2018, Vol.42, No.7

Journal of Tourism Sciences 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 2.7

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

The purpose of this study is to characterize safaris as modern nature tourism that are hidden behind the romantic discourse of nature and primitiveness. This study is based on insights derived from qualitative research methodologies including participant observation of safaris in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and in-depth interviews with tour agencies as producers and tourists as consumers. As a result, three characteristics were identified. First, by exploring how a safari is produced and operated by an agency, the characteristic of the modern tourism industry operating according to rationality was found. Secondly, by investigating the way the Masai Mara National Reserve and safaris are managed and controlled, this study shows that the Masai Mara grassland has become an object of management and consumption by humans as a place where safaris, a modern form of nature tourism, are played out. Lastly, by examining the way tourists experience safaris, the characteristics of today's tourists, who seek authentic experiences while favoring familiarity and comfort, are identified. This study is differentiated in the aspect that tourism research has focused on practical aspects through quantitative research methodologies. It is also meaningful that the subject and geographic scope of the research are expanded by studying African safaris, which have rarely been discussed in tourism research.

This study examines how Gangwon-do secures its competitive position through the cultivation of brand equity as a MICE destination by investigating the relationship between the tourism experience, tourism destination brand equity, place attachment, and behavioral intention, while adopting perceived fit based on the theoretical background of “brand extension.” The findings show that visitors’ tourism experience had a positive effect on tourism destination brand equity and place attachment, and that tourism destination brand equity had a positive influence on place attachment. In addition, tourism destination brand equity and place attachment had a positive effect on perceived fit, but both elements indirectly influenced behavioral intention by fully mediating perceived fit. These results suggest that effective brand equity management at a tourism destination can improve a MICE destination’s positive image. The results also emphasize the need to manage tourism resources that are replaceable and complementary to distribute MICE resources given that perceived fit is the essential mediating factor.

Urban environments have a negative impact on health by causing stress due to noise, population density, crowding, and pollution. Therefore, urban residents pursue leisure activities in a nature-based restorative environment to improve their health and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of perceived stress of urban people on health-related quality of life through a nature-based healing restorative environment. For this purpose, this study conducted an empirical analysis of visitors to Mt. Bukhan. The results of the analysis showed that the perceived stress of the urban residents had a negative effect on healing restorative environment, healing restorative environment had a positive effect on restorative experience, and restorative experience had a partially positive effect on health-related quality of life. These results show that healing restorative environment is important in the health-related quality of life of urban residents, and ultimately leisure activities in the healing restorative environment improve the health-related quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a policy to continuously create a nature-based restorative environment for health of urban residents.