The Effect of Social Media on the Selection or the Desire of UAE Nationals Living in Abu Dhabi to Choose a Tourism Destination
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of social media on UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi in their choice of tourist destinations. The study will identify the challenges the social media users in the city go through as they select the places to visit for leisure as well as offer solutions to these issues. The researcher will collect data from 50 Facebook users in Abu Dhabi using online survey questionnaires. Purposive non-probability sampling method will be used to select the representatives of about 1.2 million users of the most popular social media network. Research ethics is very important in increasing the reliability and validity of the results of the study. The researcher will observe high ethical standards in the study to ensure that the interests of the respondents are met and their rights protected. One way of protecting respondents’ rights shall be retaining their anonymity throughout the research process.
The Effect of Social Media on the Selection or the Desire of UAE Nationals Living in Abu Dhabi to Choose a Tourism Destination
Introduction
The social media has increased the amount of information accessible by those who are looking for places they can visit for leisure and business. The information which comes in different format including text, audio, videos and images is used by tourists to compare aspects of different tourist destinations around the world. For example, a person who wants to enjoy wildlife can compare quality and cost of several national parks in different countries and choose the one that suits him or her (Bendahou & Berbou, 2015). Other than providing general characteristics of a particular tourist destination, the social media enables a potential tourist to see reviews made by others on a particular tourist establishment.
If a certain tourist destination has been positively reviewed by most people, then the probability of it being a good choice is high. However, it is important to be cautious while using the social media for making critical decisions because the communication is not formal and the messages may be biased depending on the people conveying them (Dina & Sabou, 2012). Hence, even after collecting information about a particular destination from social media networks, it would be necessary to conduct a further investigation using more reliable sources of information such as travel agencies and relevant organisation’s websites. Nonetheless, the effects of social media in influencing the choice of a tourist destination cannot be underrated in this information age.
The most recent statistics show that 95 percent of the UAE population can access the Internet and it is one of the countries in the world with the highest rates of social media use. It is estimated that over 50 percent of the population use social media. Abu Dhabi is one of the regions of the country where the demand for social media is very high, partly because of the presence of many expatriates. Additionally, UAE nationals living in the city use the social media frequently to communicate with their family and friends living in small towns and other cities of the Emirates like Dubai and Ajman. The most popular social media platforms in Abu Dhabi are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram even though Snapchat has been rising fast in the recent years among young audiences. Other than using the social media to communicate, the UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi use the social media platforms to get information on various issues which affect them. Many people in the city are using the social media to make buying decisions including choosing the tourist destination they will visit (Clouds Media, 2016). It is from this perspective that this research seeks to find out how the social media affect the UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi in choosing their tourist destinations. The research topic shall be, “The effect of social media on the selection or the desire of UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi in choosing a tourism destination.” The study aims to identify the challenges experienced by users of the social media in selecting the travel destinations of their choice. It will also provide solutions on how they can overcome those challenges.
The primary objectives of this study are:
Research Questions
The independent variables for the study are the type of social media, the frequency of using social media, the age of social media users and culture of using social media in the UAE while the dependent variable is the selection of tourist destination.
The following are the research questions which will guide the achievement of the objectives of the study:
Is there any relationship between the type of social media used and tourist destination selected by UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi?
Is there any relationship between the frequency of social media use and tourist destination selection by UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi?
Is there any link between the age of the social media users and the tourist destination selected by UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi?
Is there any relationship between the culture of using social media and the culture of tourism among UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi?
Methodology
Overview
The research will apply a qualitative research method to explore how social media affects the selection of tourist destination by the UAE national living in Abu Dhabi. In this type of research, an exploratory research method is used to gain a deeper appreciation of the effects of a particular phenomenon on a defined situation (Rea & Parker, 2012). QR will be a valuable tool in exploring the effects of the social media on the choice of tourist destination in the UAE as well as helping to develop ideas and hypotheses which can be used for quantitative research. The study will use online surveys to collect data from the UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi and use the social media as well.
Sample and Population
The participants of the survey will be retrieved from a population of 1.2 million Facebook users, which is 42 percent of a population of 3 million UAE nationals living in Abu Dhabi. Since the population is too big for any administration of probability sampling methods, the researcher will use purposive sampling to select a sample of 50 respondents who will respond to the survey questions. The primary reason for choosing this sampling technique is the absence of a list of all people who use Facebook in the city. Thus, the researcher will apply own judgment to select those who will take part in the survey. The researcher acknowledges the problems of non-probability techniques especially the fact that the sample selected may not be a representative of the population. The survey will be designed in a manner that will try to overcome some of these challenges. The researcher will address these challenges by selecting participants from more than ten Facebook accounts of tour and travel companies with operations in Abu Dhabi.
Data Collection
The researcher will use online survey questionnaires to collect data for the study. The researcher plans to invite the potential respondents through Facebook and upon confirmation that they are they are willing to take part; the researcher will send them the questionnaire through the same media channel. It is expected that the entire process of data collection shall take two weeks and any respondent who will not have sent back their responses shall be considered late and they their feedback shall not be considered for data analysis. It is important to ensure that the data collected is as accurate as possible and the researcher will put up measures to ensure that the responses given by the participants are precise and relevant. Therefore, the researcher will request the respondents to seek clarification about any aspect of the questionnaire that they will not fully understand.
Ethical Considerations
The research will observe high ethical standards to ensure that the quality of the results of the study is high as well as protect the interests of the participants. First, all the participants who will take part in the study will be informed about their choice to opt out of the survey anytime. Second, all respondents shall be included in the survey if they provide own consent after understanding all relevant factors surrounding the study. Third, the researcher shall communicate with the participants at least three days before sending the survey questionnaire. Fourth, the researcher shall comply with all rules and regulations affecting this type of research. Finally, the researcher will assure and ensure that the participants remain anonymous during and after the study.
Conclusion
An investigation into effects of social media in selecting a tourism destination for UAE nationals living in the UAE is important because it will expand the body of knowledge in this aspect of culture. The results can be used by future researchers to find out whether there are changes in trend in effect on social on tourism. Tourist operators in the UAE can the result to develop their marketing strategies, especially through the social media networks. It is crucial for this research to be done at this time when UAE’s economy is performing well, and the size of middle-income families is growing fast most nationals have disposable income to be used for leisure activities.
References
Dina, R. & Sabou, G. (2012). Influence of social media in choice of touristic destination. Cactus Tourism Journal, 3(2), 24-30.
Bendahou, C. & Berbou, H. (2015). The impact of culture on the use of social media in travel destination search. The Journal of Macro Trends in Social Science, 1(1), 59-73.
Clouds Media, 2016. Latest social media statistics in the UAE for 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2017, from http://uae.cloudsonline.net/blog/latest-social-media-statistics-in-the-uae-for-2016
Rea, L. M., & Parker, R. A. (2012). Designing and conducting survey research: A comprehensive guide. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
