Using Photo Elicitation in Identifying Tourist Motivational Attributes for Visiting Taman Negara, Malaysia

Abstract

This paper investigates motivational attributes of visiting Taman Negara in Malaysia using photo elicitation approach. Photo elicitation is based on the use of photography as a means with which to explore tourist’s views and perspectives of the subject understudy. Understanding photos involves three sets of questions, focused at content (what), purpose of creation (who, when, how) and interpretation (why). The paper argues that photo elicitation approach could produce a different kind of information needed for understanding tourist behaviour or attitude for visiting Taman Negara. The photographs provide the stimulus and the motivation for the photographer (in this case respondents) to explain the outcome and identify what and why they took the photographs, a view which could be misinterpreted by analyzing the images alone. Photo-elicitation is suitable for overcomes many issues associated with traditional methods (such as questionnaires), thus able to generates a wealth of information. Overall the photo-elicitation exercise demonstrated that although there were five (5) separate groups of respondent’s, the categories in the groups had very similar themes such as natural environment (such as forest, river, aboriginal people-the Batek Clan) as well as a place for preserving habitat of wild animals. The findings presents practical considerations and concludes that photo elicitation enlarges the possibilities of evokes information, feelings, and memories and consequently could be used to understand what really motivate tourists to come and visit at Taman Negara.
Key words: Photo Elicitation; Motivational Attributes; Tourist; Taman Negara Malaysia