• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2018

Purpose - With the worldwide aging problem and the development of globalization, customers prefer to seek affordable medical services with the higher quality overseas. This new trend has urged some destination countries to improve their services for the more competitive advantages over other countries. Literature research indicate that medical quality and cost may be the key factors influencing global patients' decisions. In the international environment, however, medical tourism destinations are selected due to cultural similarity between the hosting country and the customers' own country. The more similarity perceived between the two countries leads foreign patients to choose the considering country as the destination for medical tourism. However, little research has been conducted on this topic. Thus, we empirically investigate how cultural similarity influences Chinese medical customers' choice of the destinations. We also consider the factors related to medical competency and travel attribute which might affect customers' decisions along with some moderating roles of disease types. Research design, data, and methodology - We proposed a research model in order to confirm the relations among different variables of cultural similarity, medical competency, travel attractiveness, disease types, and destination choice. The questionnaire survey is processed in the more economically developed regions of China such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu. Conditional logit regression is applied to analyze the data of 881. Results - Results indicate that cultural similarity is the important predictor of Chinese customers' decision to select a medical country. However, the effects of cultural similarity vary according to the disease types. We also find that medical competency and travel attractiveness influence their decisions with the moderating role of disease types. Conclusions - Cultural similarity is the important factor that influences Chinese potential medical tourists' decisions to select a destination. Marketing managers should consider the effects of cultural similarity when developing strategies for attracting Chinese medical tourists. Since medical competency and travel attractiveness are still the critical key elements for them to evaluate the destination countries, it is necessary to continuously improve medical service quality and facilities. The results also recommend that medical managers should sharpen their marketing strategies by segmenting Chinese potential customers in terms of disease types.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.161-172
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• 2017

The purposes of this study were to examine if a decision making by a tourist sequentially or hierarchically occurs in a tourism destination and to test determinants that have an effect on both a sequential and non-sequential decision making. An instrument for the study was developed with three steps. A total of 420 and 380 questionnaire were collected respectively for the first two round surveys. For the third step, a pilot test was conducted with 30 respondents. And the data analysis utilized SPSS 18.0. A logistic regression analysis with variables of tourism activity and demography was employed to investigate the factors that affect a sequence of decision-making process. As an important result, the higher the age of the tourist in a tourism destination, the more conspicuous the consumption expenditure is made through the sequential decision-making process. Additionally, it is unreasonable to apply the premises and assumptions in extant consumer behavior to tourist behavior. The process of decision making by tourists in tourism areas is driven by either non-sequential or non-hierarchical decision-making process. More discussion and implications were provided.

• Journal of East Asia Management
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.47-73
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• 2024

Research has shown that authentic experiences at tourist destinations, referred to as destination authenticity, lead to increased revisit intentions and recommendations. However, studies demonstrating the impact of destination authenticity on everyday purchasing behavior are scarce. To address this research gap, based on autobiographical memory and consumer inference theory, this study re-examines the relationship between destination authenticity and purchase behavior toward brands created in tourism destinations encountered in everyday life. This study reveals that brand authenticity mediates destination authenticity's effect on the purchase intention toward destination brands. Furthermore, the effects of destination authenticity on brand authenticity, as well as brand authenticity on purchase intention, are moderated by destination brand self-congruence. The findings of this study contribute to the literature by examining the mechanisms of tourists' purchase behavior, based on autobiographical memory and consumer inference theory. In addition, it sheds light on the boundary conditions under which the impact of destination authenticity on brand authenticity and that of brand authenticity on purchase intention are enhanced.

• Proceedings of the KGS Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.127-129
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• 2005

• Journal of the Speleological Society of Korea
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• no.85
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• pp.25-27
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• 2008

Ondal Cave is important and significant in terms of cultural value and tourism. In addition, there are abundant historical and cultural resources nearby. If the geographical strength is taken advantage of, the cave would evolve into a great tourist destination and natural education spot. This paper has investigated humanistic environment of Ondal Cave in considerations for the surrounding tourism resources. There are abundant tourism resources around Ondal Cave. However, they are rarely connected with each other. In fact, they are very partially interrelated around Guinsa(temple) only. Furthermore, the number of tourists has gradually decreased. Therefore, it‘s required to further develop tourism programs and surrounding tourism resources.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.24
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• pp.184-195
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• 2011

