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A. Project details and Informed Consent Form

Dear participant,
We are researchers from Thompson Rivers University, and we are asking for your help in a study about how hotel, restaurant, and winery owners and employees evaluate the extent to which the tourism industry in the Thompson-Okanagan region is sustainable.
Principal Investigator (PI):
Name: Catalina Valle
email: vallepinuelar22@mytru.ca
Phone: (250) 682-2756		 Supervisor:
Name: Dr. Kimberly Thomas-Francois
email: kthomafrancois@tru.ca
Phone: (250) 850-7666
Purpose of the study
The information you provide will be used to develop an Environmental Science Master's thesis.
This study proposes the development of a tool based on Geographic Information System Technologies to assess and warn where the balance between tourism's Sustainability components (economic growth, social development, and reduction of environmental impacts) is or is not at risk.
Who will participate in this research study?
Owners and/or employees of tourism industry businesses, such as hotels, wineries, and restaurants.

What you will be asked to do?
If you have agreed to participate, by accepting the “I consent” button below, you are going to see some definitions used in the survey, and then you will see a series of questions divided into three sections:
  1. A section to identify your perception of the level of sustainability of tourism in your community.
  2. A section to identify your familiarity with the use of some GIS tools (like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Bing Maps, etc.) and to collect your opinion about the potential of these tools in the context of sustainability of the tourism industry in your community.
  3. A section to collect demographic information to ensure the study gets responses from a wide range of people and their homogeneous geographical distribution in the region.
The survey will take around 20 minutes. All data collected will be reported in aggregates, and we will treat the data with utmost confidentiality. Your personal identifiers are collected optionally just for purposes of socialization on the results of the study and are collected just if you desire to be part of it.

Your participation is voluntary; you may withdraw at any time. The researcher will be notified directly, and you will not suffer any discrimination or retaliation. There will be no impact on your future relationship with the partners or the company.

Your acceptance by clicking the “I consent” button below indicates that you understand the information regarding this research project, including all procedures and the personal risks involved. It also recognizes that you had the opportunity to ask questions and are satisfied with the answers. You will receive a copy of this consent form for your records.

No partial information will be stored in that case, and the final analysis will use a general category as a general aggregate of “rate of non-response” with no individual data.
Will you be compensated?
No monetary compensation will be provided. However, your voluntary participation will help to build information that has the potential to influence public policy and planning, and consequently improve the tourism sector in the region.

Possible Risks and Benefits
This invitation is for research purposes only and is not considered spam under the new Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).
We understand and appreciate the importance of privacy when sharing personal and sensitive information online. We ensure that every effort is made to make you aware of the potential risks and limitations of data confidentiality.
This research uses the enterprise version of SurveyMonkey software to administer the questionnaire, which is protected by the software developer's security, privacy and confidentiality policy.
Privacy and confidentiality
The questionnaires and the responses we collect from them are private. This information will not be sold and will only be used for purposes related to providing or improving our research.
We will publish the research in a journal article and present it at an academic conference (TTRA Canada) and to TOTA and industry stakeholders.
All the data would be stored on a password-protected laptop computer with encrypted files. Once the research papers are completed within 5 years, the primary data will be electronically destroyed/deleted.
Your participation is greatly appreciated, and your honest answers will help the research to identify the best results. Your company will be invited to participate in the socialization of the results of the study and we would be delighted to have you at this socialization.
As a participant, you will be able to receive a copy of this consent form for your records, as well as receive an executive summary of the completed and published project. If you are interested, please provide your email and name at the end of the questionnaire.

Contact information for the Dean
If any critical concerns feel free to contact to Dean for further information.
Dean:
- Dr Douglas Booth
- Faculty of Culinary Arts, Adventure and Tourism
- Phone: 250 852 7138
- Email: dobooth@tru.ca

If you have any concerns or complaints about your rights as a research participant for the project REB File Number 104082, please contact the Chair of the Research Ethics Board at Thompson Rivers University, 80B5 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC.V2C 0C8. Email: TRU-REB@tru.ca; Phone: 250-828-5000.

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* 1. Acceptance:
My acceptance of this form indicates that I understand the information regarding this research project, including all procedures and the personal risks involved. I have had the opportunity to ask questions and am satisfied with the answers. I accept receiving a copy of this consent form for my records. I voluntarily agree to participate in this project.
I will accept by clicking the "I Consent" button below and writing my name and the date I completed the survey.

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* 2. Date

Date

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* 3. Signature

Investigator and/or Delegate’s signature

Date: 10/08/2024

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