Hyounggon Kim | Sejong University (original) (raw)

Papers by Hyounggon Kim

The present study attempts to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. as a lo... more The present study attempts to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. as a long-haul travel destination in comparison to its major non-Asian competitors in the Chinese outbound travel market. A multi-step procedure of destination positioning analysis was designed, which involves a combination of multidimensional scaling, correspondence analysis, as well as logistic regression analysis. Overall, it was found that the U.S. holds a very unique position which is isolated from all other five destinations. Findings from this study may help identify areas of opportunity which could enhance American destinations’ competitiveness.

Journal of Tourism Management Research, 2020

Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture, 2012

Tourist Studies, 2005

This study draws upon recent learnings of the dynamic context of travel, tourism and touristic pr... more This study draws upon recent learnings of the dynamic context of travel, tourism and touristic practices to propose an interdisciplinary framework for heritage tourism research. Interdisciplinary barriers and intradisciplinary ‘prejudices’ have instilled fragmented, dualistic either/or approaches to heritage tourism research that perpetuate a micro-macro divide. Studies that decontextualize the individual (micro-level) from social structures (macro-level) belie the complexity of heritage and tourism. Production-consumption, local-global and economic supply-demand binaries are pointed out in the article, and theoretical attempts to bridge the binaries are discussed. It is argued that viewing heritage and tourism as performative practices involving relational forms of power, agency and dialogue helps bridge the micro-macro divide. The research challenges are illustrated using the example of a festival representing a medieval heritage: the Texas Renaissance Festival, USA. This case ill...

Tourism Management, 2006

The city of Goias, Brazil, recently launched the International Festival of Environmental Film and... more The city of Goias, Brazil, recently launched the International Festival of Environmental Film and Video (FICA) in an attempt to increase tourism revenue and foster an awareness of environmental issues. As an initiative to help develop more effective marketing strategies, this study examined the festival attendees' sociodemographic/travel characteristics and psychological constructs (motivations and environmental values) using an on-site intercept survey. Specifically, this research examined festival attendees' motivational differences based on the level of their pro-environmental values, which were measured by the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale. The results indicate that there are some significant motivational differences among the environmental concern groups: Low NEP group, Middle NEP group, and High NEP group. Social marketing approach is recommended for the development of environmentally friendly tourism events.

Tourism Management, 2007

Previous studies have collectively suggested that most cultural tourists are ''up-scaled'' (high ... more Previous studies have collectively suggested that most cultural tourists are ''up-scaled'' (high income earnings, high education, and mature aged). This simplistic profile of cultural tourists, however, does not seem to reflect the increasingly diversified group of cultural tourist attractions. This study examined the effects of socioeconomic and demographic traits of tourists on visitation patterns to 29 different types of cultural attractions using data from a national scale survey (conducted in 2000) of 6405 US respondents. The cultural attractions were grouped as four main types: Festival and Musical Attractions, Commercial Recreation Parks, Local Festivals and Fairs, and Knowledge/Aesthetic Seeking Attractions. The results showed that the participation patterns for diverse cultural attractions were determined by socioeconomic/demographic characteristics as well as the number/distance of trips. The effects of such traits on participation patterns by cultural tourists were different in accordance with the unique nature of each cultural attraction.

Tourism Analysis, 2005

The concept of nostalgia has drawn significant attention from diverse disciplines for its powerfu... more The concept of nostalgia has drawn significant attention from diverse disciplines for its powerful impact on contemporary individuals' mind and behaviors. However, the study of tourism has been negligent on exploring the association between nostalgia and heritage tourism despite its increasing importance. This note, in recognition of this research gap, offers a chance to understand the role of nostalgia within the heritage tourism context. As there are two types of nostalgia, personal nostalgia and historical nostalgia, particular attention is given to the importance of historical nostalgia (a sentimental yearning for the past beyond one's living memory). It is argued that the role of historical nostalgia in heritage tourism can be better understood through the reciprocal relationship between sociocultural conditions, the culture industry, and heritage tourism institutions. This note uses the Texas Renaissance Festival to illustrate how historical nostalgia arises from such dynamic interplay. It is interpreted that the Texas Renaissance Festival can be conceived of as a simulacrum where nostalgic desires are stimulated through active consumption of positive images of the past. Several suggestions for future research are made at the end of the note.

Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 2012

This study attempts to understand the position of the United States against its major non-Asian c... more This study attempts to understand the position of the United States against its major non-Asian competitors in Mainland Chinese tourists’ minds. A multistep procedure of destination positioning analysis was designed, which involved a combination of multidimensional scaling, correspondence analysis, and logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, this study connects positioning analysis with market segmentation research, as the perceptual mapping analyses were performed at both aggregate and segment levels. Overall, it was found that the United States holds a unique position that is isolated from all other five destinations. The authors discussed the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.

Annals of Tourism Research, 2003

This study employed an experimental design to assess the extent to which viewing a specific popul... more This study employed an experimental design to assess the extent to which viewing a specific popular motion picture altered cognitive and affective images of the place it depicted, as well as familiarity with, and interest in visiting it. A conceptual framework, which introduces the concept of vicarious experience through empathy, is introduced, and the role of empathy in explaining perceptual change is explored. Implications of the study pertain to the development of theoretical understandings about the relationships of movies-as a form of popular culture-to destination images. Additionally, marketing ideas associated with these relationships are discussed.

Annals of Tourism Research, 2007

This study examines the experience of repeat tourists who participate actively in a Renaissance f... more This study examines the experience of repeat tourists who participate actively in a Renaissance festival, from indepth interviews and participant observation over two consecutive years. Results contradict the general view of such commercial attractions as merely ''spectacle'' or ''inauthentic''. The notion of existential authenticity is central to understanding the experience of regular, repeat festival-goers who take their participation seriously. This committed action is a means of attaining heightened bodily feelings, expressing, regaining, or reconstructing a sense of desired self, and developing authentic intersubjective relationships. The study supports the existential notion in terms of intrapersonal and interpersonal authenticity.

Tourism Economics, 2016

From a perspective of the tourism production system, two basic stakeholders can be identified in ... more From a perspective of the tourism production system, two basic stakeholders can be identified in terms of demand and supply. Understanding the gap between these two groups is important for securing the long-term success of development. The purpose of this study is to estimate the economic values of heritage tourism resources and compare whether there is a significant difference in the economic values between these two groups. Using the contingent valuation method, study results showed that service providers assess the economic values of heritage tourism resources significantly higher than consumers. This article suggests the concept of power as an important theoretical linkage that explains the difference between the groups.