KJC Korea
Journal Central

This study was to identify residents' attitudes toward the restoration and rehabilitation project of Suwon Hwaseong UNESCO heritage site, which has been planned and implemented since 1999. Qualitative research methods including content analysis of newspaper articles and in-depth interviews with local residents were applied to investigate the residents' attitudes. Results showed that overall the residents possessed negative attitudes toward the restoration and rehabilitation of the heritage tourism site mostly because they have not been regarded as one of stake-holders in the planning and implementing process of the project. Another reason of local residents's negative attitude was because they had not experienced any positive tourism impacts since the beginning of the project. The residents also have been disappointed with the city's inconsistent policy concerning the implementation of the projects. Implications for mitigating residents' negative attitudes and encouraging their participation in the project were discussed.

Tourism resources related to violent death of people have potential to attract special interest tourists. This study aimed to examine tourist motivation to visit thanatourism site and its impact on tourist satisfaction. Based on the related literatures, five dimensions(i.e., death experience, novelty, specificity, historicity and remembrance) of thanatourism motivation were derived. Data were collected from 291 visitors to Jeju Peace Park on May 2009. Results of a factor analysis showed that the five dimensions of thanatourism motivation were valid and reliable. Results also indicated that among 5 motivations, death experience and specificity had statistically significant influence on visitor satisfaction. Results of this study suggest that visitors motivations of thanatourism sites might be different from those of other tourist sites. Limitations of the study were also discussed.

Based on Matzler and Sauerwein's(2002) three factor model of satisfaction, this study investigated differences in the satisfaction with tourism destination and information attributes among different types of disability. It also explored the influences of satisfaction with the tourism destination and information attributes on the overall tourism satisfaction. On-site survey with a structured questionnaire was implemented with a convenient sample of 308 people with from September to December 2009. Result of an analysis of variance revealed that the satisfaction with both attributes were significantly different among four different types of disability. Also, differences were found in the influences of the satisfaction with the attributes on the overall tourism satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed with the suggestions of future research.

There have been disagreements on the relationships between the factors of brand equity of a tourism destination. This study was to validate a structure model of brand equity of a tourism destination. Based on the review of related literatures, two competitive models on the structure of brand equity factors were proposed(a five factor parallel model and a five factor hierarchical model). Data were collected from 665 visitors of three popular tourism destinations at Gyeongju in 2009. Results of a structural equation analysis showed that the hierarchical model fitted the data better than the parallel did. This suggested that the promotion of a destination directly influenced on the brand awareness. However, promotion were also likely to indirectly impact on the brand royalty through the relationship between brand awareness and brand quality and image. Based on the results, theoretical implications and future research were discussed in the conclusion.

This study examined psychological attitude toward nature among tourists who visited buddhist temple as a tourist destination. The NEP scale were employed to measure the psychological attitude toward nature. It also investigated the impact of the tourists's psychological attitude toward nature on their evaluation of environmental attractiveness of the buddhist temple and satisfaction on the buddhist temple as a tourist destination. Data were collected from 292 visitors of four temples which had a temple stay program in 2009. Results showed that most temple visitors of this study had environmentally friendly attitude. Results also indicated that middle and low NEP group seemed to highly evaluate the environmental attractiveness of the temple than NEP high group did. However, the low and medium groups were likely to have lower scores of satisfaction and loyalty with the temples as a tourist destination than NEP high group. Based on these findings, theoretical and practical implications were also discussed.

Using an regional input-output(I-O) model, this study estimated the economic impact of traditional market revitalization project on the economy of Seoul, To this end traditional market related sectors were derived from transactions tables developed by Bank of Korea(2009) and their multipliers were calculated in terms of output, income, value added, and employment. Onsite surveys were also conducted for merchants in the Suyu traditional market to estimate sectoral revenues and margin. The results indicated that in 2010, the Suyu traditional market generated 7.8 billion Won of net output impact, 1.4 billion Won of net income impact, 3.3 billion Won of net value-added impact, and 123 net non-paid and full-time jobs throughout direct and indirect effects. These impacts exceeded 0.4 billion Won of initial investment by Korean government, indicating economically successful project.

