• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.180-191
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• 2003

This study researched the changing characteristics of Korean visitors to New Zealand after the IMF Crisis(the 1997 Korean financial collapse), through data from New Zealand Tourism Board and an internet-based survey. Since the Korean financial collapse, the Korean visitor to New Zealand has changed from an older to a younger generation. The reason for this change in age is considered clue to visiting as a family group, visiting to study English and the popularity of touring among the young adult generation. Thus the numbers of older generation travelers has decreased steeply, while an increase in younger visitors has occurred and they stay for longer and come during the school vacation period. The preferred or most popular itinerary is influenced by New Zealand's travel infrastructure, the younger travelers seeking adventure tourism, where this is located and package tours fixed itineraries. The main tour activities at attractions is visiting the tourist information centre, museums and internet cafes. These activities were popular with the younger generation and, along with New Zealand's unique scenic resources and famous activities, attracted visitors to the main tourist destinations. The average satisfaction levels of the respondents, according to the survey was 3.52 out of 5.00 criterion, this resulted from analysis of 14items and their satisfaction levels. New Zealand and Korean tourism policy makers, including travel agents and tourism development authorities, need to devise efficient tourism policy to accommodate these changing characteristics of Korean tourists, as highlighted through the results of this study.