Along the way's Guestbook

Have a great trip you all". Just got on facew book and befriended you. Will look forward to hearing from you from Ireland. LOL Cathy

addition
And 1 addition to the last question: Were these positive and/or negative points according to your expectations you had prior to the trip, or did the experience differ from the expectations?

question list
Hi, This post contains the question list for my research about bloggers that visited the less-known places of Holland. I added an explanation with the questions. Feel free to ask any questions. My time for this part of the research is very limited, unfortunately. Thats why I have to ask you to answer as soon as possible, if possible before next friday, so that I can ask a few follow-up questions if necessary. It's a fairly short list, so it shouldn't take too much time. Thank you very much for helping me with my research and I am very curious about your answers! Best regards, Theo ------------------- Interview questions This interview consists of a set of questions. The first part contains some short questions about the characteristics of the trip. The second part contains some more in-depth questions about the information gathering in front of the trip, the reasons of visiting the less-known places of the Netherlands (which contains the whole country except for the provinces North-Holland and South-Holland and the city of Utrecht). Some info might already be described in your blog, but for consistency purposes I have to ask the same set of questions to every blogger. Please feel free to give extensive answers and explain about the underlying reasons and motives you might have or had during or in front of the trip. This interview has an explorative and qualitative nature. It’s not about large groups of respondents, but about rich data that really tells something about the person who is being interviewed, so it’s about your opinion, your image of Holland. Before you visited it, and while you were visiting it. It’s likely that I will have a few follow-up questions after returning this list of questions. Because the time for this part of my research is limited I would kindly ask you to return the list as soon as possible, but at the max in 5 days if possible, so that I am able to send follow-up questions and to analyze the data. I thank you again for participating in my research! Part 1: (Make the option of your choice bold, or delete the other options). All questions are about your holiday trip in the whole country, you don’t have to make a distinction between well- and less-known places, unless explicitly asked. 1. What is your gender? - Male - Female 2. What is your age? 3. In which country do you live? 4. How many nights did you stay in Holland? 5. How did you travel? - Alone - With my partner - In a group - Other,… 6. How did you travel to Holland? By… - Car - Airplane - Boat - Train - Bus - Bicycle - Other,… 7. Which means of transportation did you use the most (in kilometers/miles)? - Car - Airplane - Boat - Train - Bus - Bicycle - Walking - Other,… 8. During which season did your holidaytrip take place (for the most)? - Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter 9. Which locations did you visit during the whole trip in Holland? Name places like towns, cities and villages and attractions. Please mention your complete travel schedule as complete as possible with visited locations on every day and locations where you have stayed for the night, chronologically. Part 2: These questions are about (preparing for) visiting the less-known places of Holland. The questions have the purpose to find out how your image of the less-known places of Holland was formed prior to your trip and how it influenced your decision to visit these places in Holland. The research focuses specifically on the role of social media and blogs. This area consists of the provinces Groningen, Friesland/Frisia, Drenthe, Overijssel, Flevoland, Gelderland, North-Brabant, Zealand, Limburg and Utrecht except for the city of Utrecht itself. Places like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht city, Leiden, Delft, Alkmaar, Haarlem, Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Keukenhof, Kinderdijk are not part of the less known places because they are situated in the provinces North Holland and South Holland, the main tourist area of the country. Note: Giethoorn is part of the less-known places. 1. Are you familiar with the “Visit Holland” campaign from the Dutch Tourist Board (NBTC) on Facebook or other social media platforms? If so, please tell which social media platforms and how you got in contact with this campaign (Where you deliberately looking for it, or did you ran in to it? Did somebody tell you about it? etc.) 2. If you are familiar with the campaign, how important was the role of the information you got from this campaign in your decision to visit the less-known parts of Holland? Was this for the major part because of the information the Dutch Tourist Board (NBTC) communicated (in text and pictures), or because of the information posted by other tourists? 3. What sources of information did you consult about Holland on the subject of your trip? (This can be deliberately, for the purpose of finding information about Holland, or unexpected, the point is that it contributed to your image about Holland and the decision to visit Holland). Think of items like books, travel brochures, travel guides, travel agencies, websites, social media, tv shows etc. How did this contribute to your image about Holland? 4. If you used social media, what kind of social media did you consult? (This can be deliberately, for the purpose of finding information about Holland, or unexpected, the point is that it contributed to your image about Holland and the decision to visit Holland). Think of platforms as blogs, facebook, twitter, youtube, google+, pinterest, tumblr, instagram, vine etc. Please tell about how you used this platform in the context of getting the information about Holland. Where you deliberately searching for information or were you just browsing and seeing information you weren’t looking for on purpose? How did you use the platform to get the information about Holland? Was it information coming from friends, people you didn’t know or from commercial or professional parties like a travel agency or tourist board? How did these consulted social media platforms contribute to your image about Holland? 5. Did you communicate interactively on this social media platform (blogs included) with commercial or professional parties or with other individuals about Holland in a conversation or in a reaction you posted? With what party or individual (another tourist for example, and was it someone that had already been in Holland or was thinking about visiting Holland?) and on which social media platform did this conversation take place? How did this contribute to your image about Holland? 6. About what subjects and locations did you communicate? Why did you choose to communicate directly with these organizations or individuals? 7. What where your reasons and motivation for consulting social media in getting information about Holland? (This could be everything from accessibility to reliability, fun and so on). Please explain these reasons or motivations. 8. What information source (also other than social media) do you think was the most important in your image of Holland and your decision to visit it? 9. Did other people (other than me) contact you about your blog about your visit of the less-known places of Holland? What kind of individuals or organization were these and what kind of information were they looking for? 10. To what extent did your image about the less-known places of Holland match with the actual visit of these places? What kind of information source was the most reliable in your opinion? 11. What were the most important positive and/or negative points you communicated in your blog about your trip to the less-known places of Holland (in light of the extent that your image of Holland prior to your trip matched with the actual visit or not)? 12. To what extent did the information that you got from social media influence your decision to visit the less-known places of Holland, in your opinion? -------------------