In the field of tourism demand research, tourism expenditures has mostly been explained as a function of discretionary income. However, economic theories has suggested that consumption could be stimulated even without a change in actual earnings. The most well-known phenomenon related to this is the wealth effect on consumption. From the wealth effect concept, people may spend more on goods when they actually become richer, or when they perceive themselves to be richer. Based on this concept, this study tested the wealth effect on expenditure of Korean travelers during 20 years period between 1989 and 2009 with quarterly time-series data. Real estate and financial assets(stock) were employed as two variables of wealth because the majority of Korean citizens invested their wealth in them during the period. Results showed the statistically significant effect of financial assets(stock) on the expenditures. However, results did not empirically support the effect of real estate on the expenditure. Implications and suggestions for future research were also provided.

This study investigated the foreign immigrant workers's leisure from the leisure constraint perspective. Data were collected in two stages from foreign workers working in Seoul and Kyonggi province in 2009. Firstly, items constituting each cognitive domain were identified and developed using freelisting method. Secondly, a survey in closed format was conducted for consensus analysis . The results show that there was consensus with respect to the use of free time and leisure constraints while there was lack of consensus regarding the meaning attached to leisure. Overall work and/or the work-related matters were the most salient themes regarding the foreign workers' leisure. Work represented the most important use of free time while financial responsibility for family appeared to be the primary leisure constraint. In addition, leisure was most meaningful as an opportunity to work hard to meet an objective although there was lack of consensus. Some implications of the study were discussed.

This study compared the marine tourism development plan in Saemangeum area with two marine tourism development cases in France: Languedoc- Roussillon and Aquitaine area. Results of a field study and content analyses showed that marine tourism development plan in Saemangeum area should be a sustainable development rather than large-scale development. Results also suggested, the importance of cooperation between the central and local governments. The two cases of marine tourism development in France could be an good example of cooperation between the central and local government in eco-friendly marine tourism development. Third, marine tourism development plan in Saemangeum area should be implemented from the perspective of tourism attraction connection between marin and inland area. In conclusion, the Saemangeum area should be developed as a landmark marine tourism attraction which also have ecological tourism and local storytelling program.

This study evaluated 630 landscapes of Korea national park based on the shape characteristics of natural landscape. Using central government's database, 5 different shape characteristics of natural landscape(i.e., landscape form, exposure, skyline's continuity, plane shape, side gradient) and 9 variables of landscape evaluation(i.e., scarcity, visual beauty, visual harmony, viewing value, visual cognition, fragmentation pattern, education value, landscape diversity) were selected. Results of an analysis of variance indicated a partial difference in landscape evaluation among each of the five different characteristics of natural landscape. Overall, surface type, rock mountain type, continuos skyline type, steep side gradient type of natural landscape were evaluated better than their counter parts. The results of these could provide information for management strategies of national park's natural landscape.

This study examined foreign tourists's preferences toward Korea rural tourism hands-on activities and their intention to participate in the activities. A total of 316 sample was collected from four different groups of foreign tourists(i.e., Americans/Europeans, South-East Asians, Japanese and Chinese) at four famous tourist destinations in Korea from October to November 2010. Results of a factor analysis yielded to five different dimensions of rural tourism hands-on activities(i.e., agritourism, other activities, experiencing traditional culture, trying foods, eco-tourism) Results also found significant differences in preferences toward rural tourism hands-on activities by nationality and level of rural tourism experience. Lastly, results showed that the preference influenced on the intention to participate. Findings from this study suggest the importance of promoting unique traditional Korean culture for foreigners to attract them to rural tourist areas.

