• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.175-183
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• 2023

This study examines differences in satisfaction, intention to revisit, and word-of-mouth recommendations among foreign tourists, based on their nationality and factors influencing their decision to visit Korea. The study utilizes the data collected from foreign tourists who visited Korea in 2021, including information on their country of origin, factors influencing their decision to visit, satisfaction levels, intention to revisit, and willingness to recommend Korea to others. While the survey data comprises a large sample of over 8,000 respondents, only 1,398 without missing values are used for analysis. According to the analysis results, there were significant differences in satisfaction, intention to revisit, and word-of-mouth recommendations among foreign tourists based on their nationality and factors influencing their decision to visit. Notably, leisure and sports activities and distance from their home country are significant factors in making a decision to visit Korea. Countries with relatively lower tourism decision mechanisms are Japan, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Canada, Mongolia, and India. Based on these analysis results, this study presents strategic improvement measures to revitalize Korean tourism industry, particularly after the pandemic.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.9-16
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was purposed to gain basic information for design of medical tourism for Japanese tourists using traditional Korean medicine (KTM). Methods: A questionnaire regarding Korean traditional medical tourism was administered to Japanese tourists. 224 valid responses were selected, and their awareness of KTM, preferred subject and decision factors for participation in Korea traditional medical tourism were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 version. Results: 23.6% of surveyees gave a positive answer on interest in medical tourism of KTM and 44.6% showed a middle degree. The most preferred subject was medical check-up followed by skin aesthetics, orthopedics and gynecology. Communication, medical skill level, hospital facilities and medical expenses were indicated as the important factor for participation's decision on KTM-based medical tourism. Conclusions: KTM-based medical tourism could be a driving motor of medical tourism in Korea. The medical check & skin care associated medical services are recommended, and the public relationship for awareness of KTM supported by government is strongly required for acquisition of Japanese tourists.

• Journal of Smart Tourism
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.29-40
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• 2023

This research aims to understand the role of online reviews in the local search context by examining the effects of reviews on the representation of tourism businesses on local search platforms (LSPs). By simulating tourists' local searches for restaurants on three LSPs, namely Google, Bing, and Yelp, this study examines how different ranking results are generated across the platforms and how online reviews contribute to the differences. The findings suggest that online reviews are incorporated into LSPs as ranking factors and, thus, affect tourists' decision-making by influencing the information search results in the local search context. As one of the earliest studies on local search, this study discusses how the existing knowledge about the role of online reviews in tourists' decision-making needs to be reevaluated in mobile and more dynamic environments, and offers practical implications for tourism businesses' search engine marketing.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.654-662
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to assess the structure of the decision and the importance of the attributes in choosing food-related tour program. Questionnaires were developed in three languages- Japanese, Chinese, and English- given to 300 foreign tourists who have visited Korea in 2002. Statistical data analysis was completed using SPSS Win (ver 11.0) for descriptive analysis and conjoint analysis. The results of this study showed that the 'price' was the most important attribute (35.62%) in choosing a hypothetical food tourism program, followed by 'place' (27.35%), 'time' (26.01 %), and 'type of program' (10.22%). With respect to the relative importance values for each attribute by different groups, English- and Chinese-speaking tourists considered 'price' more than other factors, while 'time' was regarded as the most important factor for Japanese tourists. Therefore, it indicated the need to recognize the different needs among tourists and put these factors into consideration in developing the programs.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2012

Objectives : This study aimed to obtain general information for the design of a medical tourism plan toward Chinese using Korean medicine (KM). Methods : A questionnaire was asked of Chinese tourists regarding of Korea traditional medical tourism. 148 valid responses were obtained and their awareness of KM, and preferred subject and decision factors for their participation in Korea traditional medical tourism were analyzed using SPSS version 12.0. Results : 72% of respondents showed over a moderate degree of interest in medical tourism of KM. The most preferred subject was skin aesthetics, followed by medical check-ups and rehabilitation. Medical skill level, communication, and medical cost were indicated as the important factors for participants' decisions about KM-based medical tourism. Conclusions : Medical tourism could be a potential avenue for development by the KM-based Korean medical industry. Cosmetic-associated medical services are recommended, and enhanced public relations about KM-medical skill levels are strongly suggested for Chinese tourists.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.129-136
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• 2023

