Tourist monitoring compass: linking measurement with constructs for nature-based tourism monitoring

Purpose Data sources for monitoring tourists are prolific and growing. This phenomenon presents increasing opportunities for researchers and practitioners to diversify and enhance monitoring approaches; however, it also creates a complex landscape for developing rigorous methodology. The tourist monitoring compass is a conceptual framework that visualizes the suitability of traditional quantitative data and big data collection approaches for measuring salient social science constructs in nature-based tourism destinations. Design/methodology/approach Prominent quantitative data collection sources were placed on a matrix. The x-axis ranged from tourist attributes to tourist behavior. The y-axis rated sources based on their ability to measure phenomena ranging from psychological to observable. Findings Most data collection methods were well-suited for measuring observable phenomena – both behaviors and attributes. Relatively fewer sources measure psychological phenomena. The gaps among existing tools highlight the value of well-conceptualized theoretical models and the integration of multiple data sources using mixed methods for measuring complex phenomena. Practical implications Inspection of the framework can facilitate understanding of nature-based tourism monitoring measurement tools and constructs. The framework visualizes constructs to identify the current versatility, limitations and gaps of existing measurement approaches, revealing potential areas for innovation in how to use existing tools and prioritizing innovation in new approaches. Originality/value The present framework associates construct validity with measurement approaches to serve as a simple tool for practitioners and researchers to identify appropriate data collection sources based on their common uses. The framework may facilitate the initial step of designing tourist monitoring methodology – data selection – in an increasingly complex methodological landscape.