The selection of marine research tourism products for this study
Ellis (2003a) and Ellis (2003b) appear to be the first studies that assessed research
tourism on a global scale. So as to be comparable to those studies, this study focused on marine
research tourism products that were similar to those assessed in those studies. That is a marine
research tourism product can last for one or more days, be advertised publicly, be an English
speaking program, take paying tourists or paying volunteers, and operate on a commercial basis
(Adapted from Ellis, 2003b). While this study does assess a two volunteer minded marine
research tourism products where living costs are payable by the volunteer, they are not the focus
of this study. Significantly, this scope is inclusive of the research tourism products studied by
Benson (2005), Coghlan (2006), Cousins (2007), Whatmore (2008) and Lorimer (2009). This
scope excludes university alumni driven marine research tourism products that are said to be
quite typical of USA organised marine research tourism expeditions (Ellis, 2003b; Morse, 1997).
The study of those USA based research tourism products is a sizeable study in its own right, and
a research topic for the future.