Conversion Studies: Assumptions, Applications, Accuracy And Abuse

Abstract

This article is the third in a series of articles prepared by the U. S. Department of Commerce Task Force to examine the issues of accountability and evaluation in travel research. An important issue in tourism marketing is the evaluation of the effectiveness of advertisingprograms conducted by state tourism offices. This articlefocuses on conversion studies, the most commonly used method of evaluating tourism advertising programs. Basic assumptions on which conversion research is based are discussed, as are methodological issues and concerns. Recommendations for improving the quality and accuracy of conversion studies as well as understanding their limitations are presented.