Epistemology of Tourism
The epistemology aspect of tourism shows the ways of obtaining the truth about the object of science. The truth in question is scientific truth, which is based on a rational, objective, and empirically tested logic of thinking.
Examples of formal tourism objects
For example, the movement of tourists as one of the formal objects of tourism “science” is studied using a rational thinking method. For example, the movement of tourists occurs due to the interaction between the availability of resources (free time, money, infrastructure) and their need to enjoy differences with their daily environment.
In this case the logic of thinking is very rational and can also be proven empirically. As mentioned earlier, the discussion of automatic epistemology concerns a science's method of seeking truth.
Approach to tourism studies
For this reason, it is necessary to define a more specific tourism study approach. One of the easiest is the systems approach (McIntosh, Goeldner, and Ritchie, 1995). This approach emphasizes that both the movement of tourists, the community activities that facilitate it and the implications of both of them for the life of the community at large, are interrelated entities or influences.
Every movement of tourists (tourism) is always followed by the provision of tourist facilities and their interaction will have logical consequences in the economic, social, cultural, ecological, and even political fields.
Tourism institutional approach
The next approach is the institutional approach. This approach sees tourism as an institutionalized result of the collaboration of various actors (stakeholders) (McIntosh, Goeldner, and Ritchie, 1995). Every tourist trip involves tourists, transportation service providers, accommodation service providers, attraction services and so on.
Between one another has a functional relationship and it is based on that relationship that travel activities can take place. As a service commodity, tourism can also be understood using a product approach. That is, tourism is a commodity that is deliberately created to respond to community needs (McIntosh, Goeldner, and Ritchie, 1995).
The concept of "Multiple A" (Attraction, Amenities, Accessibility, Ancillary) which is used to explain the elements of tourism products actually refers to the results of activities to produce and or reproduce commodities consumed by tourists.
Tourism science is multidisciplinary
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The knowledge of tourism is multidisciplinary, meaning that this knowledge cannot stand alone and must involve various other disciplines such as history, sociology, anthropology, ethnography, economics, management, culture, art, technology, and even politics in a broad sense (as well as sciences). others, who cannot completely stand alone). This multidisciplinary approach allows tourism to become very broad and its taxonomy to grow rapidly. Building tourism knowledge certainly requires a certain research methodology. Social research methods such as exploratory research and theory-building research are appropriate methods for developing tourism science. |
Tourism science research
Tourism science research can also be carried out quantitatively or qualitatively, both synchronous and diachronic as well as comparative. Another method that is often used in tourism research is the descriptive method. For example, the study of travel processes and meetings with different cultures in tourist destinations can be done well if using this method.