This study conceptualized the component of rural tourism experiences in terms of five dimensions. It also explained their impacts on the tourists' trust in rural residents/ products, satisfaction, and intention of continuous interchange with rural residents. The data used in this study were collected from 189 visitors of rural tourism villages. Results showed that out of five dimensions of rural tourism experience four dimensions made significants impact on trust in rural residents and agricultural products consecutively. Results also indicated that the respondents' level of trust in agricultural products significantly impacted on their trust in residents, satisfaction and intention of continuous interchange with residents. Results of this study suggest that trusts in agricultural products might be the most important factor to improve agricultural tourism village visitors' intention of continuous interchange with residents. They also propose that rural tourism programs need to be developed to enhance the possible visitor's level of trust in agricultural products and rural residents.

This study was to investigated the effectiveness of storytelling on visitors' place attachment and behavioral intention in the context of local festivals. Based on the review of related literature, three different dimensions of storytelling effectiveness(i.e., story, expression and interaction) were conceptualized. Data were collected from 388 participants of the 2010 Hyoseok Cultural Festival on September 2009. Results showed that all the three dimensions of storytelling effectiveness made significant effects on the place attachment and their behavioral intention. Results also showed that the two different dimensions of place attachment(place identity and place dependence) had statistically significant influence on the behavioral intention. Results of this study suggest the necessity of storytelling development in planning a local festival. Future research directions were also discussed.

Medical tourism provides tourism activities as well as medical services to people who travel overseas for medical treatment or health care. This study explored motivations of Taiwanese tourism consumers for potential medical tourism in Korea. Data were collected through an online survey from 430 YouthWant.com members in Taiwan. Factor and cluster analyses were employed to identify and profile market segments based on their motivations for attending medical tourism in Korea. A principal component analysis revealed five motivational factors, and a K-mean cluster analysis identified four distinct tourism consumer segments. The results showed a robust profile of their characteristics and behaviors for marketing purposes. Segmenting the Taiwanese based on their motivations could assist medical tourism organizers in Korea in developing and implementing effective promotional and marketing strategies.

This study examined the causal relationship among emotional labor, burnout and customer orientation. Data were collected from 396 airline industry service employees by a purposeful sampling method from October to November in 2009. Results of a structural equation model analysis showed that there was a significant influence of emotional labor on burnout. Specifically, while the surface acting made a significant positive effect on burnout, deep acting made negative effect on it. Results also indicated that burnout made a statistically significant negative effect on customer orientation. Furthermore, among the three sub-dimensions of burnout, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment made significant negative impacts on customer orientation, while emotional exhaustion was not found to be significantly related to customer orientation. Finally, emotional labor had a significant negative effect on customer orientation. Results of this study support the alienation hypothesis and clarifies conflict results of previous studies on the relationship among emotional labor, burnout and customer orientation.

Medical tourism has grown over the past decade, as more patients travel overseas for clinic treatments or operations. The rise of medical tourism emphasizes service quality as well as the role of human resources in the hospitals, which can initiate and develop the business of the medical tourism. Thus, this study identified service quality, human resources and training programs based on previous research and investigated the perceived difference of those three concepts among four different medical staff occupations, doctors, nurses, administrators, and engineers working for the general hospitals with the medical tourism system. In addition, we explored the relationships among service quality, human resources and training programs. The results of this study revealed that there were significant relationships among variables and different perceptions among the four medical staff occupations. The major implications of the study results are further discussed.

This study attempted to segment tourists who had experienced local food at tourist destinations by their motivations to taste local food. The findings suggest that the market can be divided into three segments based on tourists’ motivations: ‘social relationship and health concern’, ‘cultural experience’, and ‘sensory appeal’. That is, typologies of tourists who had eaten local food can be categorized into ‘tourists seeking social relationship and health’, ‘tourists seeking the cultural experience of local food’, and ‘tourists seeking the sensory pleasure of local food’. In addition, a significant difference in the characteristics of tourists who had tasted local food at tourist destinations was observed in terms of age group. Implications are discussed relative to marketing strategies.