Australia Pink Tourism Destination Strategy: Research Proposal Report

This research proposal investigates the development of a pink tourism destination strategy in Australia, addressing the needs and demands of the LGBTQ+ market. The study employs applied research with a mixed-methods design, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to gather comprehensive data on tourist perceptions and preferences. Data collection includes a Qualtrics survey with both closed-ended and open-ended questions, distributed to tourists who have visited pink tourism destinations in Australia. The research utilizes simple random probability sampling for participant selection and bivariate data analysis techniques such as cross-tabulation, regression, and correlation. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and anonymity, are carefully addressed. The proposal aims to identify strategies for attracting and retaining LGBTQ+ tourists, contributing valuable insights for tourism businesses and destination marketing in Australia. The research also includes secondary data collection from various sources like academic publications, journal articles, online websites, and annual reports. The study concludes with a comprehensive analysis of the data using MS-Excel and SPSS software to transform the coding into a graphical manner, effectively developing understanding of the responses and findings regarding research concern.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Research Proposal

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 2
Table of Contents
Problem statement and research objectives.................................................................................................3
Research design...........................................................................................................................................4
Core function...........................................................................................................................................4
Information requirements........................................................................................................................4
Data collection methods..............................................................................................................................5
Qualtrics questionnaire................................................................................................................................6
Backup plan/method of research..................................................................................................................6
Survey through a questionnaire (Qualtrics survey)......................................................................................6
Sample selection..........................................................................................................................................8
Data analysis techniques..............................................................................................................................9
Ethical considerations..................................................................................................................................9
References.................................................................................................................................................11
Appendix: Survey through a questionnaire (Qualtrics survey)..................................................................13

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 3
Problem statement and research objectives
Under the existing business condition, tourism is considered as the branches of business that
helps to retain, attract as well as, increases new devoted consumers when facing the high rivalry
as well as significant cost-effective times. For becoming successfully, corporations should
comprehend the transformations in society with respect to size and needs for developing long-
term approaches as per the key trends. This thesis would deal with the Lesbian as well as Gay
market that are underexplored and undervalued niche market (Mariani, and Giorgio, 2017).
This investigation explores the demand of gay men during their holiday in niche market i.e. Pink
tourism destination. This research facilitates data to tourism businesses regarding the demands
and needs of Pink Tourism. Along with this, Lesbians and Gay couples cannot feel threatened as
well as can feel safe while walking around the pink tourism destination, having a drink at bar,
dinner at restaurant or even kissing in public as they will not get differentiated due to their sexual
orientation (Kroløkke, and Kotsi, 2019).
A tourist destination image can be illustrated by attributes of its attractions and resources that
encourage the tourists for visiting that destination. Along with this, the destination image is a
perception or idea that a visitor has of place and, wants to visit. Consequently, construction of
gay destination image is a longer procedure (Wilson, and Verlis, 2017).
Research Question: What does it require to develop the strategy of pink tourism destination in
Australia?
Research objectives
The main objective of this investigation is to develop the strategy of pink tourist destination in
Australia. Another objective of this research is to create the challenges of pink tourist destination
in Australia.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 4
Research design
Core function
Applied research will be implemented in order to address particular concerns. The particular
concern for this investigation is to identify the strategy for influencing tourists towards pink
tourism destination in Australia (Carcausto Zea, et. al., 2018).
Information requirements
The researcher will apply descriptive research in this investigation as it will facilitate an
investigator to assess the strategy for influencing the tourist towards pink tourism destination.
This kind of investigation will be beneficial to collect the belief as well as the perception of
research participants with respect to research issues. In opposed to this, exploratory research type
will not be used in the context of this study because of infeasible cause as well as an infeasible
association (Lundberg, Ziakas, and Morgan, 2018).
In this research, research will use a mixed research design because, in this type of research,
research will integrate the elements of both qualitative and quantitative research approach. In this
research design, the researcher will collect both close-ended and open-ended information i.e.
quantitative and qualitative in the form of responses to the research question. Qualitative
research design would be beneficial for the researcher in terms of capturing the theoretical
information regarding research issues (Cuevas, Blasco, and Timothy, 2016).
In contrast to this, quantitative research design would be effective in terms of pooling the
numeric information about pink tourism destination in Australia. This methodology will also
allow an investigator for evaluating the cause and effect associations and hence could be
practiced for making a prediction (Jacobsen, 2017).

