The findings so far

The surveys in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp have already been completed. The data has been collected and after a quick analysis, some interesting information came afloat:

The most popular destinations for both the Rotterdam and Amsterdam citizens are Spain and France. In Antwerp, they seem to choose more often domestic destinations than a specific international one.

In all the three cities, people didn't seem to have a clear understanding of eco-frendliness in tourism and the impact of climate change on the destinations they visit.

The next cities to conduct this survey will be Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto from 10/07 up to 25/07.

Antwerp 23,25/06 and 01/07

Three days in Antwerp and more than 100 qestionnaires were filled in. It is like Belgians are more responsive than Dutch or I am getting really efficient as time goes by.

Some shopping centres, business centres and central square cafes from the Central Station down to the main canal were visited.

The response rate was about 69%

Antwerp citizens seem to choose more often domestic destinations than their Dutch homologous.

Thank you for your participation

Amsterdam 16,21,26/06

Three more survey days in Amsterdam. The places visited were the shopping centre at Struitstraat, the stores around Leidseplein, the Vondelpark, the business centres at Amsterdam Zuid station, Rai station, Bijlmer Arena and the streets around and the Bus Station at Central Station.

Thank you for your participation.

Amsterdam 15/06

First day in Amsterdam and its citizens seem to be very research-friendly.

Veer Ruyterkade was visited to find some employees returning from their jobs.

The response rate was close to 0.90 and the USA is the winner as far as the holiday destination is concerned.

Eco-friendly destinations and climate change impact on tourism sound more familiar here than in Rotterdam.

Thank you all for your participation.

Rotterdam 14/06

A special day for the Dutch national team fans. Rotterdam looks like an orange city.

The city centre and the cafes in Oude Haven were visited.

The sample is getting more and more targeted (age, gender), so the response rate does not have any meaning any more.

Fortunately, Oranje won and the survey in Rotterdam is almost finished.

Thank you all for your participation.

Overall, it seems that Rotterdam citizens travel a lot. France and Spain seem to be the most popular holiday destinations for them. However, they do not have a clear view on eco-friendly destinations and the impact of climate change on tourism and most of the times they get confused between these two questions.

Rotterdam 13/06

Sunday and the streets around Kralingse Plas (Kralingen's lake) were full of people. This area was chosen to target older people.

The response rate was 0.64.

The most frequently chosen destination was the UK.

Thank you all for your participation.

Rotterdam 11/06

A cloudy day.

32 questionnaires were filled in by Rotterdam citizens.

The response rate was 0.60

The shopping center at Beurstraverse, the Albert Heijn at Blaak avenue and the cafe Mi & Yu were visited.

Thank you all for your participation..

Utrecht 09/06

Wednesday was not a survey day. It was a running day. Running 10 km with Justin and Angelos in Utrecht was enough to remind me of resistance, tolerance, not giving up, staying concentrated on your goal and many more feelings useful for this survey.

Thank you guys. I hope next running event will be held late enough for me to have forgotten of this terrible pain in my legs..

Rotterdam 08/06

A rainy day..

15 questionnaires were filled in by Rotterdam citizens.

The response rate was 0.50

It seems to go better day by day.

The shop centers in Korte Lijnbaan and Binnenwegplein in the city centre were visited.

Thank you all for your participation..

Rotterdam 07/06

First day of the survey.

10 questionnaires were filled in by Rotterdam citizens.

The response rate was 0.56

Centraal Station, Beurs and Albert Heijn-Krallingen were visited.

Thank you all for your participation..

Research Topics

After the useful assistance of several academics worldwide, I was able to refine my research topics that have been limited to:

1. The holiday destination choice

2. The criteria for choosing a destination

3. The impact of environmental concerns on the destination choice

4. The impact of climate change on the destination choice and

5. The socio-demographic characteristics and the cultural dimensions as factors that influence the destination choice.

The cities where the survey will take place in

A draft plan of the cities this survey will take place in:

Madrid, Sevilla (Barcelona), Lisbon, Porto, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, Athens, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Plovdiv.

Test

This blog will be used during the coming months for recording the data and the results of my Master Thesis.