pictorial measures on a collective basis to systematically to produce group place meanings. Recommendations are suggested based on the challenges faced in this study. This innovative qualitative method was successful in deriving sense of place for a marine park.

Citation

Wong, P.P.L. and Kler, B.K. (2022), "Photo-Elicitation Using Q-Method to Extract Group Sense of Place for a Marine Park in Borneo", Okumus, F., Rasoolimanesh, S.M. and Jahani, S. (Ed.) Advanced Research Methods in Hospitality and Tourism, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 179-197. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-550-020221010