Australian Tourism Futures Post-COVID-19

Purpose of the study

This project aims to build essential capacity that will inform and assist multiple stakeholders (i.e. local and state government, tourism businesses, tourism organisations, etc.) in the development of a post-COVID-19 tourism-focused economic recovery strategy. This study will be structured around four key objectives:

1. To establish the intentions of Australians to (re)engage in intrastate, interstate, and international tourism in a post-COVID-19 landscape

2. To critically examine behavioural shifts in Australians’ intentions to (re)engage domestic destinations and/or participate in conventional tourist activities in a post-COVID-19 landscape

3. To identify how Australians may modify future travel practices (including holiday planning, modes of transport used, attitudes towards group travel, accommodation preferences, etc.) in a post-COVID-19 landscape

4. To identify the concerns and impediments faced by Australians that harbour intentions to (re)engage in domestic and/or international tourism in a post-COVID-19 landscape

What will I be asked to do?

You will be invited by a member of our research team to participate in an online focus group session that will ask a small number of questions related to the objectives outlined above. Your participation is entirely voluntary and you will be allowed to withdraw even after the focus group session has commenced or has been completed. Focus group sessions will take around 1 hour to complete and will be recorded using a digital voice recorder. Once recorded, the interview will be transcribed (typed-up) and stored as a computer file. It will not be shared or distributed to a third party and every attempt will be made to protect your anonymity (your name will not be shared nor used in any future report).

What benefit will I gain from being involved in this study?

The sharing of your experiences will help us understand what Australians intend in relation to leisure travel after restrictions have been relaxed or removed. We believe that your views, opinions and experiences will be crucial in helping tourism businesses understand the most effective pathways to recovery.

Will I be identifiable by being involved in this study?

We do not need your name and you will be anonymous in the reporting of the findings. Any identifying information will be removed and your comments will not be linked directly to you. All information and findings obtained in this study will be stored in a secure way, with access restricted to relevant researchers only. While the information gained in this study will be confidential and published as explained, on the basis that the interview will be undertaken in a place of employment, anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

How do I agree to participate?

Participation is voluntary. You may answer ‘no comment’ or refuse to answer any questions, and you are free to withdraw from the interview at any time without effect or consequences. A consent form accompanies this information sheet. If you agree to participate please read and sign the form and give this back to the researcher.

How will I receive feedback?

On project completion, outcomes of the project will be given to participants in the form of a project summary document. You are also free to speak directly to any researcher should you seek further information on the project outcomes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information sheet, and we hope that you will accept our invitation to be involved.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Only researchers listed on this form have access to the individual information provided by me. Privacy and confidentiality will be assured at all times. The research outcomes may be presented at conferences, written up for publication or used for other research purposes as described in this information form. However, the privacy and confidentiality of individuals will be protected at all times. I will not be named, and my individual information will not be identifiable in any research products without my explicit consent.

No data, including identifiable, non-identifiable and de-identified datasets, will be shared or used in future research projects without my explicit consent.

Data Storage

The information collected may be stored securely on a password protected computer and/or Flinders University server throughout the study. Any identifiable data will be de-identified for data storage purposes unless indicated otherwise. All data will be securely transferred to and stored at Flinders University for at least five years after publication of the results. Following the required data storage period, all data will be securely destroyed according to university protocols.

Potential Risks

The researchers do not expect the questions to cause any harm or discomfort to you. However, if you experience feelings of distress as a result of participation in this study, please let the research team know immediately. You can also contact the following services for support:

Lifeline – 13 11 14, www.lifeline.org.au

Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636, www.beyondblue.org.au

Queries and Concerns

Queries or concerns regarding the research can be directed to the research team. If you have any complaints or reservations about the ethical conduct of this study, you may contact the Flinders University’s Research Ethics & Compliance Office team via telephone 08 8201 3116 or email [email protected].

Thank you for taking the time to read this information sheet and if you accept our invitation to be involved, please sign the enclosed Consent Form.

This research project has been approved by the Flinders University Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee in South Australia (Project number 2085). For queries regarding the ethics approval of this project please contact the Executive Officer of the Committee via telephone on +61 8 8201 3116 or email [email protected]