The trend in the structure of evaluation instruments for tourism
website evaluation is presented in Fig. 2. The following paragraphs
explain the characteristics of these instruments and the future
trend.
In the initial research in this field, researchers generally chose
qualitative methods to examine the views of certain groups,
including consumers, suppliers, and academic researchers, on the
specific features or functions of tourism-related websites. A major
limitation of these early studies is the non-generalizability of the
findings, as only a limited number of people participated in the
experiments. Also, although involving academic researchers in the
process can ensure the validity and reliability of the instruments,
researchers and their research assistants have limited experience in
online purchasing. With time, however, website evaluation studies
have evolved to include the application of quantitative methods on
the basis of input from consumers and practitioners. Although the
concern about the generalizability of the results remains, the
findings of quantitative research appear to be more applicable to
larger market segments than do those of qualitative research.
Presently, many researchers are integrating quantitative and qualitative
approaches in their website evaluation studies.