Hi Dan. Wow, a month is nice time in our tiny country to see a lot of places! I am very curious about your experiences. Would it be possible to send you a few questions by email or in a personal message here on the site about your visit?

your blog about Holland
Dear David, I have read your travelblog about your visit to Holland and it was very interesting! I am Dutch myself and for my Geography Masterthesis I am doing research among tourist bloggers from abroad. Your blog caught my eye because you visited some less famous places in Holland, like Assen. It is so interesting to find out why a part of the tourists in Holland visit those less famous places next to the highlights like Amsterdam and its surroundings. That's why I am wondering if I could ask you some questions about your visit, to complement the info in your blog. It won't be a long survey, but more of a short interview-type conversation about your experience and opinion. You would help me a lot and I am also very curious to know about what you think about Holland and the reasons why you choose to visit it. I really hope to hear from you. The interview will be used in a completely anonymous and confidential way. Kind regards, Theo van Veenendaal tvanveenendaal1986@gmail.com

I'm drooling!
Gosh, that meal sounded delicious. I would have had the same first idea about Liverpool. See how we should avoid first impressions? I began humming "ferry crossed the Mersey....." I never knew it was a real place. Cool! Gerry and the Pacemakers: Life goes on day after day Hearts torn in every way So ferry 'cross the Mersey 'cause this land's the place I love and here I'll stay People they rush everywhere Each with their own secret care So ferry 'cross the Mersey and always take me there The place I love People around every corner They seem to smile and say We don't care what your name is boy We'll never turn you away So I'll continue to say Here I always will stay So ferry 'cross the Mersey 'cause this land's the place I love and here I'll stay and here I'll stay Here I'll stay Happy Canaling and finding new surprises around each bend!

Hello
Hi Guys! We're loving your blogs and wish we were there to eat all those good things with you. I am envious of all the biking you're doing! We'll pray for good weather for you...Pat

I really enjoyed your Alkmaar post, and it reminded me of my own time there! I can still taste those cheese and tomato sandwiches! My blog is looking for travel photos, reviews, etc, to share. If you have the time, check it out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com, or email me at dirtyhippiesblog@gmail.com. Continued fun on your travels! Heather :)

Oak Creek
Well Dave glad to hear you are thinking of us!! We are so glad you are out of there and look forward to your return. Ellen misses you, too. You should know we went to see "Blind Side" and Rich may have given my butt up for Sandra Bullock's. Of course he lied and said he never noticed hers. God Speed.

Where are you?
I haven't heard from you for some time, hope you escaped from Russia.

Date??? Time Warp??
I think the air has confused you...you dated your entry 11-26. We recv'd it on 11-14. Maybe that is why you had problems at the border.(tee hee) Hope you were able to get things corrected and onward with your journey. May God luck be with you!

photos
Great job with the photos! A chickadee in Russia too. I noticed no snow yet, whew! Lots of young people, "dad". Continue to Enjoy and make new friends!