the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

Qualitative research within the field of tourism involves qualities of human behaviour.
This is because qualitative methodologies are humanisitically or behaviourally
orientated, and attempt to portray reality from the ever-changing world of the subject
(Ferriera, 1988). Geography tends to require both quantitative and qualitative
research techniques in that it involves the study of human interaction with the
geographical environment, and hence is not numeric or consistent.
There are substantial methodological problems encountered in undertaking research
on tourism. These problems lie in the multiplicity of potential frameworks available
for research analysis. A lack of clearly articulated or agreed upon methodological
approaches to tourism studies can create an intellectual and perceptual 'minefield'
for researchers, particularly as the value position of the research will have enormous
bearing on the results of any research (Hall, 1994; Tribe, 2004).
Hence, in order to comprehend the social processes at work within the tourism­
natural resources relationship, it is essential to consider the research within the
theoretical frameworks available for data analysis and theory building (Sadler, 1993).
The theoretical framework section of this study (chapter three) explores the theories
which will be considered in the analysis of data and development of social, economic
and environmental conclusions.
The quantitative component of the study employed two research methods: the
collection of secondary data, in the form of available data research, and survey
questionnaires. Secondary data collection, or available data research, concentrated
on the compilation and analysis of existing statistical data from a wide range of
sources, which was used to establish long-term patterns and trends in the tourism,
resource management and related infrastructure sectors.
Available data research methods employ the use of existing statistical and other
data collected by an additional party that was not fully analysed and exploited by the
original data collectors due to differing fields of study (Veal, 1997). The use of
available data tends to be undertaken extensively by social scientists in that, due to
the costs and time required to conduct original field studies, many scientists view the
use of available data as a means to economise on such costs, time and manpower
(Hall, 1994).
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