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 5
This research design would be suitable with the intention of this research as it contains the
strengths and weaknesses of both qualitative and quantitative research design and also helps to
avoid the weaknesses of both research designs. An investigator would be enabled to exercising
all techniques to them and gather more comprehensive information about pink tourism
destination in Australia (Kroløkke, and Kotsi, 2019). This facilitates outcomes and higher
perspective with respect to pink tourism destination in Australia. The researcher can use a wider
range of research questions with this type of research design as an investigator can practice more
than one approach for addressing these research questions (Park, and Kim, 2016).
Data collection methods
In this research, both primary and secondary data collection method would be used for pooling
the information regarding research concerns. These methods are primary and secondary data
collection method. Primary data would be gathered through several sources such as survey
through a questionnaire. It would be effective for capturing the fresh as well as first-hand
information regarding research issues (Mach, and Ponting, 2018). This technique would be
beneficial for obtaining reliable and valid information about the research issues because data is
gathered through the concerned as well as reliable respondents. The researcher would use
Qualtric survey as compared to the interview as an interview will take more time and cost for
completing research. In this data collection method, the researcher would also require a high
amount of manpower (Picard, and Robinson, 2016).
With the purpose of this research, secondary data would be collected by second-hand sources
that are already published by others. There are different sources for capturing secondary
information such as textbook, academic publications, journal articles, online websites, and
annual reports. Moreover, this data collection method would be selected because statistical

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 6
techniques would be applied for primary data. It would be selected as it aids to capture the
authentic information regarding research issues. This technique will also take minimum time for
capturing the data but it could be costly for the researcher (Tan, 2017).
Qualtrics questionnaire
Qualtrics survey questionnaire will be used to collect the data about the research concerns. For
this survey, an investigator will consider 10 questions i.e. both qualitative and quantitative. In
addition to this, the Likert scale as well as fill the blank will be entailed into designing of the
questionnaire. Both close-ended and open-ended questions would be used in the survey through a
questionnaire (Mach, and Ponting, 2018). The length of time for survey through questionnaire
would be 15 min. This survey would be distributed through email and it would be conducted on
those tourists who have visited in pink tourism destination i.e. Australia. Interval technique
would be used in the context of level of measurement.
Backup plan/method of research
For backup, the researcher will use secondary research in case primary research does not work.
Secondary research will be conducted by accessing different academic articles related to pink
tourism destination, Australia. There are different sources of secondary data collection methods
such as literature review via several sources such as journal articles, text books, online websites,
and government websites. In addition, the gathered data would be analysed by content data
analysis methods.
Sample selection
In this research, simple random probability sampling techniques will be implemented by an
investigator to select the participant for a Qualtrics survey. In this technique, each respondent
will be provided equal chances to participation in the survey. This sampling technique would be

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 7
selected as it declines the chances of biases from research. Along with this, 100 tourists would be
selected from pink tourism destination such as Australia. It is effective for obtaining the opinion
regarding research concerns (Park, and Kim, 2016).
Data analysis techniques
In order to obtain this investigation, statistical data assessment would be implemented by an
investigator. Along with this, Bivariate data assessment technique will be practiced for
measuring the information. It helps to assess the relationship between two variables i.e. Lesbian
and Pink tourism destination i.e. Australia. The bivariate analysis will be conducted by cross-
tabulation, regression, and correlation. Moreover, MS-excel, as well as SPSS Software, would be
used to transform the coding into graphical manner. It will be effective for developing the
understanding the knowledge about the responses as well as findings regarding research concern
(Jacobsen, 2017).
Ethical considerations
The given below factors would be entailed into research ethics:
Informed consent
Respondents are free for comprehending the research intention before participating in the survey.
It would be beneficial for avoiding deceptions. Moreover, at the initial stage of the questionnaire,
a researcher would discuss the aim and objectives with participants. The researcher will develop
the knowledge that this investigation would be performed with the purpose of the academic field.
The participants would make sure that data would be used for only research intention (Lundberg,
Ziakas, and Morgan, 2018).
Anonymity

