Research Methods in Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management

Interview B

Interviewer B Hello folks, we’re doing a survey. Can you answer a few

questions?

Respondent B Well we all liked our visit, didn’t we, yes I suppose we can

answer a few questions if it’s not too long.

Question 1 Where have you ‘all’ come from today? (Instructions are to

allow the respondent to answer and simply code within or outside Torbay)

Respondent B We have all come from Paignton this morning.

Question 2 Is that your home or are you on holiday?

Respondent B Well, my wife and I live there and this couple are our friends

who are on holiday staying with us. We’ve been here lots of times but this is

their first visit … No it isn’t we came years ago before it was all developed

and you just had to walk across the fields … Well it must have been before

we were married, Frank, because I’m sure I’ve never been here before …

Well I’m sure I have, the cottages must have been there then though, but I

don’t remember seeing them … yes, they’re very pretty, but you can’t go in

them … No it’s a shame you can’t look inside, is that because people live

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there … Yes … anyway we’re not helping this nice young man what is your

next question only you will have to be quick because I haven’t much time

left on the car park ticket and if we’re going to get a good seat at the pub for

lunch in Babbacombe we’ll have to get a move on.

Interviewer B I’ll only be a couple of minutes, so you’ll be OK in the car

park; the traffic warden hasn’t been around today. Look, I have to have one

of you as my respondent or we’ll get in a terrible muddle …

Respondent B Well, you’ve been here the most George, you had better

answer his questions.

Interviewer B That’s fine, so you have come from your home today.

Resp. B (George) Yes, are there many more questions?

Interviewer B No, just a few.

Question 3 What is the purpose of your visit here today? (Instructions to the

interviewer are to allow the respondent to answer freely and probe for a full

answer)

Resp. B (George) Well, like we said, we had our visitors staying and

decided to show them somewhere, where I thought they hadn’t been before.

Interviewer B Thanks; the next questions asks …

Resp. B (George) Look, I’d better go and get the car; Frank can answer the

rest of your questions and I’ll pick you up when you’re finished.

Question 4a Have you ever been to Cockington before? (This is a filter

question; if the respondent indicates that they have been before, 4b asks

how often they visit Cockington and a prompt card is issued, showing

categories, e.g. daily, weekly, fortnightly)

Resp. B (Frank) Yes, though my wife thinks I haven’t. George and Mary

come here a lot, but then they live close by.

Interviewer B Look at this card: which of the categories best explains how

often you visit Cockington?

Resp. B (Frank) Well, I just said I have been here once before, oh it must

have been forty years ago. You don’t really have a category for that – why

don’t I answer for George and Mary? I’m sure they must come here every

week.

George and Mary arrive in the car and off they all go to Babbacombe for

lunch. The interview was not completed. Interviewer B looks around to see

if the supervisor was watching and thinks about filling in the rest of the

questionnaire himself. To make matters worse, Interviewer A has finished

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for the day. B thinks, there must be an easier way to earn a living; perhaps

I’ll become a traffic warden.