Research Approach: Qualitative Collaborative Inquiry

This research is drawn from data collected from a larger PhD project working with Bana Yarralji Bubu, a family-run Aboriginal social enterprise tourism venture in northern Australia. The research, approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of James Cook University, was carried out between 2012 and 2014, and followed the process of Bana Yarralji Bubu business development and operation.

Workshops, interviews, participation and observation were used to explore social enterprise development as well as host and guest interaction at the tourism site (Jennings, 2010). As a non-Aboriginal researcher working with Aboriginal people, it was important to ensure that the research was characterized by collaborative processes. This is particularly important given the Euro-centric academic approaches often used to examine the involvement of indigenous peoples in tourism (Ryan & Aicken, 2005). This research has therefore been carried out in cooperation and collaboration with the Aboriginal business owners to increase cross-cultural understanding and ensure culturally appropriate rigorous research (Rigney, 1999). Semi-structured interviews were also undertaken with a range of owners and operators of Aboriginal tourism social enterprises within the region to give market context. Semi-structured interviews allowed flexibility of participant response, while ensuring basic ground was covered. Secondary sources were also used including academic literature, reports and government policy documents and the internet. Data collected has been analysed using both description and classification. Interview responses were coded into similar categories and analysed using NVivo qualitative content analysis software. Observations and data arising during workshops was written up to allow “a more thorough and comprehensive description of the subject matter” (Kitchin & Tate, 2000: 233).