1 Tourism Impact Assessment Research Project Guide Weight: 45% mark out of 45 marks DESCRIPTION The assignment requires students to conduct a research project in a group of 3 or 4 students on the perceived impacts of tourism using the techniques discussed in lectures and workshops. You will play the role as a group of consultants who have been commissioned to work on a project to assess the perceived impact of tourism. You can investigate the impact of an event (e.g., Commonwealth Games, Schoolies), a new development (e.g., Queens Wharf Project), a type of transportation (e.g., air travel, cruise travel), a form of travel (e.g., volunteer tourism) or other issues pertinent to the industry (e.g. overtourism, climate change, sustainable tourism, wildlife tourism etc.). The project involves a review of industry reports, news articles and academic literature to identify the potential impacts of tourism, followed by selecting appropriate methods to investigate the impact. Your team will collect empirical data (interview or survey questionnaire) in Week 8, analyse the data and report the results. Based on the project outcomes, recommendations will be provided to manage the impact and promote sustainable tourism development. This assessment is evaluated based on FOUR components: 1. Group research proposal (5%) – Due in Week 6, 3 Sep Friday, 16:00 2. Group written report (30%) – Due in Week 12, 15 Oct Friday, 16:00 3. Peer evaluation survey (5%) – Due in Week 13, 18 Oct Monday, 16:00 4. Individual reflection on group communication (5%) – Due in Week 14, 25 Oct Monday, 16:00 GROUP RESEARCH PROPOSAL You are required to complete a brief research proposal in Week 6. The proposal provides an opportunity for your team to receive early and formative feedback on your project and research instruments (questionnaire/interview guide). The proposal is also a requirement by Griffith University Research Ethics Office to ensure that your project falls within the scope of the course ethical clearance. The proposal is graded and compulsory. Proposal Submission The proposal must be submitted electronically using SafeAssign submission point. Only one submission is required for each group. E-cover sheet is not required for the proposal. 2 GROUP WRITTEN REPORT The report should include the following headings: 1. Introduction: This section provides background information relevant to the project, explains the research objectives, establishes the importance of the project, and provides a brief outline of the report. You are encouraged to refer to industry reports, statistics, new articles and online resources to build the case for your project. 2. Literature Review: For this section, you will need to find academic journal articles and write a review summarising what has been found in previous studies. A minimum of 5 academic references are expected in this section ...