Participant Information Sheet    




Before you decide to take part in this study it is important for you to understand why the research is being carried out and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Please take time to decide whether you wish to take part.



Purpose of the study

The purpose of this research to gather data in County Clare under certain indicators as outlined in the ‘European Tourism Indicator System’. It examines sustainable tourism destination management, and the research will gather data that will create a database for the county in aspects in sustainable tourism. It hopes to aid policy makers, enterprises, communities and residents better monitor trends and allow evidence-based actions to better achieve sustainable tourist destinations.


Why would you be eligible to participate?


For the enterprise survey, you have been selected through a random stratified sampling method based on your tourism enterprise (e.g., accommodation provider).


Do I have to take part in the study?

No. This research is voluntary. Refusal to participate will result in no penalty or loss, now or in the future. Participants will not be able to withdraw their submission, as no personal data will have be collected (will not be able to locate submission from data pool).


What do I have to do to take part in the study?

Simply complete the survey as provided. All survey participants will be anonymous and stored electronically by the researcher, Fiona McKenna, and local authorities up to three years after commencing the survey or until the research has been published. Local authorities may hold the results for monitoring for their sustainable tourism program.


Are there any risks on my part in taking part in the study?

Not to the researchers' knowledge, there are no risks in taking part in this research.


Are there are any benefits in taking part in the study?

The data gathered by this research will help decisions in the future in terms of sustainability to be more evidence based.


Will my participation be confidential?

Yes, no personal data will be collected.


What will happen to the results of the study?

The results of this study will be published as a component of a PHD degree with Atlantic Technological University. Reports/papers will be published in the public domain in journals and/or discussed at conferences. All data presented will be anonymous and results will be published on a ‘County administrative’ level, to ensure confidentially is achieved. Additional research may be conducted on the data as collected in this research. Results may also be published by the local authority.


Ethical review of this study

IT Sligo Research Ethics Committee (now, the Atlantic Technological University, Sligo) have reviewed and given permission to the researcher to complete this study.


Contacts for further clarity on the study/follow up

If you have questions at any stage of the process, do not hesitate to contact the researcher: Fiona McKenna via email: Fiona.mckenna@atu.ie

Informed consent
  • I can confirm that I read and fully understand the participant information sheet.
  • I have had the time and opportunity to ask for further details in the study and have had any questions I have had answered fully.
  • I fully understand that no personal information will be collected and that all steps will be carried out by the researchers to ensure that participants cannot be identified (except if required by law in particular cases).
  • I agree that data collected in this study may be stored anonymously and securely, and that it may be used for further studies.
  • I understand that my participation is completely voluntary.
  • I understand that I cannot withdraw my submission as no personal data will be collected (researcher would not be able to identify submission from the data pool)
Privacy Notice|Report Abuse