The study aims to examine the determinants that affect satisfaction, revisit intention, and recommendation intention with foreign tourists who visited Korea despite the threat of COVID-19. This study employs the survey data collected by the Korea Tourism Organization from 8,135 foreign tourists who visited Korea in 2020. As the survey data contains a mixture of continuous and categorical variables, decision tree analysis can ensure analytical validity for the research. According to the analytical results, the determinants affecting satisfaction are the purpose of the visit and acceptance of self-quarantine during their stay. The factors influencing revisit intention are the purpose of the visit, frequency of the visit, and acceptance of self-quarantine during their stay. The determinants affecting recommendation intention are the purpose of the visit, length of stay, and gender. Based on the results of this analysis, this study not only explains the relationship between these determinants and tourism satisfaction, revisit intention, and recommendation intention, but also suggests implications for revitalizing tourism activities.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.119-135
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• 2014

This study is aimed at understanding the factors behind deciding to accept a social network service (SNS) from the viewpoint of tourists who are users of tourism SNS. The study also seeks to clarify the effects these deduced factors have on the intention of users to continuously use SNS. To this end, individual properties (such as self-efficacy, socio-cultural effects, social presence and people's innovativeness), systematic properties (like system quality and information quality)and usefulness/availability were used as factors with regard to the decision to accept tourism SNS based on previous studies and efforts were made to structurally clarify the effects of such previous factors on people's intention to continuously use SNS through perceived value and satisfaction. SNS had significant effects on satisfaction and, furthermore, significantly affected tourists' intention to continuously use it. Based on such study results, factors behind deciding to accept SNS from the viewpoint of tourists affected customers' perceived value and satisfaction and ultimately affected their intention to continuously use SNS. To achieve the purpose of the study, a survey was conducted on about 250 Busan residents who had used SNS in relation to tourist activities, such as exhibitions, conventions, accommodation, trips, aviation service and transportation. According to an empirical study, factors behind deciding to accept tourism SNS, including individual properties, systematic properties and usefulness/availability had statistically significant effects on perceived value. The usefulness/availability factor had the largest influence, in particular, followed by the systematic factor and individual factor. The value perceived in the process of using tourism SNS had significant effects on satisfaction and, furthermore, significantly affected tourists' intention to continuously use it. Based on such study results, factors behind deciding to accept SNS from the viewpoint of tourists affected customers' perceived value and satisfaction and ultimately affected their intention to continuously use SNS.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.63-83
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• 2018

This exploratory research investigated the factors that influence foreign tourists' decision to use dental services in Thailand. The questionnaire was used to collect data from foreign tourists who used dental services in a hospital or dental clinic in Thailand. Data from 233 respondents completed questionnaires were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The findings revealed that respondents were most likely to be Asian (54.5%) followed by European (33.9%), females (64.8%) aged between 26-35 years (39.1%), business owners (45.9%), and came to Thailand with friends (47.6%). Regarding travel purposes and contact with dental services, most of them travel for pleasure (52.89%) and contact the clinic directly through the Internet(63.95%) The health/medical services used included health check-up (34.48%), dental services (29.22%), and day spa/massage (23.23%). The dental treatment that respondents had completed or planned to do included dental check-up (29.87%), tooth cleaning (26.68%), and tooth whitening (11.41%). Based on the influence of $_7P$ factors towards the respondent's decision to use the dental service, it was found that the average mean score range from 4.33-4.15 which were at the high to the very high level of influence to their decisions. The people factor had the highest average mean score (mean 4.33, SD= 0.604)followed by the price factor (mean 4.32, SD= 0.651), which both had the highest level of influence. The physical evidence factor had the lowest mean score (mean 4.15, SD+0.752) which was at the high level of importance. It should be noted that the factor concerning the modern technology and dental equipment (mean 4.33, SD=0.606) and factor on the quality of service (mean 4.43, SD= 0.598) had the highest mean score followed by the total cost of the trip including services being reasonable (mean 4.37, SD=0.582). Regarding the country factor, it was found that this factor also had highest influence level (mean 4.30, SD=0.67) and affordability had the highest mean score (mean 4.39, SD=0.614).

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.383-386
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• 2012

In this paper, we intended to analyze the relationship among tourist's acceptance decision,perceived value, satisfaction and continuous use intention for social network service. For this study, the self-administered questionnaire for 199 tourists was employed.