3.2. Sample
MAY
We used an availability sampling approach during two waves of data collection in May 2021 and late July/early August 2021. For field research in tourism contexts, availability samples being used as probability samples is practically impossible due to the lack of a sampling frame. Even if a sampling frame such as all visitors entering a region were practically possible, not only do tourist behaviors and experiences differ season to season, but also year to year. That makes a true probability sample of tourist experiences not only practically, but also conceptually unattainable.Participants were approached based on the criterion of booking a vacation at one of 10 (May) or 8 (August) vacation parks that chose to cooperate with the project. These parks are commercial operations which offer varying mixes of camping and bungalow accommodations, occasionally with dining, basic shopping, and activity facilities. A lottery to win back the cost of one’s vacation accommodation was offered as an incentive. If would-be visitors to these parks agreed to participate, we sent them an intake questionnaire including a statement of informed consent. The intake survey assessed demographics. Five days ahead of the beginning of their vacation, they received instructions for connecting with their assigned information source, comprising of either adding a WhatsApp contact with Travel with Zoey (conversational conditions), or downloading the appropriate mobile application, either Nienke’s Tips (passive popularity-driven condition) or Saar’s Tips (passive policy-driven condition). They were also instructed to download and install a GPS tracking application, Sesamo, which additionally notified them every evening to fill out a daily self-response questionnaire. Besides measuring self-reported emotions, this questionnaire asked them if the current day was the last day of their vacation. If so, experience evaluation measures were displayed as well. The final sample size varied by the data sources used in each analysis; 268 participants filled in at least one daily questionnaire, while 155 of these provided GPS data and 132 responded to the last-day questionnaire including experience evaluations.