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In order to collect reliable responses through participants, they would be recommended to fill the
names of respondents into the questionnaire. However, the respondents would ensure that they
would not be recognized with the intention of responses as an investigator creates confidentiality
regarding gathered information (Carcausto Zea, et. al., 2018).
Pressure
It is assessed that an investigator will not be under pressure because an investigator will take
consent before conducting the survey. An investigator will not force to respondents as well as,
not offered incentives in terms of accomplishing the research questionnaire within the targeted
time period. An investigator would approach respondents using a friendly technique. However,
an investigator will make sure that physical liaison will not influence the responses of
respondents (Wilson, and Verlis, 2017).

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 9
References
Carcausto Zea, M.P., Siwale, M., Xia, J., Reiners, T. and Holmes, K., 2018. Exploring travel
patterns of Chinese holiday tourists in Western Australia. CAUTHE 2018: Get Smart: Paradoxes
and Possibilities in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Education and Research, p.344.
Cuevas, T., Blasco, D. and Timothy, D.J., 2016. The Pink Store: A unique tourism enterprise at
the US-Mexico border. European Journal of Tourism Research, 13, p.122.
Jacobsen, D., 2017. Tourism enterprises beyond the margins: the relational practices of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SMEs in remote Australia. Tourism Planning &
Development, 14(1), pp.31-49.
Kroløkke, C. and Kotsi, F., 2019. Pink and blue: Assemblages of family balancing and the
making of Dubai as a fertility destination. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 44(1), pp.97-
117.
Kroløkke, C. and Kotsi, F., 2019. Pink and blue: Assemblages of family balancing and the
making of Dubai as a fertility destination. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 44(1), pp.97-
117.
Lundberg, C., Ziakas, V. and Morgan, N., 2018. Conceptualizing on-screen tourism destination
development. Tourist Studies, 18(1), pp.83-104.
Mach, L. and Ponting, J., 2018. Governmentality and surf tourism destination
governance. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26(11), pp.1845-1862.
Mariani, M.M., and Giorgio, L., 2017. The “Pink Night” festival revisited: Meta-events and the
role of destination partnerships in staging event tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 62, pp.89-
109.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 10
Park, E., and Kim, S., 2016. The potential of Cittaslow for sustainable tourism development:
enhancing local community's empowerment. Tourism Planning & Development, 13(3), pp.351-
369.
Picard, D. and Robinson, M., 2016. Entwined Histories: Photography and Tourism at the Great
Barrier Reef. In The Framed World (pp. 197-210). Routledge.
Tan, L., 2017. Western Australia. Redback Publishing.
Wilson, S.P. and Verlis, K.M., 2017. The ugly face of tourism: Marine debris pollution linked to
visitation in the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine pollution bulletin, 117(1-2),
pp.239-246.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 11
Appendix: Survey through a questionnaire (Qualtrics survey)
Please mention your gender
Male
Female
Trans
Other...
Please select one or more than one's sexuality
Gay
Lesbian
Bi
Other...
Please select your age-group
Under 18 years
18-28 years
29-39 years
More than 39 years
Please choose more than one job
Student
Working
Stay at home parent
Retired
Unemployed
Others......

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 12
Nationality
............................................................................................................................................................
What do you look for in a destination?
Beach
City
Shopping
Child-friendly
Shopping
Relaxation
Activities
What does gay-friendly mean in the tourism business in your opinion?
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
What are the main factors that encourage gay tourists to travel to certain destinations?
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
Do you agree that marketing strategies encourage the gay to visit in pink tourism
destination?
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree

RESEARCH PROPOSAL 13
Where would you most likely stay during your holidays?
Motel
Hostel
1-2 star hotel
3-star hotel
4-5 star hotel