2011, Vol.35, No.9

Journal of Tourism Sciences 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 2.7

pISSN : 1226-0533 / eISSN : 2713-6388
https://journal.kci.go.kr/JTS

Using the triangular fuzzy number method, this study evaluated the integrated linguistic value of regional tourism development elements in the context of opening the Korean high speed railroad. For this, review of related literature on the impact of express railroad on tourism development and integrated linguistic value evaluation method were performed. Data were collected from residents and tourists of Gyeougju, Pohang, Ulsan region after they experienced a high speed railroad. To evaluate the discrepancy rate(Dr) between tourists and residents, general solutions to compute the intersection area between to triangular fuzzy numbers were inferred. Results indicated distinctive tourism development elements for each of the three different regions. In terms of methodology, this study suggested that fuzzy number model approach might be very useful to evaluate perceived service quality.

This study was to revisit the concept of medical tourism, to analyze tourism elements in medical tourism, and to suggest approaches for medical tourism research from the perspective of tourism science. A critical review of previous literature on medical tourism indicated that existing studies on medical tourism, both in the field of tourism sciences and medical sciences, did not closely examine diverse aspects of tourism elements in medical tourism. Based on the finding of this study, future research directions were provided to enhance the quality of medical tourism research in Korea. These areas include concept and scope of medical tourism, eligible sample, tourism elements to be included, research instrument, information release, communication, and cultural adaptation. This research concludes that tourism approach needs more tourism ingredients in medical tourism research.

The polarization phenomenon, which could be defined as 'reduction of the middle class', has recently emerged as a social issue to be solved in Korea. This study was to analyze the polarization phenomenon of Korea in terms of leisure consumption. Specifically, it investigated the polarization trend and leisure time and consumption differences among three different social classes. Using household survey(Statistics Korea)' and 'national recreation survey(the Ministry of Culture and Tourism), in this study, the polarization trend of leisure consumption was analyzed by calculating the inequality index(Gini coefficient) and the polarization index(Wolfson index) from 1997 to 2010. Results showed that the polarization phenomenon of leisure consumption appeared to be deepened especially after 2006 and the differences of the leisure holidays, leisure satisfaction and the level of happiness appeared to be significantly different between 'leisure consumption upper group' and 'leisure consumption middle and lower group'. Policy implications and limitations of the study were discussed at the end of study.