Critical Tourism Theory

Abstract
Tourism research has evolved from the time when studies on tourism were based in other disciplines to become an academic research field of its own. Tourism critical theory is the pinnacle of that development. Today research in tourism is done using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. If the research is designed to prove a theory it takes the deductive strategy while on the other hand inductive strategy is used to generate theory. The developments are not only in the approaches and strategies but ar also found in the data collection tools and analysis techniques used to collect and interpret data. The study ended by concluding that there is no bad or wrong methodologies, each of the two methodologies studied has advantages and disadvantages, the choice of which methodology to use depends on the researchers views, assumptions as well as the study question.
Introduction
This study’s aim to discuss the concept of critical tourism theory as well as identifying and evaluating the different research methodologies used in tourism research. The study is divided into two main sections. The first section discusses critical and critical tourism theory tracing the development in tourism research over the years. The second section is based the research methodologies starting from the philosophies or assumption (positivism and interpretivism) that influence the choice of methodology used in any study. The section is further subdivided into two subsections (qualitative and quantitative) providing a detailed evaluating of each research methodology, the research methods used in each of them and as well as discussing how data is analysis in each of the methodologies.
Critical Tourism Theory
Before discussing critical tourism theory, the author will start with the concept of critical theory which itself has a lot of influence and much to offer to tourism theory and research. Critical theory is traced back to the German thinkers and sociologist who referred to

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