Acknowledging the importance of English as the language of tourism discourse, this paper explores its current standing in the landscape of tourism in Oman. It also investigates its features and functions aimed at promoting the country as a wonderful tourist destination to people around the globe and framing tourism as a customer-oriented industry that meets tourists' interests and needs. To convey these messages the authors examine English tourism discourse in Oman from linguistic, pragmatic and socio-cultural perspectives.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.5-11
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• 2012

Purpose - The objective of the paper is to explain both the price sensitivity of international tourists to South Korea and the price sensitivity of Korean tourists to international travel. The study examines long-run equilibrium relationships and Granger causal relationships between foreign exchange rates and inbound and outbound tourism demand in South Korea. Research design/ data / methodology - The study employs monthly time series data from January 1990 to September 2010. The paper examines the long-run equilibrium relationship using the Johansen cointegration test approach after unit root tests. The short-run Granger causality was tested using the vector error correction model with the Wald test. Results - Hypothesis 1 testing whether there is a long-run equilibrium relationship between exchange rates, inbound and outbound tourism demand is supported. Hypothesis 2 testing whether exchange rates lead to a change in touristarrivals and expenditure is not supported. Hypothesis 3 testing whether exchange rates lead to a change in tourist departures and expenditure is supported. Conclusions - The findings of this study show that the impacts of tourism price competitiveness are changing quite significantly with regard to destination competitiveness. In other words, the elasticity of tourism price over tourism demand has been moderated.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.237-249
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• 2021

Indonesia has successfully increased its ranking to 40th place in the 2019 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index. While tourism has become the country's second largest foreign exchange contributor, there is no existing competitive advantage model for Indonesian tourist destinations. The purpose and novelty of this study is to develop and formulate a competitive advantage model for Indonesia's tourism industry. The model will be based on the supply-side perception analysis of competitiveness indicators from Bali and five designated super-priority destinations in Indonesia. This model is expected to become a guideline for policymakers to design an effective and focused strategy. Data were obtained from in-depth interviews with, and questionnaires given to, 62 qualified industry players from the public and private sectors. This data-driven approach builds a relationship between competitiveness indicators and competitive advantages using a combination of importance-performance analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, thereby leveraging these advantages to generate a strategic model to compete in the international tourism industry. This would also be the first study to use this method in defining the competitive advantage of a destination. Using structural equation modeling, the study found that there are 54 indicators representing twelve dimensions of competitive advantages with good fit criteria.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2024

Purpose: Although many studies have addressed destination marketing concepts, the relationship between beach tourists' memorable tourism experience (MTE), revisit intention and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) remains unknown. To address this issue, the authors established a model to investigate the effects of MTE's dimensions on revisit intention and eWOM. Research design, data and methodology: Drawing on 581 questionnaires from domestic beach tourists in Vietnam, a quantitative study approach was administered to empirically analyze a partial least squares path model in PLS-SEM. Results: The findings revealed that four dimensions of MTE including hedonism, local culture, meaningfulness and involvement have positive influence on beach tourists' revisit intention. Besides, meaningfulness and knowledge directly affect eWOM. It is worth noting that beach tourists' revisit intention significantly and directly influence their eWOM. The findings also confirm the indirect effects of hedonism, local culture, meaningfulness and involvement on eWOM through the mediating role of revisit intention. Conclusions: This study will be important to determine beach tourists' behavior through each dimension of MTE. This study also emphasizes on the direct effect of beach tourists' revisit intention on eWOM, as well as confirms its mediating role in the relation between MTE and eWOM. The findings will assist policymakers and destination marketers with strategies and effective future actions.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.524-533
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• 2015

This study aims to prove the value of SNS tourism information by confirming the relation between SNS tourism information and perceived risk and by verifying its influence on the intention to switch tourism destination. The data was collected from 302 tourists. For data analysis, SPSS 18.0 program and AMOS 18.0 were conducted. First, functional characteristics of SNS tourism information have been verified to have no relationship with the tourist's perception of risk, and therefore the functional tourism information is thought to cause individual motive regardless of tourist's perception of risk. Second, aesthetic value and economic benefits of SNS tourism information have been analyzed to reduce perceived risk of tourists. Third, a symbol of SNS Tourism information has proved to be an element that increases the risk perceived by tourists, indicating that various kinds of tourism information provided by other channels including SNS can serve as a momentum to make tourists recognize new risks the other way round as new tourism information is accumulated, which acts as new motivating factor.