Observational research: a valued methodology in tourism

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the values, importance and techniques of participant and non-participant observation research in tourism studies. This paper first reviews past and current trends in observation-based research generally, then focuses on its use in tourism, including various types of participation-based data collection, and its qualitative and quantitative use in research. Design/methodology/approach This paper takes a narrative perspective in providing an overview of current knowledge and practice in the area of observation-based research in tourism. Findings Examples of the utility of observational data unique to tourism are provided throughout this paper, and recommendations for future potential work in less-common tourism settings are given. Best practices, including ethics concerns and researcher positionality, are a core element of this paper, as is a discussion of the challenges, drawbacks and criticisms of the method to date. Originality/value Unique to this paper is the examination of recent adaptations to traditional observational research, including shadowing, social media-based research, autoethnography and non-invasive observation techniques such as live-feed images. In conclusion, this paper highlights some conceptual perspectives on observational research, its deeper utility in tourism studies and future directions that might fruitfully use this method to more deeply engage with different tourism contexts.